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It's got everybody buzzing.
You've probably already seen it by now, or if you haven't, there's a great
likelihood that you've heard about the “debate” that recently played out
on CNN between two Award winning artists: Tye Tribbett and PJ Morton.
But according to Tye, he's been hearing a lot of chatter about the short
news story that reached millions of homes; it has folks taking sides and
embroiled in debates of their own, but it was never his intention to stir
up controversy. "I dont want a gospel beef!" he says, not wanting the
body of Christ to be divided.
"There was so much more that I said that wasn't included," says the
Stand Out singer, who shared his heart with me for the second time
after our initial interview, before he proceeded to electrify an intimate
crowd at a Banquet held in Western New York; he delivered a powerful
keynote address (It was Tye's first time ever speaking at a Banquet). By
the time he finished, the attendees were crying, shouting and dancing. I
must say, I don't think I've ever witnessed people "getting their dance
on" at a Banquet, but Tye really served up a powerful and spirit-filled
word, topping it all off with singing and grooving with his amazing band.
It was an all out praise party.
Dressed to impress in a gray, perfectly tailored pinstripe suit, I watched
him connect with all the people who love and support his ministry by
posing for pictures, listening to impromptu solos, laughing and talking,
and making himself accessible to those who desired to get next to him.
The lightheartedness in the room, is a far cry from the media firestorm
that's brewing and gaining traction everyday. So, it's no surprise that
Tye wants to set the record straight.
In case you have no idea exactly what is currently being promulgated
through the media, I'll attempt to summarize it briefly. This highly
publicized story, in essence, brings to the forefront the opposing views
Christians often hold regarding whether it's right or wrong to listen to,
sing, or in the case of Tye Tribbet and PJ Morton, write and produce
secular love songs. (If you need to familiarize yourself with the story,
click here). While author PJ Morton argues that Christians can sing R&B
music and that all songs—gospel or not—are inspired by God, Tye
takes a very different stance.
He says doing both is a contradiction, something he speaks about from
a place of experience, having built his early career on secular
collaborations.
Ironically, at the time of our initial interview, before the impromptu
conversation at the banquet, I had no knowledge of the story that
recently aired on CNN. Yet, during the course of our conversation, the
subject came up. So, as you read the exclusive, you'll have the
opportunity to see where Tye Tribbett's personal “No Secular Music”
policy comes from, along with a few other interesting tidbits you
probably didn't know about the energetic, hilarious recording artist,
who's managed by his mom Neicy Tribbett.
EEW: How did it come about that your mom is your manager?
Tye: She's been my manager for about 4 years. I had the ministry, well
we had GA (Greater Anointing) for about 13 years, but when we started
going and when we started making CD's and dealing with the label, it
was kind of a natural progression, because she was no longer at her
job. She worked in radio for years, so she was no longer there and I
was kinda like, mom, I got you. I got you. I told her, I don't think anybody
would have my back more than you at this point. You know what I
mean? So, who better than you to look over the business or the
ministry? So, it kind of flowed like that.
EEW: That is so sweet. Hey Tye, what is wrong with your voice (It kept
going in and out)?
Tye: I just got off a plane and I just woke up, because I was sleep on the
plane.
EEW: Were you? Because you sound crunchy!
Tye: I'm very, very crunchy (Laughing). I mean, I'm very messed up. I'm
trying to get some tea right now as we speak, so I can be right for
tonight. I gotta preach tonight too.
EEW: Oh gosh. OK, I'm gonna be nice to you. Lord bless his voice
Jesus.
Tye: Naw, go ahead (Yelling jokingly) say what you gotta say! Go 'head!
EEW: Oh, OK, I'm ready for you! (Laughing)
Tye: Go 'head!
EEW: You are so silly! Alright, so your band, Soundcheck is family. How
is it working with your family? That's pretty neat.
Tye: It's something we always did and I just kinda put a label on it. My
brother and I were always in the garage playing music. Always,
everyday, everyday. That's how GA started. Everyday, everyday, everyday,
everyday, everyday just playing in the garage and now we're just playing
everyday on stage. Now I just call the band Soundcheck. My sister is in
the ministry, you know; everybody's involved man and it's a wonderful
thing. It keeps you grounded. It keeps you level-headed, but we have a
whole lot of fun 'cause it's a family atmosphere. We always buggin' and
clownin' so it's fun.
