You know, as a music lover, singer, writer and enthusiast, it's hard to come across artists who you believe represent you and identify with what we go through in this life as a Christian. I mean the real stuff. Yes the blessings, the presence of Jesus and His overwhelming Life in us; but also the struggle- with self and the enemy, the suffering and the process of changing and transforming your mind to reveal Christ's mind. At the same time, an artist that expresses the diversity in musicality that only few artists can achieve. And I believed that Mali Music is that type of artist.
For years, he had joined the ranks of my favorite artists list and was on my cloud and every music player I had. As an artist myself, I even felt the music God has given me reflected similarly what God had given him. A special connection I felt. There's a kinship that is felt among artists whose sound differs from popular/mainstream gospel or any other genre.
SO you can imagine my surprise and disdain upon finding out that Mali Music is switching from Gospel to mainstream. I mean I was hurt... truly hurt :( . I mean I didn't want to judge to quickly so I waited when a couple of years ago I had seen him on BET Music Matters. And when I heard he'd signed with Akon in 2011-12- I knew then that the decline had started but I didn't want to jump to any conclusions. I was hoping, maybe God was calling him to a bigger platform to share the gospel. Maybe---he can still maintain his integrity by upholding the gospel in a secular venue (although knowing the very impossibility of that statement). I just began to pray and continue to say "Maybe", hoping that his heart had not changed. Because I had not heard him say it out of his own mouth, I could not judge it.
But there is no discrepancy anymore. Out of his OWN Mouth, on two separate interviews (one for a secular venue (www.youknowigotsoul.com/interview-mali-music-breaking-through-the-glass-ceiling ) and one for a Christian venue (www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjmOY27_Fb8 )) he basically admitted to switching to secular. He pulled a Lecrae! Meaning that he changed up his response based on the audience-on one hand denouncing Christ by talking about the limitations of gospel music and on the other hand stating that he wanted to be considered one of the greats / hall of famers like Michael Jackson, Marvin Gaye and so on for HIS music. In one interview he shared that he had to remove the cross from his neck and change his message in order to be considered one of the greats (paraphrasing); while in the other interview he said that he's not "changing the message" or he's "not switching to secular". Mali you've lied long enough to us and sad to say, I believe right now you are lying to yourself.
See the Hall of Fame we all must aim to join is really the Hall of Faith listed in Hebrews 11. It's a different type of hall because it lists those who despite extreme and sometimes near death experiences and circumstances, these people trusted and chose God, even to the point of death.
Out of his own mouth, I heard him speak the biggest word in the alphabet..."I". Sad to say, there's another who used that word a lot too-Lucifer in Isaiah 14.
And my questions to this young Christian brother is this:
-Do you REALLY believe that the devil will allow you to promote Jesus or any semblance of Jesus on his turf?
-How do you reconcile when it says to love not the world nor the things of the world ... in 1 John 2:15-17?
-How do you justify it being God's will if there are no lyrics that point and glorify Jesus directly- the name above all other names?
-Is your music pointing people to Christ or to you?
-And because it is the world, how long do you think that the devil-who's the god of this world with a little "g" (Romans 1), will let you prosper in his world?
He HATES us because he HATES our FATHER!!
I can't judge the young brother because honestly he's not the only one who has done the switch and nor will he be the last either ( I just recently heard today of a prominent Gospel artist-at which I am not at liberty to share.. shhh!-who is contemplating leaving gospel for R&B and is currently working with a prominent secular artist in hopes of that transition now. This move I promise you will wreak of irony-that's all I'm saying). And I'm not even saying that just because you are in the gospel industry that it's holy. Most times it's just as secular as the secular industry.
But why is our youth leaving God to join the ranks of satan's army to promote his agenda? from doing the work of God to the world to be deceived?
Why is Jesus alone and all He stands for not enough?
And why and how do we justify pleasing God when we mix what He's given us to do with selfish ambitions and the world's rewards? Are we any better than Cain?
Please pray for this brother to not be consumed by this world. Please pray for him and others in the industry to see the Light because if we don't, we'll continue to see a falling away like never before and some great soldiers for the Cross will be lost in the process...
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