Thre

Chicago - rapper Thre shares his Christian testimony. Thre talks about how growing up with an absent father drew him to the pen and pad. He also exclusively reveals the details of his marriage breaking up and dealing with a divorce within the Christian community. Thre additionally breaks down "Sirens'' featuring Eshon Burgundy & Mouthpi3ce, "Road Rage" featuring Jay Cabassa, "Low Fuel" featuring Kymar Garner, and “Traffic Jam” in the 4-song-breakdown.

In this episode of Testimony a Musician’s Story, presented by Sound Seekers, Chicago - rapper Thre shares his Christian testimony. Thre talks about how growing up with an absent father drew him to the pen and pad. He also exclusively reveals the details of his marriage breaking up and dealing with a divorce within the Christian community. Thre additionally breaks down "Sirens'' featuring Eshon Burgundy & Mouthpi3ce, "Road Rage" featuring Jay Cabassa, "Low Fuel" featuring Kymar Garner, and “Traffic Jam” in the 4-song-breakdown.

*The transcription of any lyrics and some of the interview content may not be entirely accurate. *

[00:00:37.620] - Gaelika
Yo, whats' up? In this episode of Testimony a Musician’s Story, presented by Sound Seekers, Chicago - rapper Thre shares his Christian testimony. Thre talks about how growing up with an absent father drew him to the pen and pad. He also exclusively reveals the details of his marriage breaking up and dealing with divorce within the Christian community. Thre additionally breaks down "Sirens'' featuring Eshon Burgundy & Mouthpi3ce, "Road Rage" featuring Jay Cabassa, "Low Fuel" featuring Kymar Garner, and “Traffic Jam” in the 4-song-breakdown. I Am Gaelika Brown and this Sound Seekers presents Testimony: A Musician's Story. And let's start with your first music memory, whether it be a song, music, video or performance you heard or saw first my first music memory.

[00:01:06.020] - Thre
I would have to say. As a kid. Oh, that's a hard one, I want to say Michael Jackson, but I'm not sure if that's the first.

[00:01:27.430] - Gaelika
That is the answer for a lot of people,

[00:01:29.920] - Thre
yeah, OK, so I'm going to go with that thing.

[00:01:34.420] - Gaelika
Oh, you don't have to make up a memory. Let's make it authentic. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[00:01:39.730] - Thre
Not making it up. I just think it could be one that precedes that one. Let's go with m.C. Hammer, yeah, so "Can't Touch This", the baggy pants and dance, you know, doing some things and just seeing someone from from our culture moving like that, having fun in his music, not not so serious. Everything else is more more political. And and so, yeah, I say M.C. Hammer was probably something that caught my attention as a kid.

[00:02:16.910] - Gaelika
Yeah. I mean, you have Public Enemy and they can't touch this or.

[00:02:20.730] - Thre
Exactly. Two worlds apart, yeah.

[00:02:25.720] - Gaelika
I actually had the M.C. Hammer doll and he was wearing like his purple little parachutes.

[00:02:31.900] - Thre
That's dope. You still get that?

[00:02:37.610] - Gaelika
I do. I don't know where are they? I think it's in my bedroom house.

[00:02:44.280] - Thre
OK, that's a collective yeah, I mean, and

[00:02:47.550] - Gaelika
I have like I had, like Brandy Brandy had some Barbies that Steve Urkel got when I actually was mad my brother like through it down the stairs and broke the glasses.

[00:03:00.840] - Thre
And you have Stephan too, or just Steve?

[00:03:03.660] - Gaelika Stephan had a doll.

[00:03:06.720] - Thre
I don't know. I just imagine they gave him a chance. Yeah.

[00:03:12.000] - Gaelika
I Did he have Macaulay Culkin pull the string? And it's like, "did I do that?"

[00:03:17.430] - Thre
Oh, that's some items over there as well.

[00:03:21.880] - Gaelika
So yeah, I am holding on to that. So one day maybe they'll be worth something

[00:03:27.870] - Thre
probably worth something now, but if you hold out a little longer that it willreally be worth something

[00:03:32.760] - Gaelika
for real. OK, and let's talk about your childhood. Where were you raised?

[00:03:42.130] - Thre
I'm a Chicago native raised here on the South Side, South Shore community, single parent household, youngest of three, got an elder sister, elder brother and then there was me. So I got away with a lot that they had to take for.

[00:04:00.760] - Gaelika
OK, yeah, yeah. There's three in my family, but I'm the middle one boy. One girl. So. OK, and was it a Christian household?

[00:04:13.450] - Thre
Oh, no, but my mother, it did come a point when my mother used to drag us to church all the time, it was Cogic, Church God in Christ. And we went every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Sunday, like just Bible study, choir rehearsal, youth night. So we didn't want to be there at all.

[00:04:39.030] - Gaelika Go ahead. Say that again,

[00:04:40.320] - Thre
I was going to say that they were seeds being planted, probably, but we didn't want to be there.

[00:04:46.200] - Gaelika
Naw, for sure. No kid wants you there, especially if you were going to church. And then all of a sudden you're doing it multiple times a week.

[00:04:56.310] - Thre Exactly.

[00:04:57.180] - Gaelika
Yeah, it's a whole lifetime like lifestyle switch right there. Exactly, and it was it a two parent household?

[00:05:07.540] - Thre
No, no, my father was he was a truck driver. He was there maybe when we were. Too young to remember as far as for me at least, and he would just pop in and out of my life and just promise things and, you know, deep off not come back. And I think I say my father was a Rolling Stone. To this day, though, like, I have some type of relationship of reconciliation with him and it's just based off what the Lord did to me and me being forgiving in that way and reaching out and wanting to have that relationship.

[00:05:45.900] - Gaelika
Got it and. So. What do you know what inspired your mom to just to decide to go to a Cogic church out of all the churches too, just Cogic?

[00:06:00.790] - Thre
Well, I don't know. It could have been a friend. You know, I'm saying she could have got invited. He wanted to be a part of something and wanted to do have some type of good influences in a kid's life in some way. I don't know. That's a good question. That's something I'm excited. What inspired you to do that? But, yeah, I will say she does get invited and we just kept going ever since.

[00:06:26.190] - Gaelika
Do you remember what age you were?

[00:06:31.540] - Thre
Yes, my I will say early teens, OK, so 12. Starting right around that time, so I definitely didn't want to be. I had my own friends my whole life. I'm experiencing new things. I don't want to be here. I can't wait until they say "aman" and we out.

[00:06:53.260] - Gaelika
So when didn't connect with you? When did you actually want to be there? And Jesus became real for you.

