This new album is my 6th solo Gorilla Gospel album. Todd G The Light features JB The Don (A.K.A. Preacher J), KB The New, Cool Nutz, Arjay, J-Philly, Michael Kay, Hi-Q and more. 11 new tracks, 11 new reports of praise, faith and hope. Every song on the album is produced by Hi-Q (Quizzyo) for Gorilla Gospel Records and Todd G Ministries. For the first time, I will explain the songs, the process from conception to mastering and everything in between.
1. Intro – Pastor Tee’s Prayer: This prayer was so powerful when I heard it, I knew right away it was the intro to the album. *Pastor T is the head pastor and founder of NBTT (Nuthin But The Truth Ministries) in Maryland, and a good friend of mine. The album was almost done, and I was looking for a good introduction to it. This is hands down the best intro I have every found and put together. I added synths, and samples of thunder and light rain to go with it. This theme re-occurs throughout the album as it unfolds. It symbolizes the dark weather and storms of life – and of course The Light that can shine through all of this.
2. Listen To God – featuring JB The Don (A.K.A. Preacher J): This song is one of my favorite songs I’ve ever worked on. I’ve never had an album start with another rapper rapping before me, but after it was done, I knew this was how this project should start. It is also important to me because JB and I have begun to record our group album together entitled, Swimming With Sharks – Coming in 2011.
3. Find My Way – featuring Arjay: As with every album I have recorded, I always do at least one song with Arjay. He is my favorite R&B singer in the industry and he also happens to be a good friend of mine and he is an ex-label mate on a record label I used to be signed to. This song is based on the verse Mathew 11:28. It is about finding rest in the Lord after all the ugliness.
4. Warning – Featuring KB: This song is an aggressive rap song that I recorded real aggressively. Due to the nature of the song, I needed to put KB on the last verse to finish it. As usual, I had to ad at least one or two Bishop TD Jakes samples to the album, and this is where you will find them on The Light. I also brought back the weather samples in the middle of the song with a fairly extensive breakdown that turns the song into an accapella mid-verse. Fun stuff. I am interested in making albums, and songs, more unique and implementing new ideas and concepts rather than just the regular old verse, chorus, verse format. I flew some of the vocals back into the hook area instead of using a traditional chorus.
5. Harder They Come...The intro to this song says it all. The album was finished, and Hi-Q sent me another beat that needed to go on the project. So, I wrote, recorded and mixed this song in about an hour. As a firm believer in the rough mix (on some songs), I simply EQ’d the vocals and called it a day. No rush, it just didn’t need anything added to it. It is what it is.
6. Interlude – Phone Check: This interlude is simply me holding my phone up to the mic in the studio and going through my voicemail. What you hear is the messages from my friends, both good and bad. Lol.
7. Aint Worth Nuthin – Featuring Michael Kay I am very excited about this song, because Michael Kay is so gifted and it is fun to work with him. I gave him free reigns to di what he wanted on this. I sent him half of my verse so he knew the general idea and he took it from there. I am also excited to hear his response to the final product because I remixed it, and had Hi-Q change the tracks music completely after he recorded his verse and the hook. It will be a surprise when he hears the final mix.
8. Stand For Sumthin – Featuring J-Philly Phil-Da-Beats homie! What else can I say. When you want a Christian rapper to completely show you up on your own song, you call J-Philly at Phil-Da-Beast Records. He is an animal. I wanted a fast paced, high energy song to speed the album up for a second. Wait till you hear it…
9. The Cross This song tells a story of two women. Both face difficult circumstances, but each chose a different route in life. Note: There is a surprise twist a the end of the second verse. The last verse I just spoke what was on my mind as I thoiught about Jesus being nailed to a cross and knowing that he was doing it for the same people that were putting him there to begin with. It was hard not be completely chocked up as I thought about the reality of this.
10. Son Shine- Featuring Cool Nutz: Son Shin isn’t a mis-spelling, it is a play on words. I wrote and recorded my vocals to this the day that Cool Nutz first born son arrived here on earth. Also, ironically, Cool Nutz album, Incredible, was nationally released on the same day little Max was born. So, I added some moderately encrypted lyrics to the Chorus about watching the Son Shine, “Incredible, isn’t it?” and of course I’m talking about another son who was born 2000 years before Max too.
11. My Testimony – Featuring Hi-Q: Originally, this song was going to be the first song on the album. The song breaks down in the middle of it completely reminiscent of early N.W.A. albums where Dr. Dre would launch into a skit mid-song. The skit, in this case, is actually a sample from the video of my wedding reception on July 3rd 2010. Our friend Tina Sullivan gave us a toast that was heavily anointed by the Holy Spirit. Had to sample it! The song, and album, finishes with Hi-Q rapping. I felt this was great because he had produce the whole album top to bottom.
The album was mixed and recorded in my home studio and then sent to the worlds greatest mastering facility, Freq Mastering in Portland Oregon. There, Ryan Foster mastered the songs, arranged some of the order details and red booked it ready for press.
Read more...