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REBECCA: HEY, GUYS, WELCOME TOTHE REBECCA WEISS PODCAST.
I'M VERY EXCITED TODAY BECAUSE WE ARE JOINED BY
SOMEONE WHO IS VERY TALENTED.
I'M TALKING ABOUT VICTORY BOYD,
GRAMMY AWARD-WINNING ARTIST, SINGER,
SONGWRITER, PRODUCER.
VICTORY, WELCOME TO THE SHOW.
VICTORY: THANKS FOR HAVING ME, REBECCA.
REBECCA: I'M HONORED TO HAVE YOU HERE.
I'M HONORED TO GET INTO YOUR STORY.
AND I GOT TO SAY, I LOVE WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
I LOVE WHAT YOU'RE DOING IN THE INDUSTRY.
I LOVE THAT YOU'RE PIONEERING AND MAKING A WAY
FOR THE ARTISTS THAT ARE, THAT ARE GOING TO BE
COMING UP FROM BEHIND.
AND I WANT TO GET INTO ALL THAT,
BUT LET'S START FROM THE BEGINNING.
TELL US YOUR TESTIMONY.
VICTORY: WELL, I AM ONE OF NINE SIBLINGS, AND
I WAS BORN IN THE SUBURB OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.
AND MY PARENTS ARE PEOPLE OF FAITH, STRONG VISION,
STRONG COMMITMENT TO THE LORD.
THEY STARTED AN OUTREACH MINISTRY USING
THE PRESENTATION OF MUSIC,
BUT FOR THE PURPOSE OF LEADING THE YOUTH IN THE
CITY OF DETROIT.
NOT ONLY CHRIST, BUT ALSO
A LIFESTYLE OF GROWING IN HIM,
BUT IN THE CONTEXT OF BEING A CHOIR, YOU KNOW,
IN THE CONTEXT OF COMING TO CHOIR PRACTICE.
AND, YOU KNOW, AND SO THIS COMMUNITY CHOIR,
IT'S CALLED THE BOYS AND GIRLS CHOIRS OF DETROIT.
AND, YOU KNOW, DURING THE 90S,
WHEN THEY FOUNDED THE CHOIR,
A LOT OF KIDS WERE LIKE JOINING GANGS
AND THE DRUGS WERE AT AN ALL-TIME HIGH.
YOU HAD THE PRISON INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX GROWING
AT A RAPID RATE BECAUSE OF CERTAIN LAWS THAT,
YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LAW CALLED THREE STRIKES,
YOU'RE OUT.
SO IF YOU GET CAUGHT WITH DRUGS THREE TIMES,
YOU'RE LOCKED UP IN PRISON FOR LIFE.
AND SO A LOT OF KIDS WERE BEING LOCKED UP FOR LIFE.
AND SO THAT WAS THE CONTEXT THAT MY PARENTS
STARTED THIS MINISTRY.
BUT IT WASN'T NECESSARILY
MARKETED AS A MINISTRY.
IT'S A CHOIR, YOU KNOW, AND I REALLY THINK THAT
THAT PLAYED A BIG ROLE IN, YOU KNOW, JUST MY,
MY UPBRINGING, AND BEING ABLE TO EXIST WITH
A MINISTRY IN A SECULAR SPACE AND,
BUT USING LANGUAGE THAT, THAT ALLOWS IT TO RESONATE
WITH PEOPLE THAT DON'T NECESSARILY BELIEVE
IN THE GOSPEL,
OR THEY DON'T HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS,
THEY TOO CAN STILL BE MINISTERED TO
AND PARTAKE IN THE MUSIC AND BE SERVED.
SO, YEAH, THAT WAS ME.
I GOT TO JOIN THAT CHOIR WHEN I WAS FOUR YEARS OLD.
REBECCA: WOW.
VICTORY: AND SO EVENTUALLY THE CHOIR,
OUR PARENTS EXPANDED IT TO A STATEWIDE CHOIR.
SO IT WENT FROM JUST BEING FOR THE COMMUNITY
FOR THE KIDS IN DETROIT, TO IN CITIES ALL OVER
THE STATE OF MICHIGAN.
AND SO, LIKE EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK,
WE WERE IN A --
WE HAD A REHEARSAL IN A DIFFERENT
PART OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN.
REBECCA: WOW.
VICTORY: I'M PROBABLY NINE YEARS OLD BY THE TIME THIS
IS MY SCHEDULE, BUT IT WASN'T JUST ME.
IT WAS ME AND MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS AND OUR,
IT WAS OUR FAMILY BUSINESS, BUT IT WASN'T QUITE
NECESSARILY IN THE COMMERCIAL MUSIC INDUSTRY.
IT WAS MORE SO DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT,
AN OUTREACH KIND OF KIND OF SPACE.
I, AS FAR AS I CAN REMEMBER,
I LOVED THE LORD AND I REALLY HAD A SINCERE YES
TO THE LORD.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME,
IT'S LIKE YOU DON'T NECESSARILY KNOW
WHAT THAT MEANS PER SE, YOU JUST BELIEVE BECAUSE
THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE TOLD.
AND THEN THERE'S, THERE'S YOU GET TO A POINT WHEN
YOU BELIEVE BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT YOU HAVE EXPERIENCED.
AND SO I DIDN'T GET TO A PLACE OF,
I BELIEVE BECAUSE THIS IS MY,
THIS IS WHAT JESUS
PERSONALLY HAS DONE FOR ME,
AND THIS IS WHAT I'VE EXPERIENCED.
AND THIS IS WHY I BELIEVE IN HIM,
BECAUSE I'VE TASTED AND SEEN AND BEEN DELIVERED
AND LIKE ALL THESE THINGS.
I DIDN'T REALLY GET TO THAT POINT
UNTIL I WAS, OR -- NO, 18 YEARS OLD.
I, YOU KNOW, AND HERE'S THE THING.
YOU COULDN'T TELL ME THAT I DIDN'T KNOW JESUS,
BECAUSE MY WHOLE LIFE WAS ENTRENCHED
IN MINISTRY AND OUTREACH, AND MY WHOLE LIFE WAS
ENTRENCHED IN MUSIC, SINGING,
SINGING THE GOSPEL, SINGING HYMNS,
SINGING THE WORD.
AND ALSO GOING TO CHURCH, SINGING IN CHURCH,
ATTENDING CHURCH, BIBLE STUDIES, ALL THE THINGS.
IT WASN'T UNTIL, AT 18 YEARS OLD, I, I,
I WAS IN THIS TRAUMATIC ACCIDENT,
THIS BICYCLE ACCIDENT.
I WAS EJECTED FROM THE BIKE ONTO MY FACE,
AND I BROKE MY JAW.
REBECCA: OH, NO.
VICTORY: YEAH, I BROKE MY ARM AND I LOST TEETH
AND MY FACE WAS DISFIGURED.
I JUST REMEMBER BEING THERE ON THE GROUND
SCREAMING, AND, THE AMBULANCE CAME,
AND THEY'RE TRYING TO IDENTIFY WHO I AM.
I SAY I COULDN'T PULL MYSELF TO SAY MY NAME
BECAUSE MY NAME IS VICTORY.
AND CLEARLY, I WASN'T VICTORIOUS.
REBECCA: THAT WASN'T A VERY VICTORIOUS MOMENT,
IT FELT LIKE.
VICTORY: EXACTLY.
IT FELT LIKE I LOST MY IDENTITY.
I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW WHO I AM AND PLEASE STOP ASKING ME
TO IDENTIFY MYSELF BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW HOW
TO IDENTIFY MYSELF.
AND SO IT --
THIS PROCESS OF MY IDENTITY
BEING SHATTERED, YOU KNOW,
BECAUSE IT WASN'T JUST HOW I PHYSICALLY LOOKED.
THEY HAD TO WIRE MY MOUTH SHUT.
I'VE BEEN SINGING SINCE I'M FOUR YEARS OLD.
MY WHOLE IDENTITY IS WRAPPED UP IN THE FACT
THAT I CAN STAND UP THERE ON STAGE AND BRING DOWN
THE HOUSE, AND NOW MY MOUTH IS WIRED SHUT.
YOU KNOW, AND MY ARM WAS BROKEN.
YOU KNOW, I COULDN'T PLAY THE GUITAR ANYMORE,
YOU KNOW, AND SO I LOST --
I FELT LIKE I LOST MY IDENTITY,
BUT IT TAKES LOSING YOUR IDENTITY TO FIND CHRIST'S
IDENTITY AS YOUR OWN.
REBECCA: YEAH, YOUR REAL IDENTITY.
VICTORY: YEAH.
AND IT REALLY TOOK THIS PROCESS OF --
IT'S LIKE PAUL SAYS, IT IS NO LONGER I WHO LIVE,
BUT CHRIST WHO LIVES IN ME.
AND SURE, WE CAN KNOW THAT IN HEAD KNOWLEDGE.
BUT THEN TO EXPERIENCE, OH,
IT'S NO LONGER I, LIKE LITERALLY THERE'S NOTHING
LEFT OF VICTORY, BUT THERE'S
THIS FREE GIFT OF CHRIST.
AND WHEN I SAY FREE, THAT DOESN'T MEAN
THAT IT WASN'T COSTLY.
IT'S JUST, IT'S JUST NOT COSTLY TO US BECAUSE IT'S
FREELY GIVEN TO US.
BUT IT'S VERY LIKE THE ENTIRETY OF
THE LIFE OF CHRIST,
I GOT TO RECEIVE AS MY IDENTITY,
LIKE ALL THAT HE IS, IS WHO I AM.
NOW, THERE WAS NO AMOUNT OF TEACHINGS THAT COULD HAVE
HELPED ME EXPERIENCE THAT TO BE MY REALITY.
I HAD TO WALK IT, I HAD TO LIVE IT,
AND I HAD TO BECOME IT.
AND WHAT HAPPENED WAS AT 18, I'M JUST LIKE,
OH MY GOODNESS, THERE IS NOTHING
MORE POWERFUL THAN CHRIST.
THERE'S NOTHING MORE BEAUTIFUL THAN CHRIST.
THERE IS NOTHING MORE VICTORIOUS THAN CHRIST.
AND ALL THAT HE IS,
I AM.
REBECCA: WOW.
VICTORY: AND I WAS FILLED WITH THIS JOY.
THIS LIKE, OH MY GOSH, I AM VICTORY.
BECAUSE HE IS VICTORY AND HE MADE ME VICTORY
LIKE I JUST COULDN'T STOP.
I COULDN'T CONTAIN WHAT HE HAS DONE FOR ME.
AND I JUST WANTED TO TELL EVERYBODY AND PEOPLE
WOULDN'T LISTEN TO ME BECAUSE --
AND I FIGURED, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE NOT LISTENING
TO ME BECAUSE I DON'T LOOK LIKE I KNOW,
KNOW ANYTHING.