[00:07:01.570] - Thre
Yeah. So. I will say it was. So with that, I didn't really connect there at all. But I never, if I'm being honest thinking now, I never really heard the gospel is you know, we've I've went to the altar too many times. That was the time when we said Terri at the altar for the Holy Ghost. And so we're trying to speak in tongues and every different things. And I don't understand what's going on. I'm just being told what to do. Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah. The Lord to take over. So once I get of age and my mother couldn't force me to go, I wasn't there. I didn't have a desire to be in church, but I had reverence for who God was. I didn't know who Jesus was right. But I knew that there was a God, there was a creator. He was my father. But I didn't I didn't understand what that meant in my life or anything like that. So fast forward, I would go back and forth from Atlanta to Chicago just running from responsibilities and situations. And when I came back to Chicago, I'll say around twenty three. Twenty four. My best friend, we call him Chase, his name is Elliott. We were just talking on the phone we're tired, like one of our closest friend had just get killed and we were just like, man, I'm tired and his mother was going to church, he was going to church tomorrow. I'm going with you. And we know why would someone give me my life to the Lord like that's what it was, was. So we had a made up mind before we heard the sermon, the service. So we knew what we wanted to do. And I wouldn't say that the Lord begin to draw me at that time. But it wasn't I wasn't kept in that in those moments, the process that began of me desiring him rather than him only desiring me.

[00:09:04.940] - Gaelika
Yeah. I mean, that's interesting, though. you said you knew you were going to give your life to Christ the next day. Like, I don't think I've heard a testimony like that. Yeah.

[00:09:17.930] - Thre
And not that I knew what it was or what that meant. Right. Because it was it was like when I was the thing that woke me up prior to having that conversation with my friend was I was in Atlanta and I was me and this girl was living together. And I have a I have a son out here and I'm thinking her son out there. So I'm just and I and I'm doing music, secular music. And I'm telling I'm on a website. So one of my dude, Christopher Style Turner, his work is his manager was getting married. They had a website up. And I'm on the website and I'm looking just seeing what's going on. And I come across 1 Corinthians 13 and I read this definition of love and I write it down and I'm I'm floored by it because I'm like, you know, I've never. Witness love like this, like if this is love, I don't know what love is, and I've always told women, like, I love you blah, blah, but no. So I was taken back and I wrote it down and I gave it to the young lady who I was living with at the time. And she got excited. She was like, oh, my

God, "you're finna love me like this?" And I'm like, "no." So I'm like, no, I'm not like we do not know what love is. We hold record of wrong. We both like we don't know. This is not love. I'm leaving. I'm going back to Chicago take care of my responsibility and I told the Lord. I'm like, I don't know what I mean to give you a life. I don't know what that looks like. But the next woman I fall in love with or I find interests and I want to love her like this. But little did I know that I could do that aside from Christ, I guess that was my initial catalyst that kind of catapulted me into a relationship with the Lord or him. Just in case you need me first before you can go put on some other people for us in that way,

[00:11:21.080] - Gaelika
I still feel kind of sorry for that woman. "Is this how you love me?" "No."

[00:11:28.610] - Thre
That's funny. Now that is a first because when I tell a story no one feels sorry for her everyone. Just laugh. And what? Oh my God, it's hilarious. It's like, oh, what happened with her. Oh my God. I feel so

[00:11:45.140] - Gaelika
well because I'm thinking it's almost almost as equivalent, not totally as like when someone like a woman thinks she's being proposed to you and the guy drops down, he's like ties a shoelace or something

[00:12:02.840] - Thre
It's equivalent to that, cus she gets she get this note, so to speak, and she reads it as if it's a poem to her or something, like no I actually just wanted to show you what love is. So you can realize that this is not what we had. Yeah. And I'm going. So I didn't want no parts of that.

[00:12:22.610] - Gaelika
you left that relationship and got into a relationship with God.

[00:12:27.650] - Thre Correct.

[00:12:29.060] - Gaelika
And so, OK, so around this time you're like twenty three. Twenty four. How was that journey. Was it, was were you all in or were you kind of teetering like how did that happen.

[00:12:43.940] - Thre
Yeah. So when I jumped in I had a little. I was in, but not not not immersed, you know, I'm saying it was more of a I'm coming to church, I'm giving you it was like a compartmentalizing experience for me. Like, Lord, you get Sundays, you got worship, you got Bible reading out. You know, I'll go to men's prayer. You got the things that you that I know you for that you're good in. It's like if you shop at a you go eat at a fast food. They had known fish. I want your fish. I don't want your pizza. You give me the fish that that's on your your, your banner. You know, I'm saying so it's like I was given the Lord all that I knew he was an expert in as far as what I, I can see. And so I was compartmentalizing. But when it came to my friendships, when it came on, when it came to my hobbies and everything else, I got control over that. And so I was in that space. And then like my friend, though, he took off running. And so I began to experience some spiritual jealousy in myself, like, bro, we came here together. You know, that was a powerful prayer you pounded on that scripture, like that. I don't even know what that meant and and the jealousy of seeing my friend kind of skip grades, so to speak. I'm like, nah, I got to get serious. And I think the Lord used that relationship to pull me closer. No, it's more to me than what you're given me. I want to be not a pious slice of your life. I want to be a sinner. And then you branch everything off of me, you know, I'm saying. And so at that point, that's when I start really reading the word for myself in Bible class, actually taking notes, actually going back, actually having conversations with the leaders and just seeing it as being poured into, so my discipleship started around that time.

[00:14:49.730] - Gaelika
OK, so I think it's it's interesting how you have this friend, because I had like a similar story to when I

gave my life to Christ. My friend gave her life to Christ. At the same time, we went to high school together. It was kind of like we did this journey together, but it literally was like we were kind of side by side. And, you know, your friend was like miles ahead of you, just like I need to start praying harder. But I mean, it still works out as like accountability is like pretty much like your first experience of accountability.

[00:15:23.050] - Thre
Absolutely. Yeah, I would say so, yeah, I want to so if I see this, I don't want to think that he was miles ahead, he was not miles ahead, family.

[00:15:38.370] - Gaelika
It's just it's interesting how God can just work in all relationships and help steer you into a certai way.

[00:15:47.200] - Thre Absolutely.

[00:15:49.930] - Gaelika So are you married?

[00:15:53.410] - Thre
No, no, not at the moment, no.

[00:15:55.630] - Gaelika
OK, so. Just trying to save you. Did you ever find that first Corinthians.

[00:16:05.040] - Thre
Yesm I did. It was it was my wife who the Lord helped draw me, you know, and even even closer. Right when I met her, I knew that because I had already confessed is sort of more like your next woman I find interesting. I'm going to love her like this. And ironically, the the woman I come into contact with had a relationship with him already. Right. She had standards. It wasn't easy. Just approach her and will her in. "you got to get a relationship with the Lord" like you. I don't care if you if she thought I was cute or whatever the case may be. She like you. I'm not I'm not talking about it. You know, I'm looking for you to have a relationship with him because little do you know. If we do come together, I have to be led and I have to trust who's leading me and so forth and so on. So she would invite me to church. She encouraged me and all those things. But she the lord use her to be kind of like he had me hooked already, but she kind of wielding me in.

[00:17:11.640] - Gaelika
Well, you said it was ironic that you ran into her. It's it's not, right.

[00:17:19.710] - Thre
Right. So bad choice of words.

