Bittersweet Rap Dives into Dark Waters

If you’ve been around church culture long enough, you know it’s not the easiest thing to be involved with from time to time. Being a Christian doesn’t necessarily make life easier, but there’s a grace that comes with knowing God. These subjects are touched on and examined in Willy J “The Prisoner of Hope’s” most recent EP, I Need Help. Filled with moody melodic piano tracks and a strong individual voice, Willy J dives into dark waters with a light to expose topics rarely examined.

Willy J unflinchingly examines a past relationship with a strong dose of bitterness in the opening track, “My Friend.” There are some strong emotions, but anyone who’s been through a destructive relationship will be able to relate. The next track “Empty Bottles” examines the watering down of Christianity in vivid clarity of how barren and empty the people in church have become. The strongest track on this EP is “An Empty Church.” If you don’t listen to anything else on this EP, listen to this track. Speaking truth about the state of church in church is not only gut wrenching, but honest and sometimes, although hard to swallow, needs to be heard. Rounding out I Need Help, are a remix of “Fleeting” and an interesting analogy about the gospel “Over a Cup of Coffee.”

It isn’t necessary for every song to reflect scripture if there is no application, and there is no need to address the good in scripture if we do not acknowledge our struggles to each other. Will J unabashedly examines not only his life, but the church, and ends with two tracks that touch on the good relationship with God.

Pick up his EP I Need Help on Noistrade: http://noisetrade.com/prisonerofhope/i-need-help-lp

Follow Willy J on Soundcloud here: https://soundcloud.com/prisonerofhope