EEW: Do you think it shocks people that you're able to minister the way
you do and have the contemporary edgy style? I know Kirk Franklin
helped pave the way for more contemporary artists, but does it still
shock people?
Tye: I think it did, but it doesn't anymore. At this point, people invite us
and kind of know what to expect, but before, earlier, yeah of course,
because, even though Kirk was out, he was new, but he wasn't doing
what we were doing. So, it cushioned it for us, but we still took some
hits. I used to just do things. I used to just jump on people's
communion table and dance on that like—naw (Laughing) I never did
that. But I did like sit on somebody's communion table.
EEW: Ooooh...
Tye: (Laughing) It didn't look like a communion table. It didn't look like
the one at my church. Theirs was all different so I didn't know it was a
communion table! But anyway, my point is, some people had a reason,
they had a reason, like OK brother that's a bit too much. So, I had to do
some maturing and growing and also, the public had to open up and
see that everybody's not gonna have choir robes and if they don't, it
doesn't mean they're not from God.
EEW: I must admit, when I sat and listened to you minister for the first
time, I was amazed at your ability to expound upon the word. That was
probably one of my favorite surprises about you.
Tye: So, you tryin' to say I just jump around, but I ain't got no substance,
that's what you trying to say?!
EEW: Hey, that's where a lot of these folks are. I'm just being real about
it.
Tye: (Screaming and laughing) But amen, praise the Lord. That started
because my group GA, didn't come out of one church, but a million
different churches and maybe some of them didn't even go to church,
so I started like 10 years ago, maybe 12 years ago, having what was
called TAG sessions (Talk About God). So I would take just a few
minutes before rehearsals and just talk about God... just a few minutes.
Then I started studying for the TAG sessions and then they became little
Bible Studies, and then they became mini revivals and sometimes, we
didn't even rehearse. Then, it started spilling out on stage that, hey, I
was talking to the choir about dah dah dah dah dah... and then people
were like, yo, come preach at my church! So, that's how that evolution
took place. I love the word man. I love it. It was the greatest thing that
ever happened to me to get into the word as much as I got into music
so, I love it.
EEW: That's absolutely fantastic! Now, I read that around 2004-2006 you
suffered two traumatic losses in your life that seemed to surround your
transition from doing secular collaborations to not doing them. But, I
didn't really understand the correlation and it all seemed a bit muddled
together. So, help me understand. What were the traumatic losses and
how did your decision not to do secular collaborations anymore play
into that?
Tye: In 2005, at the end of August, around the time when the hurricanes
hit, that same week-end, a member of our choir—I hate to say just a
member of our choir, 'cause it's kinda like they were just a dude in the
choir—but he was like a son to me. I taught him the word personally
and I saw him grow, so anyway, he was like a son to me and he died in
a car accident. He was 25 years old and he was getting married
September the 25th, so he was getting married that next month. He was
on his way to his fiancee's house to work out wedding invitations. He
got in a car accident and he died. Not 30 days later, my uncle, who was
basically like my father figure after my parents split up—my uncle was
there on every trip with GA, every rehearsal he was there. I don't know
what he went in the hospital for, but he got better and he was in the
recovery phase, he was recovering and then he just gone sit in there,
and they came to get his food from him and he was dead!
EEW: Stop it.
Tye: And I'm like yo! That afternoon his son who plays the drums for
us—his son went to go work out with him. They worked out at 11:00 that
morning to get his legs [rehabilitated]—you know, because he was in
recovery—and he came back later and he was gone. I'm like no! This
was not 30 days after. So, during that time, I was like yo, what's going
on? What am I doing wrong? Lord why are you doing this to me? Why
are you taking the closest people to me? And not that because I was
playing secular music that this happened in my life, but at that time I
didn't want anything in my life that wasn't glorifying God or towards God.
I still don't think to this day that Hip Hop and R&B is a sin, but I just think
that it draws you away from God. You know what I mean? So, I didn't
want to be a part of anything that wasn't toward God, so I told the band, I
told Soundcheck, look, for a year, let's not do any secular music. Let's
do all Kingdom music and that's where the term Kingdom Music came
from. Let's just do all Kingdom Music for a year. And in that year, Viktory
came out and we never went back.