[00:17:23.880] - Gaelika
OK, so do you mind if I ask what happened? Because she pulled you in but you guys aren't together anymore.

[00:17:30.570] - Thre
Yeah. So this is this is exclusive, right? Yeah. This is very exclusive. Very fragile and. So we was married for 13 years now, and in our in the process of getting married, she would say that she was connected to a traditional church. Right. And so now I'll keep I'll keep it PG. But some of some of the things that we found ourselves feeling like she fell. Right. I wasn't really connected to the Lord in that way. So it wasn't a jaw dropping thing for me at all. For her, it was a, oh, my God, what have I done? Right. And so she ends up pregnant and we have already proposed. Well, I know I'm going to marry this woman. And she wanted to push up the wedding due to what she how she grew up, you know, like one don't let no one she didn't. Before you saw the bump, you're going to know I got a ring you don't send or just hear in her voice, the voice of the mothers of the church. You know, I'm saying you

lay down with them, you marry them. You're in all these different things. And so I think she was kind, of co-hersed, in that way within herself. And I was just oblivious to it all. But I knew I loved her and I wanted to marry her. And so I found myself. We pushed up the date and we got married. And so we in that me, not being I feel like I was immature, not ready for marriage, not ready to lead, not in anything. You know, we didn't go on it. We left for our honeymoon. We came back to my mother's house. You know, I'm saying I had nothing for this woman. You know, and I wasn't ready for marriage. No one set me aside and walked me through the scriptures like, you know, this is the process of what it looks like. You know, I'm saying more of just an excitement, me knowing like this is what I asked the Lord for me, seeing them love me, knowing I love her and say, well, this is what it is. I'm not going to continue to to walk in, sin, let's get let's get married. And so down the line, I was going through everything that we went through, just knowing that the foundation of it is this, along with me not being ready and us not having and going through that process of the Lord growing me and manhood. It's a it's a trap. You know, I'm saying this is it's it's a heavy load to carry as long as in in conjunction with a heavy load to be a part of what's while I'm carrying it. And so I think it just weighed on us heavy. And, you know, she she she came to me one day. I was like, it just clicked. You know, I'm saying I feel like I don't know if I'm if this marriage was based on love more than religion, you know? And so though I don't think we are was in a space biblically of like, hey, these are the reasons you can leave, you know, but the heart just wasn't there. The hope and feeling as though she made the decision based off of what she was taught versus what she felt this is what the lord was was doing and this is what he wanted. And so we kind of came to an agreement in that way of of saying, like you, I don't want you to be here if you don't want to be here, if you feel like this isn't what you want to do and that this isn't working for you. And it took too long for us to get to a place of subtlety and and stability and all these different things. And we just sat down and wrote out our our values, top ten values. And our top four was just completely different, you know,

[00:21:42.860] - Gaelika Wow, and after 13 years too?

[00:21:43.400] - Thre
Yeah. So and so it was like, wow, that's an eye opener. And so more than trying to put on this front for the church or this front for believers or whatever the case may be, it's like I want to see you happy. I want to see you thrive and vice versa. And so that's why we're no longer together.

[00:22:06.200] - Gaelika
I mean, that makes sense. And it's a very mature thing to do. And but it also seems

[00:22:14.930] - Thre
This is like the first time I've shared this crazy to be like, well, I look, because I was I didn't know if I was going to, should I email her and be like, I don't want to talk about this or should I just see? Because I know if you're having these conversations, you're probably doing your research. Right. And so, of course, maybe in my bios, you see like husband, wife and all these different things. So I'm like, she may bring it up, but if so, maybe the Lord want me to speak on it at this time.

[00:22:39.650] - Gaelika
So, I mean, I think. I think the lord wants us to talk about this because we were talking about pretty much being married because of perception, how the world would perceive you guys if they were to come out that, you know, she got pregnant beforehand. But now you guys are at a point where you you're not with each other, but you almost aren't you're not really caring about the perception because still there's a perception of you can't divorce unless is this, this, this and that. And it doesn't have any of those grounds.

[00:23:15.010] - Thre Exactly. Yeah.

[00:23:16.690] - Gaelika
So, I mean, how do you get to a place then, like, you were so worried about perception then, but you're not worried about perception now. Would you consider that spiritual growth, maturity, what would you

say.

[00:23:31.870] - Thre
Yeah, I would. I would because. God judges the heart, you know, I'm saying in and in the face of people, you know, I've seen people take sound bites and just tear it up and it's like you didn't even get the context of this. And I think because people don't know the fullness the totality of my marriage and what we experienced and what we either went through and how we came to where we are right now, you wouldn't understand unless you know me. You called me, you inquired, you know, so I'm really not concerned about what people think, how they view things and even what may be said publicly from this. You know, but I'm trusting that if you a friend of mine, if your brother or sister it, you would come and approach and just if you want to know, I'm open to have these conversations, but I'm and that's why I never came out, you know, like most people would do when you were a public figure in any way you feel the it's necessary to share your life with people like this is what's going on. But no, I don't I don't even feel like I needed to tell people like, oh, this is what's going on. You have a few people in a circle that, no, I'm in this space and you got some that don't. And I'm just and at the time, I just feel like it really wasn't humanistically possible for me to tell you this while I'm going through it. Yeah. So and I feel we have the right to keep somethings sacred. And so and I think the the pinnacle thing for me is that this is not just my information is also hers. She also has a family that maybe she hasn't expressed to yet, or maybe, you know, certain things. It's a way in which she would like to do it and I want to respect it. And I.

[00:25:29.540] - Thre
Yeah, well, I mean, you guys aren't the only people who are or couple that has experienced this.

[00:25:36.520] - Thre That's a fact.

[00:25:39.550] - Gaelika
Secondly, maybe the only few are talking about it. I mean, because people don't talk about that. But it happens way too often. I mean, I can say, like, I've met so many people who felt like almost like pressured and because of perception that they needed to get married and and then early, you know, like earn their twenty years. Right. And then they get into their thirties and it's just not working. And then there's like all this other now you done have like three kids down the line, you know,

[00:26:19.900] - Thre
Yeah, we have we got two boys.

[00:26:21.550] - Gaelika
Yeah. It's like it's almost really sad, though, because people should be married because they want to be married, not because of a perception, not because of quote unquote religion, because you get into these situations. And it's not easy, especially when you're you know, you end up in your 30s, 40s, single. Absolutely. It's a lot of drama all because of religion.

[00:26:48.670] - Thre
Let's get it right the first time.

[00:26:55.000]
So how would you say that God's presence looks like in your life personally outside of music, just is personally.

