Datin: Why I can’t battle rap as a Christian

Before Datin signed to God Over Money, before he became a Christian, he thrived as a battle rapper.

At SXSW 2016, though, Datin told Rapzilla why he no longer battles, despite past victories at 106 & Park’s Freestyle Friday, Monday Nite Fight Klub, End of the Weak’s MC Challenge and more.

“I wouldn’t go back to battle rap because it does something for me,” Datin said. “I know that God has placed some people in it — a couple of my brothers who are doing well in that scene. Me personally, I had to be pried away from it — literally stripped from it. I wanted to battle. I never wanted to stop. When I first got saved, I used to try to think of ways where I can still stay involved, like, ‘Maybe I’ll just stop cursing.’

“It was all based on pride for me. I won’t know how to go in there and plant seeds. I’ll go in there and be mega-prideful, try to beat everybody. That’s it. … If I can’t shred somebody’s head off, I don’t want to do it, so now, shredding somebody’s head off, is that honoring the Lord? It’s not … I’m not going to put myself in that place where I’ll be tempted.”

Datin said he has “absolutely no problem” with Christians battle rapping who don’t share his conviction, though.

“When I watch [Th3] Saga, I watch A. Ward, I watch Loso, I feel like they really be planting some seeds,” Datin said. “They keep it interesting, yet they’re not super compromising. I can’t do that, bro. I don’t have the gift to be able to quote scripture, flip Bible verses as a punchline and then try to play homie out. I go in for the kill. It’s that aggressive joint. I’ma talk about his mother. I’ma talk about his handicapped girlfriend.

“You see, I’m already sinning in this interview just thinking about what I’d talk about. Don’t edit that out. Keep that in.”

Buy Datin’s newest album The Roar on iTunes.

David Daniels
David Daniels
David Daniels is a columnist at Rapzilla.com and the managing editor of LegacyDisciple.org. He has been published at Desiring God, The Gospel Coalition, Christianity Today, CCM Magazine, Bleacher Report, The Washington Times and HipHopDX.
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