I'M, I'M BUSTED UP LIKE, I DON'T LOOK LIKE A VICTOR,
YOU KNOW, LIKE PEOPLE NEED TO SEE VICTORY.
LIKE IN ORDER TO LISTEN,
IN ORDER TO FEEL AS IF YOU HAVE MERITS BEHIND
WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, I JUST REMEMBER,
EVEN JUST IN THE HOSPITAL TELLING EVERYONE ABOUT
JESUS AND, YOU KNOW, ALL THIS WE'RE DOING,
STRIVING, TRYING TO BECOME VICTORIOUS AND TRYING TO
BE STRONG AND TRYING.
LIKE, WHAT IF WE COULD JUST
RECEIVE IT FOR FREE FROM CHRIST?
LIKE ALL THESE THINGS.
AND I GOT TURNED DOWN ENOUGH TIMES TO BE LIKE,
OKAY, THIS IS NOT WORKING.
AND THAT'S WHEN THE LORD SHOWED ME THAT HE WANTS ME
TO USE MUSIC AS A TOOL TO EXPLAIN WHAT HE'S DONE FOR ME.
HE WANTS ME TO USE MUSIC AS A TOOL TO GROW IN
STATURE AND NOTORIETY, AND EVEN FAME.
SO THAT WHEN I'M IN THESE HIGH PLACES OF INFLUENCE
AND PEOPLE ARE LISTENING TO ME,
THE WORDS I SAY ARE ACTUALLY GOING FORTH AND
IMPACTING AND BEING PLANTED
AND BEING RECEIVED.
AND SO THAT KIND OF PUT THIS LIKE, ALL RIGHT,
THEY'RE GOING -- Y'ALL GONNA HEAR ME?
REBECCA: YEAH.
VICTORY: KIND OF, KIND OF THING,
LIKE YOU'RE IGNORING ME NOW,
BUT WATCH, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THE GLORY OF GOD
MANIFEST IN MY LIFE, IN MY MUSIC.
SO I CREATED THIS, THIS THING WHERE I'M GOING TO
BE THE BEST ARTIST IN THE WORLD.
LIKE EVERY SONG, EVERY LIKE THE CHORDS THE --
I DEVELOPED THIS FIXATION ON BECOMING MOST EXCELLENT.
AND SO THAT WHEN, WHEN I EXPRESS MYSELF,
PEOPLE WILL LISTEN.
AND THAT WAS KIND OF ROOTED FROM THIS,
FROM THIS PLACE OF, YOU KNOW, I MIGHT HAVE ALL,
ALL THIS WEALTH AND CURRENCY IN THE SPIRIT.
I DON'T ONLY EXIST IN THE SPIRIT REALM,
I ALSO EXIST IN THE MATERIAL.
AND IF PEOPLE DON'T SEE A CURRENCY THAT THEY'RE
FAMILIAR WITH, THAT IS VALUABLE,
THEN THEY'RE MORE THAN LIKELY NOT GOING TO LISTEN.
I DETERMINED THAT I WAS GOING TO GROW IN STATURE
IN THE MATERIAL WORLD BECAUSE OF HOW MUCH
STATURE I HAVE IN THE SPIRIT.
REBECCA: YEAH.
VICTORY: SO THAT I CAN TRANSLATE THE TWO, YOU KNOW.
REBECCA: YOU WANTED TO STEWARD THE GIFT THAT GOD
HAD GIVEN YOU SO THAT WHEN THE TIME CAME,
YOU WOULD DO IT WITH EXCELLENCE.
VICTORY: EXACTLY.
REBECCA: YOU KNOW, IT'S THE EXCELLENCE THAT WE DO
EVERYTHING WE CAN IN THE NATURAL,
BUT WE KNOW WITHOUT THE ANOINTING.
IT WAS SO
FOUNDATIONAL THAT WHAT GOD DID THROUGH THAT ACCIDENT,
EVEN THOUGH HE TOOK A TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCE.
VICTORY: YEAH.
REBECCA: BUT LITTLE DID YOU KNOW THAT THAT WAS GOING
TO BE FOUNDATIONAL FOR EVERYTHING
SETTING YOU UP IN YOUR FUTURE.
VICTORY: EXACTLY.
REBECCA: BECAUSE BEFORE HE SENT YOU OUT INTO THE FULLNESS OF
THIS INFLUENCE, IN THIS SPACE, AND ALL THESE THINGS,
HE WAS GOING TO ESTABLISH THE FOUNDATION
OF YOUR IDENTITY IN HIM.
VICTORY: YES, EXACTLY.
REBECCA: BECAUSE IF YOU WEREN'T ROOTED IN THAT,
YOU COULD GET LOST OUT THERE IN THAT WORLD
BECAUSE IT'S CRAZY.
VICTORY: YEAH.
OH, AND MOST PEOPLE DO.
AND THE REASON IS BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH WE'RE
CHRISTIANS IN OUR MINDS AND WE AGREE, RIGHT?
BUT, BUT IT TAKES A LEVEL OF UNDERSTANDING
THAT IT'S ACTUALLY CHRIST WHO'S LIVING AND NOT YOU.
REBECCA: YOU RECEIVED THE REVELATION.
VICTORY: EXACTLY.
REBECCA: AND IT BECAME REAL TO YOU.
VICTORY: RIGHT.
REBECCA: AND I UNDERSTAND THAT.
WHEN YOU -- IT'S ONE THING TO HEAR THE WORD,
BUT IT'S ANOTHER THING TO HAVE EARS TO HEAR
AND EYES TO SEE, AS JESUS TALKS ABOUT.
AND WHEN YOU RECEIVE THAT REVELATION,
VIA THE HOLY SPIRIT,
IT CHANGES YOUR WHOLE PERSPECTIVE.
VICTORY: EXACTLY.
REBECCA: AND SO IT JUST --
IT MAKES ME THINK OF THE STORY OF JESUS BEFORE HE
EVER WENT OUT AND DID MINISTRY,
HE WAS THROWN OUT INTO THE WILDERNESS,
WHICH WAS HARD, AND HE WAS TEMPTED.
BUT AFTER HE PROVED THAT HE PASSED THAT TEST,
HE WAS TESTED BY THE DEVIL THREE DIFFERENT WAYS.
HE COMES BACK, AND THE FIRST THING THE HOLY SPIRIT
LEADS HIM TO DO IS TO GET BAPTIZED BY JOHN.
AND WHEN HE'S BAPTIZED BY JOHN,
THE HOLY SPIRIT DESCENDS LIKE A DOVE.
AND GOD THE FATHER SPEAKS FROM HEAVEN AND SAID,
THIS IS MY BELOVED SON, IN WHOM I AM WELL PLEASED.
BEFORE HE HAD DONE ANYTHING IN MINISTRY...
VICTORY: YEAH.
REBECCA: GOD THE FATHER ESTABLISHED THE FOUNDATION
OF JESUS'S IDENTITY.
VICTORY: YES.
REBECCA: BECAUSE HE WAS ABOUT TO BE THROWN INTO THE
CRAZY OF PEOPLE LOVING HIM, PEOPLE HATING HIM.
VICTORY: YEAH.
REBECCA: AND HE COULDN'T LET ANY OF THAT SWAY HIM BECAUSE HE
HAD TO BE LED BY HIS FATHER.
VICTORY: YES.
REBECCA: AND THE SAME THING WITH YOU.
AND GOING BACK TO YOU SAYING, WHICH THIS IS SUCH
A GOOD WORD, BECAUSE WE NEED THE ANOINTING.
WE CAN'T DO WITHOUT HIS ANOINTING.
AND WE SEEK THAT IN THE SECRET PLACE
AND BY WALKING IN OBEDIENCE TO WHAT GOD'S
CALLED US TO DO.
BUT TO DO WHAT WE DO WITH EXCELLENCE,
THAT IS SUCH A HIGH VALUE THAT WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT.
VICTORY: RIGHT.
REBECCA: AND IT MAKES ME THINK ABOUT I TOOK THIS,
I WENT TO BIBLE SCHOOL AND I TOOK A CLASS ON ETHICS.
BUT WHAT WAS SO COOL IS MY PROFESSOR WAS ACTUALLY
A MUSICIAN, A SONGWRITER HIMSELF,
AND HE HAD US READ THIS BOOK CALLED
ART FOR GOD'S SAKE.
AND HE TALKED ABOUT,
THE BOOK TALKS ABOUT HOW WHEN THEY WERE BUILDING
THE TABERNACLE, GOD HAD ARTISTS...
VICTORY: YES.
REBECCA: HELP BUILD THE TABERNACLE.
AND THERE IS SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS,
BUT HE GAVE THEM THE ABILITY TO CREATE.
VICTORY: YES.
REBECCA: AND CREATE ART WITHIN THE TABERNACLE,
HOW IT WAS SET UP.
AND THE WHOLE BOOK IS MAKING A CASE
HOW WE ARE CREATED IN THE IMAGE OF GOD,
AND HOW GOD HIMSELF IS A CREATOR.
VICTORY: YES
REBECCA: AND HOW IT IS SO,
ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS WE CAN DO AS HIS
CREATION IS TO CREATE AND TO CREATE ART FOR HIS SAKE.
VICTORY: YES.
REBECCA: BECAUSE SO MANY PEOPLE OUT THERE IN THE
WORLD ARE CREATING ART, BUT NOT FOR HIS SAKE.
VICTORY: RIGHT.
REBECCA: AND MORE PEOPLE LIKE YOU,
AND THIS IS WHY I LOVE WHAT YOU'RE DOING,
NEED TO WALK IN CREATING ART FOR HIS SAKE,
TO GLORIFY HIM.
AND SO I LOVE THAT YOU WERE LIKE,
I'M GOING TO DO THIS, AND I'M GOING TO
DO THIS WITH EXCELLENCE.
BECAUSE WHEN YOU'RE IN THAT HOSPITAL ROOM,
IT SOUNDED LIKE GOD LIT A FIRE WITHIN YOU.
VICTORY: YEAH.
REBECCA: AND IT'S LIKE YOU CAN'T CONTAIN YOURSELF.
AND WHEN YOU REALIZE GOD'S LIKE,
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO DO IT THROUGH TALKING PEOPLE,
AND YOU'RE GOING TO DO IT THROUGH THE GIFT I'VE
GIVEN YOU THROUGH MUSIC.
AND YOU'RE LIKE, OKAY, WELL,
I'M GOING TO DO THIS.
I'M GOING TO DO THE BEST TO MY ABILITY AND THAT'S
SUCH A GOOD WORD.
SO YOU GET SENT OUT FROM THIS EXPERIENCE,
WHAT HAPPENS?