[00:27:04.340] - Thre
So is this a walk in, you know, the scripture saying, Galatians, you know walk in the spirit and you wont fulfill the lust of the flesh? I think it's an on going step with the Lord and myself. It's just me walking. And that's what faith looks like. Faith shows up in our feet. You know what I'm saying? We walk by faith. And so it's just man me, whether I'm starting my morning with him or my mornings to hectic and I'm catching them in, you know, whatever, whatever it is. But it's just, hey, let me consider the Lord throughout my day. You know, I'm saying even if it's as simple as someone coming asking me a

question and I don't have the words and in a moment of my lord, help me like that sort of consideration, but then you have the the private time with just me, him and the Bible. And I'm studying this word. I'm a I'm a youth director at a church. So I'm always, in a word, I'm always teaching or presenting in some way. And so it looks I would say looks like a walk in. But then it's just it just varies throughout the week for me.So I could look different,

[00:28:22.160] - Gaelika
and talking about music. How did you get into music?

[00:28:28.160] - Thre
So for me, with due to my father's absence, I've I had a lot of anger like built in and with no way to express it. Like I was just this mean little boy, according to my mother, like, he's just angry, just mean. And once I realize I probably was. Early teens, maybe 11, 12. And just falling in love with music, period, I realized that I had the gift to do it as well, and it started for me writing other people's rhymes, reciting theirs and then realizing like, I can do this, oh, I'm my first song or any verse I wrote was about my father and the pain that I was experiencing. And once I realized that, you know, I could get this off my chest like this. I fell in love with it. I didn't know what therapeutic was at that time, but I'm like, this is helpful, right? This is like I don't feel so heavy. I don't feel as mad. I get it out. I can just rap it. And then I think it's nice and cold or whatever to have. I felt it was that's I think that's that's where I started when I realized, like, yo, I can, I can do this and get this, get my feelings out on paper.

[00:29:51.610] - Gaelika
And how old were you at that time.

[00:29:54.610] - Thre I will say 12. Oh yeah.

[00:29:57.880] - Gaelika
So you're 12. You're either about to start going to go to church or just started.

[00:30:04.910] - Thre Right.

[00:30:05.650] - Gaelika
And you're not writing about Jesus.

[00:30:09.820] - Thre
Not at all. Who was he? At this time, who is he.

[00:30:15.070] - Gaelika
So when did you start making music for Christ?

[00:30:21.060] - Thre
Oh, so the Lord drew me to himself like 2015 December of twenty fifteen. No, no, I'm sorry. no 2007 OK? Right. Right. I'm sorry. I'm thinking I'm thinking of my first project being dropped. but 2007 I'm you know, I come to the Lord. I don't know whether or not I can use this gift for him. And so the first thing I did was like let me I'm just I'll take the cursing out. I'm still positive. It's all right. I'm writing this music. No cursing or whatever. And so I was already recording. I wasn't I didn't record anything. I was writing. I was just writing. And it just I wouldn't say it sucked, but it was more of a. I don't have nothing to say about this person as they love like that has drawn me to himself and I'm like, I don't want to talk about nothing. I was in the world. I was talking about the way I was living, what I was doing. It was mirroring my life. And this is now my life. And I don't know what to talk about. OK, maybe I need to sit this down so I'll put music down. And I was his disciple, so I didn't pick up a pen again til 2010 and then 2011 I recorded a mixtape that I never put out. No, 2010 I recorded mixtape I never put out. In 2011, I recorded a mixtape called Led by the Spirit, and I just printed up copies and I began to do shows around chicago are meeting CHH community in that way and I didn't know nothing about the Internet and what was going on there. And, you know, Rapzill or Ne H20 I didn't know nothing about any of

that. I was just doing what I was doing in my community and in the street and so forth and so on. So I was say that's when I started twenty eleven. Yeah.

[00:32:28.560] - Gaelika
I mean that was smart and just mature of you, even though you were newer in your faith to have the wherewithal to put the pen down and just be a disciple for like three years.

[00:32:40.500] - Thre
That's, that's completely God's grace because. I know brothers and have seen others that because of the gift, they just jump, they go from secular to sacred right away because they have the wherewithal to do it. They know how to do it. They may have some popularity already. And so they just move right over. But, yeah, I feel like this is a dangerous thing. You're doing it as you learn and you may say some things you may not believe, you know, moving forward or you may say some things that the community just may get at you. At the end of the day, though, we don't we're not concerned about people. We do want to rep the lord well. You know what I'm saying? And so I think that was my desire to like I just want to know of him and and see his his work in my life and speak from that vessel.

[00:33:36.100] - Gaelika
Yeah. I mean, it's it really is all on how God is leading and calling you because it's different for each person.

[00:33:42.640] - Thre Yeah. Yeah.

[00:33:43.660]
People can do that fluid switched from secular to sacred. Some people, they might try to do the switch and then you know, two years later they ain't even Christian anymore. So and then like I know when I gave my life to Christ, I said personally, I'm not going to pursue anything creatively. Like my whole desire was always to be an actress. I was like pursuing all of that sounds like I'm just set that down because whatever I'm doing isn't working. I haven't got the success that I wanted someone just going to focus on you. And immediately he told me to do this podcast.

[00:34:20.230] - Thre Wow.

[00:34:21.040]
And I was like, no, Lord. Like, I just became a Christian. Like I just put on these Christian clothes. I mean, let me wear them and get comfortable.

[00:34:29.010] - Thre Yeah.

[00:34:29.520] - Gaelika
Then, I'll do it. And, he was like, no you're doing it now. and so, and even then, like, you know, I'm new, but I know, like, he's telling me to do this even though I don't even want to do this. Like, I don't feel comfortable talking to Christians about my faith or about faith in general. And it's new to me. Yeah, it is different for each person. Some people he might want to sit it out. Some people you never know and then, just individual basis. I think that's also another reason why we can't be judging people.

[00:35:04.060] - Thre Absolutely. That's true.

[00:35:07.330] - Gaelika
So when you first came out, then you were brother three?

[00:35:11.300] - Thre
Yeah. Yeah. So I feel like I could have been more creative with my name, but I didn't. I didn't, I didn't. I

didn't have. That wasn't a thought for me. It was just about me being a brother in Christ. So I was three feet in the world is what they called me. And it was like every time I went to church, people was introducing themselves like I'm Brother John, I'm brother this, brother that. And I'm, I guess, one of the brothers too. So so I'm like. So I added. I added on the brother. I dropped the feet, kept the three. And it was like of this balance of where I'm going and where you come from. And so it was always a humbling thing to hear a. Host, anybody call me up because it was like it was this identity? Reality of life, this is who you are and this is who you was, you not who you think you are or what people may praise you for. So it was so the name was significant to me. Others may it and be like, oh, man. It's like, you know, one for the father, one for the son of the Holy Ghost. And it's like, that's not what it is, but I wont knock it. And then we'll go, hey, you may have another question concerning Brother Thre, so I don't want to move into Thre.

[00:36:37.180] - Gaelika No Go ahead.

[00:36:37.960] - Thre
OK, so. I carried that name for two projects two EPs, and when I joined NFTRY is when I changed the name and everything, so.

[00:36:54.670] - Gaelika
And why did you decide to do that, especially at that time when you joined NFTRY?