EEW: Wow, really?
Tye: Yep.
EEW: I'm glad you weren't like, everybody's dying 'cause we cursed! We
was cursed and the Lord was getting' us! (Laughing)
Tye: I know, I know (Laughing) Right!
EEW: You going to hell boy (laughing) OK (Clearing my throat), back to
my interview voice. Tye you make me act silly.
Tye: Laughing
EEW: Now, I also want to talk to you about something else you have to
clear up for me. You went to jail for unpaid parking tickets?
Tye: Awww, no! No, it's not true!
You've probably already seen it by now, or if you haven't, there's a great
likelihood that you've heard about the “debate” that recently played out
on CNN between two Award winning artists: Tye Tribbett and PJ Morton.
But according to Tye, he's been hearing a lot of chatter about the short
news story that reached millions of homes; it has folks taking sides and
embroiled in debates of their own, but it was never his intention to stir
up controversy. "I dont want a gospel beef!" he says, not wanting the
body of Christ to be divided.
"There was so much more that I said that wasn't included," says the
Stand Out singer, who shared his heart with me for the second time
after our initial interview, before he proceeded to electrify an intimate
crowd at a Banquet held in Western New York; he delivered a powerful
keynote address (It was Tye's first time ever speaking at a Banquet). By
the time he finished, the attendees were crying, shouting and dancing. I
must say, I don't think I've ever witnessed people "getting their dance
on" at a Banquet, but Tye really served up a powerful and spirit-filled
word, topping it all off with singing and grooving with his amazing band.
It was an all out praise party.
Dressed to impress in a gray, perfectly tailored pinstripe suit, I watched
him connect with all the people who love and support his ministry by
posing for pictures, listening to impromptu solos, laughing and talking,
and making himself accessible to those who desired to get next to him.
The lightheartedness in the room, is a far cry from the media firestorm
that's brewing and gaining traction everyday. So, it's no surprise that
Tye wants to set the record straight.
In case you have no idea exactly what is currently being promulgated
through the media, I'll attempt to summarize it briefly. This highly
publicized story, in essence, brings to the forefront the opposing views
Christians often hold regarding whether it's right or wrong to listen to,
sing, or in the case of Tye Tribbet and PJ Morton, write and produce
secular love songs. (If you need to familiarize yourself with the story,
click here). While author PJ Morton argues that Christians can sing R&B
music and that all songs—gospel or not—are inspired by God, Tye
takes a very different stance.
He says doing both is a contradiction, something he speaks about from
a place of experience, having built his early career on secular
collaborations.
Ironically, at the time of our initial interview, before the impromptu
conversation at the banquet, I had no knowledge of the story that
recently aired on CNN. Yet, during the course of our conversation, the
subject came up. So, as you read the exclusive, you'll have the
opportunity to see where Tye Tribbett's personal “No Secular Music”
policy comes from, along with a few other interesting tidbits you
probably didn't know about the energetic, hilarious recording artist,
who's managed by his mom Neicy Tribbett.
EEW: How did it come about that your mom is your manager?
Tye: She's been my manager for about 4 years. I had the ministry, well
we had GA (Greater Anointing) for about 13 years, but when we started
going and when we started making CD's and dealing with the label, it
was kind of a natural progression, because she was no longer at her
job. She worked in radio for years, so she was no longer there and I
was kinda like, mom, I got you. I got you. I told her, I don't think anybody
would have my back more than you at this point. You know what I
mean? So, who better than you to look over the business or the
ministry? So, it kind of flowed like that.
EEW: That is so sweet. Hey Tye, what is wrong with your voice (It kept
going in and out)?
Tye: I just got off a plane and I just woke up, because I was sleep on the
plane.
EEW: Were you? Because you sound crunchy!
Tye: I'm very, very crunchy (Laughing). I mean, I'm very messed up. I'm
trying to get some tea right now as we speak, so I can be right for
tonight. I gotta preach tonight too.
EEW: Oh gosh. OK, I'm gonna be nice to you. Lord bless his voice
Jesus.
Tye: Naw, go ahead (Yelling jokingly) say what you gotta say! Go 'head!
EEW: Oh, OK, I'm ready for you! (Laughing)
Tye: Go 'head!
