April 22, 2024 • 48 mins
The Weapon of Music: It can break chains in the mind
[Audio]
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Spotify | Captivate | Deezer
From a life of sin, vice and darkness, the story of Eric Cohen, a Christian hip hop artist from Missouri resonates with our lives and the power of transformation through Christ and seeing the light of God. Have you ever been in dark times in the maze of this world when you felt lost and hopeless and no one to save you? Eric Cohen’s story is a reminder that God has your back regardless of your current situation and he can lift you up and give you a happy, fulfilling and rewarding life devoid of the pressures and frustrations of this world.
Eric does not hide his sinful past and encourages everyone who feels burdened with the pressures of this world of materialism, violence and hopelessness to rise up, shake their dust off and have faith in our God whose abounding love sustains us all. Eric’s testimony is a reminder that we can live a life of honor, integrity, kindness and doing everything in the glory of God. He has released albums including Used to Love You, One Way, Pain, Lift you Up and Lead Em to Water among others. He continues to ministry and spread the gospel in his hip-hop music through his message of hope, faith and belief in God. May the Lord bless you as you listen to Eric’s testimony with the goal of changing your life, your family and those around you to the glory of God!
YouTube Video - When You Die by Eric Cohen & Tunnabeatz
Please support this podcast by checking out our sponsors:
Episode Links:
Michi J LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kingdomprincesspen/
Michi J Website: https://kingdomprincesspen.com/
Podcast Details:
Podcast website:
https://kingdomprincesspen.com/podcast/
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/prisoners-pardon/id1579133364
Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/show/0uLfG4b5LbFjN0X6yW2dZa
YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIZbC2jKXhRsOYiOw9QtXlQ
Eric Cohen’s Details:
Email- Ericlc25@gmail.com
Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/eric_cohen_music/?hl=en
Facebook -
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
I believe that music has the power, toresonate in people's ears and minds
(00:04):
to break chains, break oppression, andI believe that music is only second.
To the word of God in the way it canconnect to people, it breaks through
everything the message of music andthe way people vibe and film music,
I believe that it has the power, toresonate in people's ears and minds.
In a way that only the word of God hasmusic breaks chains, in people's minds
(00:46):
Hello, everyone, and welcome toa prisoner's part in podcast.
This is me, TJ, and todaywe have a special guest.
His name is Eric Cohen.
Okay.
He is a Christian rapper.
Yes, I do host Christian rappers.
I love them because they have them.
(01:08):
The same message as any otherpreacher in the ministry of God,
and Eric has a great message.
And I want him to introduce himselfbecause he's going to tell us how
he got into doing music and justa little bit more about himself.
And some of we're going toactually do some visuals this time.
(01:30):
Yes.
You're going to be, I'm goingto be on YouTube showing these
great videos that he has.
Hi, Eric.
How you doing?
Hey, Miss Michelle.
I'm doing great.
It's a blessing to behere with you, young lady.
Okay.
Thank you so much.
Tell.
My audience, how you got intomusic and just your background.
(01:51):
He has an incredible story guys.
So listen up to what he has to say.
So I was born in 1902.
No, just kidding.
No, I'll start off with the music part.
So around three and a half years ago, uh,I wasn't at an all time low in my life.
Uh, I had actually just gottenbaptized, which was really cool.
(02:14):
Uh, in the name of Jesus, you know, Ijust got baptized, but you know, when
you do something good, the enemy's alwaysright on your heels, trying to take you
down and you know, I was no different.
Uh, he caught me right when I came upout of the water and I ended up making
a mistake, uh, acting out on my flesh.
And I felt such a weight insideof me that I'd never felt before,
(02:35):
which I now know is the Holy spiritconvicting me, uh, that I had to come,
uh, tell my wife what I had done.
And that was probably one of thehardest things I ever had to do because
I told her, you know, and, and shecrumbled, she fell apart, uh, with
the information I just told her andit was, it was really hard to watch,
you know, um, but by the end of it,you know, she kicked my butt out.
(02:57):
Uh, kicked my butt out of thehouse for about three weeks, and I
ended up sleeping in my truck foraround two of those three weeks.
And, uh, one day I was at the end ofthe cul de sac, just kinda chillin out.
It was morning time.
And, uh, I was contemplating suicide.
I was about to eat a bullet.
I didn't know what else to do.
You know, I was just miserable.
And, uh, I had just given mylife to Christ, and of course,
(03:18):
one of the worst things that'sever happened to me happened.
Uh, you know, so I was justabout to be done with it.
And, uh, a beat came on myradio, on my YouTube, I was
actually, uh, writing a poem.
I love poetry.
Uh, always liked Edgar Allen Poe,Robert Frost, Emily Dickinson, for
some name drops, you know that I know.
That good poetry Good people.
Good people.
(03:39):
Okay.
Yeah, yeah.
So, you know, I, uh, was writing somepoetry this morning and, uh, a beat
came on my radio and the Holy Spiritspoke to me, like, audibly spoke to
me and said, I want you to rap this.
I'm like You know, because Inever had this gifted and here
I am a 35 year old white guy.
He's like, yeah, I want you Eric Cohen.
(03:59):
I want you to wrap this.
And, uh, you know, I was obedientwith hesitation, but by the
end of that experience, I hadgoosebumps all over my body.
I was crying like a little girl andthe only words I could utter out of my
mouth over and over again were thankyou, Lord, because I knew this was a
gift from him and it was on that day.
As soon as I received that gift,I made a vow to the Lord that I
would only use it for his glory.
(04:21):
You know what he's imparted upon me asa weapon of warfare, , and it's a way
to break chains, break oppression, andI believe that music is only second.
To the word of God in the way it canconnect to people, , the word of God,
it breaks through everything and musicain't much different, with the message
of music and the way people vibe and filmmusic, I believe that it has the power,
(04:44):
to resonate in people's ears and minds.
In a way that only the word of God hasYes, the word of God does break chains
and it sounds like you know I like howyou pointed out because some people
think after you get baptized After youcome to the lord that you just don't
have any problems Will you admit it?
(05:05):
That's when you're on you'reyou should be on standby, right?
You are the target at that point.
The the enemy is not looking forthe ones he already have You know,
he's trying to get Us, he wants usto change to his program, but you're
listening to God I hope , my audienceunderstands that at this point,
(05:29):
that's when you're more receptivewhen you're broken down like this.
And I'm glad you didn't.
Eat this bullet or but took a bulletfor God and ate that and stay it
in, you know, got that conviction.
So tell me more.
What else happened after that?
So after that, you know, uh.
(05:50):
Not too long after that, I came backto my house and, uh, you know, my wife
showed me a lot of grace and mercyand forgave me for what I had done.
Now there's still a lot of healing todo in our relationship and that may
never change, but God has given mean opportunity to serve my wife and
my family like I never knew before.
Uh, so even in the midst of, uh, Thedarkness and the things that I had done,
(06:14):
you know, God was still good enough toshow me grace, even through my wife.
Um, so, you know, I, like I said thatday, I vowed to use this for the Lord.
And that's what I'vebeen doing ever since.
Uh, so the last three and ahalf years have been crazy.
Miss Michelle, uh, the Lordspoke to me and said he was
going to use me in a mighty way.
And he's been doing so, uh, I'vebeen going to juvenile detention
(06:37):
ministry, Uh every Wednesday nightand getting to talk to the young
ladies and young men over there.
Uh, I do Online performances liveperformances, you know all with the
the motive to preach the gospel messageAnd that's what I love about being
a christian artist because there'salways a purpose to what I do and
it's not Not to glorify self, but toglorify god, so it's quite amazing.
(07:00):
Oh, wow so You I want to uh go backa little bit Because I believe you
touched on, even though you didn't saythe word, it was about forgiveness.
You got some forgiveness from your wife,from God, and that is Very healing and
(07:23):
you, we all need forgiveness and I'mso glad that you are starting to go
through this process because forgivenessis a process and a lot of times the
hardest people to forgive is ourselves.
You said it right.
So it was hard.
You found that hard to do, eventhough, you know, as you were
(07:45):
going through the process, I wantto talk a little bit about that.
Just because.
Um, it's so important that peopleunderstand about forgiveness and, um,
that's part of what the show is about.
It's about a part and that'ssimilar to, um, forgiveness.
So are you still walking through thatprocess or, and I like how you gave
(08:06):
everything over to God and you realizethat what you're doing is to glorify him.
And do you think that helped withyour process of forgiving yourself?
Yeah, I absolutely do.
Let me be very transparent and clear here.
I have hated myself most of my life.
Wow.
(08:26):
Okay, good.
You know, I grew up in poverty,neglect, addiction, all these different
things that tried to take me out.
And I was, I lived on the fringes ofsociety, you know, I was an outcast, uh,
and you know, I'd like to say it was inmy own mind, but it was in the world.
Uh, so I never fit inand I, I hated myself.
I hated who I was, you know, fromthe labels that I had acquired.
(08:47):
Uh, during my time interacting in theworld, uh, but like you said, that
self forgiveness, uh, when we are ableto look at ourselves in the mirror
and actually like the person we see,it's, it's a whole different ball game.
And I do, I have to process thisforgiveness daily, you know, because
there's still those thoughts in mymind that pop up, like, you know,
(09:08):
you're worthless, you're nothing,but that's when I have to make a
choice to stand on God's truth.
And it's not always an easy choice, Ms.
Michelle.
Let me be honest about that.
Sometimes it's the hardestdecision I have to make in a day.
To believe what God says about me insteadof what my mind's trying to tell me.
But the mind is in thebattlefield, young lady.
Let me tell you that.
Now, don't you stop preaching on there.
(09:28):
You know I'm holding my hands up now.
I'm trying to get happy over here.
And you are speaking nothing but truth.
It's just facts.
And Oh, that cleansing.