[00:36:59.800] - Thre
Yeah, which was crazy because Brother three, the Lord has put it put his hand on what I was doing. People knew the name was familiar with the music, but I just felt right before I joined NFTRY, I blacked out of all my social media for like a year or. Yeah, yeah. 2016. I just made Rapzilla freshman list and then I blacked out.

[00:37:22.430] - Gaelika Wow.

[00:37:23.080] - Thre
Most people would make that list and then capitalize. But I began to do nonprofit work in my city and I just couldn't do I couldn't do both. And and music was never I was never really trying to get on with music. I wasn't trying to be this huge name at all. I just the Lord did what he did with it and I wasn't done with it, but I just knew prioritizing and I couldn't do it at this moment to the fact that I thought that I would need the attention that it would need given what I was doing in the community. So I blacked out. And that's even more how I knew, like this NFTRY move was the Lord because I wasn't doing anything. Like I wasn't putting out music. Twenty, sixteen, twenty seven early twenty seven. It was like I wasn't doing any of that. But I had a relationship with Jeremiah Bligen, who was a partner with NFTRY with Eshon [Burgundy]. And so he I think my last EP, he he shared it show love, we began to build of that and then we were just continuously building just as friends and and artists within the community. And we ended up at a conference together in Texas, Love God Hate Sin or Compell to Come conference. And we was there for a weekend and we just we still didn't talk about nothing about joining NFTRY or anything. We were just building as brothers. And I just looked at my inbox. One day I had a message from him. That they was expanding infantry and wanted to know if I would like to meet with them concerning joining.

[00:39:16.480] - Gaelika
OK, well, I have like two questions, the first one. As you said, you are doing nonprofits. What were the nonprofits you were looking at?

[00:39:24.700] - Thre
So I have started a nonprofit called Familyhood Ministries. And so when you look so like the neighborhoods, the communities just where you got manhood, boyhood, girlhood, womanhood. It was like familyhood was missing, like we needed like how do we bring all this together and disciple a family because I was doing youth ministry already and it's like you will point to the youth, they will go

home, be influenced by the most, you know, by whoever they live with. And then it's an undoing, redoing, undoing. Like, how do I walk with. How do we work with a family and disciple them together and so that was that was our goal. And we saw just statistically a lot that how it looks for a young boy, a young girl to grow up in a family without a father and a broken family, and then just taking it back to how God originally planned that he took woman and he took men and brought them together and told them to be fruitful and multiply. And so, yeah, familhood was the ministry that I was doing well.

[00:40:33.260] - Gaelika
Now, I'm curious, how do you. How do you do the familyhood ministry? How does what's unique to it versus the menhood and womenhood?

[00:40:46.510] - Thre
so I wouldn't I wouldn't say it is unique. Right. It's aside from your focused on the family holistically. Right. So we had a program called Raising Raise, a highly capable case. And so just to jump ahead real quick, so the family had dissolved and into another into something else. Right. But the programs are still thriving through another ministry ministry in Chicago. And so and so Family Hood is still there, but not nice is just under the umbrella of something else. But raise a highly capable kids as a program where where parents are trained through the developmental assets the research institute found is needed. Right. Support for parents, for children or whatever. So we started that was our first it wasn't one of our initiatives, but we was trained through this particular program that we brought it to Chicago. And so then we would take them through a 13 week course. And we deal with things like children feeling safe in the community, being a part of some some type of outlet in the community, whether they be in church or whatever. The case may be safe from a safe at school, safe at home. But actually digging into the parents childhood and why you like the way you are was and do you now parent the way you were brought up, so to speak. And so just going wrestling with these things and seeing people grow from that, we graduated parents, we would in the the incentive of not initiative, but the sense of for them graduating was that we would take their family or like a weekend staycation. Right. And so we. And so now the family get to come together. And then I created something called FAM, which was family and meals. And so every week the families will come together. We will cook no phones, no nothing. And so the parents will cook, we're playing games and they're sitting at the table. And we put some questions on the table, some questions starters for them to have like real conversations and just dive a little deeper as a family. And so I want to say is unique from like womanhood, manhood, boyhood, girlhood. But the uniqueness of it is that collectively the family is trying thrive together.

[00:43:17.650] - Gaelika
Now, that is amazing. That's why I'm also curious how, like, I would just think it it might be challenging to find parents to commit for 13 weeks.

[00:43:27.520] - Thre
Yeah. So. Ah, so you got to have some type. You know, he went as as wise. Right. So you have schools that have parent groups like we so are and it was through the school system and so we will partner with schools. They already had a parent community. We will introduce our program to the parent community and the word will get out. They will commit. And I mean, they loved it, actually. You know, I'm saying it was it was something that that they were. And now and what was so dope about the program was that once you finish the program, you can teach the programs and now it's peers seeing peers, you know, going that way. And now, "Oh, that's Karen standing up there." then "next year where I will be up there doing the same thing," but just having that type of excitement. And then they graduated. Some parents have never graduated from anywhere. Right. And so having a community come together, having your children come out and seeing you in a cap and gown, graduating from this program is a beautiful experience for some people.

[00:44:34.000]
no, that's a beautiful experience.It just sounds beautiful. That's dope. OK, so now going back to NFTRY. OK, so why when you joined NFTRY, did you change the name from Brother Thre to just Tre and instead of the number three, you spell it with one "e", so it's funny because someone Datin just hit

me up, it was like "Hey, Three and he spells it with the number 3", you know, like basically telling me that I felt like you was correcting me. He was telling me like this I should have been this is what it really is. But no. So originally one, I just thought the name was wack. I felt like the music. Kind of made you accept the name if you gave the music a chance, like, oh, it's kind of good this aint, you know, trash is tasteful, is whatever it is like. So we'll look past the name. He's talented. And I think that carried me on. But with when I came NFTRY, I just brought to them like, yo, I'm thinking of how I feel about the name? You know, Eshon was like it felt like he was waiting for me to add something that because he's like, you know, like I never listen to your music because of your name.

[00:45:54.920] - Gaelika Oh, and wow.

[00:45:56.360] - Thre
Right. He said, I would always say your name everywhere, you know. And he said, but I never clicked on the link because I didn't like your name. And I was like a bogus, fam. No, but I understood that. And the only way he got a taste of my music is because I had a song called "Homeless" on my last EP, Strange Land that I wanted him to shoot a video for so we reached out. We talked and I sent the the the the song. And he was like, that was my first listen. And I was like, oh, this how this boy sound? And so it was so we knew, like you they was like, Yeah, let's switch the name. And I was cool with it as well. But now it was like, OK, let's just keep three. We were thinking of names and he was like, let's just style three. So this is me, him and Jeremiah thinking through this process. And so of course everything came up. But when I look at you get The3 Saga, you got Mouthpie3e, you get so many people, you get L3x DIVINE you got so many people that got 3 in their name. And I'm like, I just need to be set aside in some way. Of course it would, though. They have it in their names. It will make the most sense for me. But I wasn't the first one, you know, I'm saying so I just didn't want to make it that easy. Even when you do research and you find out the original spelling of three, the English way to spell it's "thre". And so that's why I went with that.