VICTORY: WHAT HAPPENS NEXT IS I HID THIS VISION IN MY
HEART, BECAUSE THE LORD SHOWED ME THAT HE WAS
GOING TO TAKE ME TO THE TOP OF THE WORLD.
REBECCA: AND THAT'S A WORD OF WISDOM, TOO,
THAT YOU HID IT.
VICTORY: WELL, LISTEN, NO ONE.
BECAUSE, BECAUSE EVERYONE ELSE WOULD SHOOT IT DOWN.
REBECCA: EXACTLY.
VICTORY: BECAUSE I WAS SO FAR REMOVED FROM THE LIMELIGHT,
FROM ANY NOTORIETY.
I MEAN, YEAH, I WAS JUST COMPLETELY IN ANOTHER
PLANET THAN WHERE I EXIST NOW.
REBECCA: ONLY GOD COULD BRING YOU TO WHERE YOU'RE AT.
VICTORY: EXACTLY.
SO AT THE TIME, IT'S JUST GOD SHOWED ME THAT HE'S
GOING TO TAKE ME TO THE TOP OF THE WORLD AND NOT
THE TOP OF THE CHRISTIAN WORLD.
THE TOP JUST THE WORLD, PERIOD.
AND I'M GOING TO SHARE THE TESTIMONY OF WHAT HE DID
FOR ME IN THE VALLEY.
AND SO I WAS LIKE, I GOT TO GET READY FOR THE TOP
OF THE WORLD, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
REBECCA: IT'S SUCH A GOOD WORD.
VICTORY: YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
IT'S LIKE, I -- WHAT WILL I DO WHEN I GET THERE?
WHAT SONGS WILL I SING?
WILL I EVEN KNOW HOW TO PLAY THE GUITAR?
WILL I KNOW HOW TO PLAY THE PIANO?
WELL, WHAT?
WHAT'S THE SOUND?
SO BASICALLY, I STARTED GOING THROUGH ALL OF
THESE, ALL OF THESE THINGS AND I'M LIKE, YOU KNOW,
AT THE TIME I WAS VERY MUCH A DEVELOPING ARTIST.
I PROBABLY HAD MAYBE 5 TO 10 SONGS THAT I HAD EVER
WRITTEN IN MY LIFE.
AND SO I DIDN'T HAVE A LOT OF, A LOT UNDER MY BELT AT
THE TIME IN TERMS OF SKILL.
I MEAN, SURE, I COULD SING,
I COULD PLAY THE GUITAR, BUT I DIDN'T HAVE
A LOT OF SONGS.
I WASN'T A MUSIC PRODUCER.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S SO MANY FACETS OF MUSIC THAT
I'VE HAD TO GROW IN SINCE THEN.
BUT BASICALLY, THE NEXT THING I DID WAS I JUST
STARTED DIVING IN 100% AND INVESTING IN GROWING,
YOU KNOW, AS A PRODUCER, AS A SONGWRITER,
AS A SINGER, AS A MUSICIAN.
AND SO THAT WAS 2016 WHEN I,
WHEN I SIGNED WITH JAY AND SO AND I WAS IT WAS 2013
WHEN I GOT IN THIS ACCIDENT.
SO THAT WAS THREE YEARS --
REBECCA: OF PREPARATION.
VICTORY: OF PREPARATION.
WHEN JAY-Z HEARD ABOUT ME, HE SOMEONE SENT A VIDEO OF
ME SINGING IN CENTRAL PARK TO JAY,
AND HE WAS REALLY IMPRESSED.
NOW HERE'S THE THING.
I ALWAYS SANG WITH MY FAMILY IN CENTRAL PARK.
BUT THEN I ALSO WOULD SING BY MYSELF DURING DOWNTIMES
OR GET THERE EARLIER OR LATER.
REBECCA: SO YOU COULD PRACTICE?
VICTORY: YEAH, PRACTICE AND MAKE EXTRA CASH.
REBECCA: YOU GOT TO DO WHAT YOU GOT TO DO.
VICTORY: LISTEN, ENTREPRENEURIAL.
REBECCA: SO YOU WOULD SING ON YOUR OWN.
VICTORY: YEAH, I WOULD SING ON MY OWN.
I WOULD TEST OUT ALL THE NEW SONGS
THAT I JUST WROTE.
REBECCA: OH, NICE.
VICTORY: YOU KNOW, I LOVED WRITING SONGS AND THEN TESTING
THEM OUT IN THE SUBWAY OR IN THE,
YOU KNOW, WHEREVER.
SO THAT PEOPLE COULD, I COULD SEE, YOU KNOW,
YOU KNOW, LIKE WHEN PEOPLE CREATE SOMETHING AND THEY
AS A FRIEND, THEY COME AND ASK YOUR OPINION AND THEN
YOU REALLY DON'T WANT TO KNOW THE TRUTH.
YOU REALLY JUST WANT THEM TO CELEBRATE YOU.
REBECCA: YEAH.
VICTORY: BECAUSE YOU DID SOMETHING AMAZING.
REBECCA: YOU JUST PUT YOUR HEART AND SOUL INTO SOMETHING.
VICTORY: EXACTLY.
BUT WHEN YOU TAKE SOMETHING THAT YOU'VE JUST
CREATED TO THIS PUBLIC FORUM WHERE PEOPLE ARE NOT
YOUR FRIENDS, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY
TRYING TO STOP AND SMELL THE ROSES.
BUT WHEN THEY DO STOP AND WHEN THEY DO HAVE A
MOMENT, AND WHEN THEY DO CRY AND SHED A TEAR,
THAT WAS MY LITMUS TEST FOR ME TO KNOW THAT I
REALLY HIT THE MARK ON A SONG.
AND SO, AND SO, YEAH, I, I KIND OF LIKE
MADE A SPORT OUT OF, YOU KNOW,
BEING ABLE TO GO OUT AND JUST SING FOR, YOU KNOW,
EVERYONE AND ANYONE, REGARDLESS OF, YOU KNOW,
THEIR BACKGROUND OR WHAT THEY BELIEVE.
AND SEEING MY ABILITY, YOU KNOW,
TO TRANSCEND EVERYTHING AND PIERCE THROUGH ALL THE
NOISE AND, AND CONNECT WITH AN INDIVIDUAL.
AND SO, AND SO YEAH, THAT WAS,
THAT WAS THE EXTENT OF MY SOLO CAREER.
REBECCA: YEAH.
VICTORY: BEFORE GETTING SIGNED AND, OTHER THAN THAT,
I SANG WITH MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS AND WE GREW UP
SINGING TOGETHER SINCE WE WERE BABIES.
AND, AND SO WE ALL ENDED
UP GETTING SIGNED TOGETHER.
BUT JAY, JAY-Z REQUESTED THAT MY ALBUM BE THE FIRST
ALBUM ON OUR DEAL.
SO MY, MY FIRST ALBUM ON ROC NATION IS AN ALBUM I
WROTE CALLEDTHE BROKEN INSTRUMENT.
SO WHEN WE GOT SIGNED, YOU KNOW,
I'VE BEEN HOLDING THIS IN MY HEART THAT, YOU KNOW,
GOD IS GOING TO TAKE ME TO THE TOP OF THE WORLD TO
SHARE MY TESTIMONY.
AND SO HERE WE ARE THREE YEARS LATER,
AND JAY-Z IS OFFERING A DEAL.
REBECCA: WILD.
VICTORY: THAT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S THE TOP OF THE WORLD.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
AND I HAD TO REMIND MYSELF, OKAY, WE'RE HERE.
WE'VE BEEN PREPARING TO BE HERE.
WE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE QUALIFIED TO BE HERE,
BUT WE'RE HERE TO SHARE A MESSAGE.
AND SO THAT'S WHY MY FIRST ALBUM,
EVEN THOUGH IT WASN'T NECESSARILY A GOSPEL ALBUM,
IT WAS, IT WAS STILL CREATED TO SHARE
THE MESSAGE OF THE GOSPEL IN A MORE INNOVATIVE WAY
THAN TRADITIONAL WAYS.
SO I WROTE, THIS SONG CALLEDBROKEN INSTRUMENT,
WHICH IS TO ME, IT'S LIKE A SONIC MOVIE.
IT'S LIKE USING PAINTING A PICTURE OF CHRIST VERSUS
JUST VERBALLY TELLING PEOPLE,
CHRIST OR JESUS LOVES YOU, OR REPENT SO THAT YOU CAN
BE SAVED AND GO TO HEAVEN.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
LIKE I CAN VERBALLY TELL YOU THE SCRIPTURES OR I
CAN PAINT A PICTURE.
SOTHE BROKEN INSTRUMENT IS THIS STORY OF AN
INSTRUMENT THAT HELD IMMENSE VALUE.
BUT UPON ROUGH TIMES, BECAME BROKEN BECAUSE OF
ITS FRAGILE NATURE IN A ROUGH WORLD.
AND SO AS SOON AS IT'S BROKEN,
IT LOST ITS VALUE AND IT WAS THROWN OUT AND
REJECTED AND KICKED TO THE CURB.
AND JUST LIKE ALL THE OTHER TRASH AND ALL THE
OTHER WORTHLESS THINGS IN LIFE,
IT WAS GATHERED AND PUT INTO THE GARBAGE TRUCK
AND TAKEN TO THE CITY DUMP
AND BURIED SIX FEET UNDERGROUND.
JUST LIKE ALL THESE THINGS.
AND THEN THE MAKER WHO CREATED THE INSTRUMENT
TAKES ON THE LIKENESS OF A REJECT AND,
AND HE'S DISGUISED AS A HOMELESS PERSON,
AND HE GOES INTO THE JUNKYARD AND HE IS FISHING
THROUGH THE JUNK PILES, AND HE FINDS THE
INSTRUMENT THAT HE CREATED.
AND THERE AT THE BOTTOM OF
THE PILE AND HE GRABS HOLD OF THIS INSTRUMENT
AND EXAMINES THE BROKEN NATURE.
AND THEN HE TAKES IT WITH HIM OUT OF THE PILE FROM
UNDERNEATH THE PILE, OUT OF THE GATES AT THE POINT
OF NO RETURN, NOTHING EVER COMES BACK OUT
OF THE JUNKYARD.
BUT THE MAKER WHO WAS DISGUISED AS A
HOMELESS PERSON, WENT IN BECAUSE WHO ELSE GOES INTO
A JUNKYARD TO FISH THROUGH JUNK PILES LIKE
HE TOOK ON THIS LIKENESS.
REBECCA: YEAH.
VICTORY: HE GOES IN, HE BRINGS OUT THE BROKEN,
AND HE IS THE ONLY WAY OUT OF THE PLACE OF NO RETURN.
JESUS LITERALLY WENT TO HELL.
NO ONE MAKES IT OUT OF HELL.
REBECCA: NO.
VICTORY: BUT HE TOOK ON THE LIKENESS OF THOSE THAT
DESERVE TO GO THERE.