I can, I can feel, and I can, I cansense that depth that you have in
you to that truth and so many of us,and I'm pretty sure you're not alone.
(09:51):
There's someone listeningthat hate themselves.
They're listening to the enemy outthere, giving them labels, but the
labels you should take is only from Godbecause he knows you more than anybody
else and better than you know yourselfbecause God has so much for you that
(10:11):
you didn't know you can do and you'regoing through this process with him.
You will, he will blowyou away all the time.
So yeah, just tell memore like you came out.
You're still working through this daily.
I like how you said daily, it's daily.
It's not over with.
(10:31):
So as you're going through this processof this art, cause God is the master.
And you're just a piece, okay?
So he's creating thismasterpiece in you, right?
So you starting to spit this poetry out.
He's telling you to do somethinglike you haven't tried.
You probably never even thought about it.
It's like, you said you this whiteboy and he's telling you to rap.
(10:56):
What do what you know, I grew up tothe tunes of classic rock Delta blues
Blues, you know definitely some rapin there, but it definitely wasn't
the kind of glorified Jesus eitherYou know, I grew I'm a 90s, baby.
I grew up on Tupac Biggie Smalls BigPond and Bone Thugs, you know That
(11:17):
was my influence as a child, you know,but to have this gift Uh, like I said,
that's how I knew it was an anointing andblessing from him and I could give him
all glory and he did that for a reason.
I believe, you know, so I wouldunderstand and I would be humble about
what he's given me and it's just, Ijust want to point out to the audience
(11:41):
to like, is that when we think we're.
Nothing, when we broken down, that'swhen God can really use us and,
um, you allow him to use you andjust, he's building you back up.
First he got to break you down andso that now he can mold you into what
(12:04):
he wants you to be to glorify him.
And so, okay, so now you this.
Rapper down.
What did you do?
What was the first thing you did?
Like God wants you to do thisWhat did he tell you or how did
you start just start rapping?
So, you know it took a lot of faithto step out and actually start
(12:26):
rapping because I am not Like Isaid, I didn't see myself as the
person God saw me in the mirror.
And so to step out in front of astage, something I'd never done, or
to step out in front of people andshare this gift was probably one of the
hardest things I had ever had to do.
It's getting easier each time I doit, you know, and, you know, dozens
and dozens of shows later, I'm finallygetting comfortable in my own skin
(12:49):
and stepping out and actually beingable to let the Holy spirit work
instead of staying in, in the way.
Uh, but that is not the way it was,you know, I, uh, I started off with a
lot of hesitation, uh, but let me tellyou that God indwelled me with the
Holy Spirit in such a way that I didn'thave a choice but to move forward.
And the first thing I did, Ithink, was talk to my mama.
(13:09):
Her name's Letitia Cheatham,an amazing woman of God.
Uh, now she ain't my real mama.
She's my spiritual mama.
I met her at church,uh, but she was the one.
You know, I would have thesevisions and I would have these
doubts in my mind sometimes.
And she was the one that spoke God's truthto me in such a loving but unfiltered way.
And I think we all needsomebody like that in our lives.
(13:31):
Somebody ain't willing to sugarcoatit, tell you exactly what's
what and tell you to get yourhead out of your butt sometimes.
That's what I needed.
Wow.
That's good.
Um, a spiritual guide, someone, you know,that's what, you know, you said exactly
what they need to hear because once you'reout there and you, you're now you working
for the Lord, you have to have wisdom.
(13:56):
You have to have a person that's beenthere that can talk truth to you because
the enemy is going to just be at you.
He going to be all up in your head.
And especially because right now you'relike a bait, you're in baby Christ.
So you're not.
Fully processing what you're goingthrough and what God is doing.
With you for you.
(14:18):
And so he sent miss Letitia to you andNow you're starting to feel comfortable.
Are you you still working on it?
Are you just are you there yet for is?
Okay.
God has me doing this and Now I'mstarting to Walk in and really and
(14:38):
getting more comfortable and comfortable.
I'm listening to your music.
It's like you sure you wasUncomfortable doing this and you,
you look like you are made for it.
And won't God do it?
Miss Michelle, that'sexactly what he does.
He takes people that are brokenand and considered useless in
the world and he'll do somethingamazing in them and through them.
(15:00):
And yes, to answer your question,I do feel a lot more comfortable
doing what I'm doing now.
I think I have a fully acceptedwhat God has told me and
what God has said about me.
And I've accepted thatas the truth of my life.
And so there's no backingdown at this point.
I'm gonna go hard for my God, uh, throughhip hop, through preaching, through
evangelism, any way I can to get that wordout there, because I know the grips of
(15:26):
oppression and darkness, you know, and Ialso know the freedom and light of Jesus.
He says his bond is light.
He says, take my yoke upon yourneck because my bonds light.
Trust me, I know that other bondand I'm sure many other people who,
uh, may listen to this podcast knowthat yoke of oppression and, and
(15:46):
the weight of darkness as well.
Well, I'm here to tell you that ifyou accept that white yoke, he's going
to do something amazing in your life.
Maybe it won't be rap, but maybeit will be evangelizing to.
Whoever you meet andthat's just as important.
We are all in the same positionas the body of Christ Ain't
nobody higher than the next.
In fact, it says that the humble shouldbe exalted in the exalted should be
(16:09):
humble So Lord, let me be humble.
Hey the first gonna be lastlast gonna be first young lady.
No start again I'm trying tokeep this show I'm trying to
like, okay, you elevate, but I'mlike getting happy over here.
I got to stop.
Okay.
Yeah.
So I like how you say, and I'm sureeverybody, myself, I've gone through it.
(16:31):
When you start to step out and whatGod has for you, you have to trust
the Holy spirit because you don'tfeel comfortable in that skin yet.
You're saying you didn'tsee yourself that way.
And it was the hardest thing.
And I'm going through somethings too, where it's like.
(16:52):
You know, really?
and He he I believe god lovesus to be amazed by him and he is
Amazing when you allow him andyou step out there you did it.
So you were um, You know you like polaropposites what we would look at at first
(17:13):
as a rapper and i'm seeing your videolike He's doing it He's good And thank
you for being obedient And we have tolearn how to be obedient and listen to
God and walk the way he says, becauseit's not going to be comfortable at
first, we got to be comfortable with beinguncomfortable and in, um, and we at times
(17:40):
feel inadequate for what God has said.
Did you feel that inadequacy?
Hey, I feel that everyday to be honest with you.
I feel inadequate, but that's where.
I know that God keeps me humble.
You know, he keeps me in this positionto where I'm looking up all the
time and I can give him all glory.
(18:02):
So he keeps me, I feel like he keeps me inthis position to where I feel inadequate.
So I know how much I need him andI grab onto him on a daily basis.
Wow.
You are preaching, youknow, you're preaching.
I know someone is hearingthis, not just me.
And I'm getting so much wordand, um, feeling from this.
(18:23):
So we feeling adequate, Godhas something planned for us.
Way more than we think and can't imagineand how do we not run away from it?
I know people am I the onlyone am I is you're talking to
(18:45):
just me don't run away, right?
Eric, what do you say youyou you what did you do?
Like you walk through theprocess and you just it is hard
Cause it's not comfortable.
It's true.
You know, and it just reminds meof the story of Jonah in the Bible,
you know, Hey, that dude ran hard,even jumped into the bottom of
(19:08):
the ocean saying, Don't we run?
Don't we run?
We do.
We run, you know, and, and, andthat's okay in a sense to run,
but God's still going to use you.
He's going to turn you right backaround and put you right where
he wanted you to begin with.
You know, and I think that's the beautyof it, you know, and, and if you choose
not to use your gifts, if you chooseto bury your talents, you know, what
(19:30):
do you end up with at the end of yourlife, knowing that you could have done
something, knowing that you could haveput faith in God and stepped out to what
he was telling you to do, how do youaccount for that when you meet him face
to face at that great white throne, youknow, all to make sure he, when I, when
I hit them gates, I want to hear, youknow, Well done good and faithful servant.
(19:51):
I don't want to hear Doug.
I don't know your name.
Who are you bro?
Get away from me Yeah,that's the worst thing.
I don't want to hear that nor doI want to hear Oh, I had this for
you and that's for you and youran away I had this plan for you.
If you would have followed me, thisis what You would have had, you know,
(20:12):
it kind of reminds me of that movie.
It's a wonderful life.
And you know, you get to see what it couldhave been like, would that like upset you
that you wasted and you are stepping out.
This is for someone,this is not just for me.
You're going to feel inadequate.
First, you're going to be broken.
He's going to be able to useyou then you're not going
(20:35):
to feel comfortable at all.
You're going to want to runaway and you got to sweat it.
You got to, you're going to, I'm goingto do this anyway, because I got to
believe what he says about me and lookat you now, look at you now, Eric.
Amen.
I'll tell you what, missMichelle, he gives us a choice.
Don't he, you know, we have thisfree will and it's quite amazing.
(20:58):
Uh, so we have an opportunity,uh, to step toward him in faith.
And trust that he is our maker creatorand savior or we can step away back
into the world and do the things of theworld But you and I both know which one
is more fulfilling at the end of theday And I would much rather, uh follow
christ with all my heart Even if therecomes adversity, even if there comes
(21:21):
suffering in the name of jesus You know,I would much rather be following him
than anything the world has to offer mebecause I know that stubs bunk Mm hmm.
And let me, let me tell, uh, maybe it'snot a secret, not to you, but let me tell
the audience, it gets better all the time.
You, it's not, this is the best.
It's going to keep getting better.
(21:44):
Each time you step out andyou start doing, it's going
to get better and better.
Whereas the world, youdidn't have the best.
It's downhill for now and it's quick.
It's a happy hour or whatever, butthis is like eternity everlasting.
And he's It's like fine line, it'sjust getting better and better and
(22:04):
better and you can't, you can't getenough of it and you, and that's
a different, that's a flip side.
