Kham Uses His Christian Music Industry Platform to Push for the Betterment of Black People
Gaelika Brown
In this episode of Testimony: A Musician’s Story I interview the Virginia Beach Christian rap artist, Kham. Kham was raised in a two-parent household by a God-fearing Guyanese (South American) mother. A mother who instilled the fear of God, or rather the fear of his mother, in him.
Kham believes he has a middle-of-the-road Christian origin story. He didn’t have anything uniquely-crazy or tragic happen to him. But it wasn’t all rainbows and him skipping through daises with God either.
Kham initially gave his life to Christ at 9 years old. Then, again at 16 years old. This was around the time when he started to wonder if there was more to life than just the sex, drugs, and foolishness his peers were into. “Jesus and a relationship with Christ expands your perceptive on life.” That is when he made his faith his own.
For college, Kham attended Liberty University, a predominantly white institution. He recently received his Masters of Arts in Human Services. He didn’t just receive a scholastic education at Liberty, but while struggling with lust and dealing with campus racism, he learned the importance of community, as well.
Lust, Kham was exposed to pornography at a young age by a friend, this lead to issues with lust. Issues that become more complicated while in a committed relationship with his girlfriend. During his sophomore year of college, he received deliverance from it. At a campus community night of worship, he felt God tugging him about that inflection. He audibly heard “You can never get too close”. Right then he gave that inflection to God and left it at the altar. He is grateful that he received deliverance during college, and that he didn’t have to grow up and into a forced-deliverance situation like Ravi Zacharias. That campus environment created a safe space for Kham to hear God.
Unfortunately, when it came to issues with race, the campus wasn’t as safe. The school preached the importance of service, but when the opportunity to serve another race came up they made it political, Kham said. Some thought Black Lives Matter was a terrorist group. And after a wildly inappropriate Halloween costume involving his white peers dressed as ICE and a Mexican immigrant appeared on campus, a group of students decided to protest. Kham was a part of that protest and is grateful for the support system around him that showed him the real Jesus. “Community is key”, said Kham.
As a Christian rap artist, Kham chooses to make songs about racial injustice. His purpose is to use his platform, in the Christian music industry, as a black man for the betterment of black people. “I would be doing a disservice to myself, as a black man and to my community of black people, to not use my platform to continue to push for the betterment and the qualities of our lives. I’m a Christ-follower first. But I’m still black.”
Additionally, he breaks down “Problematic”, “Time FR” feat. Red Tipps, Jekasoul, and “Rapzilla Freshman Cypher” in the 4-song-breakdown.
Key Points In Interview:
5:53 - Kham shares how he accepted Christ into his life at 9 years old.
7:30 - While he was 16 years old, he watched his peers settle with drugs, weed, and sex. This made him wonder if there was more to life. Mom put the fear of God in him.
9:30 - Kham wants people to know that giving your life to Christ isn’t all rainbows and you and God skipping through daisies. There are ebbs and flows.
10:05 - Kham opens up about being exposed to pornography at 12/13 years old by a friend. As a result, he struggled with lust during high school. During his sophomore year in college, he was delivered from it.
21:00 - He talks about his conservative PWI experience at Liberty University. While in school Kham became more involved with social justice issues. Kham says the university talked about service but when the opportunity to serve another race came up, they made it political.
27:00 - Kham talks about his excitement over “Charged Up” being on All American, and how it was surreal.
31:00 - He talks about his music start.
37:00 - Kham talks about meeting and opening up for Andy Mineo.
38:00 - He shares why he chooses to use his platform in the Christian music industry, to make songs about racial injustice.
42:00 - Kham talks about being a part of the Rapzilla Freshman class of 2021, the first class with a cypher, and a concert.
45:47 - Mother Brown’s prayer.
50:00 - The 4-Song-Break-Down
References Mentioned In This Interview By Kham:
Suggested Artist Testimonies Mentioned By Kham:
Czar Josh
J Crum
Connect with Kham
Instagram: @khamraps