Track 3: Die First

This is the first track I want to share because currently it is getting me through a tough time.

The song is probably about 4 years old: as in the foundation. At it's origin I was working with two great artists; a guy and a girl. I was basically using our session as a development session for them. So I asked them to write something. The guy played some cool chords and the girl wrote the first lyric; "I have to die first ...to get get to my destiny". At that point the song was born. I added some piano. Later from that day the girl and I wrote our verses. We got the guy to write his verse later too. But nothing ever came of the song.

So roughly about a year or more ago I reopened the session. At the point I still felt the same way; the song had to come out! But I had to reproduce it. I had to get my voice ready. Then I had to see if my partners were on board again.

Musically I had to learn what the guitar was doing. Once I did that I had to make the chords full. Then I learned the piano. Then I had to make new drum patterns. Sadly my partners weren't able to do their verses again. So I had to pray about what I would do. How could I still do the song because I knew people needed the message.

So somehow I decided to make a rap version. I wrote the hook very swiftly. It embody the same essence of the hook from before but there was even more substance; the idea of the flesh dying was hitting a different chord now. I loved that.

Then I wrote my verse but had no idea if I was going to sing on the song as before or what. But again after more prayer I got a good friend of mine to feature on the song. And the most brilliant idea on the album was to take the old hook and make it the bridge. Moreover, I ended up writing this great chant like hook that expressed all the things that could prosper when my flesh would die: my spirit, my destiny, & my wife.

So the song really came together. But even just a week ago I felt something was missing and the song needed more. So I forgot since my guy couldn't do his guitar part I had to create my own. Once I added guitars and solos the song jumped to another dimension.

In dying first I know it is daily. We have to know God created opportunities for you to use His word by moving by the spirit and not by flesh. And when we can do that more often than not many things in ourselves and things around us can prosper.

Die first!


Peace & Love,
Jastin Artis

This Journey

It has been months since my last blog. But I will say I’m back. So many good and challenging things have happened. The next series of blogs will be about the journey, the behind the scenes, the lyrics, the story behind the man, and any other random but inviting things I’d like to share about my new album This Journey. I will write about each song on the album sharing what it took to create the song. Of course, yes this is a way to promote my album...but hopefully fun and interesting for you. So let me get to it.


The album This Journey is truly about the road taken, the quest, the journey, up until this point. Five years ago today is when I officially started my journey as Jastin Artis. Now “Jastin Artis” is my first and middle name. This took something to get use to because I never went by my middle name. Something I also had to get use to was gospel music, how I flowed, the music I wanted to create, the brand I wanted to represent, and so many other things.


This Journey really marks a great place in my life. The album expresses the exact music I want to create. There is a lot of weight on urban gospel music but there is another weight for me because God asked me to create something new even within the gospel music and music period called hip-hop renaissance. This is a blend of gospel, hip-hop, acoustic/electric guitar, and spoken-word. YEAHHHHH RIGHT!! Over the last four projects each project was an attempt to really hit the mark of the hip-hop renaissance sound. Each time it was a great time creating. It was fun. But it was also frustrating because so many times I didn’t want to do certain things; I had enough people telling me what to make; and just listening to God and no one else could hear Him but me was difficult. But with This Journey I really created what God created in me.


Like any great brand before something comes out to the masses you get people to try and test out your product. Well, I’ve had about 20 people listen to this new album. Humbly, there was nothing but great feedback. One person said it was like a hip-hop worship album. Many of my followers from the first project said it was by far the best work I’ve created. You could hear growth.


The last thing I will share about This Journey is I created the album by accident. This was not planned. After I finished trying to promote my last project Brand with Purpose EP in spring 2013 I really just took a break. I was preparing to have my first child. I had only been married for maybe six months and being a father to two-step children; there was so much going on. My break was from being an artist but I dove back into producing. So I just created music. Learning from all the musicians I knew over the years was actually being put into my music. The biggest thing I can remember is using the knowledge my best friend and wife had taught me about drums. The biggest part of the hip-hop renaissance sound is it’s live, not a lot of syths and plug-ins. Since I’m a guitarist I trained harder. I really learned the piano. I’m an engineer as well so I trained really hard in that area too. Just every area it takes to create a song I really stepped out and just absorbed as much knowledge as I could. After awhile I began creating songs with music I had created but still no purpose to make an album. But one day I heard God say, “It’s time...I need you to make an album.”


This Journey is about the process, about purpose, about truly believing God’s word. It’s about growing and learning. It’s about dreaming. It’s about identity; knowing where you came from, where you are, whom you are, where you are going, and who you want to be as the journey continues. This Journey is an experience that keeps going.
There is so much more I would like to share but I’ll just leave you with the track list. Thank you for reading.


This Journey Track List:
1. Intro
2. Sin
3. Die First
4. Not This Time
5. I’m So Strong
6. Why Me Lord? (1st single)
7. Truth As Is
8. Clear Headed
9. Numb by Life
10. Dead Man’s Chest
11. Wonder
12. Reflect
13. Reflect Interlude
14. Glitch
15. You
16. Pushing Forward


Peace & Love,
Jastin Artis