REBECCA: YEAH.
VICTORY: AND HE WENT THERE BECAUSE HE KNEW THAT HE
WOULD HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO COME BACK OUT.
AND HE HAS THE ABILITY TO NOT HAVE TO STAY THERE.
AND SO IT'S LIKE THIS, THIS MAN,
THIS PICTURE OF THIS HOMELESS MAN,
HE'S IN THERE AND HE'S LIKE,
HE'S THE ONLY WAY OUT.
BUT THERE IS A WAY, THERE'S A WAY OUT OF IT, YOU KNOW?
AND SO AND SO THE MAKER,
HE TAKES THE INSTRUMENT OUT.
AND THEN IT TURNS OUT THE STORY GOES,
THIS IS A CRAZY SONG.
IT'S LIKE 15, 16 MINUTES, BUT I HAD TO WRITE IT...
REBECCA: INTO ITS FULLNESS.
VICTORY: INTO ITS FULLNESS.
REBECCA: YEAH.
VICTORY: BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT THE LORD DID FOR ME
IN THE VALLEY.
AND FINALLY, I HAVE THIS PLACE OF WHERE EARS,
WHERE I HAVE EARS,
BUT IT'S IN THE CONTEXT OF ART.
SO I'M GOING TO ARTFULLY PRESENT A PRESENTATION OF
WHAT JESUS DID FOR ME.
BUT IN THE CONTEXT OF A STORY IN THE --
REBECCA: WHICH IS WHAT JESUS DID IT.
VICTORY: EXACTLY.
EXACTLY.
IT'S THE PARABLES.
EXACTLY.
REBECCA: YOUR SONG SOUNDS LIKE THE PARABLE
WHERE THE GUY BOUGHT, SOLD EVERYTHING HE HAD TO BUY
THE FIELD SO HE COULD GET THE PEARL.
YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I THINK HE DID ALL TIME.
VICTORY: LISTEN, LISTEN, PEOPLE DIDN'T KNOW.
OH, A SINGER SONGWRITER.
OH, A FOLK.
OH, SHE'S LIKE TRACY CHAPMAN, OR SHE'S LIKE,
YEAH, I'LL TAKE IT.
REBECCA: AND THERE'S PEOPLE WHO WOULD LISTEN TO YOU THAT
WOULD NOT WALK INTO A CHURCH.
VICTORY: EXACTLY.
REBECCA: YEAH.
AND THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT CREATING BEAUTY
AND SPEAKING TO WHAT THE WHOLE.
BECAUSE IT SAYS THAT ETERNITY IS IN OUR HEARTS.
VICTORY: YEAH.
REBECCA: SO IN THE HEART OF EVERY MAN IS THE DESIRE TO
KNOW GOD AND TO BE CONNECTED TO HIM.
BUT IF YOU CAN ALMOST PAINT A PICTURE,
YOU CAN TAP INTO THAT PART OF THE HEART AND DRAW THAT
PERSON IN TO WHERE THEY'LL WANT MORE.
VICTORY: EXACTLY.
I REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME I SANG THIS SONG
BROKEN INSTRUMENT LIVE,
I WAS ON TOUR WITH A JAZZ ARTIST AS HIS OPENING ACT.
AND WE WERE IN ARIZONA AND I JUST TOLD THE AUDIENCE,
YOU KNOW, I'M GOING TO DO
SOMETHING I'VE NEVER DONE BEFORE.
I'M GOING TO SING A 16-MINUTE SONG FOR YOU AND
YOU'RE GOING TO LOVE IT.
AND SO I DID,
I SANGTHE BROKEN INSTRUMENT .
AND AFTERWARDS, YOU KNOW, I'M GREETING PEOPLE AND THESE
TWO WOMEN CAME UP TO ME.
THEY WERE BOTH WEEPING.
THEY SAID, THERE'S SOMETHING VERY SPECIAL
ABOUT YOUR SONG BROKEN INSTRUMENT.
YOU JUST SANG OUR LIVES AND PRESENTED IT ON A STAGE.
AND NO ONE'S EVER BEEN ABLE TO LIKE
EXPRESS THE DEPTHS.
IT WAS JUST REALLY --
I'LL NEVER FORGET THAT BECAUSE THESE WOMEN
PROBABLY HAVE AN AVERSION TO CHRISTIANITY IN THE
CHURCH AND ALL THE THINGS AND BUT THEY HEARD AND IT
WAS CLEARLY LAID OUT FOR THEM,
A PICTURE OF A SAVIOR THAT WILL STOP AT NOTHING TO BE
ABLE TO REACH THEM
AND TO REACH ANY OF US AND ALL OF US WHEN WE ARE IN
OUR PLACE OF BROKENNESS IN A JUNKYARD BURIED
UNDERNEATH ALL THE OTHER CRAP IN LIFE.
REBECCA: YEAH.
VICTORY: YOU KNOW, AND REJECTED AND, YOU KNOW,
DEEMED AS UNFIT AND NO PURPOSE AND NO VALUE.
REBECCA: WORTHLESS.
VICTORY: YEAH, WORTHLESS YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
BUT IT'S LIKE JESUS CAME, AND TOOK ON THIS LIKENESS,
TREATED AS IF HE WAS WORTHLESS ALSO.
YET HE WAS SECRETLY THE MOST VALUABLE...
REBECCA: SON OF GOD.
VICTORY: EXACTLY.
REBECCA: YEAH.
VICTORY: EXACTLY.
AND IT'S JUST LIKE --
REBECCA: AND PERFECTLY INNOCENT
AND TOOK ON OUR THE SINS OF THE WORLD.
VICTORY: RIGHT, RIGHT.
REBECCA: SUFFERED A DEATH THAT WE SHOULD HAVE SUFFERED,
WENT TO HELL.
EXACTLY, HE STOOD IN OUR PLACE.
VICTORY: EXACTLY.
REBECCA: AND YET HE WAS THE ONLY ONE THAT
COULD MAKE HIS WAY OUT.
VICTORY: EXACTLY.
REBECCA: AND THE VICTORY.
VICTORY: YES.
REBECCA: AND THE BIBLE SAYS IN COLOSSIANS,
HE WAS THE FIRSTBORN FROM AMONG THE DEAD.
VICTORY: YES.
REBECCA: AND SO NOW WE, WHERE THE WORD BORN AGAIN COME FROM,
THAT CONCEPT COMES FROM THE FACT THAT
WE ARE BORN AGAIN IN HIM.
NEW LIFE.
VICTOR: YES, YES.
AND, YOU KNOW, I JUST THINK OF LIKE WHEN I WAS
RECOVERING FROM THIS ACCIDENT,
THE PICTURE I SAW WAS LIKE,
I WASN'T STRONG ENOUGH TO GET UP AND COME UP ON MY OWN.
BUT IT WAS LIKE JESUS WAS THE REASON WHY HE WENT
THROUGH ALL OF THIS,
THE CROSS AND DEATH AND BURIAL WAS BECAUSE THAT'S
WHERE HE KNEW HE'D FIND ME.
AND HE KNEW THAT I WOULDN'T HAVE POWER TO GET UP,
BUT HE DOES.
AND THAT SIMPLY IF I JUST HOLD ON TO HIS HAND,
WE'LL COME UP TOGETHER IN RESURRECTION.
AND SO MY THING WAS LIKE, I'VE BEEN A CHRISTIAN MY
WHOLE LIFE, AND NOBODY EVER TOLD ME THIS.
REBECCA: YEAH, I UNDERSTAND THAT FEELING.
VICTORY: I WAS LIKE, YOU KNOW WHAT?
I NEED TO CREATE PICTURES THAT HELP PEOPLE TO SEE
FROM A PERSPECTIVE THAT THAT
THEY DON'T TYPICALLY RECEIVE IN.
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU, IF YOU TYPICALLY RECEIVE
THE GOSPEL IN A FORMAT OF, YOU KNOW,
SITTING DOWN IN A CHURCH AND THE CHURCH ALWAYS
LOOKS A CERTAIN WAY AND IT SOUNDS A CERTAIN WAY.
REBECCA: YEAH.
VICTORY: AND THEN THE MUSIC IS LIKE --
REBECCA: IS A CERTAIN MESSAGE.
VICTORY: YEAH.
A CERTAIN TONE.
REBECCA: EVEN VOCABULARY.
VICTORY: YES.
REBECCA: EVERYTHING.
VICTORY: YOU FEEL AS IF YOU KNOW ALREADY.
REBECCAA: YOU'RE LIKE, THIS IS IT.
VICTORY: YEAH.
AND THAT'S VERY DANGEROUS.
REBECCA: YEAH.
VICTORY: BECAUSE IF YOU KNOW ALREADY,
THEN YOU'RE NOT GOING TO LEAN INTO TAPPING INTO
THAT WHICH YOU DON'T KNOW.
REBECCA: YEAH.
AND IT'S NOT ABOUT KNOWING,
IT'S NOT ABOUT KNOWING WHAT, YOU KNOW,
THROUGH AN EXPERIENCE IN A CHURCH.
IT'S ABOUT KNOWING HIM FOR YOURSELF.
VICTORY: YEAH.
REBECCA: AND WHEN YOU WENT THROUGH THAT ACCIDENT
BECAUSE YOU WERE, IT'S LIKE I GET
WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
IT'S LIKE YOU GREW UP IN A CHRISTIAN HOME.
YOU GREW UP IN MINISTRY LITERALLY YOUR WHOLE LIFE.
SO YOU'RE LIKE, I ALWAYS KNEW GOD WAS REAL.
IT'S LITERALLY WHAT YOU WERE LIVING.
BUT IT'S ANOTHER THING WHEN THAT GETS PUT TO THE TEST.
AND LIKE YOU SAID, WHEN YOU'RE IN THE VALLEY
AND YOU EXPERIENCE INTIMACY WITH GOD IN THE
VALLEY, IT'S UNLIKE ANYTHING ELSE.
AND YOU GET TO SEE GOD IN A REAL AND RAW AND
PERSONAL WAY THAT YOU WOULDN'T SEE JUST BY
SITTING DOWN IN A CHURCH.
VICTORY: EXACTLY.
REBECCA: NOT TO NEGATE CHURCH.
VICTORY: RIGHT, NO, WE NEED IT.
REBECCA: BUT YOU HAVE TO --
AND THERE'S A DIFFERENCE, EVEN BETWEEN MINISTRY
AND RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.
YOU MINISTER OUT OF YOUR LIKE FROM YOUR
RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.
BUT IF YOU GO OUT AND MINISTER,
IT'S NOT GOING TO BE THE SAME AS SPENDING TIME
ALONE WITH HIM.
VICTORY: RIGHT.
REBECCA: IN THE SECRET PLACE.
