In this episode of Testimony: A Musician’s Story I interview God Over Money rapper, A.I. The Anomaly. A.I. was born and raised on the east side of Buffalo, NY. While she was only fourteen months old she entered the foster care system with two of her older siblings. Her single-mother abused substances and the kids were taken away from her. By the time A.I. was 3 years old, her mother overdosed and passed away. Additionally, the man she thought was her biological father passed away when she was 7 years old. Once he passed, A.I. learned that he was not her biological father, and would later meet the man whose genes she carries when she became an adult. 

Despite the tragedies that occurred with her bio-parents, A.I. and her two older siblings grew up in a loving-God-Fearing home. Her foster mother kept the siblings together and raised them. The year the man she called her father died, her foster mother adopted the kids. This woman of God had already raised 3 girls on her own, and while she was in her 50’s she took in A.I. and her siblings. She was strict and religious and took the kids to a Church of God in Christ (COGIC)  weekly. “All we knew growing up was going to church, praying, singing songs, wearing dresses, Vaseline on our faces, patent leather shoes, gloves, and lace socks,” said A.I. The Anomaly.

Growing up on the east side of Buffalo was rough. Although the kids were sheltered, when they stepped outside they were exposed to an environment of neighborhood trap houses.  “Being that my mother was a praying Christian-woman she did the best she could, I thank God for her prayers. That is what helped me along the way,” A.I. believes. 

Just because she grew up with a praying mother, doesn’t mean she automatically gave her life to Christ. It wasn’t until A.I. became a young single mother when she recognized the importance of living for Christ. Being raised as a baby in the system, she struggled with her own existence. “I felt like God’s only mistake,” she said. A.I. felt like in order to become the best mother she could be, she would have to get to perfection. The only man to walk this earth in perfection was Jesus Christ, so she totally surrendered and gave her life to Him at 20 years old. “For 14 yrs I’ve been on this walk. For God I live. For God I die, “ she proclaimed!

While her son was 2 years old she met her husband while she was running an after-school program. He was part of a connected program, and although she was focused on her son and paying bills, his persistence led to a great friendship. Through getting to know him she began to respect his thought process and his love for God and community. The couple has been married for eleven years and has a daughter together. 

You may know A.I. The Anomaly is a skilled lyricist, but she is a gifted photographer as well. She teaches young people how to tell stories through the lens with her company Get Fokus’d Productions. A.I. encourages all to, “Find what you love. That talent that God has given you. That passion. Keep doing it and hopefully, it will bear fruit and encourage people.” 

Being that she grew up in a strict COGIC household, A.I. was not allowed to listen to the radio. So, as a teen, she would sneak to listen to Biggie, Nas, Tupac, Missy, and Timbaland (to name a few). That is when she fell in love with hip hop. Poetry was always her first love, and rap is rhythm and poetry, so it only made sense to start rapping. 

A.I. was a part of a collective that hosted CHH events, in 2015 she met rapper and God Over Money Records owner, Bizzle. After years of building and getting to know Bizzle and other label artists, Bizzle invited her to be the first lady of GOM. Although she is the only woman on the label and has been for some years now, she doesn’t feel a weight on her shoulders. By no mistake, this multi-hyphenated woman of God is holding her own on a label full of her brothers in Christ.  

Key Points In Interview:

1:55 -  A.I. The Anomaly’s adoptive mother raised her in COGIC church. The church choir is her first music memory.

2:57 - She talks about growing in in Buffalo, being raised in the foster care system, her mother overdosing, and being adopted.

7:15 - A.I. talks about wanting to know her biological identity. Learning that the man she thought was her biological father passed away. Then eventually met her bio-dad as an adult. 

14: 20 - She shares her Christian testimony, which includes being a young single mother. 

18:20 - A.I. shares how she met her husband when her son was 2 years old.  

20:00 -  She talks about her photography business Get Fokus’d Productions. 

27:55 - A.I. will be dropping Fokus’d documentary series on regular people that go beyond the basics. Focus on CHH artists and producers, that is dope, but even doper in their philanthropic work. I.e. Derrek Minor. The series will be featured on Rapzilla and her pages. 

37:00 -  She shares her music start. Talks about not being able to listen to the radio growing up. Later discovered Christian Hip Hop. 

42:00 - A.I. discusses how she signed to Bizzle’s God Over Money Records. 

47:00 - 4-song-break-down: “Grown Woman”, “Facts”, “Relentless” feat. Bizzle, and “Freedom’s Palace”

01:03 - Mother Brown Prayer 

References Mentioned In This Interview By A.I. The Anomaly:

• Bizzle’s testimony

• Seleh The Corner’s testimony

• Jered Sander’s testimony

• Datin’s testimony

• Bumps INF’s testimony

• Derrek Minor Ownership is the New Black

• Get Fokus’d

• Angie Rose - Unstoppable

• RSwift 

Suggested Artists Testimonies Mentioned By A.I. The Anomaly:

• Aasha Marie 

Connect with A.I. The Anomaly

Instagram: @aitheanomaly