[00:47:25.250] - Gaelika
And let's talk about the current, or most recent project, Traffic, and it's been out for a little while now. Yeah. Why the title "Traffic". And yeah, let's just talk about the whole concept.

[00:47:40.670] - Thre
OK, so my commute from work was like three hours, hour and a half there. I wouldn't have that. I was working. I live in a city of Chicago, so mostly my from Chicago, but I live in Mass in Illinois. So like I'm really from Chicago and I used to travel so like the west suburbs and we think of the name. But as you travel far and so I'm always in traffic and and while I'm in the car, me the on the phone, I'm praying or talking to the Lord or writing music. And I'm just like, yo, this traffic is crazy in the concept really came from me just going over my head like being in traffic while I'm writing music. Then I begin to think like what concept do traffic of us that I can speak about and kind of relate it to life. Because when I approach music, I always want to make it relatable. You know, some people feel closer to church, closer to the world. I just feel but sometimes my music is specific for the church, other times is explicit and specific for the the culture which we live in. And other times it's for both. But I wanted to be relatable with this project. And so that's what traffic came from, like how can I take road rage and everything that I and of course, it's it's almost I didn't expect it at all is so much more to talk about. You make it attractive for me. But yeah, that's what we came from.

[00:49:21.260] - Gaelika
And I want to move on to the four song break down when the artist raps or recites a verse and discusses what's going on between the lines of the song story. So if you don't mind starting with "Sirens" featuring Eshon Burgundy and Mouthpie3e with a "three" in his name,

[00:49:41.310] - Thre
a salute to Mouthpie3e.OK, so you want me to so choose one of those verses. OK.

[00:50:00.040] - Gaelika Yeah

[00:50:02.420] - Thre
I wasn't aware of it, heretic live in embarrassment. I was just cherishing what was pristine. I was dealing with devils then I would just let them be. And it was metaling and the world was unsettling. And I was comfortable pedaling whatever damn whether weed or the heroin like ndeed the medicine. I'm the one you will see to get better then. So I was intrigued by the cheddar money in thought it would never said I was in need of a revolution because I was a certain stage, but I never seen no benevolence, no better than way, way, way, way. Got a Meanon Squad NFTRY thatz team glory be to my God. I have seen many things been many things beat many odds since I've been with my and seen so many problems times too. I will have to repeat that. Oh so I wasn't aware of it herritic living embarrassment. So I'm in this life and I'm living for the Lord, but I'm not really living for the Lord. I'm embarrassments of the faith at this point. Those who may have known or did not know. But I knew when the Lord knew. Like you are not repping me, fam. I wasn't aware of that. Having to live in embarrassment. I was just cherished in what was parish and I was dealing with devils then. I'm focused on the accumulation of things. What I can garner, what was happening inside me, I was more excited about. And those things will perish. Right? And I was dealing with my own devils. I was battling within myself with certain things that I just wasn't willing or I wasn't talking about and didn't care to talk about it. But when you're in a particular stage, you want to keep things hidden so you can continue to thrive. I mess this up right now. Let me just continue on. But you're hurting yourself in the process. What devils did I wasn't aware of how was it living without parasomnia? That shows those, in other words, that were too complicated. I wasn't aware of it. It was an embarrassment. I was just Jefferson Parish, you know, dealing with that. I just let them in. They were settling, though. It was a it was Meddeling, though it was unsettling. I was comfortable pettily whatever they whether weed or the heroin. So I feel like now I wasn't. Here's where you have the uniqueness of being able to balance between, I say, time spans and in your in your life, right, because I wasn't selling drugs or anything in the faith of what it was, but it was still what I'm dealing with my demons and what I'm dealing with. I'm just giving I'm just jumping. Give you like flashes of my life as i'm rapping. And so though by it was the enemy that was presenting me and giving me the opportunity to sell drugs and to be good at it, but I never went to jail for it. Right. But this was something that I did. And what I was comfortable with it. I wasn't saying, like, I want out, I want to I don't want do this no more. At the time I was doing it, I was thriving it and I wanted to do it. And yeah, they was meddling with my life in the midst of that. But I was OK with it because I was getting something to give me, something like if you ever listen to a deal, make Damian. So, yeah, the you know, I'm saying what, he's talking to the devil and is like, yo, I actually for not the like you did when you allow me to get why you didn't say nothing when you took it, you actually say yes to me. You know, I'm saying and I'm sorry that that's the process that you want me to go through the whole verse.

[00:53:56.190] - Gaelika
I mean, it's up to you. I just I love the whole flow patterns too, so. Yeah. And it's up to you because we do. We have 3 more songs.

[00:54:08.560] - Thre
OK, well, almost out there, because that's the one, yeah, yeah, that's kind of that's kind of the progression of that is that, hey, I am. In my life and parts of my life, I've been an embarrassment to the faith while out before I came to the Lord, I was comfortable in what I was doing and I knew I knew it was evil and I didn't care. I progressed and I run into people that at least prophesied to me or told me, like, you need the Lord like, hey, why you still got breath in your body, give it to the Lord. And I ignored them, like, you know, and that that goes to the problems that people say. And I needed a revelation. And I was saying. And so people I've come across so many people before I had given my life to the Lord that it was like, I'm tired of this. Everywhere I go, someone is like, young man, can I talk to you? And I'll be on a street. It ain't happened in a church. I will literally on the street. And they will be like. You, the Lord wants to use you and I would sit there and be like oh my God lady, I don't have time for this. But the Lord was just continuously using people to speak into my life, and just little seeds were planted. And I'm so grateful for those moments now.

[00:55:26.320] - Gaelika
let's move on to "Road Rage" featuring Jay Cabassa. Is that how you pronouce his last name?

[00:55:32.210] - Thre
Yeah. Do you want me to tell you why I chose them on the record or?

[00:55:37.580] - Gaelika
I do, but I'm also frightened of the Internet connection.

[00:55:42.050] - Thre
OK, so you want to go go ahead and talk about.

[00:55:46.090]
Yeah, let's do "road rage."