EEW: You are so silly! Alright, so your band, Soundcheck is family. How
is it working with your family? That's pretty neat.
Tye: It's something we always did and I just kinda put a label on it. My
brother and I were always in the garage playing music. Always,
everyday, everyday. That's how GA started. Everyday, everyday, everyday,
everyday, everyday just playing in the garage and now we're just playing
everyday on stage. Now I just call the band Soundcheck. My sister is in
the ministry, you know; everybody's involved man and it's a wonderful
thing. It keeps you grounded. It keeps you level-headed, but we have a
whole lot of fun 'cause it's a family atmosphere. We always buggin' and
clownin' so it's fun.
EEW: Do you think it shocks people that you're able to minister the way
you do and have the contemporary edgy style? I know Kirk Franklin
helped pave the way for more contemporary artists, but does it still
shock people?
Tye: I think it did, but it doesn't anymore. At this point, people invite us
and kind of know what to expect, but before, earlier, yeah of course,
because, even though Kirk was out, he was new, but he wasn't doing
what we were doing. So, it cushioned it for us, but we still took some
hits. I used to just do things. I used to just jump on people's
communion table and dance on that like—naw (Laughing) I never did
that. But I did like sit on somebody's communion table.
EEW: Ooooh...
Tye: (Laughing) It didn't look like a communion table. It didn't look like
the one at my church. Theirs was all different so I didn't know it was a
communion table! But anyway, my point is, some people had a reason,
they had a reason, like OK brother that's a bit too much. So, I had to do
some maturing and growing and also, the public had to open up and
see that everybody's not gonna have choir robes and if they don't, it
doesn't mean they're not from God.
EEW: I must admit, when I sat and listened to you minister for the first
time, I was amazed at your ability to expound upon the word. That was
probably one of my favorite surprises about you.
Tye: So, you tryin' to say I just jump around, but I ain't got no substance,
that's what you trying to say?!
EEW: Hey, that's where a lot of these folks are. I'm just being real about
it.
Tye: (Screaming and laughing) But amen, praise the Lord. That started
because my group GA, didn't come out of one church, but a million
different churches and maybe some of them didn't even go to church,
so I started like 10 years ago, maybe 12 years ago, having what was
called TAG sessions (Talk About God). So I would take just a few
minutes before rehearsals and just talk about God... just a few minutes.
Then I started studying for the TAG sessions and then they became little
Bible Studies, and then they became mini revivals and sometimes, we
didn't even rehearse. Then, it started spilling out on stage that, hey, I
was talking to the choir about dah dah dah dah dah... and then people
were like, yo, come preach at my church! So, that's how that evolution
took place. I love the word man. I love it. It was the greatest thing that
ever happened to me to get into the word as much as I got into music
so, I love it.
EEW: That's absolutely fantastic! Now, I read that around 2004-2006 you
suffered two traumatic losses in your life that seemed to surround your
transition from doing secular collaborations to not doing them. But, I
didn't really understand the correlation and it all seemed a bit muddled
together. So, help me understand. What were the traumatic losses and
how did your decision not to do secular collaborations anymore play
into that?
Tye: In 2005, at the end of August, around the time when the hurricanes
hit, that same week-end, a member of our choir—I hate to say just a
member of our choir, 'cause it's kinda like they were just a dude in the
choir—but he was like a son to me. I taught him the word personally
and I saw him grow, so anyway, he was like a son to me and he died in
a car accident. He was 25 years old and he was getting married
September the 25th, so he was getting married that next month. He was
on his way to his fiancee's house to work out wedding invitations. He
got in a car accident and he died. Not 30 days later, my uncle, who was
basically like my father figure after my parents split up—my uncle was
there on every trip with GA, every rehearsal he was there. I don't know
what he went in the hospital for, but he got better and he was in the
recovery phase, he was recovering and then he just gone sit in there,
and they came to get his food from him and he was dead!
EEW: Stop it.
Tye: And I'm like yo! That afternoon his son who plays the drums for
us—his son went to go work out with him. They worked out at 11:00 that
morning to get his legs [rehabilitated]—you know, because he was in
recovery—and he came back later and he was gone. I'm like no! This
was not 30 days after. So, during that time, I was like yo, what's going
on? What am I doing wrong? Lord why are you doing this to me? Why
are you taking the closest people to me? And not that because I was
playing secular music that this happened in my life, but at that time I
didn't want anything in my life that wasn't glorifying God or towards God.
