Before the arrival of International Gospel Recording artist Steve Kelly in 1999, African contemporary gospel music leaned toward inspirational quiet storm-’positive’ messages alluding to Jesus and a righteous walk of faith set to lightly grooving tracks that appealed primarily to adults. Watch Video: God’s Love by Steve Kelly
Upon the arrival of Steve Kelly, the music and the culture of contemporary Christianity got an energy boost that could give Red Bull a run for its money! Injecting a vigorous and youthful excitement to faith-walking, Steve Kelly made it cool to be Christian, placing Godly messages in the same heavy rotation as other urban pop music.
Over the last eight years with hits such as “Thank You”,”You Got Me Smiling”, “Jesus Coming Soon”, “Jump for Jesus”and “Gods Love,” Steve ascended to the upper echelons of gospel and pop. Just like Kirk Franklin did.
Steve Kelly is now the 2008 Eagle Award-winning, Best International Gospel Artist of the year, crossover from Africato America.He is the first African to win the historic Award.
Ghana Music.com: What kind of person is Steve Kelly?
Steve Kelly: Steve Kelly is an African International U.S. based Gospel Recording artist with the soul of Andréa Crouch and contemporary flair of Kirk Franklin. Steve Kelly integrated hip hop styles with gospel themes in albums such as ‘Taken Gospel to the Streetz Project’ and ‘God’s Love’, which achieved success on the international scene as well as all across the West African region.
Ghana Music.com: Can you share a little bit about your family and background?
Steve Kelly: I ama native of Ghana and Liberia, My Mother from Ghana, My Dad is Liberian and I was born in Monrovia -Liberia and migrated to Ghana in 1990 during the Liberia Civil War, In the late 90s I went back to Liberia and later migrated to the United States of America, where I got more passionate about music and entertainment, began with writing songs and singing, creating a lot of hooks/chorus for some of the young urban rappers in Philly.
Ghana Music.com: Are you successful?
Steve Kelly: “For me success is very personal,” Steve Kelly concludes. “I’m a Black single man in my 20s still hungry for the Lord and still hungry for God to knock down the stuff I see in me that still ain’t right. That’s the thinking I choose to keep in close contact with in terms of how I define success.’ I’ve been working on me-and there’s a lot more work to be done.”
Ghana Music.com: How long have you been involved in the music ministry?
Steve Kelly: I’ve been working and serving the lord in the music ministry for ten years.
Ghana Music.com: Tell us about your mother. How much of an inspiration was she in your life?
Steve Kelly: My mother was and she is still a very strong and lovely and best caring woman I know on earth. You see my road to the top,though quick, was far from smooth. Abandoned and giving away to a prophetess by my mother after Doctor declared me dead due to not having intestine, I was catered for by prophetess Susana Essifie, a deeply religious woman and a founder of the Church of Jerusalem in Monrovia- Liberia.
Ghana Music.com: Was your mother very instrumental in your journey towards the Christian faith?
Steve Kelly: Yes she was always but due to the enemy attack on her with the Doctor declaring me dead in couple of days brought in the support of God Anointed Prophetess who was more instrumental to my Christian faith. She spent a lot on me. She was always there for me and my mother as well as the entire Family. The exciting part of it is she is still alive to see the transformation of my live, she is about 102yrs, and I am happy she is strong and healthy.
Ghana Music.com: Are you doing strictly gospel or hip-hop gospel and do you think the kind of songs you do will be appreciated by a larger audience?
Steve Kelly: I am a contemporary and inspirational Gospel artist. I believe and as I read in previous articles, and heard on radio and newsletters, my music has always been gospel, which is more appealing to those that may not have a religious affiliation. By keeping it current and fresh it appeals to many age groups and reaches earsthat may not otherwise hear the positive message of the lyrics.
Ghana Music.com: Did you ever think you would be a hip-hop gospel artiste?
Steve Kelly: Not really but you know it’s not by my might,nor power nor my strength but is the mercy and favor of God.
Ghana Music.com: Do you ever wonder why God chose you to do what you do?
Steve Kelly: Not at all? He chose me from the time I was conceived because it is written in the book of Psalm 139 that From the Moment I was born into this world, God knew me.He knew when I sit and rise. He is familiar with all my ways.
Ghana Music.com: What do you value the most in life?
Steve Kelly: I value my family. My mom and dad and most especially serving God as well as my music career and the youth of today’s generation.
Ghana Music.com: Are you the sole writer of your songs? How do you get inspired to write your lyrics?
Steve Kelly: Oh Yes I am a co-producer, writer and a singer of my entire project. Hmm Inspired? Every blessed day of my life inspires me, I write from my day to day life experience with my personal encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ and challenges I face in life as well as Testimony from others. Here is the most exciting part of my inspiration of making albums.
