Growing up in the small country town of Sawyerville, AL, Johnathan Hill, was accustomed to horseback riding, fishing, boating, and feeding farm animals with his family on 225 acres of land.
Raised in the church by Christian parents and staying out of trouble, for the most part, Hill did not lead the life many of today’s artists in Hip Hop boast about for street credibility. However, he did have real experiences that he tapped into in order to combine the elements of Hip Hop with his love of God and to share it with the masses from his own unique perspective. He shares that in his new single, “Non Realer Than God,” featuring rapper and Three Six Mafia member, Project Pat.
A lover of Hip Hop and influenced by Project Pat, Tupac, and other storytelling artists, despite their hardcore lyrics, Hill noticed occasional references to God and spirituality. Those glimpses of faith captured his attention and inspired him to recognize that he could become a “Christian rapper” who shared the message of God with a bit of edginess.
“When I turned 18, I started getting very serious about God,” Hill said. “Looking at how I wanted my life to play out, I didn’t want to get caught up in the temptation of trying to be “real” like most people considered it. There is no one realer than God.”
Despite living a comfortable life, Hill attended school in a rougher environment where he experienced all of the trappings of young black males. He witnessed everything from his peers selling drugs, to fistfights and shootings. There were times he faced peer pressure, but Hill prides himself on knowing his true identity and being a leader as opposed to a follower.
“I realized that I have this gift of talent in music and I decided to tap into that and bring God’s glory to this arena,” he said. “A lot of the music is dominated by drugs, sex, and alcohol. I’m not promoting that. Still, although I talk about God, there is nothing that says I can’t glorify Him over a dope trap beat and baseline.”
Being true to himself has opened up various doors, as he is an entrepreneur in real estate, in addition to being an artist. In a full-circle moment, Hill was able to land the feature from one of his favorite childhood artists, Project Pat, for his new single, “Non Realer Than God.” Hill had the chance to explain to Project Pat why he was moved to reach out to him, and what his hopes were for the collaboration.
“One of his songs that always stood out to me was a track called ‘Choices,’ and he referenced God in the track,” Hill said. “It showed that although he was connected to street life, he still had a foundation with God. As I became a Christian artist, I remembered that track and it stood out to me. I reached out to him on those grounds, and it turns out, his dad was a preacher, so I was able to speak with him on that level and it wasn’t hard to connect. I wanted him to keep that gangsta sound, but with a positive message. He knew exactly what to do.”
With Non Realer Than God fresh on the circuit, Hill wants the song to really hit home with listeners. He believes that with the current state of society, his message is more important than ever. He wants to deliver music that has energy and an authentic Hip Hop feel, but with healing powers.
“I want to help our young people to see that there is nothing more real than God. You can be on top of the charts, you can be a millionaire or billionaire, but what is it to gain the whole world and lose your soul?” He said. “There is nothing better than connecting with your creator.”
Check out Johnathan Hill’s single “Non Realer Than God,” available on all digital platforms.
Also, keep up with updates by following him on Instagram @christsslave and @johnathanhillmusic.
