When one thinks of mean streets, places like New York, LA – Watts, Detroit and Chicago come to mind.
F1 Diamond and TBGB’s Bob Marovich |
January 6, 2002 is a day F1 Diamond will never forget. At four o’clock in the morning, he called his mother. By then, she had relocated to Memphis, where her father lived. She got saved and became involved in the church. F1 Diamond told his mother he wanted to join her in Memphis. She immediately got in the car, “and by eleven p.m. that evening,” he said, “she had driven from Memphis to Milwaukee to get me.”
On the way to Memphis, everything he owned – including his clothes and the record company – left behind in Milwaukee, F1 Diamond sat in the car and listened to the gospel music his mother was playing. He specifically remembers how Donnie McClurkin’s “Just For Me” struck the right chord inside him.
“For the first time in my life, I felt bad about what I did,” F1 Diamond explained. He asked his mother to pull over to the side of the expressway. There, near Cairo, Illinois, he gave his life to Christ.
In Memphis, F1 Diamond went back to school, got his GED and attended Crichton College where he majored in Biblical Studies and Psychology. He started a Bible study for youth at Greater Imani Church, where his pastor is Dr. Bill Adkins. In April 2002 he accepted his calling to the ministry and since 2003 has been a full-time youth pastor for S.C.R.E.A.M (Shout Christ, Renounce Evil And Magnify the Lord), which has 400 members. One of the young persons in his group called the Milwaukee transplant a pastor of the “traphouse,” street slang for a crack house. Pastor of the Traphouse. The name stuck.
F1 Diamond began creating hip hop songs as a way to reach the youth in his group, but he never intended the material to get radio airplay or to launch a new music career. “The kids just started playing the songs at school for their friends. A local radio announcer, DJ R.J. Groove at 95.7 FM, he began playing them on his show, ‘The Kingdom Party.’”
Around the same time, an innocent phone call changed F1 Diamond’s life. Calling Cloud Ten Pictures to get permission to show the film, Saving God, for his youth group, F1 Diamond found himself talking with the company’s owner. One thing led to another, F1 Diamond sent the company a copy of his “Pastor of the Traphouse” CD, and he was subsequently offered a distribution deal.
Today, F1 Diamond is garnering responses worldwide for his Christian hip hop music. But he remains grounded. “I’m not career building with my music. We’re here to save souls.”
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Written by : Bob Marovich
Bob Marovich is a gospel music historian, author, and radio host. Founder of Journal of Gospel Music blog (formally The Black Gospel Blog) and producer of the Gospel Memories Radio Show.
It’s a blessing just to know u and see a young man on fire for the Lord, who has a story and inspires other young people and old people to go on… If some of that anointing can just pivot my way, that’s awesome.
I love your story and how genuine you are. The world needs more genuine inspiring men. Salute to you King.
“Capiche”
F1 you are a true talent and blessing to others. Continue to use your gift to touch lives!