Purpose of this Endeavor :
This blog serves as my personal creative outlet intended for my friends, family, and fans. I believe the things I share will not only be uplifting to you but be entertaining as well. God First!!! Ultimately it’s all about God and my love for Him and sharing my thoughts. Through my music you will witness my passion and through my words I will share my life experiences. Let’s fellowship together by sharing our thoughts and growing in Christ….
Early life :
I was born in 1982 in Providence, Rhode Island. At the age 5, I moved to Wilmington North Carolina in 1987 to live with my grandparents. I had a great upbringing but it was somewhat sheltered. Fast forward to my teen years and high school days where I witnessed all the trappings of drugs, sex, and violence that permeates ghettos across America. Many of my friends got caught up in various lifestyles and as a result they are either no longer living or doing time in prison. The neighborhood I grew up in wasn’t riddled with gunfire daily but it wasn’t suburbia either. By God’s grace I made it through my youth and was able to stand clear of a lot of dangers and temptations that surrounded me. After graduating high school I went to community college with the intent of being a school teacher…but God had other things in mind…
“The name Symbol came about by me wanting to stand for something. It is also an acronym for Simply Yearning More to Be Obedient to the Lord.”
God’s Calling and Music Career :
I accepted Christ as my personal Lord and Savior in 2001. The preparation for my salvation actually began in 1999 on the basketball court. It’s funny how the Lord works, basically this random stranger began speaking God’s word to me which lead to me asking questions and more questions. Since my senior year of high school I knew something was missing from my life, and I felt an empty void. The turn of events leading to my salvation was actually a 2 year process. The random strangers name was Eric Winn. People usually referred to him as the “preacher man”.
Eric and I really bonded through basketball and especially when we were talking about scripture. We discussed everything from the entertainment industry, to how Satan was a musician, and how the world was a very corrupt place. It was an eye opening and life changing experience though I didn’t always agree with Eric’s bleak outlook on the world. Soon after I received my salvation, a friend brought over a beat CD with various rap instrumentals. He said I should try my hand at freestyling. I had always been a life long fan of hip hop but never dreamed of seriously rapping. I began actual song writing in 2002. The first songs I wrote were merely poems about experiences I had went through.
The name Symbol came about by me wanting to stand for something. Later I made it an acronym for Simply Yearning More to Be Obedient to the Lord. I recorded 4 rap CD’S between 2003 and 2007. I eventually stopped listening to most secular hip hop music for a number of years, and took a hiatus from rap in 2007. In January of 2008 I moved to Arizona, where I would meet my wife and queen in 2013.
By 2016 I was married and had a little baby girl. Life is beautiful. Love is beautiful. My lyrical gift was always still with me, and no matter how much I tried, I couldn’t escape my desire to get back in the studio and make music again. Christian rap artists don’t get the respect or recognition of most secular artists, and why would we? Righteousness isn’t very popular. For me though it’s not about being popular, or record sales , or fame. I just want to fulfill my destiny. If I can do that, serve my purpose, then my job is done. The gift to uplift, is why I am here I’m finally back and working on new music and new content for the website through my photos, videos, and blog. God’s not done with me yet!!!
Peace and Love always
