Hezekiah Walker

GC: You recently celebrated 20 years in the music industry Congratulations! Did you think you’d be a recording artist and have the type of impact you’ve had on gospel music?

HW: I had no idea We started in 1985 Our mindset was just to sing locally and it became major here in New York City People started to talk about “this new choir” that was out Then record companies began to contact me and record me – not thinking it would become national or international After being in the industry for so long, I never would have thought I would be here after 20 years It’s amazing.

GC: You’ve seen a lot in the last 20 years Do you think the changes in gospel music have been good or bad?

HW: I think the changes have been good I think there have been some bad changes too, but overall, I think the good changes have outweighed the bad changes I think one of the good changes is that we have a bigger audience now and yet the message has stayed the same That’s what makes it good When I started in the 80s, no one was listening to gospel music but church people, but now you’ve got everyone listening to gospel music The changes have been good.

GC: Since you’ve been in the industry, do you think the role of gospel music has changed?

HW: Well, that’s the part that I think has been bad I think some people have come along and changed the role of gospel music But it’s our job to keep it where it’s supposed to be in accordance with scripture I realize that most people have changed the role of gospel music because most people don’t know the Bible like they should know the Bible I think it’s important that myself and others who have been in the game a long time who know scripture educate other people that are coming into the industry There should be a scripture base – what we should do and the role that we play.

GC: It seems that you’re also talking about a lifestyle of Christianity as well….

HW: Yes, it’s so important to live the life we sing about If you talk with most gospel artists, most gospel artists say that their main goal and mindset is to reach the lost, to reach those who are unchurched What I’ve found in connecting with the unchurched – I’ve been around the major players in the R&B world – I think what the gospel artists don’t understand is that they want to see something different in our lives They want us to be who we are and they want to see that we’re living what we sing about If you ever talk to any rap artists –I had the privilege of talking to Nas – they say the reason why they rap is because they live it From what I’ve heard, many rap artists don’t see the gospel artists living what they sing For a long period of time, Puff Daddy was a frequent visitor to our church and sitting under our ministry We’ve also had Lil Kim and Foxy Brown come to our church I’ve counseled with many of them The main thing that they would say is that they love church, but they have yet to be around some gospel artists that live what they sing One of the problems that Puffy had is that he saw some gospel artists trying to be like him And he was saying, “I’m trying to be like them!”