AND I THINK AS I'M GOING
THROUGH THE GOSPELS AND I FEEL LIKE FOR THE FIRST
TIME, EVEN REALLY FULLY APPRECIATING IT,
EVEN THOUGH I'VE BEEN IN CHURCH MY WHOLE LIFE,
I JUST, IT'S LIKE LIKE I SAID,
IT'S BEING IN A DIFFERENT PHASE OF LIFE,
BEING ABLE TO RECEIVE AND SEE A CLEARER PICTURE.
AND IT'S JUST ONE THING THAT'S SO OBVIOUS TO ME IS
THAT JESUS ALWAYS LIKE PRIORITIZED GOING AWAY
AND SPENDING TIME WITH THE FATHER.
VICTORY: YEAH.
REBECCA: AND HE --
THERE WOULD BE CROWDS OF PEOPLE AROUND HIM
AND HE'S LIKE, I HAVE TO GO, LIKE HE KNEW
WHEN HE NEEDED TO GO AND BE ALONE.
AND HE NEVER --
AND HE WAS THE SON OF GOD.
BUT HE UNDERSTOOD HE HAD TO FUNCTION OUT OF HIS
RELATIONSHIP WITH THE FATHER.
VICTORY: YEAH.
REBECCA: SO HE PRIORITIZED THAT.
SO IT'S LIKE YOU CAN BE IN MINISTRY,
YOU CAN BE PREACHING THE GOSPEL.
YOU CAN BE TALKING TO PEOPLE AND PRAYING FOR
PEOPLE, BUT IT'S NOT YOUR SECRET PLACE
WITH THE LORD.
VICTORY: RIGHT.
REBECCA: AND MINISTRY CAN'T REPLACE THAT.
MINISTRY HAS TO FLOW FROM THAT.
VICTORY: EXACTLY.
REBECCA: AND IF YOU LOSE THAT PLACE OF INTIMACY WITH THE LORD,
I THINK YOU CAN FALL IN MINISTRY
JUST FROM TIREDNESS.
VICTORY: OH, YEAH.
REBECCA: BECAUSE YOU CAN'T DO IT WITHOUT HIM.
VICTORY: YOU CAN'T GIVE WHAT YOU DON'T HAVE.
REBECCA: EXACTLY.
SO YOU DOBROKEN INSTRUMENT,
WHAT WAS THAT PROCESS LIKE?
WAS YOUR -- WERE THEY SUPPORTIVE OF YOUR MUSIC?
BECAUSE I KNOW WITH BEING SIGNED TO A LABEL,
A LOT OF TIMES THEY'LL HAVE EXPECTATIONS.
LIKE HOW DO YOU NAVIGATE THAT?
VICTORY: YEAH.
NO, YOU KNOW, MY FIRST ALBUM,
I WAS GIVEN A LOT OF CREATIVE FREEDOM BECAUSE --
REBECCA: YEAH, A 16-MINUTE SONG.
THAT'S IMPRESSIVE BECAUSE YOU KNOW HOW A LOT
OF TIMES THEY'RE LIKE, IT NEEDS TO BE THIS LONG
AND THIS AND THIS.
VICTORY: YEAH, YEAH.
THEIR THING WAS, WE DON'T WANT TO MESS IT UP.
REBECCA: THAT'S AWESOME.
KUDOS TO THEM.
I HAVE TO SAY FOR GIVING YOU FREEDOM.
VICTORY: YEAH, YEAH.
ABSOLUTELY, NO, IT'S A VERY SPECIAL DYNAMIC.
AND THAT'S WHY I REALLY KNOW THAT IT WAS THE LORD
THAT SET ME UP.
AND, YOU KNOW, TO DO THIS BECAUSE HONESTLY,
THERE ARE A LOT -- MOST CHRISTIANS --
I HAVEN'T HEARD
OF A CHRISTIAN LABEL THAT WILL GIVE AN ARTIST
THAT KIND OF FREEDOM.
REBECCA: NO, IT JUST REALLY SHOWS YOU LIKE,
THIS HAS JUST BEEN A GOD THING THROUGH AND THROUGH.
BECAUSE IT'S LIKE HOW COULD YOU --
ONLY GOD CAN SET THIS UP.
VICTORY: YEAH.
REBECCA: SO I WANT TO TALK ABOUTGLORY HOUR.
VICTORY: YEAH.
REBECCA: SO IS THAT WHAT FOLLOWSBROKEN INSTRUMENT ?
SO TELL ABOUT THE PROCESS BEHIND THIS ALBUM BECAUSE
THIS WAS LIKE MORE OF A MORE OF A GOSPEL.
VICTORY: YES.
THIS ONE, YOU KNOW, IT TOOK A LOT OF
RELATIONAL EQUITY AND TO GROW IN FAVOR,
TO BE ABLE TO GET TO THIS POINT WHERE
I NEED YOU TO TRUST ME.
REBECCA: OKAY.
VICTORY: WE'RE GOING TO GO HERE, YOU KNOW,
AND WHAT HAPPENED WAS, YOU KNOW, IT WAS,
ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY WHERE I HAD TO PERFORM
THE BROKEN INSTRUMENT WAS IN THIS AUDIENCE, IN FRONT OF
AN AUDIENCE OF, YOU KNOW, WEALTHY INDIVIDUALS.
AND KANYE HAPPENED TO BE IN THAT ROOM WHEN I,
WHEN I SANGBROKEN INSTRUMENT.
REBECCA: WERE YOU INTIMIDATED?
VICTORY: YOU KNOW, HONESTLY, I WAS --
I FELT LIKE THIS WAS
A MOMENT OF DESTINY, YOU KNOW?
REBECCA: SEE, I LOVE THAT.
I FEEL LIKE YOU --
I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS I'M GETTING THROUGH THIS
INTERVIEWING YOU IS YOU DON'T MAKE
IT ABOUT YOURSELF.
YOU JUST KNOW THAT GOD HAS A PURPOSE FOR YOU.
AND SO YOU CAN WALK INTO PLACES OF INFLUENCE
BECAUSE YOU DON'T MAKE IT ABOUT YOU.
YOU MAKE IT ABOUT HIM, AND YOU'RE LIKE,
I'M GOING TO SEIZE THIS OPPORTUNITY.
I THINK WHEN PEOPLE MAKE IT ABOUT THEMSELVES,
THAT'S WHERE THEY CAN GET INTIMIDATED.
BUT LIKE THE BEAUTY AND THE FREEDOM IS LIKE,
IT'S NOT YOU DON'T --
IT'S WHAT IT GOES BACK TO THE WHOLE IDENTITY THING.
VICTORY: YEAH.
REBECCA: YOUR IDENTITY ISN'T IN HOW YOU PERFORM THIS OR THIS
OR THAT OR WHAT THESE, YOU KNOW,
HIGH INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE THINK OF YOU.
SO YOU HAVE THIS FREEDOM TO JUST DO WHAT YOU DO
WITH EXCELLENCE AND MINISTER.
VICTORY: YEAH.
YEAH.
AND TRUST ME, IT TOOK ME A PROCESS TO GET TO A
PLACE WHERE I'M NOT CONSUMED WITH MYSELF.
REBECCA: THAT'S HARD.
VICTORY: YEAH, YEAH, YEAH.
THE LORD HAS HAD TO REFINE ME IN THIS.
IT'S A DISCIPLINE.
IT'S A DISCIPLINE OF YOUR -- A DISCIPLINE GAZE.
REBECCA: YEAH.
OH, WOW.
OF WHAT YOUR FOCUS IS ON.
VICTORY: YES, EXACTLY.
LIKE SO, SO YOU COULD BE DISTRACTED AND BEHOLD
HOW BEAUTIFUL YOU ARE AND HOW AMAZING YOU ARE.
ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU NEED TO LOOK REALLY BEAUTIFUL
AND, LIKE, INVEST A LOT IN JUST
YOUR APPEARANCE AND GRANDEUR.
SO THAT CAN BE A BIG DISTRACTION,
BUT YOU CAN ALSO BE DISTRACTED BY HOW WEAK YOU ARE
AND HOW TIRED YOU ARE, AND HOW MUCH YOU NEED
AND HOW MUCH YOU DON'T HAVE,
AND HOW EVERYTHING'S FALLING APART.
AND SUDDENLY, YOUR GAZE CAN BE ONLY ON THAT.
AND SO YOU'RE CARRYING, YOU'RE CARRYING THIS
BROKENNESS, OR YOUR GAZE CAN BE ON HOW AMAZING YOU ARE.
AND SO NOW YOU'RE CARRYING THIS PRIDE.
SO BOTH OF THEM ARE,
I'VE BEEN ON BOTH EXTREMES A LOT,
A LOT OF TIMES.
REBECCA: YEAH.
VICTORY: AND SO WHAT I'VE LEARNED IS I ALWAYS FALL WELL
BENEATH THE POTENTIAL OF WHAT THE OPPORTUNITY COULD
HAVE BEEN WHEN MY GAZE IS TORN.
REBECCA: YEAH.
VICTORY: YOU KNOW, AND SO,
BUT IF I HAVE A GAZE THAT IS
OH MY GOSH, I'M, I'M BEHOLDING THE LORD AND THE
TRAIN OF HIS ROBE IS FILLING THE TEMPLE.
AND THE ANGELS ARE SINGING HOLY, HOLY, HOLY.
AND I'M SINGING WITH THEM.
AND THEN I DON'T CARE WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THIS,
IN THIS, IN THIS REALM, RIGHT NOW
I'M HERE IN THIS REALM.
AND SO AT THAT POINT, THAT'S WHEN EVERYTHING IS
JUST SO TRANSCENDENT.
REBECCA: YES.
VICTORY: AND I KNOW, AND IT'S LIKE EVERYONE ELSE STARTS TO
FEEL HIS GLORY TOO, YOU KNOW.
SO BUT THAT TOOK ME A PROCESS TO DISCIPLINE MY EYES.
REBECCA: BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY THINGS,
LIKE YOU SAID, YOU CAN FOCUS ON,
BUT YOU'VE LEARNED TO FOCUS ON HIM.
VICTORY: YEAH.
REBECCA: SO YOU'RE IN THIS ROOM SINGINGBROKEN INSTRUMENT.
KANYE IS THERE.
WHAT HAPPENS?
VICTORY: SO HE'S REALLY MOVED.
I GET A STANDING OVATION.
AND THEN HE COMES UP TO ME
AFTERWARDS AND SAYS, WE NEED TO GET
IN THE STUDIO TOGETHER.
AND SO A FEW WEEKS LATER,
WE'RE IN THE STUDIO AND WE'RE WORKING
ON ACTUALLY MY MUSIC.
AND THEN HE ASKS ME IF I WOULD HELP HIM WORK ON HIS
MUSIC, AND HE PLAYS ME
THE ROUGH DRAFT OF THE SONGCLOSED ON SUNDAY.