That's a switch from theworld's point when you start
following Christ, stepping out.
So this is what you'vegot to look forward to.
We already got heaven, but now wewere when you're starting to be
(22:26):
obedient and don't think Look whereyou say you was at your lowest, right?
Yes, ma'am.
Yes, ma'am.
You was contemplating suicide right onthe edge right on the edge, so No matter
what your background is If you've beenlocked up or not, you know, some people
(22:51):
have these spiritual prisons as well.
They don't understand that youactually start there before
you go to a physical one.
If you hit that spot.
So you know, what are youtelling your juveniles?
You say you speak to the juveniles.
What do you, you know, when you shareyour story, I'd like that you share your
story and you're not sugarcoating it.
You're, you're being raw and you're notlooking, you're not being like the world.
(23:15):
On social media.
Oh, I got it all together.
And then you find out later that thesepeople are in a really bad spot condition
because they're, they got this one faceand what you're doing is the opposite.
What we're doing is the opposite.
And we're saying, no, we,we don't have anything.
We, we were broken, but look at us now.
(23:39):
Now you're, you're living andthey've suicided out, you know?
It's a, it's a different switch.
So what do you tell your, whatdo you tell the young people?
You know what?
Uh, I believe, uh, just as I amon this show, I believe in full
transparency, miss miss show.
And so when I go into the juveniledetention center to talk to these young
(24:01):
men and women, I'm completely open.
I'll answer any questions they may have.
Uh, but.
There's the glory to my story andit always ends with Jesus, you
know, because I let them know,yes, I've been through addiction.
I've been through poverty, neglect.
I've been in the same place as they werein, you know, I have been miserable.
(24:22):
Most of my life, I spent it in misery.
Uh, but I have a savior.
His name is Jesus and he rescuedme from the very depths of hell.
And trust me, if he's willingto use somebody like me.
He's willing to use y'all to,you know, and, and some of
these kids ain't never had love.
They ain't never had hope.
They grew up with a hard life.
(24:43):
You know, some of these kidsthat are sitting in these places,
they are wards of the state.
Their parents don't gave them away.
They don't have anybody, you know, so Imight be the only person that shows them
love walking into that place for the nextsix months or maybe ever, maybe I'm the
one that plants a seed for Jesus in them.
So, you know, I just try tobe completely open and honest.
(25:06):
About what I've done, where I've beenand where I'm headed, you know, and,
and the fruits speak for themselves.
You know, there's, there'sno hiding actionable faith.
And so as I show up each week andI walk into this place and they
see my, my silly face every week,you know, they see me and they're
like, okay, well this is Eric Cohen.
And guess what?
(25:26):
They're asking to, to get discipled whenthey get out there asking for mentorship.
And that's exactly what I want.
You know, I want to reach thisgeneration and let them know who Jesus
is because the world's fading away.
We ain't got long left inthis place, young lady.
I'll tell you that.
Don't you start.
Don't you?
It is true.
We see, you know, um, we're not tryingto save the world because we understand
(25:52):
the world is destined to go down.
It's like, we're trying to get them onthe arc, so to speak, rescue the ones
who wants to be rescued and let them knowthat there is an arc of safety for them
and it's in Jesus Christ and you're Wow,this is a great message and I'm glad that
(26:12):
you're going into these facilities andpointing out that people are not love.
They don't know what love isand they haven't been shown love
and you're bringing that hope.
And they're probably thinking,uh, he's always been this way.
Look at him.
You don't look like you, you'vebeen through the fire and you
(26:33):
don't even smell like smoke.
And that's, and what, that's howthe Lord cleans you up and you got
this joy about the you radiatedand they're picking up on this.
And I feel like they can talk to you.
Not somebody that, oh, they have it alltogether and you really can't relate.
(26:53):
You, you telling them,no, this is where I was.
You can leave here actually now, eventhough you still physically there.
That's it.
You know, you look at inspirationslike Corrie ten boom, uh, the young
lady that found Jesus in a Holocaust inthe middle of a, a concentration camp.
(27:18):
She found Jesus and held onwith all her life and survived.
You know, we speak about.
Finding joy in the midstof every situation.
And it's possible, you know, you can lookback through history or look currently,
I bet, you know, five people rightnow that may have the most horrible
situations happen in their life.
But guess what?
They still full of joy.
(27:39):
Uh, my brother, he just losthis mama, but guess what?
That young man is so full of joy.
You couldn't even tell because heknow mama don't went to heaven.
So it does not.
Again, it does not depend on circumstancesoutside circumstances is like, and
that is peculiar that is different.
And if we can get people tounderstand that to know, to be in
(28:03):
Christ, that's what that means.
And then look at you,you're a new creature.
Amen.
You weren't rapping.
You definitely wasn't in nofacility talking to juveniles
about what Christ can do.
How?
I mean, it's for, he's, he's available.
He has his hand nowhe's, he's beckoning us.
(28:24):
Beckoning them.
That's it.
You know, all, all we got to do is reachout and take that step off the boat.
Uh, no different than brother Peter didway back in the day, walking on the water.
Come on now.
Come on now.
You speaking it.
This is, I like this becauseyou're speaking the gospel and you
(28:45):
putting it in words that peoplecan understand and relate to
because now it's not just theory.
I like the term yousaid, actionable faith.
Actionable faith, you know, you're,you're putting his faith in motion
and now, and as you walk out, yousteady, God is exposing more and more.
(29:09):
It's getting better.
And what else do you talk toabout, uh, to the juvenile?
So, um, have you had any comeout where you had to mentor them
yet or, um, anything like that?
So I have had the opportunity tospeak to two young men on the outside.
Uh, now one of them actually ended upback in a juvenile detention facility.
(29:33):
So, uh, you know, it comes withunderstanding that even though we're
planting a seed, uh, that say seedmay not grow up right in front of you.
And we may never see thefruit on this side of heaven.
You know, we may never see it on earth.
We may never see the fruitof what we did on earth.
Uh, but, you know, we just haveto be faithful and continuing to
do what God's called us to do.
(29:55):
And knowing that it has purpose,know that it has reason.
You know, I, I think that's the mostimportant thing that we don't lose hope
and we don't lose faith, uh, in the factthat God's working through us and in us
because, you know, sometimes we can getworn down, you know, and, uh, You know,
it's in those times just no differentthan the Hebrews had to do in the desert,
(30:16):
you know, uh, they was looking back whenthey should have been looking forward.
Uh, don't recall the past.
Don't recall them things that youthink you long for in your flesh
because they ain't doing you no good.
You know, you look forward, you lookforward to that, uh, that manna that
falls from heaven that feeds us.
So.
I was just thinking what you just said.
(30:37):
We don't, um, recall that past,but, but look for, is that
why one can feel inadequate ifthey're looking the wrong way?
Hey, it'll turn you intoa whole pile of salt.
Wow.
Good point.
(30:59):
So that's how you would feel inadequate inYou have to look forward, maybe, hey, you
speaking to me now, you speaking to me.
So it's, the show is called aprisoner's pardon and you can be in
a spiritual prison and not wanted tolook forward and walk out in faith.
(31:22):
That's a, isn't that prison?
Yes.
Wow.
Don't recall the past, but tolook forward and God has so much
plan for you, possibilities.
And you, did you imagine all thestuff that God has let you do to this,
(31:44):
at the, to this point right here?
Look, lady, I still can't believe it.
Sometimes I really can't, you know, Igo back and I listen to my songs or I'll
listen to a beat and these words that justcome to me, or I listened to the words
that the Holy spirit, uh, indwelled in meto write down and I still feel disbelief.
I'm like, Lord, this didn't come from me.
(32:06):
You know, it's still, it's hard for me tosee myself as who Lord has made me to be.
Uh, so that's where I go back to thatconstant daily reminder and giving
myself up to him, forgiving myselfand understanding his truth about me.
Forgiving myself, forgiving yourself,because that is a daily thing.
(32:28):
And that's, what's hinderingyou for accepting what God has.
For you and who you really are.
Yeah.
And you said you still can't believe it.
I'm still in awe.
And I think that's what the Lord wants.
You know, he says, fear me.
And that fear don't mean be scaredand go run in the corner and hide.
(32:49):
But that means that the fear ofthe Lord should leave you in awe.
You know, it shouldleave your jaw dropped.
And that's what the Lord does whenhe starts working in you and on
you, he does leave you jaw dropped.
You ain't got no choice but to gopick your job off the ground because
he gonna do something amazing.
I mean, that's the word amazing.
(33:10):
He is amazing.
And just to hear you, your confirmationon it, when you, you won't be disappointed
when you trust him and step out.
You don't know how he did it.
You still be scratching your head.
How did he get you over here?
And it's going to be so.
(33:32):
You couldn't have made this up.
How did all that align?
How did that connect there?
How did you meet that person?
How did you were there right on time?
They happen to be right there.
It's no accident.
No.
It's no accident.
So I want people to understandwhat you're saying here.
So you can't go on your feelings.
(33:56):
Emotions because you're not there yet.
You can't even, you said you don'teven, you still can't believe it.
So you already over here, let alone whenyou were back there to try and believe it
and you still over here, can't believe it.
And you didn't went through it.
Yeah.
Amen.
That's right.
That's right.
You know, and that's why I haveno choice, but to step out in
(34:18):
faith on a daily basis, because.
If I were to go on my own feelings,what I thought about myself, the
inadequacies that I feel, I'd stillbe stuck in a bubble, uh, burying my
talent in the ground, you know, and thenthe Lord be like, hey, wicked servant.
You know, and that's not what I want,you know, I want to make sure I am
multiplying what five times, 10 times,two times, whatever he gives me.
(34:43):
And I'm gonna make it, I'm gonnamake it make sense and make money
for the Lord and not not money.
Like we see it, but yeah,that eternal treasure.
Yeah.
