MOSES | The Crossroads.

Album Cover. Get your copy on Bandcamp

“I pride myself on innovation”. He said it in his usual tongue-in-cheek way. But this is just one of the things about MOSES that I found inspirational to begin with. This young Nigerian gospel rapper based in Manchester, UK saw off 2013 by releasing his debut album, The Crossroads.

The Crossroads is simply a musical manifestation of the artists life, his struggles and triumphs as a Christian; “Nothing too abstract or indie unfortunately”, he punctuates with humour. But for all its simplicity the album touches on scenarios that most Christians will understand or have experienced. From Questions where he samples a track of the same name by Nigerian artist Asa, to the title single Crossroads MOSES addresses real life Christian issues with humility and understanding.

When asked about his favourite track from the album MOSES replies “the truth is my favourite track changes pretty much like Manchester’s weather. At first it was Because Of Your Grace then it was Bar For The King then Questions and now it's New Dawn” I’m no expert but I guess this is what they call a labour of love: “The concept for The Crossroads was pretty much based on my life. I wanted it to be fully based on my life experiences and decisions”. I myself have struggled to find a favourite, fluctuating between all 10 tracks on the album as they shuffle on my MP3.

That might be the hardest part for us, but not for MOSES. For a young artist the work only begins after recording. “I had to then start promoting and letting people know about it.” Most international or well-known artists come complete with their own publicity team that take care of all the running around for them. All they have to do is sing. But for MOSES he also got the chance to flex his promotional muscles and sell himself: “It was all very fun though”.

Bold Renegades Never Back Down

After all his hard work no one would really call him out if he decided to get something out of it. But in typical MOSES fashion he blindsided us by making the album available for free on Bandcamp. “I made the project as an introduction to my music, for everyone to then be able to make a decision on how they feel about my music. So it didn't feel right charging for it.” He called his debut a free gift that he had intended to be free from the start. 

Although there are no other artists featured on the album MOSES was privileged to work with some inspirational people from the gospel genre. “I did have the pleasure of working with a good producer ‘big brother’ friend of mine Barry aka Arc Beats who you might have heard doing his thing on the new Levites3:12 track 'New Season New Day'. I also had another friend of mine Tim Gosden of CrossFya doing some post production work on it.” It seems this young man has his foot firmly in the door.

Now if you were hoping for an epiphany about the message of this album I hate to disappoint you. The final message is what you chose to take away from this musical sermon. For MOSES it was two of Christianity’s most popular mantras – grace and love. “I don't think I would have even been in a position to make the project without God's grace & love and that's the message I tried to instil in some way or another in the tracks”. Simple enough but powerful all the same.

Hard work pays off

What’s next for this young up and comer? Well the New Year brings new promise for all and MOSES is no exception. He became an associate artist with MJK & Crossfya in November 2013. What this means for his fans around the UK and Europe is a lot of events and a lot more of MOSES. For veteran fans that also means that Retro Days is about to be developed into an EP with Arc Beats so watch this space. He’ll be featuring on a few projects with established names on the gospel scene. “Finally a collective which I am part of called 'R.I.S.E' is going to be releasing a debut album this year so it's a very busy but exciting year ahead. Thank God.” Of course there are many other possibilities in the pipelines but you’ll just have to stick around to find out.

Find him!

For more some social media stalking you can find MOSES here: Twitter @imjustmoses and Facebook facebook.com/imjustmoses

For his work and more MOSES news find him here: Facebook Fan Page facebook.com/imjustmosesUK; Soundcloud Soundcloud.com/imjustmoses and YouTube Youtube.com/imjustmosesTV

For your digital copy of The Crossroads album visit his Bandcamp imjustmoses.bandcamp.com

For bookings and any queries, information etc. drop him an email on imjustmoses93@gmail.com.

Home

Home. It has become somewhat of an abstract notion to me over the years. I suppose that’s what happens when you move around so much. It means something different to me every time I talk about it. I mean I’ve barely been in Dubai a whole year and there are aspects of it that have come to feel like ‘home’.

Sometimes Nigeria is home, after all I was born there and I did live there for 13 of my 20 years. Other times it’s the UK. I stayed there for close to 7 years, I went to high school there, I experienced life there. I did things I can’t even begin to outline there. Not only did I grow up there, I grew smart. Then there’s Dubai. You know that thing people always say about you meeting lifelong friends at university? I’m finally getting to experience that here. I suppose that’s what makes Dubai so ‘homely’ for me right now. So for as long as that feeling lasts-or rather for as long as it outweighs my need to run somewhere else for cover-this place will be home.

I think the “problem” with me is that I am a Nomad. Long before leaving Britain, I was itching for new scenery. I thought moving from England to Wales would scratch that itch but it didn’t. I’m not a home-body, so to speak. I enjoy moving around, not too much, just enough to be mystified often, to be constantly rediscovering, to have a new opinion about myself, people and the world. I think that’s why I want to be a journalist.

The dream would be going from place to place, covering story after exciting story. The irony is I know that dream isn’t going to last forever. I’m going to get tired or old or boring (or all at the same time!) and when that inevitable day finally arrives what will I do? Will I just curl up in whatever corner of the world I find myself in and die a peaceful death? And if I do decide to go ‘home’ for the final chapter of my life where will home be? And if I do, by some unforeseen miracle, end up having a little nuclear family attached to me, what are they gonna be doing while I’m off playing free spirit and traipsing around the world? And this is all working under the assumption that the dream will become a reality…As always I am CLEARLY over-thinking everything. What will be will be, regardless.

On a lighter note, I got my results from first year and needless to say I wasn’t immediately satisfied. But in the grand scheme of things I did pretty well and I give God all the glory. Second year hear we come!

I Predict A Riot

So the riot started in London and spread to other parts of the UK. For me and other residents of the country, there is tension and panic in the air. The media coverage is appalling by the way...I tuned in to the BBC naively expecting them to be neutral like they always claim to be. But the newsreader was extremely patronizing to someone she was interviewing, and she actually backed up his point.

He was trying to explain that the riots were going to happen anyway. He was trying to make her understand that it was brewing underground and that the youths were rebelling because they were unhappy. She tried to turn this on him by claiming that he was in support of the riots which he denied. But she kept pushing and of course he snapped:

"...have some respect for an old west indian negro and stop accusing me of rioting...u just sound idiotic..."

Apart from that we have a vast array of ignorant politicians including our very own Prime Minister and his house help/Deputy. The newsreaders keep telling us to expect a speech. Yes. Words are what we need now...not action. We are also told to expect the return of the Mayor of London seeing as he has been of so much help to us in the past.

Speaking of action, police action is messed up. The London prisons are filled up and they are transporting people to other parts of Britain....not that this is in anyway a waste of time or valuable resources.

The thing is the devastation is there though many are still trying to turn a blind eye. And this stopped being about alleged trigger happy cops and a black man's shooting a long time ago...if it was the riots would have started a while back. That was just the straw that broke the camel's back. People are aggravated, tired, confused, concerned, shocked. Things need to be done. Actions need to be taken. Political speeches of ignorance are of no help to us now.