AND IT WAS ALL -- HE HAD WAS THE CHORUS CLOSED ON SUNDAY.
YOU MY CHICK-FIL-A, RIGHT.
AND HE PLAYS THAT OVER AND OVER,
JUST THAT LINE AND THE BEAT.
AND HE'S LIKE, I NEED YOU TO HELP ME WRITE THIS.
I NEED YOU TO MAKE IT GOSPEL.
AND, BECAUSE HE WAS SO MOVED BY THE GOSPEL
MESSAGE THAT HE FELT IN THE BROKEN INSTRUMENT.
AND SO, YEAH, I GO ON TO WRITE THE MAJORITY OF THE
LYRICS ONCLOSED ON SUNDAY
AND ANOTHER SONG CALLED GOD IS ON THE CLOSED --
ON THEJESUS IS KING ALBUM.
AND SO THIS IS LIKE 2019.
AND SO EVERY DAY WHEN I'M ON YE'S TEAM FOR LIKE
THREE MONTHS, I'M WRITING MULTIPLE VERSES A DAY,
AND IT WAS JUST ALL, ALL GOSPEL, YOU KNOW,
NOT PARABLES, NOT LIKE LET ME TAKE THE TIME TO
MAKE THIS -- PAINT THIS PICTURE OF THE ESSENCE OF
THE GOSPEL AND THEY'LL GET IT LIKE, NO,
EVERYTHING WAS KANYE WAS ON MY CASE.
WE NEED TO HAVE THE NAME OF JESUS.
WE NEED TO HAVE THE BLOOD OF JESUS.
WE NEED TO HAVE LIKE, ALL THE LIKE,
BECAUSE THAT'S THE REAL POWER.
REBECCA: THAT'S TRUE.
VICTORY: YES, THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME
I WROTE BLATANTLY GOSPEL MUSIC.
MY WHOLE CAREER UP TO THAT POINT WAS UNDERCOVER.
REBECCA: YEAH.
VICTORY: YOU KNOW, AND THEN KANYE'S LIKE AND HONESTLY,
LIKE I WROTE MY DREAM DOWN THE YEAR I GOT SIGNED
TO ROC NATION.
I WROTE DOWN MY DREAM, WHICH WAS TO SEE THE HOLY
SPIRIT USE ME IN A WAY WHERE CULTURE IS CHANGED
SO MUCH THAT IT'S NO LONGER, SO MUCH THAT IT IS
NO LONGER POPULAR TO BE WICKED LIKE...
AND THAT'S A PRETTY BIG THING, BECAUSE WHEN,
ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE AMONGST
A VERY DARK ENTERTAINMENT CULTURE AND YOU'RE AMONGST
THE TOP OF THAT SPACE, LIKE TO GROW TO A PLACE OF
INFLUENCE WHERE YOU CAN, YOU CAN DECIDE WHAT IS
COOL AND POPULAR, AND THEN YOU CAN SAY THAT JESUS IS
COOL AND POPULAR, YOU KNOW?
SO THAT WAS MY DREAM.
AND THEN WHEN I SAW KANYE DOING THAT WITH SUNDAY
SERVICE, I WAS LIKE, I'VE GOT TO BE A PART OF IT.
THIS IS MY DREAM.
REBECCA: YEAH.
VICTORY: AND THEN...
REBECCA: YEAH.
VICTORY: AND THEN WE,
WE LITERALLY REACHED MY DREAM WITHJESUS IS KING.
YOU HAD EVERY KIND OF YOUNG PERSON.
JESUS IS COOL, LIKE IT WAS THE CULTURE,
A CULTURAL PHENOMENON.
REBECCA: A CULTURE SHIFT.
VICTORY: YEAH.
WHERE THIS IS WHAT IS, WHAT WE'RE ALL RAVING ABOUT
AND RAGING ABOUT AND IS JESUS AND JESUS IS KING.
NOW, THAT MOVEMENT WASN'T SUSTAINED BECAUSE OF THE
OBVIOUS SPIRITUAL WARFARE.
REBECCA: YEAH.
VICTORY: YOU KNOW, AND THERE WASN'T A BIG INTERCESSION
MOVEMENT BEHIND IT.
IT'S LIKE INFLUENCE IS NOT WHAT'S GOING TO BRING THIS
CULTURAL SHIFT TO PASS.
INFLUENCE CAN BE USED.
YEAH, BUT IT'S INTERCESSION THAT HAS THE
AUTHORITY TO BRING THAT KIND OF CULTURAL
REVOLUTION TO PASS.
REBECCA: I FEEL THE WEIGHT ON THAT,
LIKE THAT NEEDS TO BE SAID.
VICTORY: YEAH.
REBECCA: LIKE INFLUENCE CAN BE USED MAYBE SOMEWHAT TO
OPEN THE DOOR AND INTRODUCE IT TO THE PEOPLE.
VICTORY: WHICH IS WHAT HAPPENED.
REBECCA: BUT THERE HAS TO BE THAT UNDERCURRENT
OF THE SPIRIT, THE INTERCESSION, THE CHANGE.
I MEAN, INTERCESSION IS WHAT BIRTHS REVIVAL.
VICTORY: YES.
YOU CANNOT, YOU DON'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO RELEASE
A REVIVAL JUST BECAUSE...
REBECCA: YEAH.
VICTORY: YOU'RE SUPER FAMOUS.
REBECCA: NO.
VICTORY: YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
LIKE, AND SO IT WAS A WONDERFUL VISION,
BUT IT WASN'T SUSTAINED.
AND, AND I FELT LIKE...
REBECCA: AND THAT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME, TOO,
WITHIN THE CHURCH BECAUSE
THE ENEMY HATES THAT STUFF.
SO HE'S GOING TO TRY TO, YOU KNOW,
SNUFF THAT OUT.
STOP THAT.
VICTORY: EXACTLY, EXACTLY.
REBECCA: AND HERE YOU HAVE SOMEONE THAT,
YOU KNOW, WAS NEW.
HE GREW UP IN CHURCH AND STUFF,
BUT HE WAS NEW TO SURRENDERING HIS LIFE TO GOD.
AND HE'S IN A VERY, THAT'S A VERY DIFFICULT POSITION
TO BE IN.
VICTORY: VULNERABLE.
REBECCA: SUPER VULNERABLE.
AND PEOPLE WHO USED HIM AND ABUSED HIM, YOU KNOW.
AND SO HE WAS IN A VERY DIFFICULT SPOT HIMSELF.
VICTORY: YEAH.
YEAH.
THERE'S A LOT BEHIND THE SCENES THAT I
GOT TO WITNESS AND...
REBECCA: AND THAT MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT.
YEAH, I THINK IF PEOPLE SAW LIKE THE FULL PICTURE,
I THINK THEY WOULD LOOK AT HIM DIFFERENTLY.
VICTORY: YEAH.
NO, ABSOLUTELY, ABSOLUTELY.
DEFINITELY A LOT OF GRACE.
WE SHOULD, YOU KNOW, MEASURE THINGS THROUGH
THROUGH GRACE AND UNDERSTANDING AND
COMPASSION BECAUSE NO ONE REALLY KNOWS WHAT IT'S
LIKE TO WALK HIS SHOES.
YOU KNOW, THAT EXPERIENCE, YOU KNOW...
REBECCA: WHAT DID YOU LEARN FROM IT?
VICTORY: I LEARNED A LOT.
I LEARNED, WELL, I LEARNED HOW TO WRITE BETTER SONGS.
REBECCA: YEAH.
VICTORY: THE BIGGEST THING I LEARNED IS THAT AS
CHRISTIANS, WE CAN HOLD SPACE IN THE HIGHEST PLACE
OF CULTURE AND AMPLIFY THE TRUE MESSAGE THAT GOD HAS
MANDATED US TO CARRY, AND WE CAN DO IT
AS AN ART FORM.
REBECCA: YEAH.
VICTORY: AND, AND WHEN YOU HAVE EXCELLENT ART,
IT CAN HOLD ITS OWN, EVEN --
YOU KNOW, HOW MANY PEOPLE DON'T AGREE WITH DEVIL
WORSHIPING AND ALL OF THESE THINGS.
YET, IT'S AN -- WHEN YOU SEE A PERFORMANCE
ON THE GRAMMYS LIKE SAM SMITH,
IT'S AN HONOR.
IT'S LIKE WE CAN'T DISCRIMINATE AGAINST HIM
BECAUSE THAT'S HIS ART.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
AND SO BUT A LOT OF TIMES CHRISTIANS AREN'T AFFORDED
THAT SAME LICENSE.
YOU KNOW, HOW MANY TIMES ARE WE SHUT DOWN BECAUSE,
OH, THAT'S RELIGIOUS?
NO.
THIS IS MY ART FORM.
REBECCA: EXACTLY.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
LIKE MY SPIRITUALITY IS MIXED IN WITH MY ART FORM.
REBECCA: BECAUSE IT'S AN EXTENSION OF WHO YOU ARE.
EXACTLY.
AND SO IN THE SAME WAY THAT I RESPECT ALL OF
THESE OTHER FORMS OF ART, THEY GET ON STAGE AND
THEY'RE STRIPPING AND ALL THIS,
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
IT'S LIKE, OKAY, THAT'S YOUR LICENSE.
THAT'S HOW YOU FEEL.
THAT'S YOUR TRUTH.
JUST DON'T COME AT ME WHEN I'M DOING MY TRUTH.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
REBECCA: EXACTLY:
VICTORY: AND SO AND SO I GOT TO SEE.
BUT HERE'S THE THING.
A LOT OF TIMES, CHRISTIAN MUSIC IS NOT PACKAGED IN
AS EXCELLENT ART.
REBECCA: YEAH.
VICTORY: IT'S A LOT OF TIMES SPECIFICALLY PACKAGED FOR
THESE FORMATS OF, OF RADIO OR LIKE WHETHER IT BE,
OH, THIS IS FOR THE 11 A.M.
SUNDAY MORNING WORSHIP SET AT OUR, YOU KNOW, THE,
YOU KNOW, THE WHITE CHURCH IN OUR COMMUNITY OR THIS
IS FOR THE 11 A.M.
SUNDAY MORNING SERVICE FOR THE BLACK CHURCH
IN OUR COMMUNITY.
IT'S LIKE IT'S ALL CREATED WITHIN THESE BOXES
AND STRUCTURES AND CONFINES...
REBECCA: WHICH LIMITS, LIMITS THE ART.
VICTORY: IT LIMITS THE ART.
WHEREAS IN THE WORLD, THEY JUST EXPRESS IT HOW
IT COMES, WHETHER IT MAKES SENSE OR NOT.
IT'S JUST THIS IS WHO I AM,
AND IT'S NOT BEING FILTERED THROUGH THE LENS
OF HOW CAN I BE THE BEST CHRISTIAN ARTIST?
