[Interview] Vada Discusses African Church History Pre-Slavery, New Music and Inspirations!
GV: Your story is really interesting; you were once an atheist? How on earth did you become a believer?
VADA: Well, it’s a combination of personal experience and general studies. I learned that Jesus either lived or He didn’t. He is either God or He isn’t. He either said “I am the way, the truth and the life and no one comes to the Father except through me” or He didn’t say that. And if Jesus is the authority and He said that, then me believing Him has no bearing on it being true or not. I say all that to say that the Holy Spirit worked on transforming me but Christianity is by far the best explanation for the world. I think anyone who examines the evidence with an open heart will agree.
GV: Evidence like what, what’s an example?
VADA: Well it’s a lot of things I could say but I would say the quickest is that we exist in the first place. Why do stars, planets, clouds, gravity, cells in our body, all exist? I think it’s ridiculous to think that all of this stuff just happened by coincidence or by evolution. It’s obvious that there is an intelligent designer. So who is that intelligent designer? That’s when we get to Jesus, His claims and examining what the Bible actually is. The God that is described in the Bible is that intelligent designer and He is by far the best explanation. All roads lead to Jesus.
I could go on and on but this is great plug for my podcast. I talk about stuff like this in great detail on my show.
GV: And that’s the radio show, IsHeARealOne Radio, correct?
VADA: Yes sir! It’s on my youtube page you check that out for now. It’s many topics being covered on the show.
GV: Do you engage in debates and hostile discussions about your faith? If so, how do you handle that?
You know, I try not to debate ever and just converse but that’s a thin line sometimes. I don’t like conversing with someone who refuses to believe in Jesus no matter what. The Bible describes those people but I will do it if it’s someone listening to the conversation and they find it helpful. I really prefer to not debate though.
And I handle it by simply saying what I know and if I don’t know, I say I don’t know. But I know why I believe what I believe and I’m elated to share with anyone who’ll listen.
GV: Wow that’s fascinating… there does seem to be a general distaste for Christianity. In the black community, it’s the whole “White Man’s Religion” thing, how do you respond to that?
VADA: Wow you’re really going there [laughs]. Well, for one this is on my YouTube page. I’ve done two videos so far going into great detail about this but in short I’ll just say that Christianity was practiced for around 1,600 before the Trans-Atlantic slave trade: that proves that the “white man” didn’t invent it right there. Secondly, Christianity was in North Africa before that and we know that because we have Bibles and copies of Scripture in African languages that were written in the AD300’s and earlier. Plus, many of the oldest copies of Scripture that we are aware of were discovered in Africa. The oldest New Testament fragment that we currently know exists is called P52; it’s a fragment of John’s gospel and that was written in AD125, it was discovered in Africa. If Christianity wasn’t practiced at all before slavery, then why is the oldest NT fragment known to man discovered in Africa? Also, it’s scripture that’s copied in the Ethiopian language dating as old as AD500’s or something like that. That’s literally a fact so it’s just an extremely uneducated thing to accuse Christianity of being the “white man’s religion.” Please listen to my episode on this cause I could talk about this all day [laughs].
GV: Wow I never knew that! But you’re right, let’s get to the music because that’s why we called you in. The single “Jesus” is doing great for it to be your first single. What’s the story behind it?
VADA: Well, I wanted to do a song that was super Gospely and what better way to do that then name it “Jesus” [laughs]. Because I have a secular background I didn’t want it to be any grey area about the approach I’m going with my gospel project. Although I’m rapping still and that’s not gospel, I just wanted my heart to be abundantly clear.
GV: Would you consider your gospel music trap gospel or anything like that?
VADA: Nah not at all bro. I don’t even like trap hip hop like that. My favorite rapper is Eminem and my favorite R&B songwriter is Babyface. Neither of those influences would guide me to doing trap gospel [laughs]. But shouts out to whoever does it, hey, praise His name.
GV: Hmmm, interesting. So who’s your favorite gospel artist and why?
VADA: Well I’d say Kirk Franklin because he’s a song writer and producer like me. He doesn’t really sing, like me. So I look up to him as far as what I wanna be one day. I would love to be just a fraction of him as far what he’s done. He’s written and produced so much dope music over a long period of time. I just want to be a fraction of that. I’ll say Kirk Franklin for sure but it’s so many dope artists and writers out there.
GV: Are there any artists that you like to work with one day?
VADA: Heavens yes man! I think Maranda Curtis is ridiculous! So is that young cat, Kelontae Gavin. I love Jonathan McReynolds, Bri and the seasoned gospel artists as well. The Clark Sisters are amazing. I could literally go on for days, I want to work with everybody.
GV: Will you do any teaching in your music? You seem to have a lot of knowledge about church history and apologetics.
VADA: Umm… I don’t know. It’ll have to come to me organically and be dope. I don’t want to do a song dropping knowledge just to do it and its whack. Nas was really good at that but not too many artists could pull that off, plus I think sometimes he missed the mark in doing it himself. But he has a lot of really legendary stuff. So, it’ll have to come to me naturally and musically. I’m not about to whack out here in these streets [laughs].
GV: Well thank you for your time Vada. Where can people find you?
VADA: On Instagram at @VadaRealMC and twitter @VadaRealMC. My websites should be up sooner than later, VadaRealMC.com and IsHeARealOne.com. Just stay tuned because I’m trying to chase greatness in Jesus’ name! I don’t deserve any credit whatsoever. Thank you so much for your time brother!
DOWNLOAD JESUS BY VADA >> https://www.gospelvibes.com.ng/american-gospel-artist-vada-drops-debut-gospel-single-jesus/
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