[00:55:51.220] - Thre
So. A Pray its, a good day is a walk in so much shock outside. Lord, I hope your Lord I know you're with me as I come outside. Please, you give me the grace to love people and show kindness to the one who does evil knowing not far from good without you do evil. I probably would know. I probably should pray for those on the roads. That day is my prayer to the Lord as I drove away headed for Lakeshore Drive. Wait, I've got to put my seatbelt on to make sure I'm safe. I hit the stop sign a kid on the corner beating his drums. Look my way. We does he need a change? Want something to eat? He's only 12 years old and that's something to see day. And even though it's nothing to me, I gave nothing. I pulled out of sucking Motsepe. Sheesh. Road rage, the what I wanted to do with these concepts is take what was obvious and kind of twist it a little bit. And so road rage is how we treat one another. But I wanted to make it look like everyday life, you know. And so in Chicago, we have what we call the drummer boys, and they be on almost every major street corner, especially in the summertime. Right. And I think I wanted to paint a picture of the believer who starts his day and jumps in his car. And it's like he's sinful. She's sinful, but. We finna hit a road where we know potential rage can happen. It is and it is simple. You know, I'm saying like, you know, do unto others as you want them to do on you or an eye for an eye. Tooth for a tooth library, which is a great example. Twenty first century, you know, I'm saying like this is what it looks like for us when we're on the road. You give me the finger, you get the finger, I cut you off, you cut me off and so forth and so on. So I wanted to take this record and make it and just bring it down, like not make it. So was that predictable in a way? Was like, oh, I see road rage. I know what I'm about to talk about. So I, I took this approach of, OK, I'm starting my day, we're getting into the car and I'm praying and I'm talking to the Lord like be with me because I'm probably going to encounter some people that I would not want to be so nice to. And without you I won't be. So let me even pray for them. And then even though I'm trying to do this, I'm not even attacked or I'm not a I don't have the type of collision I think I'm going to have. I'm praying for this type of collision. But here I am and I'm. I'm challenged in my giving. Yeah, I'm challenged in my love towards people who are without. And so I hit the stop sign and he asked me for change and we lock eyes and I get it. And it don't mean nothing to me to give it. And I'm like, I'm by doing some no. And and and so I want to people because I know that happens often with people and we will blame it on the light. I didn't realize I get it. OK, I got time to even give it to you. Oh not blame it on that. But it's like if you want to give them something you can pull over. You can make that happen. Yeah. What happened in that moment. Oh really? Like I said earlier, I was honking my horn telling you to come and you was at the other cars and they aint giving you nothing is like I just I just feel like that's a real thing. And that's been the response I get from that record. Like, yeah, well that just happens to me. You know, I'm saying the next verse, you pull up to a gas station and someone's knocking at your window. I cannot pump your gas and you like, no, I'm good. And it's like, is that going to hurt for them to pump your gas for a few dollars or whatever? So, yeah, I felt like that was a tasteful way in a challenging way for us as believers to really reflect on the things we may do to people and how we treat people. And we ought to treat people like the US, you know.

[01:00:13.450] - Gaelika
Yeah, well, now that's real. I think. I mean, I've definitely been in a situation now I'm not gonna lie.

[01:00:23.920] - Thre
I saw you laughing a little hard at that. Like that just happened to you yesterday didn't it.

[01:00:30.160] - Gaelika
Like within the last couple of weeks. I say it. Yeah, I definitely have been there. And I've also had the moments where, like walking away, I felt convicted and I did circle back. It's like, OK, yeah, I got you. So it's so I think it's just so easy to just say no, like unconsciously, even if you have it, like, it's almost like you were trained. I know. I think I kind of feel like I was trained as a kid because I'm so used to my parents being like, oh, I got it hearing them say it. It's like, oh, that's what we say to these people, right? And so automatically I would be like, no, I you know, like I actually do have some change, I got some some bills up in here, you know,

[01:01:14.830] - Thre
and that's good. And I think, you know, we should be cautious. Right. Especially women. You should never let your window down and hand stuff out, like make sure it's broad daylight. Make sure maybe somebody your car, maybe you let your back window down here right in your face, but just be cautious and careful with doing it. But I mean, you're doing it from the heart. I Think the Lord. The got you.

[01:01:39.820] - Gaelika
Yeah, he he does. And I mean, I've also been in situations where I'm. I probably have been taken advantage of and then almost felt bad like how dare they? But then it's like, you know, like that's them, that's them. That's between them and God. I did my part. So but people will kind of seek you out, especially if you like, driving around me with a "grateful" sticker on my car. And their like, "Do you belive in the Lord, can I get this?"

[01:02:11.680] - Thre
And he's like, OK, I definitely hit her up for something.

[01:02:24.131] - Gaelika
"Low Fuel" featuring Kymar Garner.

[01:02:24.500] - Thre
Yeah, this is one of my favorite records. When I heard the beat. I know exactly what I wanted to do with it and I knew she was the one I wanted to do it with. So she's a she's a fellow Chicago artist, good friend of mine and beautiful voice. Right. When I heard it, I'm like, I knew I wanted to do a record "low fuel", I didn't had a beat when I heard the beat, I was like, this is it? Because I wanted it to be like this worship I did. I knew it was it wasn't just going to be me on the record. And then I, I wanted it to lead with the worship. Usually we'll put that as artist in a hook. We'll put it in the back end of our album. But I wanted you to listen to this and be like, is Thre even going to rap

[01:03:13.880] - Gaelika
Yeah, that happened. I was like wait a minute is this an interlude?

[01:03:17.890] - Thre
Yeah. And so but I wanted to capture the the individual as metaphorically the car itself that runs low on fuel and then in our running low blame God. And you know, like I've done all I can do, I've been doing me like why have me empty, you know, I'm saying. And so. Let me see what I say in that record. I got to have these records, like, right here that would be helpful, the legal right Gaelika? You have to remember the last the last thing she says or let mean I got it right here. I know what it feels like to be running. So her whole verse was the the concept of being low running low on fuel. She she here in the light. I mean, the light comes on. She's here, the ding and she realized and now she's confronted with being low and like, what are you doing up in that space? Sometimes we choose to just blame the Lord or and we stay low. But my thing was more of a fill up side of it. Like, here's the fill up of what I know, what it feel like to be running low on fuel. You'll drive gone. Your mind zone is like stuck in stone. It won't move in need of a push. And so it's like I'm talking, I'm talking to the person as they and the car. I saw your drive going literally. You can't drive with no gas. You in need of a push. Your car can't move. You need to be pushed. But I'm also talking to the individual that needs a push. Right. So it's just these double entendres all through the verse in need of a push. What would it mean to be, you

know, what it feels like to be running low on fuel? You'll drive going to your mind zone like Stuck in stone don't move in need of a push, nor everything that it's OK for you to be seen again. Look, so even get book sit and have meetings with crooks and you mean reading your book look. And so I go all the way through even I took it to the artist standpoint of whatever you're trying to, you're trying to do in life with. According to your gift, them all, you're trying to get a book, you're trying to get greater, but it's like you ain't even reading your book, but you sitting down with these crooks, you don't really know how to do business as a believer. You know, I'm saying. And so in it progressively goes to the point of light. God sees more than you know. And so you notice your fuel you're running low. But he sees your spark plugs, he sees your flat tire, he sees all this going on around with the vehicle. And all you're worried about is that what he's working on at all? And it was like before you even kneel down to pray, he knows what you're going to ask for. How can you blame him? You know, I've said, how can we fix our hearts and posture in such a way to blame him when he's the one working on a vehicle before we take it to the shop. He the one, you know, I'm saying. And so that's that's the the visual I wanted to give with that. And so if you've seen a video, I kind of I kind of took three situations of a boy being bullied in school, a guy working that he's working at the school, but he's working for lower wages. He's not getting all that. He wants his mother, who's just a single mother and she's just running wild with the children. But the law sees it all and he's there and he's, you know, just just call on and don't blame the system.

