MUSIC
Rapper Condo Bo Spreads Christian Message through the Metro by Aliyah Veal
courtesy Condo Bo
courtesy Condo Bo
July 22 - August 4, 2020 • jfp.ms
M
usic is entrenched in Jeremy Thompson’s Hallow Music Group, a music ministry family, he says. The Jackson native said his based out of Jackson that “promotes superbrother and cousins used to own a studio when natural growth and enlightenment to the he was a child and that he used to sit back and youth and unchurched,” a flyer says. The watch them make music. He played the snare drum in group’s mission is to show the youth and the marching band at Callaway High School and at Jackpeople who are not into church how to son State University. At family reunions, his family would work on their salvation by living righteoushave a talent competition, and his uncle, Jesse Thomply. The word hallow, which is found in the son, is president of the annual Jackson Music Awards. Lord’s Prayer, means holy, which is the type His background speaks for itself. of music Bo wants to make, he said. It was not long before Thompson was hit with the Condo Bo is now working on an almusic bug and began rapping. He used to be a worldly bum called “Supernatural Sauce” and he rapper before God came to him and told him that secular already has one single out, “Keys to the music was not his calling, he said. Kingdom” ft. Kidd Sirachi, with two more “The Lord was telling me it’s 1,001 role models out singles to follow. The album will feature here for the world and for the streets. He wants somebody four Christian rappers from Jackson on the for him. He changed me into doing music for him because album. that’s what it’s all about in life anyway,” the rapper told the “Everybody is talking. They’re sauced Jackson Free Press. up, and I’m dripping in sauce. So I’m com Thompson said he was praying for God to bless him ing with the supernatural sauce,” he said. with doing non-Christian music, yet many topics in secular Bo said the youth love his music. They music like drugs, stealing and stunting on other people are listen to the beats at first and all of a sudden, images that do not align with God’s principles, he said. the words catch them. He’s been perform “How can he bless me with something that’s against ing his music in Jackson and McComb, him and that will go against his own word? He was saying Miss.; St. Louis and East St. Louis, Mo.; we need more role models for positive people that’s out here New Orleans, La.; and Selma and Mobile, and for the youth,” Thompson said. Ala. While Bo enjoys taking the stage and The artist goes by the name Condo Bo, a combinaperforming his music, he also takes the tion of his childhood nickname “Bo” and the nickname his time to minister as well. friends called him when he owned a condominium. Rap, “I don’t just go up anymore and do for him, is a bridge to help him communicate with the my raps and go. He brings me to talk to younger generation, a generation he said is more familiar people and do my testimony, so they can with hip-hop than old hymns and blues-influenced gospel understand where I can from and where I music. am now,” the rapper said. “It’s been someRapper Condo Bo says he was hesitant when God called him to do “I’m glorifying God now. That’s my whole image,” the Christian rap, but now says he has found his purpose in using his times I’ll have a whole set going up, and I’ll music to connect with young people and share his message. rapper said. go up there and only do one and then start It was not an easy road to get to where he is today, talking because that’s what he wants me to Bo said. After graduating from Jackson State University in but the rapper did not immediately welcome the change. do. I pray before I go up there and ask the 2009 with a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Technology, he “At first, when the lord was telling me about gospel Holy Spirit to use me how he wants to use me.” got his own house, which he outfitted with a recording stu- music, I thought I couldn’t do it at all. I didn’t want to do Condo Bo said it’s not about blowing up or about dio. He and his friends used to freestyle and play around all gospel music. It wasn’t what I was into,” Bo said. “I was the money. The work he does is about praise and worship. the time, but he was not taking it seriously back then, he almost mad at God. ‘You won’t bless me with this, and you When audiences listen to his music, he wants them to unsaid. He was more focused on doing want me to do that.’ I said, ‘I’m not derstand that God can’t be put in a box. work behind the scenes. even rapping anymore.’” “You can’t think that God won’t allow rap to come— “I was more focused on trying He stopped rapping. But because how can he touch every four corners of the world, to manage and not be in the scene as he learned more about God and if he’s speaking the same language or coming at people from because someone gotta know how to accepted Christianity as his faith, he the same avenue? You can have fun with God,” he said. do the business (and) the paperwork,” decided to approach rapping again. Bo said that happiness is built off of circumstance, but Condo Bo said. In 2017, he released his first Christian joy is forever and that he’s found joy and purpose in the But he noticed that some of the rap project on SoundCloud, a four- music he makes. people around him did not have the song EP titled the “Full Armor.” “(Joy) is eternity. It’s what the Lord gives you. You gotsame work ethic or vision that he had, “It’s talking about the full ta choose to be joyful. No matter what your circumstances which made it hard for him to be a armor of God. The helmet of salva- are, you can still have joy in whatever you’re in. I’m on a manager. In light of this, he started tion, the shield of faith, the sword. I whole other level with the way I’m trying to live my life,” taking rap more seriously and got on Through his upcoming album, was just trying to see if I could even do he said. the mic himself. The transition into “Supernatural Sauce Vol. 1,” gospel music,” he said. For more on Condo Bo, find Hallow Music Group on Christian rap started around 2015, Condo Bo shares his faith. Since then, Bo has started Facebook, Instagram or YouTube.
21