What are you sending yours up whereit won't be destroyed, you know, and I
like how you pointed out wicked servant.
And most people would think, like, you didsomething really bad, what we call wicked.
(35:05):
All it is that you didn'tbelieve him and step out.
That's wicked.
You calling him a liar, right?
Come on.
Hey, amen.
You calling him a liar, like, hey.
He's what, what did he say?
Taste, taste me and see, Hey, amen.
Taste me and see, ain't that the truth?
(35:27):
And once you taste, yeah, Hey,he's, he's almighty and all good.
Wow.
I feel like stuffing my feetright here, but yeah, I like that.
And how, um, I wanted to talk about too.
So, uh, what is it with your family?
Did you, what's going on there?
I know you're married, butdo you have any siblings?
(35:49):
Um, is there any other potential rappersthat's coming out of your family?
Are you just like a phenomenon?
So my daughter has taken quite aninterest in the music, which is amazing.
You know, in fact, I've actually, I'mworking on a song with her called at last.
And, uh, I, if you don't mind,I'm gonna read you her part.
(36:13):
Go ahead.
Is that okay?
Sure.
Give me one second.
Play the theme music for jeopardy.
Dun, dun, dun, dun.
Um, so.
Her part goes and she's just gotto memorize it to say it, but she
goes, he used to serve the devil.
Now it's me and him together.
My daddy is a shield.
We'll walk with God forever, forever,forever, chasing God together.
(36:37):
We'll walk with God forever.
We'll walk with God forever, you know,and, and this was from her thoughts.
I helped her.
Wow.
I helped her make it make sense fora rap song, you know, as, as far as a
hook goes, but this was her thoughts,you know, she sees me as, as, as a
shield protecting her from, uh, thewhims of the evil one, you know, because
(36:59):
he's lurking everywhere, especiallyin the family, trying to destroy us.
Uh, but she has definitelytaken con to, to music.
She loves music.
Uh, so I'm praying that, uh, she'llbe able to use that anointing, uh.
For the glory of God as well.
And as far as my siblings, I do have onesister and my father, but that's actually
(37:21):
I'm actually from a Jewish family.
And so everything I'm doing.
Yeah, I'm a Cohen.
So biblically Cohen means priest.
It's in the first.
Two chapters of the Bible.
Wow.
I think it's in Exodus.
Yeah.
Cohen means priest, uh,which I thought was amazing.
It is amazing.
Right?
Like he, he done made me a ruler and apriest according to my name, Eric Cohen.
(37:43):
Okay.
So I'm like, all right,that means something.
Okay.
Amen.
It does just like it did biblically.
Uh, but with that being said,you know, there's a lot of.
Feedback from that side of thefamily because I'm chasing Jesus.
I'm chasing the Messiah that they don'tthey don't believe in, you know, so I get
(38:03):
a little bit of feedback or a little bitof gruff from that, you know, and my dad's
going through some hard times right now.
I keep trying to point him towardthe Messiah, but he just he lacks
understanding right now and that's okay.
Yes, because when the Lord's ready toshow him, he gonna show him all the way.
Oh, and ain't no doubt.
Look at you, you, you further amaze me.
You Jewish on top of it.
(38:24):
Oh my goodness.
That's, you know what?
Our guy is amazing.
You know what he can do.
And I love this about thishealing and forgiveness.
I love how you're discipling your daughterand that she came up with the words to
hook and how I just know God can hook.
(38:49):
He's already hooked us, youknow, we fishermen, we fishing.
And he, God has the perfect, you know, wetalk about the music, the hook, you know,
that good hook, but God has the best hook.
You know, we just trying to catchup to him and he uses music and
(39:10):
I know some people may look at.
Christian rap and theymay say certain things.
Did you get any of that flat?
Cause I saw, I saw your, um, your stuffon Facebook and you was at church.
And I was like, I was lookingat the audience, but I couldn't
see the audience while you were.
Um, performing.
(39:30):
I wanted to see them too, likewhat was their reactions to you?
Cause I would never think thatthey would listen to rap at all.
So I may need to go back and lookat it, but I was like, okay, I
don't think she listened to rap.
I don't think he listened to rap,but you were like going at it.
It was like, you did not look nervous.
(39:53):
You look like you've beendoing this a long time.
And it was in a setting.
That you would normally, , not see therap, like in the church, , like where
the choir would perform, , someone comeand sing a solo selection and hear you
up there spitting a word out and rap.
So what did they, , whatwere they thinking?
(40:14):
What were their reactions to?
What were the reactions to your song?
So that particular instance,it was absolutely amazing.
I actually got invited bymy pastor, pastor Clint.
Uh, what an amazing man of God he is.
He's, uh, he's a true leader.
And you know how I knowthat because he serves.
With all his heart, he's unlikeso many other pastors I've met.
(40:38):
Like that man of God is amazing, but hehit me up on Thursday or Friday before
the service, he says, Hey bro, you wantto come do on the edge, which is the
song I did on the edge and it speaksto suicide and You know the darkness of
life, but who we can call out to um, butyou're right, you know Most of the people
in that audience and in fact in a lotof audiences I go to May not be privy to
(41:00):
hip hop But that's the thing about mixingit with the word of god because the word
of god never comes back void You know,so they're always going to get a message
out of what i'm spitting because it'salways going to be god's word Uh, and so
even with that being said, you know, Ihave I've had 70 or 80 year old men and
women come up to me and talking about,you know, I don't listen to hip hop.
(41:23):
I don't listen to rap, but I likewhat you're doing because they
hear the fruit in the message.
You know, there's, there's nodenying fruit, you know, he says
we know each other by the fruit.
And so there's no denying what's comingout of the music, whether it's real or
false, you know, we're going to know.
And so I think that that isable to supersede whatever
(41:47):
feelings people may have about.
Uh, the genre of hip hop, but I'vealso been hit on the opposite end where
I've been told that Hip hop doesn'tbelong in the Christian community,
you know, uh, or rock and roll forthat matter, you know, but won't
the Lord use anything for his good.
He can take the worst of thingsand use it for his glory.
He has no limit, no bounds,and he ain't no box.
(42:09):
I promise you that.
I definitely, I, you know, I keepremembering that mule, the mule, when
he used to talk, he could use, uh,animals and open up their mouths to you.
So.
That was amazing.
I'm, I'm going to make sure I have oneof your videos playing because I want
(42:32):
them to see you because you look likeyou've been doing this a long time.
I love whoever produced your videosis I think they did an awesome job and
you're acting in the way you, it justlooks like you just been doing it a
long time and you've been doing it.
How long?
(42:52):
Uh, just a little over three anda half years now, uh, right in the
midst of COVID is when I inheritedthis amazing gift and anointing.
Wow.
Um, I like how you say that itis a gift and I think we all have
a gift of some sort, but if we,we have to listen to God and.
Listen to your story.
(43:14):
I'm sure you are getting hooks, youknow, hooking other people and letting
them know that it's God working throughyou and that they can do the same thing.
I love what your shirtwas says grace, grace.
I can say grace over grace.
Oh, lovely.
(43:35):
That is awesome.
You got merch and stuff too.
So is that part of your merch?
Uh, no, this is actually from abrother of mine, uh, his name's
Robert and he's part of the newtribe crew, crew that I represent.
It's my label, my label mate.
Oh.
Uh, so I would be more than happy toshare his information with anybody
(43:56):
who wants a Gray Silver Grace hoodie.
And I do also have merch, I haveshirts, but I need to order some more.
Which costs money that I don't have yet.
So I'm gonna have to work on that.
God is amazing.
He's heard that and we aredefinitely praying for you for that.
So what else would you like to sayto our audience before we end this?
(44:18):
Great interview because I I'm goingto make sure I play Your video at
the end, so that people can see you,I'll definitely put everything in
a show notes how to contact you.
If people want to have you ontheir show, if they're having, I'm
pretty sure you're taking bookings.
If people want to have you outto perform for them and like,
(44:41):
where are you located out of.
Hey, I'm in, I hate to talk smack on anyother city, but I'm in the best city in
the world, which is Kansas city, Missouri.
Oh, all right.
Okay.
I'm not mad at you.
I'm not mad at you.
So they can contact you if you,if they want to have you on.
, their network, or if theyhaven't any kind of festivals,
(45:02):
you go to Christian festivals.
I'm sure and just do your performances.
, are you open to comeinto other facilities?
Like, , detention centers, , talking tojuveniles, , different places, stuff like
that and, . Probably, I'm hoping peoplemore open a door for you, for the young
(45:23):
people, because rap is a tool that canbe used for getting good messages in.
And I think like what you said,there's no denying the fruit.
Yeah.
That's amazing.
That is amazing what you said.
So they have to look at it thatway and don't look at, okay,
you trying to put God in a box.
(45:44):
Mm.
That's a mistake, ain't it?
You, how can you put him?
He is not, he didn't, he just was inthat tent that time for our purpose.
when he was traveling, he wasn't,that's not his house, you know?
Yeah.
Anyway, you know, so anyway, uh,that's why all I have in, uh, what's,
(46:06):
what's the last thing you wanna say tothe audience before we end the show?
You know, miss Michelle, theonly thing I really want to tell
everybody who's listening is.
You know, you may haveexperienced adversity.
You may be stuck in adversity andsuffering and darkness right now.
Uh, but I'm here to tell you that Godwill and can pull you out of that darkness
(46:28):
and he will use you for his glory.
And there's no wonder that you'restuck in darkness right now.
The enemy wants to take you out.
That's the truth of it.
The enemy wants to take us all out andhe's going to do anything he can to
destroy you, to stop you from steppingin to the role that God has for you.
So don't believe the lies of the world.
Don't, don't be stuck inthat darkness anymore.
(46:50):
Reach your hand out in faith andunderstand that we have an amazing God.
Uh, and he may not.
Take away the afflictions.
Uh, I'm still afflicted in many ways.