I still don't think to this day that Hip Hop and R&B is a sin, but I just think
that it draws you away from God. You know what I mean? So, I didn't
want to be a part of anything that wasn't toward God, so I told the band, I
told Soundcheck, look, for a year, let's not do any secular music. Let's
do all Kingdom music and that's where the term Kingdom Music came
from. Let's just do all Kingdom Music for a year. And in that year, Viktory
came out and we never went back.
EEW: Wow, really?
Tye: Yep.
EEW: I'm glad you weren't like, everybody's dying 'cause we cursed! We
was cursed and the Lord was getting' us! (Laughing)
Tye: I know, I know (Laughing) Right!
EEW: You going to hell boy (laughing) OK (Clearing my throat), back to
my interview voice. Tye you make me act silly.
Tye: Laughing
EEW: Now, I also want to talk to you about something else you have to
clear up for me. You went to jail for unpaid parking tickets?
Tye: Awww, no! No, it's not true!
"Every child is not gonna be able to
escape the perversion. And even if
you say, don't listen to secular
music, they're gonna go to the mall
and it's gonna be playing in the
store..."
EEW: It's not?
Tye: No, I went to jail for speeding tickets! (Laughing) OK, let's set the
record straight, because if I go to jail for unpaid parking tickets, that's
kinda like I don't pay my bills. No, I had an accumulation of speeding
tickets and you have to go to court. I kept missing the court dates, so
the tickets became warrants and after a series of those, because I be
on the road so much doin' the Lawd's work and Jesus's work—man
you better come off that road and go to court dog!
EEW: Cracking up.
Tye: Everybody, go to court! I went to jail for 30 days.
EEW: (Trying to gain composure) OK, OK, so Tye what year was it?
Tye: I'm not telling you!
EEW: Come on Tye. You've got to tell me. That'll make the story juicier.
Were you like THEE Tye Tribbett in jail?
Tye: Awww man... it was like '06
EEW: (Screaming) Oh no!
Tye: And the cats in there was like, yo, ain't you the dude from BET?
What you doing in here? You the gospel dude. I'm signing autographs
on toilet tissue. It's sad (Laughing) I'm not kidding. Look and here's the
kicker! This is the kicker! The day the Victory album came out, I was in
jail. It was May twenty-something. I was in jail. I talked to my wife. She
was like, babe it's sold out everywhere! Nobody can find it! I was like
babe, I really don't care. I'm in an orange suit right now and I really don't
care about the album. Stop it.
EEW: (Laughing) Tye, that's like the funniest story ever.
Tye: Funnier than that, funnier than that, I'm in there like a counselor.
[They were saying] You a gospel dude, right? Aight, (In a husky voice) I
stole from my mom. I ain't mean it. I'm in there like counseling, like
yeah man, God'll forgive you [like] the prodigal son. My cell was like the
confession booth. It was crazy! But that's where the concept of “Good in
the Hood” came from.
EEW: Really? My husband loves that song so much. That's really a
funny story Tye. That's kinda messed up though.
Tye: Yeah girl, you laughing at my pain. What's up with that?
EEW: I'm sorry Tye, but when I read it, I was like he couldn't have been
THEE Tye Tribbett in jail! Alright, moving on. Now, I know you're
married. So, how long have you been married?
Tye: It'll be 12 years December the 6th
EEW: Wow, so, how'd you meet your wife?
Tye: Uh, our families were very, very, very, very close, because we
came up in the same church and everything, so we're very familiar with
each other's families. But, when I started the choir, she came around
for choir rehearsal and she wanted to join the choir and it was like, hey
I know you! Don't I know you? You kinda grew up. Let's go out! Let's go
hang out. So, it was actually like, hey do YOU need a ride to rehearsal?
(Laughing) I'm gone come get YOU. I know I have like 50 choir
members, but I'll come get YOU, so it started like that.
EEW: So, how long did you guys date Tye?