[01:07:09.700] - Gaelika
I really love that track. I love how you had the worship in the beginning, too, because it's almost like you're literally right. When I was thinking, like is three onis is this interlude. And as soon as I want to love, then you jumped on and I'm like, OK, he jumps out halfway right in the middle.

[01:07:28.010] - Thre
Yeah that's dope. Thank you.

[01:07:30.530] - Gaelika
You're welcome. "Traffic Jam".

[01:07:34.400] - Thre
Traffic jam. I love this record is different for me. I think it's different for CHH period. Like when you listen to it, it's just a whole different vibe. But I wanted to have like this upbeat. Record. Well, I'm talking about some serious things, and though we're in a traffic jam, I wanted to play on the words like, no, this is my jam while I'm in traffic. You know, I'm saying this is the thing that gets me through traffic, you know? And so I say some things that's like, oh, yeah, that's that is kind of crazy. Let me see.

[01:08:16.970] - Gaelika
Definitely the beat is like it's a bop for in the car. Like, I literally was in traffic listening to it. Turn this beat up?

[01:08:27.940] - Thre
Thank you for even listening to it in traffic because that's the experience. I want people to get my sonically these around, like in a way that won't make you feel like, oh, turn this over here. But if you ride to it, it hits different. Yeah.

[01:08:43.000] - Gaelika
Well, definitely wasn't planning on being in traffic.

[01:08:46.690] - Thre
It just went that way. But let's put it that way of. Police brutality in this right? So this my gym, though, they abuse an authority and normally they do it right on a cam and it's like, but I get that this is my jam is like. So I'm I'm making mention of something real quick. And before you can settle in it, I move from it, know. So I wanted to take you to the highs and lows on this record when I'm talking to you seriously, like so if you were to take the same kind of body, make you leave basically if you rather look at other people grass than tend to yours and rake the leaves, I'm here to shake your tree. This is you

know, I'm saying and so I'm talking about some serious stuff, like tend of your own grass, like concentrate on your own patch. Don't look next to you. But I was I was really talking about gapers delay where you're in. You're you're in traffic and you wonder why things are so bagged up. You're way behind. But you come to realize that when you get to it, it was an accident on the side. And people was just looking at what I'm saying is like on family. So I say, so I'm like, if you rather take the scene can't nobody make you leave. But basically, you know, I'm saying if you rather look at other people grass than 10 of yours and rake them, you got a place to go. You're worried about what's going on over there, pull over and help or pull over because you're you're slowing so many things down behind you. You are now responsible for hindering the process of the world behind you. And so many people could have been on a way to change the world. And you're hindering them. You know, I'm saying. And so with that record, I wanted to have fun. I wanted to talk about some serious things and flash it and get away from a super quick and get you back to the dance. But this my jam. And so you may get sad like you going to be doing that on camera. Do you like man, forget it. Oh, no. I wanted to play with people's emotions with it.

[01:10:49.230] - Gaelika
So you did it. I guess it's like that whole 90s kind of like Naughty by Nature. Like vibe. Yeah. It's funny. I like concept. They do be doing that on camera.

[01:11:08.610] - Thre
Exactyly,I mean because we take I mean not that is serious but it's like so much time. Yeah. You know, crying and being hurt and marching and you know, picket signs. So we do that and it's needed and it's like we don't breathe in those moments. You know, I'm saying it should be a time doing the march. What, we just stop with the "traffic jam" or something and just jam out and then get back serious like. Yeah, no, no justice. No peace there.

[01:11:38.910] - Thre
Yeah, I like that. So how do you say God's presence looks like in your life musically?

[01:11:48.790] - Thre
For me, it's a. Live, create, live, create, I never write just because I can or have the ability to. And so when I drop traffic immediately, people was in my inbox like, what's next? And I'm like, you better sit with traffic. For me, as traffic is, you're sitting there like, sit with this, Doyle with this, live with this, abound in this, because it's something you may have missed in it. But I have to live. I'm not pulling out from an empty vessel. I don't want to just give you something and trying to create something that, you know, I'm living, I'm experiencing, I'm seeing, I'm looking on. And so the Lord is talking to me in those moments and concepts are coming desires to write, I maybe writing, you know, maybe on some other people's stuff. But I'm not putting it out. I'm just saying my what what the lord want to do with it. And sometimes I don't write at all. And then when I and when I feel the urge to pick the pen up. It's an on slight of just concept that that that I'm giving. And so that's what it looks like for me. Just live, create, live, create.

[01:13:05.160] - Gaelika
And now that you've done this interview, who would you like to see me interview in the future?

[01:13:11.950] - Thre
Hmmm, let's keep NFTRY I would like to see you. Have the boy, Jeremiah Bligen, sit down on his camera, because I think his his musical process is amazing, his detail is crazy. Listen to his music so much. He sings, he wraps and he executive produced traffic. So he sees a part of this joint. No, I'm for that, I'm for that for sure.

[01:13:46.570] - Gaelika Wow. And that's it.

[01:13:55.000] - Thre
I appreciate the opportunity, since I've since the Lord had you start this when you was a babe in Christ. I was familar with it, you know Gemstones the homie, I think that's the first one I heard you do.

[01:14:08.500] - Gaelika
He was the first people who let me interview.

[01:14:11.920] - Thre
Yeah. And so I just thought it was dope, the way you put it together, how you would play the music and the questions, it was like it was seamlessly it was seamless, rather the way the way it was put together. So this is a dope opportunity for me. And I love what you're doing. Keep pushing.

[01:14:31.660] - Gaelika
And I appreciate that. And I definitely I do want to get back to doing doing it the way I was doing it was so much the post-production that I was so much work as part of the reason why I ended up taking a hiatus for like three years. I can do straight-interviews. I have time for that. It's literally it's me doing all this.

[01:14:56.650] - Thre
Oh, well, that's dope. Hopefully I'll be praying that the Lord brings some people your way, if that's what you want. You know, I'm saying because maybe you're doing an interview that somebody is doing the post editing and, you know, you just looking over it, checking all the boxes and making sure that is what you want.

[01:15:14.050] - Gaelika
And that's the hard part, because I literally like doing everything. Oh, you like. Yeah, I love doing it because its part of the whole creative process, but it's just so time consuming. Yeah.

[01:15:25.060] - Thre
I'm glad we I'm glad I talk to you now often to go pray for something you don't want. You know, that's your problem. You don't one this is what you want to do.

[01:15:35.740] - Gaelika
You can still pray for that. Becuase I might need that. Maybe it's the Lord, like you need to put some stuff down and let other people.

[01:15:44.200] - Thre No doubt.

[01:15:48.710] - Gaelika
Hey, what's up? Thank you. Thank you for listening to the show. Thank you for watching the show, however you consumers. Thank you. Please subscribe to the show and if you really enjoy the content, please leave a review. It really does help with the ranking of the show. And if you want to go an extra mile, share the show, share this episode. And for all things, testimony, visit testimonystories.Com until next time. I'm Gaelika Brown, the music lover, constantly seeking positive music.