YOU KNOW, HOW CAN I BE THE BEST IN THE BOX
THAT IS GOSPEL?
HOW CAN I BE THE BEST IN THE BOX THAT IS CCM?
YOU KNOW, PEOPLE LITERALLY ARE CREATING
MUSIC SO THEY CAN BE THE BEST ON K-LOVE.
THEY CAN BE THE BEST ON THE DOVE AWARDS
OR STELLAR AWARDS, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
BUT IT'S JUST LIKE MY GOAL WAS ALWAYS JUST TO BE
THE BEST IN THE WORLD.
REBECCA: YEAH.
VICTORY: YOU KNOW, EXPRESSING WHO, WHO I AM
AND WHO GOD IS IN ME,
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
AND SO WHEN I SAW WHAT THAT LOOKED LIKE FROM
SOMEONE WHO IS CONSIDERED THE BEST IN THE WORLD...
REBECCA: YEAH.
VICTORY: YOU KNOW, THE WAY KANYE'S MIND WORKS IS
JUST, LIKE, UNLOCKED A NEW LEVEL OF FREEDOM,
FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION, LIKE THAT,
IT'S LIKE, OH, OKAY, THIS IS WHERE -- THIS IS OUR
INHERITANCE AS SAINTS.
BUT A LOT OF TIMES, WE DON'T HAVE AN EXAMPLE OF
WHAT FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION LOOKS LIKE IN THE CHURCH.
YOU KNOW, HOW CAN I BE SUCCESSFUL VERSUS
UNDERSTANDING THAT YOU'RE ALREADY SUCCESSFUL
IN CHRIST.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
REBECCA: SO WHETHER --
VICTORY: DON'T STRIVE FOR SOMETHING,
LIVE FROM SOMETHING.
VICTORY: RIGHT.
WHATEVER THE NUMBERS SAY,
THAT'S NOT GOING TO CHANGE THE FACT THAT
I AM VICTORY IN CHRIST.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
REBECCA: AND THE NUMBERS DON'T NECESSARILY
REFLECT SUCCESS.
VICTORY: RIGHT.
REBECCA: BECAUSE YOU CAN DO SOMETHING
AND PEOPLE CAN LOVE IT.
BUT IF IT'S NOT WHAT THE LORD WANTED YOU TO DO,
IT'S NOT SUCCESS.
VICTORY: EXACTLY.
REBECCA: SO KINGDOM SUCCESS IS DIFFERENT
THAN WORLDLY SUCCESS,
AND WE CAN'T GET CAUGHT
UP IN THE NUMBERS GAME
AND THAT GAME.
NUMBERS ARE NOT NECESSARILY BAD.
VICTORY: NO.
REBECCA: BUT YOU CAN'T MEASURE YOUR SUCCESS.
YOUR SUCCESS IS THE LEVEL OF OBEDIENCE TO WHAT GOD
HAS CALLED YOU TO DO AND HAVE YOU DONE
IT WITH EXCELLENCE?
VICTORY: RIGHT.
THAT PART.
REBECCA: YOU SAID SOMETHING REALLY INTERESTING.
YOU SAID THROUGH THAT EXPERIENCE YOU WERE LIKE,
WOW, BELIEVERS CAN HOLD THIS SPACE AND CREATE IN
THIS SPACE WITHOUT RESTRICTION,
WITHOUT JUST TRYING TO PLEASE A SMALL GROUP OF
PEOPLE IN THIS BOX.
YOU REALIZE IT'S LIKE WE CAN BE UP HERE,
BUT A THING THAT I SEE HAPPENING WITH PEOPLE WHO
GET UP THERE IS THEY GET ENAMORED WITH BEING UP THERE.
VICTORY: OH, YEAH.
REBECCA: AND THEN WHAT I LOVE ABOUT YOU,
WHERE YOU HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT,
IS THAT YOU HAVEN'T COMPROMISED
WHO YOU ARE TO BE UP THERE.
BECAUSE I THINK SOMETIMES THEIR ANOINTING,
I JUST SEE THIS ALL THE TIME.
THEIR ANOINTING AND THEIR GIFTING,
GET THEM UP THERE.
AND THEN ONCE THEY THEY'RE UP THERE,
THEY COMPROMISE BECAUSE THEY LIKE BEING UP THERE.
THEY LIKE HOLDING THAT INFLUENCE.
BUT YOU HAVE TO --
THE THING WITH IN THIS SPACE
AND IN THIS WORLD IS THAT YOU ARE GOING TO BE PUT ON
THE SPOT BECAUSE WE'RE JUST IN SUCH
AN OPINIONATED SOCIETY.
WE'RE ALWAYS ASKING PEOPLE,
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND THIS ISSUE?
AND WE'RE CONSTANTLY PUTTING PEOPLE THAT EVEN
IF YOU DIDN'T WANT TO BE VOCAL IN THIS DAY AND AGE,
YOU ALMOST CAN'T AVOID IT ANYMORE.
AND SO, SO MANY TIMES WHEN THEY WOULD GET PRESSED IN THEIR
FAITH, THINGS THAT AS BELIEVERS,
WHAT WE WOULD SAY WOULD BE CONSIDERED CONTROVERSIAL
FROM A WORLDLY PERSPECTIVE, THEY WOULD,
YOU KNOW, HOLD BACK OR COMPROMISE
OR CHANGE THEIR BELIEFS,
BUT YOU LOSE, WHEN IT'S LIKE WHEN YOU COMP --
IT'S LIKE, THIS IS THE WAY I SAY IT.
COMPROMISE NEVER HELPS THE CHURCH.
IT ONLY HURTS THE CHURCH.
AND I THINK PEOPLE THINK IF I COMPROMISE,
I'LL REACH MORE PEOPLE IN THE WORLD,
BUT IT ALWAYS ENDS UP JUST HURTING THE CHURCH.
VICTORY: WILL YOU STILL BE THE CHURCH IF YOU COMPROMISED?
REBECCA: EXACTLY.
VICTORY: YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
WILL IT STILL OR WILL IT JUST
BE A SOCIAL GATHERING?
REBECCA: EXACTLY, EXACTLY.
BECAUSE PEOPLE MAKE CHURCH A CULTURE THING AND
THEN IT'S ABOUT HAVING SOMETHING,
A CULTURAL EXPERIENCE, NOT A REAL ENCOUNTER
WITH THE LORD,
VICTORY: RIGHT.
THAT PART, THAT PART.
AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO
MAINTAIN THE WHOLE REASON WHY YOU'RE THERE.
BECAUSE OTHERWISE YOU JUST BECOME LIKE EVERYONE ELSE
WHO'S JUST SIMPLY THERE TO, YOU KNOW,
YOU GOT YOU HAVE TO REMOVE
THIS NEED TO FOR VALIDATION OUT OF THE EQUATION.
IF YOU'RE CLIMBING BECAUSE YOU NEED
TO BE VALIDATED BECAUSE YOU NEED TO,
YOU NEED YOUR MOM TO SAY
I'M PROUD OF YOU.
OR, YOU KNOW, YOU NEED TO FEEL LIKE REDEEM
YOUR FAMILY NAME OR LIKE ALL OF THESE REASONS.
WELL, IF THAT'S YOUR MOTIVE,
IT CAN BE THOSE MOTIVES CAN PULL YOU IN A LOT
OF DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS.
REBECCA: YEAH.
VICTORY: YOU KNOW, AND SO...
REBECCA: THAT'S SO TRUE.
VICTORY: YEAH.
THE LORD KIND OF HAD TO REMOVE THESE HOOKS OUT OF ME.
AND I'M NOT GOING TO SIT HERE AND SAY THAT I DON'T
HAVE ANYMORE HOOKS IN ME.
BUT, BUT WHAT I DO KNOW IS THAT WITH EVERY PASSING YEAR,
HE HAS TAKEN ME THROUGH PRUNING SEASONS,
WILDERNESS SEASONS, SO THAT I CAN BE REFINED MORE,
SO THAT I CAN BE ENTRUSTED WITH MORE SPACES
AND MORE INFLUENCE.
AND THERE'S SO MUCH INFLUENCE IN SPACES THAT
I'VE YET TO REACH AND NUMBERS THAT I'VE YET TO SEE.
AND SO THAT MUST MEAN THAT HE'S STILL
DEVELOPING ME IN WAYS...
REBECCA: PREPARING.
VICTORY: YEAH, YEAH.
AND SO I DON'T MIND NOT HAVING THE NUMBER ONE SONG
OR, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER.
BECAUSE I KNOW THAT IN TIME AS I'M READY,
YOU KNOW, THERE'S NOTHING HE'S GOING
TO WITHHOLD FROM ME.
YOU KNOW, HE JUST WANTS ME TO BE PREPARED
FOR EVERY BLESSING.
SO IT DOESN'T CRUSH ME,
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
AND SO THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF PREPARATION ON THE BACK
END OF THIS WHOLE, WHOLE JOURNEY.
REBECCA: AND IT'S STILL HAPPENING.
VICTORY: OH, VERY MUCH, VERY MUCH SO,
VERY MUCH SO.
BUT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE GLORY HOUR AND HOW
THAT CONNECTED WITH...
REBECCA: HERE IT IS.
VICTORY: THIS WHOLE JOURNEY.
RIGHT.
REBECCA: TALK ABOUT IT.
VICTORY: YEAH.
SO AFTER I WRITE THESE SONGS FOR KANYE, I'M,
I CAN'T GO, I CAN'T GO BACK.
I MEAN, SURE, I COULD WRITE PARABLES OR
WHATEVER, BUT IT'S LIKE, I KNOW TOO MUCH NOW.
I'VE SEEN TOO MUCH.
I'VE SEEN WHAT GOD CAN DO.
I'VE SEEN WHERE GOSPEL MUSIC CAN GO,
AND I'VE SEEN AND I'VE BEEN A PART OF.
I WAS ACTUALLY A PART OF PROBABLY THE BIGGEST
GOSPEL ALBUM OF THE DECADE.
REBECCA: YEAH.
VICTORY: YOU KNOW, BUT IT WASN'T SUSTAINED.
YOU KNOW, THE MOVEMENT WASN'T SUSTAINED.
BUT THERE WAS A REMNANT, YOU KNOW,
OF PEOPLE FROM THIS, FROM THAT PROJECT.
I BEING ONE OF THEM AND ACTUALLY A COUPLE OF OTHER
PRODUCERS THAT WORKED ON THAT PROJECT THAT WERE
ALSO CHRISTIANS TOGETHER, WORKED ON THIS PROJECT AS A,
AS A WAY OF CONTINUING THE ASSIGNMENT,
LIKE KANYE OPENED THE DOOR, RIGHT?
REBECCA: YEAH.