Tye: We dated for a year, 'cause part of that year I was still playing
around. Then I was like, yeah this is the one. I know it and uh, we were
at the Wrigley's Chewing Gum Choir Competition. We won the little
regional one in Philly and then the big national one was in Chicago
and I said Lord if we win this—oh if we win the regional one, the small
one, then I'll know I'm supposed to marry her! So, I used the money I
got from that part of it to get her ring. We won 1st place in Chicago too,
the national one, we won it, everything, the record deal, whatever else it
was, we won it. So, I brought her in the room. I said listen babe, our
stuff is about to start taking off. People will know us now. All of this is
about to start happening. So, she thought I was gonna break up with
her, but I got down on my knee and said, I don't want to do any of this
without you as my wife.
EEW: Awww...that is so sweet.
Tye: She ran out the room and I was like yo! Answer first! (Laughing)
EEW: Really great story. So, before you got famous, how did you
maintain your belief that God had purpose for you when all of your
deals kept falling through?
Tye: Well, I would say some of the more proactive steps were falling
through like trying to get signed, or trying to get on such and such. That
was kind of disappointing, but, we rehearsed every Monday and that
was it for me. Those rehearsals were my gigs. I always had 4 gigs a
month. So, that was it. That was fulfilling. We were still young. People
were still in High School. So, it was like a family and a community
being built. So, it wasn't really like, dang we ain't singing this week-end
AGAIN? What is gone happen? It wasn't really no [thoughts like] was it
gone happen, because it was happening. That was it. That was all I
wanted. I think that's why I got elevated, because we wasn't trying to be
Sunday Best or American Idol. Monday night was it for us and God
chose to put Monday night on bigger stages and bigger stages, and
bigger stages.
EEW: Well, Monday night is working for me. I really love Chasing After
You and I Need You, by the way. Those are my favorite songs.
Tye: Oh yeah, yeah, people don't know that, that's my heart. When we
just slow it down and worship, I could live there.
EEW: Me too.
Tye: Yes, yes, I love it. I love it.
EEW: Well, one of the things I want to go back to is your family. You
guys have been married a while now, so tell me, how are you
maintaining balance since you're so in-demand and on the road all the
time?
Tye: Well, I recently just did a 60 day sabbatical. You know, I gotta keep
it real with you. I did a 60 day sabbatical, because I started to become, I
like to say, Martha instead of Mary. Mary was at the feet of Jesus and
the Bible says, Martha was about much serving. You know, to minister
means to serve. You can be doing so much serving and ministering,
that you're not hearing God like you should. You ain't hearing God and
your marriage is all out of whack, your family, your business, your
ministry, so everything was getting out of whack. I lost the balance, so I
had to shut down and get the balance back, and sit at the feet of Jesus
and now everything is kinda like getting restored and renewed, so I'm
excited about that. But the way I did keep it [balanced before was
because] my family was always with me. I took them on the road, my
kids and my wife were on the road with me, so I really didn't have to call
home like, hey babe! You know what I mean? [I didn't have to tell her]
things are good out here! She used to be right with me, so I thank God
He made it easy for me [then]. But now, my wife is starting school and
my daughters are getting older so they're going to school, so my wife
won't be traveling with me as much with the ministry. So now,
everything is new for me right now. It's a new season in my life, so I
have to learn that balance, but it's making us stronger.
EEW: I also want to talk to you about how your album, Stand Out, is very
bold about speaking against compromise. But you built your career on
secular collaborations. So, how do you help these young kids
nowadays who may be seeing many of the gospel artist do the same
thing and perhaps, view it as “Mixed Signals?” How do you help them
navigate their way through?
Tye: Uh, wow, I guess the way we do it is to make them aware of the
wiles of the devil or the tricks, like yeah, this is a good inspirational
song right here that Kanye West put out. Yeah, yeah, yeah, but be
careful because of X, Y, Z, you know what I mean? For example, my
daughter was watching a little show on TV called iCarly or something
like that and this girl was kissing this boy and she kept closing her
eyes. She was like, Dad, you want me to turn the channel? I was like
Austin—her name is Austin, the six year old), I said, I'm not gonna be
able to turn the channel in your life every time something isn't right. The
fact that you know it's not right, the fact that you know it's not something
for you to be engaged in, is enough. Because even Jesus in the Bible
prayed and said Lord there are gonna be many troubles for the
believer. I pray not that you take them out, but that you keep them from
the evil one. So, every child is not gonna be able to escape the
perversion. And even if you say, don't listen to secular music, they're
gonna go to the mall and it's gonna be playing in the store. So, just as
long as they know, yes, this is something I'm exposed to, but this is not
something I'm engaged in, I think as long as they don't engage in it
[they'll be OK]. So, it's my goal to keep the youth exposed to what's God
and what's not. We can't hide from it man, we live in a secular world.
