From no music experience to a signed record deal

Image Credit: Kaique Rocha

13th Jan 2020
Tags: Music News Ambition 5ive Rap

Texas-based rapper 5ive has landed an impressive four songs, 'Ain’t Worried', 'This I Know', 'The Way You Leave Me' and 'Unashamed', on the xRhythms playlist.

They’re all from his latest album ‘Family Business’.

The album is steeped in themes of unity and love and features such well known guests as V.Rose, Datin and Drew Weeks, plus the 13-year-old newcomer Kyren Cyrill, who happens to be 5ive’s son. 

Had a tumultuous childhood.

5ive was born Craig James and had a tumultuous childhood. All kinds of traumas led to cocaine and meth addictions. By the time he was 21, Craig was hopelessly strung out on what he calls “demonic addictions.”

In his darkest moments, he sought comfort in talking with his cancer-stricken aunt, a pastor in his hometown of Earth, Texas.

In late 2010, unable to sleep for days, 5ive unmistakably heard the voice of God telling him to go to church. When he entered his aunt’s church on Sunday as she was preaching, he immediately surrendered his life to Christ.

He wrote his first Christian rap with no training.

Six months later 5ive, with no previous musical experience or formal training, wrote his first Christian rap song and he subsequently released several albums. 

But it’s his latest single, after being signed to the new hip-hop subsidiary of the Nashville Label Group, True Breed Records, helmed by Joseph Rojas, which is opening new doors for the rap veteran.

5ive told The Christian Beat website how he came to be signed.

“It was definitely a God thing. I did an event with Seventh Day Slumber about six years ago, when I first started ministry, and we were also supposed to do a tour together. Unfortunately, the tour never happened, but God always has a way of bringing things full circle.

The rest is history!

"Fast forward to this year, and Joseph is looking for Christian rappers for his new label. Seventh Day Slumber’s producer and guitarist Jeremy Holderfield brings my name up to Joseph, while another good friend of mine just happened to be interviewing Joseph that same day and he also mentioned my name. The rest is history!”