Uh, but I'll tell you what the Lordwalks with me through every one of
them and he tells me his grace andhis mercy is sufficient for me.
And I believe that wholeheartedlybecause I've experienced it.
(47:15):
Oh, awesome.
Awesome testimony.
And again, I hopeeveryone in the audience.
Gets this great, amazing message fromour God using Eric Cohen as a vessel.
Remember, I'll have all thisinformation in a show notes, and I
will be playing a video after this.
(47:35):
Thank you again, Eric,for being on my show.
Yes, ma'am.
And thank you for having me.
God bless.
God bless.
Everyone, thank you for listening and mayyou have a week filled with blessings.
I believe that music has the power, toresonate in people's ears and minds
(00:04):
to break chains, break oppression, andI believe that music is only second.
To the word of God in the way it canconnect to people, it breaks through
everything the message of music andthe way people vibe and film music,
I believe that it has the power, toresonate in people's ears and minds.
In a way that only the word of God hasmusic breaks chains, in people's minds
(00:46):
Hello, everyone, and welcome toa prisoner's part in podcast.
This is me, TJ, and todaywe have a special guest.
His name is Eric Cohen.
Okay.
He is a Christian rapper.
Yes, I do host Christian rappers.
I love them because they have them.
(01:08):
The same message as any otherpreacher in the ministry of God,
and Eric has a great message.
And I want him to introduce himselfbecause he's going to tell us how
he got into doing music and justa little bit more about himself.
And some of we're going toactually do some visuals this time.
(01:30):
Yes.
You're going to be, I'm goingto be on YouTube showing these
great videos that he has.
Hi, Eric.
How you doing?
Hey, Miss Michelle.
I'm doing great.
It's a blessing to behere with you, young lady.
Okay.
Thank you so much.
Tell.
My audience, how you got intomusic and just your background.
(01:51):
He has an incredible story guys.
So listen up to what he has to say.
So I was born in 1902.
No, just kidding.
No, I'll start off with the music part.
So around three and a half years ago, uh,I wasn't at an all time low in my life.
Uh, I had actually just gottenbaptized, which was really cool.
(02:14):
Uh, in the name of Jesus, you know, Ijust got baptized, but you know, when
you do something good, the enemy's alwaysright on your heels, trying to take you
down and you know, I was no different.
Uh, he caught me right when I came upout of the water and I ended up making
a mistake, uh, acting out on my flesh.
And I felt such a weight insideof me that I'd never felt before,
(02:35):
which I now know is the Holy spiritconvicting me, uh, that I had to come,
uh, tell my wife what I had done.
And that was probably one of thehardest things I ever had to do because
I told her, you know, and, and shecrumbled, she fell apart, uh, with
the information I just told her andit was, it was really hard to watch,
you know, um, but by the end of it,you know, she kicked my butt out.
(02:57):
Uh, kicked my butt out of thehouse for about three weeks, and I
ended up sleeping in my truck foraround two of those three weeks.
And, uh, one day I was at the end ofthe cul de sac, just kinda chillin out.
It was morning time.
And, uh, I was contemplating suicide.
I was about to eat a bullet.
I didn't know what else to do.
You know, I was just miserable.
And, uh, I had just given mylife to Christ, and of course,
(03:18):
one of the worst things that'sever happened to me happened.
Uh, you know, so I was justabout to be done with it.
And, uh, a beat came on myradio, on my YouTube, I was
actually, uh, writing a poem.
I love poetry.
Uh, always liked Edgar Allen Poe,Robert Frost, Emily Dickinson, for
some name drops, you know that I know.
That good poetry Good people.
Good people.
(03:39):
Okay.
Yeah, yeah.
So, you know, I, uh, was writing somepoetry this morning and, uh, a beat
came on my radio and the Holy Spiritspoke to me, like, audibly spoke to
me and said, I want you to rap this.
I'm like You know, because Inever had this gifted and here
I am a 35 year old white guy.
He's like, yeah, I want you Eric Cohen.
(03:59):
I want you to wrap this.
And, uh, you know, I was obedientwith hesitation, but by the
end of that experience, I hadgoosebumps all over my body.
I was crying like a little girl andthe only words I could utter out of my
mouth over and over again were thankyou, Lord, because I knew this was a
gift from him and it was on that day.
As soon as I received that gift,I made a vow to the Lord that I
would only use it for his glory.
(04:21):
You know what he's imparted upon me asa weapon of warfare, , and it's a way
to break chains, break oppression, andI believe that music is only second.
To the word of God in the way it canconnect to people, , the word of God,
it breaks through everything and musicain't much different, with the message
of music and the way people vibe and filmmusic, I believe that it has the power,
(04:44):
to resonate in people's ears and minds.
In a way that only the word of God hasYes, the word of God does break chains
and it sounds like you know I like howyou pointed out because some people
think after you get baptized After youcome to the lord that you just don't
have any problems Will you admit it?
(05:05):
That's when you're on you'reyou should be on standby, right?
You are the target at that point.
The the enemy is not looking forthe ones he already have You know,
he's trying to get Us, he wants usto change to his program, but you're
listening to God I hope , my audienceunderstands that at this point,
(05:29):
that's when you're more receptivewhen you're broken down like this.
And I'm glad you didn't.
Eat this bullet or but took a bulletfor God and ate that and stay it
in, you know, got that conviction.
So tell me more.
What else happened after that?
So after that, you know, uh.
(05:50):
Not too long after that, I came backto my house and, uh, you know, my wife
showed me a lot of grace and mercyand forgave me for what I had done.
Now there's still a lot of healing todo in our relationship and that may
never change, but God has given mean opportunity to serve my wife and
my family like I never knew before.
Uh, so even in the midst of, uh, Thedarkness and the things that I had done,
(06:14):
you know, God was still good enough toshow me grace, even through my wife.
Um, so, you know, I, like I said thatday, I vowed to use this for the Lord.
And that's what I'vebeen doing ever since.
Uh, so the last three and ahalf years have been crazy.
Miss Michelle, uh, the Lordspoke to me and said he was
going to use me in a mighty way.
And he's been doing so, uh, I'vebeen going to juvenile detention
(06:37):
ministry, Uh every Wednesday nightand getting to talk to the young
ladies and young men over there.
Uh, I do Online performances liveperformances, you know all with the
the motive to preach the gospel messageAnd that's what I love about being
a christian artist because there'salways a purpose to what I do and
it's not Not to glorify self, but toglorify god, so it's quite amazing.
(07:00):
Oh, wow so You I want to uh go backa little bit Because I believe you
touched on, even though you didn't saythe word, it was about forgiveness.
You got some forgiveness from your wife,from God, and that is Very healing and
(07:23):
you, we all need forgiveness and I'mso glad that you are starting to go
through this process because forgivenessis a process and a lot of times the
hardest people to forgive is ourselves.
You said it right.
So it was hard.
You found that hard to do, eventhough, you know, as you were
(07:45):
going through the process, I wantto talk a little bit about that.
Just because.
Um, it's so important that peopleunderstand about forgiveness and, um,
that's part of what the show is about.
It's about a part and that'ssimilar to, um, forgiveness.
So are you still walking through thatprocess or, and I like how you gave
(08:06):
everything over to God and you realizethat what you're doing is to glorify him.
And do you think that helped withyour process of forgiving yourself?
Yeah, I absolutely do.
Let me be very transparent and clear here.
I have hated myself most of my life.
Wow.
(08:26):
Okay, good.
You know, I grew up in poverty,neglect, addiction, all these different
things that tried to take me out.
And I was, I lived on the fringes ofsociety, you know, I was an outcast, uh,
and you know, I'd like to say it was inmy own mind, but it was in the world.
Uh, so I never fit inand I, I hated myself.
I hated who I was, you know, fromthe labels that I had acquired.
(08:47):
Uh, during my time interacting in theworld, uh, but like you said, that
self forgiveness, uh, when we are ableto look at ourselves in the mirror
and actually like the person we see,it's, it's a whole different ball game.
And I do, I have to process thisforgiveness daily, you know, because
there's still those thoughts in mymind that pop up, like, you know,
(09:08):
you're worthless, you're nothing,but that's when I have to make a
choice to stand on God's truth.
And it's not always an easy choice, Ms.
Michelle.
Let me be honest about that.
Sometimes it's the hardestdecision I have to make in a day.
To believe what God says about me insteadof what my mind's trying to tell me.
But the mind is in thebattlefield, young lady.
Let me tell you that.
Now, don't you stop preaching on there.
(09:28):
You know I'm holding my hands up now.
I'm trying to get happy over here.
And you are speaking nothing but truth.
It's just facts.
And Oh, that cleansing.
I can, I can feel, and I can, I cansense that depth that you have in
you to that truth and so many of us,and I'm pretty sure you're not alone.
(09:51):
There's someone listeningthat hate themselves.
They're listening to the enemy outthere, giving them labels, but the
labels you should take is only from Godbecause he knows you more than anybody
else and better than you know yourselfbecause God has so much for you that
(10:11):
you didn't know you can do and you'regoing through this process with him.
You will, he will blowyou away all the time.
So yeah, just tell memore like you came out.
You're still working through this daily.
I like how you said daily, it's daily.
It's not over with.
(10:31):
So as you're going through this processof this art, cause God is the master.
And you're just a piece, okay?
So he's creating thismasterpiece in you, right?
So you starting to spit this poetry out.
He's telling you to do somethinglike you haven't tried.
You probably never even thought about it.
It's like, you said you this whiteboy and he's telling you to rap.
(10:56):
What do what you know, I grew up tothe tunes of classic rock Delta blues
Blues, you know definitely some rapin there, but it definitely wasn't
the kind of glorified Jesus eitherYou know, I grew I'm a 90s, baby.