To learn more about the ministry of Tye Tribbett and to keep up with
him online visit www.tyetribbett.com.
escape the perversion. And even if
you say, don't listen to secular
music, they're gonna go to the mall
and it's gonna be playing in the
store..."
EEW: It's not?
Tye: No, I went to jail for speeding tickets! (Laughing) OK, let's set the
record straight, because if I go to jail for unpaid parking tickets, that's
kinda like I don't pay my bills. No, I had an accumulation of speeding
tickets and you have to go to court. I kept missing the court dates, so
the tickets became warrants and after a series of those, because I be
on the road so much doin' the Lawd's work and Jesus's work—man
you better come off that road and go to court dog!
EEW: Cracking up.
Tye: Everybody, go to court! I went to jail for 30 days.
EEW: (Trying to gain composure) OK, OK, so Tye what year was it?
Tye: I'm not telling you!
EEW: Come on Tye. You've got to tell me. That'll make the story juicier.
Were you like THEE Tye Tribbett in jail?
Tye: Awww man... it was like '06
EEW: (Screaming) Oh no!
Tye: And the cats in there was like, yo, ain't you the dude from BET?
What you doing in here? You the gospel dude. I'm signing autographs
on toilet tissue. It's sad (Laughing) I'm not kidding. Look and here's the
kicker! This is the kicker! The day the Victory album came out, I was in
jail. It was May twenty-something. I was in jail. I talked to my wife. She
was like, babe it's sold out everywhere! Nobody can find it! I was like
babe, I really don't care. I'm in an orange suit right now and I really don't
care about the album. Stop it.
EEW: (Laughing) Tye, that's like the funniest story ever.
Tye: Funnier than that, funnier than that, I'm in there like a counselor.
[They were saying] You a gospel dude, right? Aight, (In a husky voice) I
stole from my mom. I ain't mean it. I'm in there like counseling, like
yeah man, God'll forgive you [like] the prodigal son. My cell was like the
confession booth. It was crazy! But that's where the concept of “Good in
the Hood” came from.
EEW: Really? My husband loves that song so much. That's really a
funny story Tye. That's kinda messed up though.
Tye: Yeah girl, you laughing at my pain. What's up with that?
EEW: I'm sorry Tye, but when I read it, I was like he couldn't have been
THEE Tye Tribbett in jail! Alright, moving on. Now, I know you're
married. So, how long have you been married?
Tye: It'll be 12 years December the 6th
EEW: Wow, so, how'd you meet your wife?
Tye: Uh, our families were very, very, very, very close, because we
came up in the same church and everything, so we're very familiar with
each other's families. But, when I started the choir, she came around
for choir rehearsal and she wanted to join the choir and it was like, hey
I know you! Don't I know you? You kinda grew up. Let's go out! Let's go
hang out. So, it was actually like, hey do YOU need a ride to rehearsal?
(Laughing) I'm gone come get YOU. I know I have like 50 choir
members, but I'll come get YOU, so it started like that.
EEW: So, how long did you guys date Tye?
Tye: We dated for a year, 'cause part of that year I was still playing
around. Then I was like, yeah this is the one. I know it and uh, we were
at the Wrigley's Chewing Gum Choir Competition. We won the little
regional one in Philly and then the big national one was in Chicago
and I said Lord if we win this—oh if we win the regional one, the small
one, then I'll know I'm supposed to marry her! So, I used the money I
got from that part of it to get her ring. We won 1st place in Chicago too,
the national one, we won it, everything, the record deal, whatever else it
was, we won it. So, I brought her in the room. I said listen babe, our
stuff is about to start taking off. People will know us now. All of this is
about to start happening. So, she thought I was gonna break up with
her, but I got down on my knee and said, I don't want to do any of this
without you as my wife.
EEW: Awww...that is so sweet.
