Interview with Young Prayzr

By Em Fergusson

You would think he’s an adolescent on his way up the artistic ladder, performing with the best of Holy Hip Hop. Except, I’d have stop you before you speculate further. Young Prayzr is not an adolescent and he represents the future of Holy Hip Hop. The young, talented artist is only 11 years old and has garnered more awards than the average Gospel artist, including a Gospel Choice Music Award. Besides getting awards, Young Prayzr talks vividly about his experience as a young artist.

GC: What are you expecting from tonight?

Young Prayzr: I’m expecting a great holy award party to start off 2008!

GC: Tell me…You do have an album out? Can you talk a bit about it?

Young Prayzr: My new album is called, Here Comes Young Prayzr featuring some of my hits, and tonight I’m going to be doing, Hittin’ Them Streets…Me and my mom wrote most of the songs. There’s [sic] 14 tracks on there and I have songs on there for everyone. I even do a song with my grandma on there…there’s rock, pop, old school, new school, hip hop…this is my first album.

GC: Can you talk to me about your ministry and how you came to be a hip hop artist?

Young Prayzr: I [used to be] in the choir down at New Birth in Lithonia [Georgia]. What happened was [sic] the choir director asked if I wanted to write a song. And I didn’t know how to rap, so me and my mom we went home to write a song and we wrote a rap song.  So, I felt…this is so [much] fun, so we made up the name ‘Young Prayzr,’ you know, I’m young and I pray and I pray…so that made us think that I enjoy it so much and that made me start a ministry and we started performing for churches and different things. And I got [sic] nominated for a Gospel Choice Award and I came in third place.

GC: And how old are you?

Young Prayzr: I’m 11 years old!

GC: You’re 11 years old?! You don’t look like eleven!

Young Prayzr: Some people think that I’m 13, 14…and I’m 11. I [also] act, model…and tonight I’m getting an award.