I grew up on Tupac Biggie Smalls BigPond and Bone Thugs, you know That
(11:17):
was my influence as a child, you know,but to have this gift Uh, like I said,
that's how I knew it was an anointing andblessing from him and I could give him
all glory and he did that for a reason.
I believe, you know, so I wouldunderstand and I would be humble about
what he's given me and it's just, Ijust want to point out to the audience
(11:41):
to like, is that when we think we're.
Nothing, when we broken down, that'swhen God can really use us and,
um, you allow him to use you andjust, he's building you back up.
First he got to break you down andso that now he can mold you into what
(12:04):
he wants you to be to glorify him.
And so, okay, so now you this.
Rapper down.
What did you do?
What was the first thing you did?
Like God wants you to do thisWhat did he tell you or how did
you start just start rapping?
So, you know it took a lot of faithto step out and actually start
(12:26):
rapping because I am not Like Isaid, I didn't see myself as the
person God saw me in the mirror.
And so to step out in front of astage, something I'd never done, or
to step out in front of people andshare this gift was probably one of the
hardest things I had ever had to do.
It's getting easier each time I doit, you know, and, you know, dozens
and dozens of shows later, I'm finallygetting comfortable in my own skin
(12:49):
and stepping out and actually beingable to let the Holy spirit work
instead of staying in, in the way.
Uh, but that is not the way it was,you know, I, uh, I started off with a
lot of hesitation, uh, but let me tellyou that God indwelled me with the
Holy Spirit in such a way that I didn'thave a choice but to move forward.
And the first thing I did, Ithink, was talk to my mama.
(13:09):
Her name's Letitia Cheatham,an amazing woman of God.
Uh, now she ain't my real mama.
She's my spiritual mama.
I met her at church,uh, but she was the one.
You know, I would have thesevisions and I would have these
doubts in my mind sometimes.
And she was the one that spoke God's truthto me in such a loving but unfiltered way.
And I think we all needsomebody like that in our lives.
(13:31):
Somebody ain't willing to sugarcoatit, tell you exactly what's
what and tell you to get yourhead out of your butt sometimes.
That's what I needed.
Wow.
That's good.
Um, a spiritual guide, someone, you know,that's what, you know, you said exactly
what they need to hear because once you'reout there and you, you're now you working
for the Lord, you have to have wisdom.
(13:56):
You have to have a person that's beenthere that can talk truth to you because
the enemy is going to just be at you.
He going to be all up in your head.
And especially because right now you'relike a bait, you're in baby Christ.
So you're not.
Fully processing what you're goingthrough and what God is doing.
With you for you.
(14:18):
And so he sent miss Letitia to you andNow you're starting to feel comfortable.
Are you you still working on it?
Are you just are you there yet for is?
Okay.
God has me doing this and Now I'mstarting to Walk in and really and
(14:38):
getting more comfortable and comfortable.
I'm listening to your music.
It's like you sure you wasUncomfortable doing this and you,
you look like you are made for it.
And won't God do it?
Miss Michelle, that'sexactly what he does.
He takes people that are brokenand and considered useless in
the world and he'll do somethingamazing in them and through them.
(15:00):
And yes, to answer your question,I do feel a lot more comfortable
doing what I'm doing now.
I think I have a fully acceptedwhat God has told me and
what God has said about me.
And I've accepted thatas the truth of my life.
And so there's no backingdown at this point.
I'm gonna go hard for my God, uh, throughhip hop, through preaching, through
evangelism, any way I can to get that wordout there, because I know the grips of
(15:26):
oppression and darkness, you know, and Ialso know the freedom and light of Jesus.
He says his bond is light.
He says, take my yoke upon yourneck because my bonds light.
Trust me, I know that other bondand I'm sure many other people who,
uh, may listen to this podcast knowthat yoke of oppression and, and
(15:46):
the weight of darkness as well.
Well, I'm here to tell you that ifyou accept that white yoke, he's going
to do something amazing in your life.
Maybe it won't be rap, but maybeit will be evangelizing to.
Whoever you meet andthat's just as important.
We are all in the same positionas the body of Christ Ain't
nobody higher than the next.
In fact, it says that the humble shouldbe exalted in the exalted should be
(16:09):
humble So Lord, let me be humble.
Hey the first gonna be lastlast gonna be first young lady.
No start again I'm trying tokeep this show I'm trying to
like, okay, you elevate, but I'mlike getting happy over here.
I got to stop.
Okay.
Yeah.
So I like how you say, and I'm sureeverybody, myself, I've gone through it.
(16:31):
When you start to step out and whatGod has for you, you have to trust
the Holy spirit because you don'tfeel comfortable in that skin yet.
You're saying you didn'tsee yourself that way.
And it was the hardest thing.
And I'm going through somethings too, where it's like.
(16:52):
You know, really?
and He he I believe god lovesus to be amazed by him and he is
Amazing when you allow him andyou step out there you did it.
So you were um, You know you like polaropposites what we would look at at first
(17:13):
as a rapper and i'm seeing your videolike He's doing it He's good And thank
you for being obedient And we have tolearn how to be obedient and listen to
God and walk the way he says, becauseit's not going to be comfortable at
first, we got to be comfortable with beinguncomfortable and in, um, and we at times
(17:40):
feel inadequate for what God has said.
Did you feel that inadequacy?
Hey, I feel that everyday to be honest with you.
I feel inadequate, but that's where.
I know that God keeps me humble.
You know, he keeps me in this positionto where I'm looking up all the
time and I can give him all glory.
(18:02):
So he keeps me, I feel like he keeps me inthis position to where I feel inadequate.
So I know how much I need him andI grab onto him on a daily basis.
Wow.
You are preaching, youknow, you're preaching.
I know someone is hearingthis, not just me.
And I'm getting so much wordand, um, feeling from this.
(18:23):
So we feeling adequate, Godhas something planned for us.
Way more than we think and can't imagineand how do we not run away from it?
I know people am I the onlyone am I is you're talking to
(18:45):
just me don't run away, right?
Eric, what do you say youyou you what did you do?
Like you walk through theprocess and you just it is hard
Cause it's not comfortable.
It's true.
You know, and it just reminds meof the story of Jonah in the Bible,
you know, Hey, that dude ran hard,even jumped into the bottom of
(19:08):
the ocean saying, Don't we run?
Don't we run?
We do.
We run, you know, and, and, andthat's okay in a sense to run,
but God's still going to use you.
He's going to turn you right backaround and put you right where
he wanted you to begin with.
You know, and I think that's the beautyof it, you know, and, and if you choose
not to use your gifts, if you chooseto bury your talents, you know, what
(19:30):
do you end up with at the end of yourlife, knowing that you could have done
something, knowing that you could haveput faith in God and stepped out to what
he was telling you to do, how do youaccount for that when you meet him face
to face at that great white throne, youknow, all to make sure he, when I, when
I hit them gates, I want to hear, youknow, Well done good and faithful servant.
(19:51):
I don't want to hear Doug.
I don't know your name.
Who are you bro?
Get away from me Yeah,that's the worst thing.
I don't want to hear that nor doI want to hear Oh, I had this for
you and that's for you and youran away I had this plan for you.
If you would have followed me, thisis what You would have had, you know,
(20:12):
it kind of reminds me of that movie.
It's a wonderful life.
And you know, you get to see what it couldhave been like, would that like upset you
that you wasted and you are stepping out.
This is for someone,this is not just for me.
You're going to feel inadequate.
First, you're going to be broken.
He's going to be able to useyou then you're not going
(20:35):
to feel comfortable at all.
You're going to want to runaway and you got to sweat it.
You got to, you're going to, I'm goingto do this anyway, because I got to
believe what he says about me and lookat you now, look at you now, Eric.
Amen.
I'll tell you what, missMichelle, he gives us a choice.
Don't he, you know, we have thisfree will and it's quite amazing.
(20:58):
Uh, so we have an opportunity,uh, to step toward him in faith.
And trust that he is our maker creatorand savior or we can step away back
into the world and do the things of theworld But you and I both know which one
is more fulfilling at the end of theday And I would much rather, uh follow
christ with all my heart Even if therecomes adversity, even if there comes
(21:21):
suffering in the name of jesus You know,I would much rather be following him
than anything the world has to offer mebecause I know that stubs bunk Mm hmm.
And let me, let me tell, uh, maybe it'snot a secret, not to you, but let me tell
the audience, it gets better all the time.
You, it's not, this is the best.
It's going to keep getting better.
(21:44):
Each time you step out andyou start doing, it's going
to get better and better.
Whereas the world, youdidn't have the best.
It's downhill for now and it's quick.
It's a happy hour or whatever, butthis is like eternity everlasting.
And he's It's like fine line, it'sjust getting better and better and
(22:04):
better and you can't, you can't getenough of it and you, and that's
a different, that's a flip side.
That's a switch from theworld's point when you start
following Christ, stepping out.
So this is what you'vegot to look forward to.
We already got heaven, but now wewere when you're starting to be
(22:26):
obedient and don't think Look whereyou say you was at your lowest, right?
Yes, ma'am.
Yes, ma'am.
You was contemplating suicide right onthe edge right on the edge, so No matter
what your background is If you've beenlocked up or not, you know, some people
(22:51):
have these spiritual prisons as well.
They don't understand that youactually start there before
you go to a physical one.
If you hit that spot.
So you know, what are youtelling your juveniles?
You say you speak to the juveniles.
What do you, you know, when you shareyour story, I'd like that you share your
story and you're not sugarcoating it.
You're, you're being raw and you're notlooking, you're not being like the world.
(23:15):
On social media.
Oh, I got it all together.
And then you find out later that thesepeople are in a really bad spot condition
because they're, they got this one faceand what you're doing is the opposite.
What we're doing is the opposite.
And we're saying, no, we,we don't have anything.
We, we were broken, but look at us now.
(23:39):
Now you're, you're living andthey've suicided out, you know?
It's a, it's a different switch.