Tye: She ran out the room and I was like yo! Answer first! (Laughing)
EEW: Really great story. So, before you got famous, how did you
maintain your belief that God had purpose for you when all of your
deals kept falling through?
Tye: Well, I would say some of the more proactive steps were falling
through like trying to get signed, or trying to get on such and such. That
was kind of disappointing, but, we rehearsed every Monday and that
was it for me. Those rehearsals were my gigs. I always had 4 gigs a
month. So, that was it. That was fulfilling. We were still young. People
were still in High School. So, it was like a family and a community
being built. So, it wasn't really like, dang we ain't singing this week-end
AGAIN? What is gone happen? It wasn't really no [thoughts like] was it
gone happen, because it was happening. That was it. That was all I
wanted. I think that's why I got elevated, because we wasn't trying to be
Sunday Best or American Idol. Monday night was it for us and God
chose to put Monday night on bigger stages and bigger stages, and
bigger stages.
EEW: Well, Monday night is working for me. I really love Chasing After
You and I Need You, by the way. Those are my favorite songs.
Tye: Oh yeah, yeah, people don't know that, that's my heart. When we
just slow it down and worship, I could live there.
EEW: Me too.
Tye: Yes, yes, I love it. I love it.
EEW: Well, one of the things I want to go back to is your family. You
guys have been married a while now, so tell me, how are you
maintaining balance since you're so in-demand and on the road all the
time?
Tye: Well, I recently just did a 60 day sabbatical. You know, I gotta keep
it real with you. I did a 60 day sabbatical, because I started to become, I
like to say, Martha instead of Mary. Mary was at the feet of Jesus and
the Bible says, Martha was about much serving. You know, to minister
means to serve. You can be doing so much serving and ministering,
that you're not hearing God like you should. You ain't hearing God and
your marriage is all out of whack, your family, your business, your
ministry, so everything was getting out of whack. I lost the balance, so I
had to shut down and get the balance back, and sit at the feet of Jesus
and now everything is kinda like getting restored and renewed, so I'm
excited about that. But the way I did keep it [balanced before was
because] my family was always with me. I took them on the road, my
kids and my wife were on the road with me, so I really didn't have to call
home like, hey babe! You know what I mean? [I didn't have to tell her]
things are good out here! She used to be right with me, so I thank God
He made it easy for me [then]. But now, my wife is starting school and
my daughters are getting older so they're going to school, so my wife
won't be traveling with me as much with the ministry. So now,
everything is new for me right now. It's a new season in my life, so I
have to learn that balance, but it's making us stronger.
EEW: I also want to talk to you about how your album, Stand Out, is very
bold about speaking against compromise. But you built your career on
secular collaborations. So, how do you help these young kids
nowadays who may be seeing many of the gospel artist do the same
thing and perhaps, view it as “Mixed Signals?” How do you help them
navigate their way through?
Tye: Uh, wow, I guess the way we do it is to make them aware of the
wiles of the devil or the tricks, like yeah, this is a good inspirational
song right here that Kanye West put out. Yeah, yeah, yeah, but be
careful because of X, Y, Z, you know what I mean? For example, my
daughter was watching a little show on TV called iCarly or something
like that and this girl was kissing this boy and she kept closing her
eyes. She was like, Dad, you want me to turn the channel? I was like
Austin—her name is Austin, the six year old), I said, I'm not gonna be
able to turn the channel in your life every time something isn't right. The
fact that you know it's not right, the fact that you know it's not something
for you to be engaged in, is enough. Because even Jesus in the Bible
prayed and said Lord there are gonna be many troubles for the
believer. I pray not that you take them out, but that you keep them from
the evil one. So, every child is not gonna be able to escape the
perversion. And even if you say, don't listen to secular music, they're
gonna go to the mall and it's gonna be playing in the store. So, just as
long as they know, yes, this is something I'm exposed to, but this is not
something I'm engaged in, I think as long as they don't engage in it
[they'll be OK]. So, it's my goal to keep the youth exposed to what's God
and what's not. We can't hide from it man, we live in a secular world.
To learn more about the ministry of Tye Tribbett and to keep up with
him online visit www.tyetribbett.com.
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THE SECULAR MUSIC DEBATE: Article and Interview by Dianna Hobbs
COVER STORY