MOBO-award-winning artist Guvna B broke into the music industry almost by chance, but his God-given talents have taken him around the world. His latest album, Secret World, reached No.1 in the official Christian and Gospel Charts. Joy Tibbs caught up with him
There was always music playing at Guvna B’s East London home while he was growing up, and his parents were Christians – but the young lad, born
Isaac Borquaye, wasn’t serious about either faith or music. In fact, he remained indifferent about it until the two worlds collided during his teens.
The rapper admits to putting off making a commitment to God as a youngster, “mainly because I thought Christians were quite weird people, which
they are,” he explains with a grin. But hearing his youth leader talk about being ‘half in and half out’ one day really spoke to him.
Guvna B made the commitment to live for God
“I thought, ‘Actually that’s where I’m at. I’m not really going in any direction in my life. I believe God exists, but I’m not really living for him. So I’m going to decide from this day forward to be all in.’”
Around this time, he started rapping in the playground with his friends for a laugh and became known for his musical skills.
“My youth leader wanted me to record a few songs,” Guvna B explains. “I think it was his way of helping me be ‘all in’ because he heard some of my
music online and there was loads of swearing in it. Because of the school I went to and the kind of friends I had I was making music about guns and
drugs and girls. I didn’t have a gun, I didn’t do drugs and I didn’t get any girls either!”
A clear message
So Guvna B recorded an album and threw a launch party at church, expecting most of the 80-strong youth group to show up. “Six hundred people ended up coming and I think that’s when I first realised I was on to something and that people would actually buy my music,” he says.
“It was cool because I wasn’t trying to make money from it or be a rapper who travels and does it for a living, but it just kind of happened, so I realised God was doing something in my life.”
However it came about, Guvna B has always had a clear aim with his music.
“Ultimately, the number one message is for young people to know they’ve got a purpose for their lives,” he says.
Guvna B swore a lot in his early music
“I feel like if they know they’re here for a reason and can really live for something, it makes a big difference. So that’s the foundational reason for what I do.
“At the moment I feel like a lot of the stuff I’m writing is to do with grace and how if we give our mistakes over to God we don’t have to live in guilt. Sometimes the hardest thing to do is to forgive ourselves.
“When I was writing my album which came out a few months ago, I was writing about secret situations that people go through without anyone knowing and how people can feel alone, and suicide and all that kind of stuff. But I think the foundational message is that God has a purpose; not just for young people, but for everyone.”
According to the 27-year-old rapper, this message became a little tougher to stick to while he was at university without any Christian influences close by.
“All of a sudden I was surrounded by people who were living really wild lifestyles,” he says.
“I got sucked into it and it was really hard to pull myself out. Obviously I was disappointed that I was disappointing God, but the second biggest thing I felt was the guilt of thinking, ‘I’m a role model. I have to behave a certain way and there’s not much leeway for me to make
mistakes.’
“But then I decided to be really honest through my music and that way I encourage young people not to put me on a pedestal but to put me on the same level as them. I’m just a young Christian that’s trying to live a godly lifestyle and live with purpose. I make mistakes just like other
people. That way people don’t expect you to be this perfect figure.
“I think sometimes Christian music goes that way. It doesn’t really tell people that a lot of these Christian artists and worship leaders struggle in their daily lives just as much as the next person.”
Keeping it real
Despite having produced four successful albums and winning a number of awards, Guvna B remains humble and down-to-earth, admitting that he still gets nervous when he goes on stage.
“Whenever I get nervous it’s a good thing because it emphasises the fact that I need to look to God to give me strength and inspire the set,” he says.
And when it comes to awards, Guvna B believes there are more important things in life. “It’s good when you first get nominated and win. But just being in the music industry for six or seven years you realise how fickle people are.
“So when I won the MOBO, everyone was like, ‘Guvna B this, Guvna B that’. I was getting loads of calls to come and do stuff and everyone was my friend. Then you go a couple of years without putting out an album and people start to forget about you. You’re calling the same people back and they’re just like, ‘Oh, you’re yesterday’s news. We don’t really care about you any more.’
“The awards are cool, but the thing that gives me the most satisfaction is making a difference to people. You can change someone’s life forever for the better.”
Feedback the rapper has received suggests he is heading in the right direction.
“I’ve had messages saying, ‘I thought I was the only person going through that or thinking that way, but I heard your music and I realised I’m not alone and that God can help me through it just like he helped you.’
“I’ve had people that are new Christians say to me, ‘I really struggled to read the Bible but I’ve listened to your music and it’s really helped me get closer to God.’ I think God uses music because it’s a simple way to relate to people.”
Six things you may not know about Guvna B
- He is not a fan of flying, despite having performed in New Zealand, India, South Korea, Sweden, Ghana, and Trinidad and Tobago.
- He enjoys listening to Justin Bieber, Little Mix and One Direction, and was ‘gutted’ when Zayn left the band. Other music preferences include UK garage and worship music. “Anything apart from the proper rocky stuff where you have to bang your head,” he says.
- He is a serious West Ham supporter and his ‘wifey for lifey’, Emma, had to change her allegiance from Manchester United before they tied the knot in 2015!
- Guvna B works at Premier Gospel two days a week. “It’s a pretty cool job because gospel music’s something I grew up on,” he says.
- When not performing, working at Premier or chilling at home with Emma, Guvna B can often be found at his favourite eatery, Nando’s.
- He has his own clothing line called Allo Mate.
Read more inspiring stories of faith from star names in the September 2016 issue of iBelieve Magazine.