So what do you tell your, whatdo you tell the young people?
You know what?
Uh, I believe, uh, just as I amon this show, I believe in full
transparency, miss miss show.
And so when I go into the juveniledetention center to talk to these young
(24:01):
men and women, I'm completely open.
I'll answer any questions they may have.
Uh, but.
There's the glory to my story andit always ends with Jesus, you
know, because I let them know,yes, I've been through addiction.
I've been through poverty, neglect.
I've been in the same place as they werein, you know, I have been miserable.
(24:22):
Most of my life, I spent it in misery.
Uh, but I have a savior.
His name is Jesus and he rescuedme from the very depths of hell.
And trust me, if he's willingto use somebody like me.
He's willing to use y'all to,you know, and, and some of
these kids ain't never had love.
They ain't never had hope.
They grew up with a hard life.
(24:43):
You know, some of these kidsthat are sitting in these places,
they are wards of the state.
Their parents don't gave them away.
They don't have anybody, you know, so Imight be the only person that shows them
love walking into that place for the nextsix months or maybe ever, maybe I'm the
one that plants a seed for Jesus in them.
So, you know, I just try tobe completely open and honest.
(25:06):
About what I've done, where I've beenand where I'm headed, you know, and,
and the fruits speak for themselves.
You know, there's, there'sno hiding actionable faith.
And so as I show up each week andI walk into this place and they
see my, my silly face every week,you know, they see me and they're
like, okay, well this is Eric Cohen.
And guess what?
(25:26):
They're asking to, to get discipled whenthey get out there asking for mentorship.
And that's exactly what I want.
You know, I want to reach thisgeneration and let them know who Jesus
is because the world's fading away.
We ain't got long left inthis place, young lady.
I'll tell you that.
Don't you start.
Don't you?
It is true.
We see, you know, um, we're not tryingto save the world because we understand
(25:52):
the world is destined to go down.
It's like, we're trying to get them onthe arc, so to speak, rescue the ones
who wants to be rescued and let them knowthat there is an arc of safety for them
and it's in Jesus Christ and you're Wow,this is a great message and I'm glad that
(26:12):
you're going into these facilities andpointing out that people are not love.
They don't know what love isand they haven't been shown love
and you're bringing that hope.
And they're probably thinking,uh, he's always been this way.
Look at him.
You don't look like you, you'vebeen through the fire and you
(26:33):
don't even smell like smoke.
And that's, and what, that's howthe Lord cleans you up and you got
this joy about the you radiatedand they're picking up on this.
And I feel like they can talk to you.
Not somebody that, oh, they have it alltogether and you really can't relate.
(26:53):
You, you telling them,no, this is where I was.
You can leave here actually now, eventhough you still physically there.
That's it.
You know, you look at inspirationslike Corrie ten boom, uh, the young
lady that found Jesus in a Holocaust inthe middle of a, a concentration camp.
(27:18):
She found Jesus and held onwith all her life and survived.
You know, we speak about.
Finding joy in the midstof every situation.
And it's possible, you know, you can lookback through history or look currently,
I bet, you know, five people rightnow that may have the most horrible
situations happen in their life.
But guess what?
They still full of joy.
(27:39):
Uh, my brother, he just losthis mama, but guess what?
That young man is so full of joy.
You couldn't even tell because heknow mama don't went to heaven.
So it does not.
Again, it does not depend on circumstancesoutside circumstances is like, and
that is peculiar that is different.
And if we can get people tounderstand that to know, to be in
(28:03):
Christ, that's what that means.
And then look at you,you're a new creature.
Amen.
You weren't rapping.
You definitely wasn't in nofacility talking to juveniles
about what Christ can do.
How?
I mean, it's for, he's, he's available.
He has his hand nowhe's, he's beckoning us.
(28:24):
Beckoning them.
That's it.
You know, all, all we got to do is reachout and take that step off the boat.
Uh, no different than brother Peter didway back in the day, walking on the water.
Come on now.
Come on now.
You speaking it.
This is, I like this becauseyou're speaking the gospel and you
(28:45):
putting it in words that peoplecan understand and relate to
because now it's not just theory.
I like the term yousaid, actionable faith.
Actionable faith, you know, you're,you're putting his faith in motion
and now, and as you walk out, yousteady, God is exposing more and more.
(29:09):
It's getting better.
And what else do you talk toabout, uh, to the juvenile?
So, um, have you had any comeout where you had to mentor them
yet or, um, anything like that?
So I have had the opportunity tospeak to two young men on the outside.
Uh, now one of them actually ended upback in a juvenile detention facility.
(29:33):
So, uh, you know, it comes withunderstanding that even though we're
planting a seed, uh, that say seedmay not grow up right in front of you.
And we may never see thefruit on this side of heaven.
You know, we may never see it on earth.
We may never see the fruitof what we did on earth.
Uh, but, you know, we just haveto be faithful and continuing to
do what God's called us to do.
(29:55):
And knowing that it has purpose,know that it has reason.
You know, I, I think that's the mostimportant thing that we don't lose hope
and we don't lose faith, uh, in the factthat God's working through us and in us
because, you know, sometimes we can getworn down, you know, and, uh, You know,
it's in those times just no differentthan the Hebrews had to do in the desert,
(30:16):
you know, uh, they was looking back whenthey should have been looking forward.
Uh, don't recall the past.
Don't recall them things that youthink you long for in your flesh
because they ain't doing you no good.
You know, you look forward, you lookforward to that, uh, that manna that
falls from heaven that feeds us.
So.
I was just thinking what you just said.
(30:37):
We don't, um, recall that past,but, but look for, is that
why one can feel inadequate ifthey're looking the wrong way?
Hey, it'll turn you intoa whole pile of salt.
Wow.
Good point.
(30:59):
So that's how you would feel inadequate inYou have to look forward, maybe, hey, you
speaking to me now, you speaking to me.
So it's, the show is called aprisoner's pardon and you can be in
a spiritual prison and not wanted tolook forward and walk out in faith.
(31:22):
That's a, isn't that prison?
Yes.
Wow.
Don't recall the past, but tolook forward and God has so much
plan for you, possibilities.
And you, did you imagine all thestuff that God has let you do to this,
(31:44):
at the, to this point right here?
Look, lady, I still can't believe it.
Sometimes I really can't, you know, Igo back and I listen to my songs or I'll
listen to a beat and these words that justcome to me, or I listened to the words
that the Holy spirit, uh, indwelled in meto write down and I still feel disbelief.
I'm like, Lord, this didn't come from me.
(32:06):
You know, it's still, it's hard for me tosee myself as who Lord has made me to be.
Uh, so that's where I go back to thatconstant daily reminder and giving
myself up to him, forgiving myselfand understanding his truth about me.
Forgiving myself, forgiving yourself,because that is a daily thing.
(32:28):
And that's, what's hinderingyou for accepting what God has.
For you and who you really are.
Yeah.
And you said you still can't believe it.
I'm still in awe.
And I think that's what the Lord wants.
You know, he says, fear me.
And that fear don't mean be scaredand go run in the corner and hide.
(32:49):
But that means that the fear ofthe Lord should leave you in awe.
You know, it shouldleave your jaw dropped.
And that's what the Lord does whenhe starts working in you and on
you, he does leave you jaw dropped.
You ain't got no choice but to gopick your job off the ground because
he gonna do something amazing.
I mean, that's the word amazing.
(33:10):
He is amazing.
And just to hear you, your confirmationon it, when you, you won't be disappointed
when you trust him and step out.
You don't know how he did it.
You still be scratching your head.
How did he get you over here?
And it's going to be so.
(33:32):
You couldn't have made this up.
How did all that align?
How did that connect there?
How did you meet that person?
How did you were there right on time?
They happen to be right there.
It's no accident.
No.
It's no accident.
So I want people to understandwhat you're saying here.
So you can't go on your feelings.
(33:56):
Emotions because you're not there yet.
You can't even, you said you don'teven, you still can't believe it.
So you already over here, let alone whenyou were back there to try and believe it
and you still over here, can't believe it.
And you didn't went through it.
Yeah.
Amen.
That's right.
That's right.
You know, and that's why I haveno choice, but to step out in
(34:18):
faith on a daily basis, because.
If I were to go on my own feelings,what I thought about myself, the
inadequacies that I feel, I'd stillbe stuck in a bubble, uh, burying my
talent in the ground, you know, and thenthe Lord be like, hey, wicked servant.
You know, and that's not what I want,you know, I want to make sure I am
multiplying what five times, 10 times,two times, whatever he gives me.
(34:43):
And I'm gonna make it, I'm gonnamake it make sense and make money
for the Lord and not not money.
Like we see it, but yeah,that eternal treasure.
Yeah.
What are you sending yours up whereit won't be destroyed, you know, and I
like how you pointed out wicked servant.
And most people would think, like, you didsomething really bad, what we call wicked.
(35:05):
All it is that you didn'tbelieve him and step out.
That's wicked.
You calling him a liar, right?
Come on.
Hey, amen.
You calling him a liar, like, hey.
He's what, what did he say?
Taste, taste me and see, Hey, amen.
Taste me and see, ain't that the truth?
(35:27):
And once you taste, yeah, Hey,he's, he's almighty and all good.
Wow.
I feel like stuffing my feetright here, but yeah, I like that.
And how, um, I wanted to talk about too.
So, uh, what is it with your family?
Did you, what's going on there?
I know you're married, butdo you have any siblings?
(35:49):
Um, is there any other potential rappersthat's coming out of your family?
Are you just like a phenomenon?
So my daughter has taken quite aninterest in the music, which is amazing.
You know, in fact, I've actually, I'mworking on a song with her called at last.
And, uh, I, if you don't mind,I'm gonna read you her part.
(36:13):
Go ahead.
Is that okay?
Sure.
Give me one second.
Play the theme music for jeopardy.
Dun, dun, dun, dun.
