Interview: Tye Tribbett - Gospel Singer and Songwriter - Page 2

In the past, you participated in a couple of secular collaborations, but you've gone on record to say that God has matured you to the point where you would no longer "uphold another kingdom." Could you elaborate a little bit more on your position?

There's pop, rock, hip hop, R&B – if you're not doing all of that in God, you're supporting another kingdom. Truth has to come from your mouth. A lot of the music we were singing and the message that we were supporting, ultimately, was not bringing people toward the God that I love so much. If it's not toward the Lord, it's away from Him. I just chose to respond to the Holy Spirit and do the work of the Lord. I chose to have all music be towards the Lord. Not just for myself, but leading everyone else that listens to me towards Him. That's what you hear.

Having worked in the music industry for nearly a decade, what's the biggest lesson you've learned, from the Prince of Egypt soundtrack to Stand Out?

The biggest lesson that I learned is that I have to control or manage my life because the career can consume me. There was a risk that it was all about the career and not my wife, myself and my children. I don't want the career to consume my life. My ministry has to understand that I have a family, and I want my family to understand that I have a ministry. So, trying to manage that has been the biggest challenge and lesson I've learned.

In comparison to Victory, your sophomore release, Stand Out has a substantial rock influence. When preparing Stand Out, what led you to incorporate stylistic elements generally associated with the rock genre?

I think everybody is a product of what they surround themselves with, whether it's friends, music or family. I listen to a lot of Christian music and rock music. I guess in some way, I became a product of that. It's not intentional - it's actually what I like. I didn't sit at home and write a new song and then came to rehearsal. It kind of came out in rehearsal. That shows how in me this style was. You're just a product of what you surround yourself with.

As a Gospel artist and a road musician, what are some of the challenges that you face day-to-day from being in various church settings? Do you find it difficult to get fed spiritually?

On the road, you have to make the time or you will get strained. Every week - every Monday - we have rehearsal. Before rehearsal, we get our time to refresh, to get more back into ourselves. I keep in touch with my home church and I have a good line with my pastor. We have our time of refreshing at least once a week.

Article Author: Clayton Perry

Clayton Perry's mission parallels that of John Hope Franklin, Marcus Garvey and Carter G. Woodson. As the founder of the NUBIANO Project, Perry facilitates the design of projects that give voice to the Black diaspora, empower the Black community, …

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