Together Teron "Bonafide" Carter and Stacy "Coffee" Jones are GRITS, the nation's hottest-selling Christian hip-hop act. We hit Bonafide up about new album "Redemption."
Suite: As mentioned in the review of new album "Redemption," you guys are the hardest-working hip-hop crew in the country. What pushes you to keep going so hard and where do you find the energy?
Bonafide: Loving what I do is the number one reason. Music is my passion and we have
the privilege to be used by God to touch people with it.
Suite: Tracks like "Ambition" on “Redemption” make your dissatisfaction with the industry pretty clear. What one aspect would you most like to see overhauled?
Bonafide: I think the structure of the industry needs an overhaul. People who don't know Urban Music shouldn't be overseeing its progress because there is no passion or understanding for the music. Now that everything is going digital and independent, it’s actually happening on its own.
Suite: I loved your word to the wise on Holla@Ya. What else can Christian artists do to help teach our young people about respect?
Bonafide: Every artist has to adhere to some level of personal responsibility in their music. As far as more being done, adhering to that responsibility by writing songs with that mentality will help.
Suite: What is the best spiritual advice you’ve ever been given as a Christian music artist? How hard is it for you to follow?
Bonafide: "It's not how you start but how you finish"...... It's really not that hard to follow. It definitely is challenging but that's life. You live and you learn but you gotta be willing to use the knowledge you gain to walk in its wisdom.
Suite: What other artist would you most like to meet?
Bonafide: Mary J. Blige and Anthony Hamilton. Anthony I've met but to be able to sit and have real life convo with both, man, that would be surreal.
To read more about GRITS, check out their website.