Um, so.
Her part goes and she's just gotto memorize it to say it, but she
goes, he used to serve the devil.
Now it's me and him together.
My daddy is a shield.
We'll walk with God forever, forever,forever, chasing God together.
(36:37):
We'll walk with God forever.
We'll walk with God forever, you know,and, and this was from her thoughts.
I helped her.
Wow.
I helped her make it make sense fora rap song, you know, as, as far as a
hook goes, but this was her thoughts,you know, she sees me as, as, as a
shield protecting her from, uh, thewhims of the evil one, you know, because
(36:59):
he's lurking everywhere, especiallyin the family, trying to destroy us.
Uh, but she has definitelytaken con to, to music.
She loves music.
Uh, so I'm praying that, uh, she'llbe able to use that anointing, uh.
For the glory of God as well.
And as far as my siblings, I do have onesister and my father, but that's actually
(37:21):
I'm actually from a Jewish family.
And so everything I'm doing.
Yeah, I'm a Cohen.
So biblically Cohen means priest.
It's in the first.
Two chapters of the Bible.
Wow.
I think it's in Exodus.
Yeah.
Cohen means priest, uh,which I thought was amazing.
It is amazing.
Right?
Like he, he done made me a ruler and apriest according to my name, Eric Cohen.
(37:43):
Okay.
So I'm like, all right,that means something.
Okay.
Amen.
It does just like it did biblically.
Uh, but with that being said,you know, there's a lot of.
Feedback from that side of thefamily because I'm chasing Jesus.
I'm chasing the Messiah that they don'tthey don't believe in, you know, so I get
(38:03):
a little bit of feedback or a little bitof gruff from that, you know, and my dad's
going through some hard times right now.
I keep trying to point him towardthe Messiah, but he just he lacks
understanding right now and that's okay.
Yes, because when the Lord's ready toshow him, he gonna show him all the way.
Oh, and ain't no doubt.
Look at you, you, you further amaze me.
You Jewish on top of it.
(38:24):
Oh my goodness.
That's, you know what?
Our guy is amazing.
You know what he can do.
And I love this about thishealing and forgiveness.
I love how you're discipling your daughterand that she came up with the words to
hook and how I just know God can hook.
(38:49):
He's already hooked us, youknow, we fishermen, we fishing.
And he, God has the perfect, you know, wetalk about the music, the hook, you know,
that good hook, but God has the best hook.
You know, we just trying to catchup to him and he uses music and
(39:10):
I know some people may look at.
Christian rap and theymay say certain things.
Did you get any of that flat?
Cause I saw, I saw your, um, your stuffon Facebook and you was at church.
And I was like, I was lookingat the audience, but I couldn't
see the audience while you were.
Um, performing.
(39:30):
I wanted to see them too, likewhat was their reactions to you?
Cause I would never think thatthey would listen to rap at all.
So I may need to go back and lookat it, but I was like, okay, I
don't think she listened to rap.
I don't think he listened to rap,but you were like going at it.
It was like, you did not look nervous.
(39:53):
You look like you've beendoing this a long time.
And it was in a setting.
That you would normally, , not see therap, like in the church, , like where
the choir would perform, , someone comeand sing a solo selection and hear you
up there spitting a word out and rap.
So what did they, , whatwere they thinking?
(40:14):
What were their reactions to?
What were the reactions to your song?
So that particular instance,it was absolutely amazing.
I actually got invited bymy pastor, pastor Clint.
Uh, what an amazing man of God he is.
He's, uh, he's a true leader.
And you know how I knowthat because he serves.
With all his heart, he's unlikeso many other pastors I've met.
(40:38):
Like that man of God is amazing, but hehit me up on Thursday or Friday before
the service, he says, Hey bro, you wantto come do on the edge, which is the
song I did on the edge and it speaksto suicide and You know the darkness of
life, but who we can call out to um, butyou're right, you know Most of the people
in that audience and in fact in a lotof audiences I go to May not be privy to
(41:00):
hip hop But that's the thing about mixingit with the word of god because the word
of god never comes back void You know,so they're always going to get a message
out of what i'm spitting because it'salways going to be god's word Uh, and so
even with that being said, you know, Ihave I've had 70 or 80 year old men and
women come up to me and talking about,you know, I don't listen to hip hop.
(41:23):
I don't listen to rap, but I likewhat you're doing because they
hear the fruit in the message.
You know, there's, there's nodenying fruit, you know, he says
we know each other by the fruit.
And so there's no denying what's comingout of the music, whether it's real or
false, you know, we're going to know.
And so I think that that isable to supersede whatever
(41:47):
feelings people may have about.
Uh, the genre of hip hop, but I'vealso been hit on the opposite end where
I've been told that Hip hop doesn'tbelong in the Christian community,
you know, uh, or rock and roll forthat matter, you know, but won't
the Lord use anything for his good.
He can take the worst of thingsand use it for his glory.
He has no limit, no bounds,and he ain't no box.
(42:09):
I promise you that.
I definitely, I, you know, I keepremembering that mule, the mule, when
he used to talk, he could use, uh,animals and open up their mouths to you.
So.
That was amazing.
I'm, I'm going to make sure I have oneof your videos playing because I want
(42:32):
them to see you because you look likeyou've been doing this a long time.
I love whoever produced your videosis I think they did an awesome job and
you're acting in the way you, it justlooks like you just been doing it a
long time and you've been doing it.
How long?
(42:52):
Uh, just a little over three anda half years now, uh, right in the
midst of COVID is when I inheritedthis amazing gift and anointing.
Wow.
Um, I like how you say that itis a gift and I think we all have
a gift of some sort, but if we,we have to listen to God and.
Listen to your story.
(43:14):
I'm sure you are getting hooks, youknow, hooking other people and letting
them know that it's God working throughyou and that they can do the same thing.
I love what your shirtwas says grace, grace.
I can say grace over grace.
Oh, lovely.
(43:35):
That is awesome.
You got merch and stuff too.
So is that part of your merch?
Uh, no, this is actually from abrother of mine, uh, his name's
Robert and he's part of the newtribe crew, crew that I represent.
It's my label, my label mate.
Oh.
Uh, so I would be more than happy toshare his information with anybody
(43:56):
who wants a Gray Silver Grace hoodie.
And I do also have merch, I haveshirts, but I need to order some more.
Which costs money that I don't have yet.
So I'm gonna have to work on that.
God is amazing.
He's heard that and we aredefinitely praying for you for that.
So what else would you like to sayto our audience before we end this?
(44:18):
Great interview because I I'm goingto make sure I play Your video at
the end, so that people can see you,I'll definitely put everything in
a show notes how to contact you.
If people want to have you ontheir show, if they're having, I'm
pretty sure you're taking bookings.
If people want to have you outto perform for them and like,
(44:41):
where are you located out of.
Hey, I'm in, I hate to talk smack on anyother city, but I'm in the best city in
the world, which is Kansas city, Missouri.
Oh, all right.
Okay.
I'm not mad at you.
I'm not mad at you.
So they can contact you if you,if they want to have you on.
, their network, or if theyhaven't any kind of festivals,
(45:02):
you go to Christian festivals.
I'm sure and just do your performances.
, are you open to comeinto other facilities?
Like, , detention centers, , talking tojuveniles, , different places, stuff like
that and, . Probably, I'm hoping peoplemore open a door for you, for the young
(45:23):
people, because rap is a tool that canbe used for getting good messages in.
And I think like what you said,there's no denying the fruit.
Yeah.
That's amazing.
That is amazing what you said.
So they have to look at it thatway and don't look at, okay,
you trying to put God in a box.
(45:44):
Mm.
That's a mistake, ain't it?
You, how can you put him?
He is not, he didn't, he just was inthat tent that time for our purpose.
when he was traveling, he wasn't,that's not his house, you know?
Yeah.
Anyway, you know, so anyway, uh,that's why all I have in, uh, what's,
(46:06):
what's the last thing you wanna say tothe audience before we end the show?
You know, miss Michelle, theonly thing I really want to tell
everybody who's listening is.
You know, you may haveexperienced adversity.
You may be stuck in adversity andsuffering and darkness right now.
Uh, but I'm here to tell you that Godwill and can pull you out of that darkness
(46:28):
and he will use you for his glory.
And there's no wonder that you'restuck in darkness right now.
The enemy wants to take you out.
That's the truth of it.
The enemy wants to take us all out andhe's going to do anything he can to
destroy you, to stop you from steppingin to the role that God has for you.
So don't believe the lies of the world.
Don't, don't be stuck inthat darkness anymore.
(46:50):
Reach your hand out in faith andunderstand that we have an amazing God.
Uh, and he may not.
Take away the afflictions.
Uh, I'm still afflicted in many ways.
Uh, but I'll tell you what the Lordwalks with me through every one of
them and he tells me his grace andhis mercy is sufficient for me.
And I believe that wholeheartedlybecause I've experienced it.
(47:15):
Oh, awesome.
Awesome testimony.
And again, I hopeeveryone in the audience.
Gets this great, amazing message fromour God using Eric Cohen as a vessel.
Remember, I'll have all thisinformation in a show notes, and I
will be playing a video after this.
(47:35):
Thank you again, Eric,for being on my show.
Yes, ma'am.
And thank you for having me.
God bless.
God bless.
Everyone, thank you for listening and mayyou have a week filled with blessings.
Popular Podcasts
Bookmarked by Reese's Book Club
Welcome to Bookmarked by Reese’s Book Club — the podcast where great stories, bold women, and irresistible conversations collide! Hosted by award-winning journalist Danielle Robay, each week new episodes balance thoughtful literary insight with the fervor of buzzy book trends, pop culture and more. Bookmarked brings together celebrities, tastemakers, influencers and authors from Reese's Book Club and beyond to share stories that transcend the page. Pull up a chair. You’re not just listening — you’re part of the conversation.
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com