“When I do albums, I usually feel ‘pregnant’ with ideas. God would give me pieces of a concept-the theme of an album-then songs would be born from that.
Ghana Music.com: Would you say you have a gospel voice?
Steve Kelly: I believe there is no such thing like Gospel Voice,but I do have a great voice to praise and thanks the lord at all time, for hismercy endured forever.
Ghana Music.com: Who is your targeted audience?
Steve Kelly: I have a desire and I hope to reach across people living on this planet the earth, which includes the youth, young adult, adult and old. I have a sincere desire to really want to be that Jesus dude, not just to do the music but to sincerely, sincerely and passionately live every lyric and to be as close to God privately as I try to portray publicly. That is my greatest desire in life, to be a very honest,sincere and for real person about my faith.
Ghana Music.com: Tell me a little more about your passion for this generation?
Steve Kelly: I get very excited to talk about my love and passion for this generation which is my generation. In the world today, we have the largest number of teens since the baby boomer generation. These teens hold the future in their hands. My spiritual lyrics tell us why and how to reclaim our youth for Christ, because at this very moment, an entire generation of young people is at risk.
Ghana Music.com: Is there a specific song on your current album that adequately translates the message and passion?
Steve Kelly: Actually there are couple of songs on the album that translates the passion, such as ‘God’s Love’, ‘You Got Me Smiling’ and ‘Jump for Jesus’.
Ghana Music.com: What do you think of the contention with HIPHOP gospel, in which people are claiming that the entertainment value of your music is magnified more than the ‘worship’ value? People are saying that HIPHOP gospel is more ‘hype’ thanit is of a spiritual uplift.
Steve Kelly: (He laughs) this is not about me. It’s all about Jesus. I don’t even have that mindset. Again if Contemporary and Hip-hop/R&B is not for you,then get out of the way and allow those who need it and can relate to it, tohave that pleasure and spiritual uplift. Music has evolved over the past twodecades. The way Gospel Music sounds and sing years ago was too vertical and isthe time for a new season with a unique style and the message remains the same.This generation will hesitate to buy or listen to CD’s over twenty years agobecause this is the sound they are familiar with. This is what the young peopleare used to. Church life is not boring, it is fun. I am having a great timebeing a believer.
Ghana Music.com: Is it difficult to live the message you are proclaiming?
Steve Kelly: Not hard to do. I am focused and I would not do anything to compromise my integrity by disobeying God.For me, it is easy to live an upright life. It is highly important to live a life that you are singing about.
Ghana Music.com: What are some of the negatives of being a Christian HIPHOP artiste?
Steve Kelly: Again I am not just a Christian hip-hop artist but I am contemporary and an inspirational artist.Firstly I thank God for that double talent of spiritual gift. There are a lot of negativities out there for being whatever you are in God’s ministry, and they begin for the church. Sometimes it’s lack of full support, but thank God for bringing Kirk Franklin to break barrier for contemporary,Hip-hop and R&B Gospel. I believe that it will be the same in Ghana and Liberia as well as the rest of Africa. Pretty soon, gospel in Ghana will change. Some of the negativities come from the older folks who are not used to this kind of music especially with Hip-hop and R&B gospel flavor.
Ghana Music.com: What do you think of the trend of gospel music in Ghana?
Steve Kelly: Ghana Gospel Music is getting worse for our generation and getting more appealing to the older folks or the older generation. During my visit in Ghana, I realized that there were younger folks during Hip-life concert and also there were younger folks interested in becoming a hip-lifer than a Gospel artist. Gospel music is a calling as part of the spiritual gift given by God himself so people should be called to the ministry But if gospel music becomes a trend, there will be a lot of hypocrites. This is impossible: everyone cannot be a contemporary Hip-Hop and R&B artist. Some folks have entered this arena because maybe they feel they can’t make it in the mainstream, or they want to make money from churches, so they move on to gospel.
Ghana Music.com: You have developed a reputation for having a strong kind of energy during your live performances. With God’s assistance, of course, how do you sustain such high levels of energy?
Steve Kelly: I have so much passion, love and commitment for God. I like to always serve and praise him with all my strength. You see, there are three things we need to know in order to serve God. We need to have the passion, commitment and love. Imagine if you first meet a girl you like, there a lot of things you need to do in order to know her and these things are commitment, passion and love
Ghana Music.com: When you pray before you get on stage, what do you ask God for?
Steve Kelly: Wisdom and this shouldn’t be about me but him alone because he alone is worthy to be praise.
Ghana Music.com: Where do you want your career to go?
Steve Kelly: Well at this very point, all I am hoping for is that God’s message will be heard across the earth.
Ghana Music.com: What is your message for the Ghana Music.com readers and your fans out there?
Steve Kelly: Readers, remember with God all things are possible. I don’t know what you are going through but call upon him and he will give you rest cause it’s never too late. He will do the same for you just like he did for me.
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