VICTORY: IT WAS ALMOST LIKE EVERYTHING DIED,
LIKE IT WASN'T SUSTAINED.
AND I BELIEVE THAT THE LORD ALLOWED EVERYTHING TO
HAPPEN THE WAY IT DID.
BUT HIS INTENT WAS FOR ME TO SEE IT AND GET A VISION
OF WHERE HE WANTS TO GO AND WHAT HE WANTS TO DO.
REBECCA: WOW.
VICTORY: AND FOR ALSO ME TO LEARN HOW IT WAS DONE.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
CREATIVELY SEEING THE PROCESS.
REBECCA: LEARNING FROM ONE OF THE BEST.
VICTORY: EXACTLY.
AND SO WE COULD DO IT AGAIN AND THEN DO IT
AGAIN AND THEN DO IT AGAIN.
REBECCA: AND I LOVE THAT YOU SAID THAT EVEN THOUGH THAT DIED,
THERE WAS A REMNANT THAT REMAINED AND LIVED ON.
VICTORY: EXACTLY.
REBECCA: AND YOU SAW A POWERFUL LESSON THAT, YES,
WE CAN BE IN THIS SPACE.
YES, WE CAN MAKE CHANGE, BUT WE HAVE TO DO
THE THINGS TO SUSTAIN.
AND YET BUT I ALSO THINK YOU'RE SPEAKING TO THE
BEAUTY OF A LIFE THAT IS LIVING THE WAY THAT GOD
DESIGNED IT TO BE, AND A LIFE
THAT REFLECTS HIS GLORY.
THAT CAN ONLY COME FROM HIM.
VICTORY: YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH.
AND SO THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE THING.
YOU KNOW, I REALLY WANT TO
SEE THE LORD DO THIS WORK IN THE ENTERTAINMENT
INDUSTRY BECAUSE A SONG HAS MORE POWER THAN,
THAN, THAN POLICY.
YOU KNOW, WE SEE ALL OF THE, ALL OF THE
WEIGHT THAT GOES INTO SHAPING OUR GOVERNMENT
SYSTEM AND OUR LAW SYSTEM AND OUR POLICY MAKERS,
THE POLITICAL SCENE.
BUT NO ONE THINKS TO CHECK THE ARTISTS
THAT ARE SHAPING THE MINDS OF THE MASSES.
REBECCA: SHAPING.
VICTORY: EXACTLY.
REBECCA: I MEAN, A MASSIVE INFLUENCE INTO SOCIETY.
AND THAT BREAKS THROUGH ALL DIFFERENT GROUPS OF
PEOPLE, DIFFERENT AGES.
AND I MEAN, IT'S TRUE, YOU CAN STUDY
HOW MUSIC SHAPES A GENERATION.
VICTORY: EXACTLY.
MUSIC, MOVIES, GAMES, YOU KNOW,
ALL THESE --
REBECCA: IT'S ART, ENTERTAINMENT.
VICTORY: IT'S ART.
REBECCA: IT'S JUST THERE'S SOMETHING SO POWERFUL
AND THERE'S SOMETHING VERY POWERFUL
ABOUT MUSIC LIKE THAT
WE CAN REMEMBER SONGS FROM 20 YEARS AGO THAT WE
LISTENED TO 20 YEARS AGO, AND IT CAN REMIND YOU OF A
OF A CERTAIN PLACE AND TIME AND SEASON,
LIKE THERE'S JUST, I DON'T KNOW,
MUSIC IS SO POWERFUL.
VICTORY: YEAH.
REBECCA: AND SO WHAT A THING,
IF WE COULD HARNESS IT FOR HIM.
VICTORY: EXACTLY.
WE HAVE TO.
REBECCA: AND NOT PUSH IT TO THE LITTLE BOX.
VICTORY: RIGHT.
REBECCA: OF PEOPLE ON 11 A.M.
ON A SUNDAY,
BUT TO THE WHOLE WORLD.
VICTORY: EXACTLY.
WE NEED TO BE ON ALL THE RADIO STATIONS IN EVERY
GENRE AS CHRISTIANS, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
AND, AND WE NEED TO BE SUPPORTED.
ARTISTS NEED TO BE SUPPORTED IN ALL OF THESE
DIFFERENT GENRES AS CHRISTIANS AND A LOT OF
TIMES WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE WAY THAT THE INDUSTRY
ENDED UP THIS WAY IS LIKE THERE WERE POWERFUL PEOPLE
WITH A LOT OF RESOURCES SPECIFICALLY PUTTING
RESOURCES BEHIND MESSAGES AND ARTISTS THAT HAVE
MESSAGES THAT WOULD INFLUENCE THE WORLD
AND THE COMMUNITIES IN, IN A, IN A UNGODLY WAY.
REBECCA: AND THE WAY THAT THEY WANTED.
VICTORY: EXACTLY, EXACTLY.
AND SO AS THE CHURCH, I BELIEVE IT'S OUR
RESPONSIBILITY TO DO THE SAME.
WE HAVE TO PULL RESOURCES TOGETHER.
WE HAVE TO ORGANIZE THE ARTISTS.
WE HAVE TO EMPOWER ARTISTS.
THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENT UNIQUE ARTISTS THAT CAN'T
FIND THEIR PLACE IN THE CHURCH BECAUSE THEIR
STYLE IS NOT THE STYLE OF THE 11 A.M.
SUNDAY MORNING WORSHIP SERVICE.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
AND SO IT'S LIKE, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THEIR
ASSIGNMENT IS NOT NEEDED
AND VALID.
THERE NEEDS TO BE AN ATTACHING, YOU KNOW,
OF THESE DIFFERENT FORMS OF ARTISTIC EXPRESSIONS TO
THE BODY OF CHRIST THAT CARRIES THAT AGENDA TO
FURTHER, YOU KNOW, TO FULFILL
THE GREAT COMMISSION.
YOU KNOW, NONE OF THE DISCIPLES OR APOSTLES
FULFILLED THE GREAT COMMISSION BY THEMSELVES.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
IT WAS TOGETHER WITH THE BODY AT LEAST BY TWOS,
THEY WERE SENT OUT, YOU KNOW, AND SO, YOU KNOW,
THIS ALBUM IS NOT JUST, IT'S NOT JUST AN ALBUM,
IT'S A BRIDGE.
IT'S SETTING A PRECEDENT.
THIS FIRST ALBUM ON THIS LABEL, ROC NATION,
THAT IS A GOSPEL ALBUM.
YOU KNOW, BUT I DON'T EXPECT IT TO BE THE LAST,
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
REBECCA: YEAH.
VICTORY: LIKE SETTING PRECEDENT OF THE GOSPEL IN THE
MAINSTREAM, YOU KNOW, SECULAR ARENAS AND
CREATING AN EXAMPLE.
AS FOR CREATING A ROAD THAT OTHER ARTISTS CAN
COME DOWN AS WELL.
REBECCA: YEAH.
VICTORY: YOU KNOW, I DON'T --
REBECCA: PAVING A WAY.
VICTORY: EXACTLY.
I DON'T HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT I CAN SAY THAT
I'M FOLLOWING THEIR EXAMPLE, YOU KNOW,
IN TERMS OF LIKE BEING IN THE INDUSTRY AND WHO ARE
CARRYING THE SAME MANDATE IN THIS SAME ARENA.
YOU KNOW, THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE CARRYING THE
MANDATE OF THE GOSPEL IN GOSPEL MUSIC.
BUT I FULLY EXPECT THAT THIS, THIS REVOLUTION,
IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT IS JUST GOD IS NOT JUST GOING
TO USE ONE PERSON, BUT IT'S GOING TO BE A WHOLE
ARMY AND OF DIFFERENT ARTISTS AND DIFFERENT
SKILL SETS, DIFFERENT SOUNDS, DIFFERENT GENRES,
DIFFERENT RACES, DIFFERENT,
BUT ALL WITH ONE SPIRIT.
REBECCA: YEAH.
THAT'S BEAUTIFUL.
VICTORY: YEAH.
REBECCA: WELL, THEY'RE TELLING ME YOU HAVE TO GO.
[ LAUGHTER ]
REBECCA: I JUST FEEL THIS FLOW,
AND I DON'T WANT TO INTERRUPT IT.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO END THIS,
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
BECAUSE IT'S SO GOOD.
THIS IS LIKE SO UNORTHODOX TO ME.
USUALLY I'M LIKE A LITTLE MORE LIKE STRUCTURED.
VICTORY: SORRY.
I TALK A LOT.
I'M LONG-WINDED.
REBECCA: NO, WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS SO IMPORTANT
AND NEEDED, AND IT'S BEAUTIFUL AND I JUST FEEL
THE SPIRIT ON IT.
SO I DON'T WANT TO LIKE CUT IT SHORT.
THAT'S WHY I'M KIND OF DYING A LITTLE BIT,
BECAUSE I'M LIKE I DON'T WANT TO END.
SO PLEASE COME BACK BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF
OTHER THINGS I WANT TO TALK ABOUT WITH YOU
AND EVEN MORE ON THIS.
YOU KNOW WHAT?
BUT, YOU KNOW, MY PRODUCERS,
THEY TELL ME, THEY'RE LIKE, JUST CUT IT AND HAVE THEM
COME BACK AND THEN MAKE PEOPLE WANT MORE.
SO I'M GOING TO WRAP, NOT BECAUSE I WANT TO.
SO VICTORY,
WILL YOU COME BACK?
VICTORY: I'D LOVE TO.
REBECCA: OKAY.
WELL, YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST.
SO VICTORY, THANK YOU,
FIRST OF ALL, SO MUCH FOR SHARING YOUR HEART.
THANK YOU FOR PIONEERING AND MAKING A WAY,
NOT JUST THINKING ABOUT YOURSELF,
BUT REALLY FOCUSING ON HIM AND GLORIFYING HIM,
BUT YET MAKING A WAY FOR THOSE BEHIND YOU.
I JUST THINK THAT'S SUCH A BEAUTIFUL THING.
WE'RE GOING TO BE PRAYING FOR HER AND LIFTING HER UP
IN PRAYER, GUYS, BECAUSE WHAT SHE'S DOING IS SO
IMPORTANT AND JUST THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO.
FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT TO HEAR MORE FROM YOU,
GET IN TOUCH WITH YOU,
WHERE IS THE BEST WAY THEY CAN FIND YOU?
VICTORY: YEAH, YEAH.
SO IF YOU GO TO MY WEBSITE, VICTORYBOYD.COM,
YOU'LL SEE ALL OF MY TOUR DATES.
YOU'LL SEE MY -- YOU CAN PURCHASE A VINYL RECORD OF
GLORY HOUR OR THE PHYSICAL COPIES OF THE CD'S.
AND ALSO HAVE ALL OF THE SITES WHERE YOU CAN STREAM IT,
AND ALL OF THAT.
BUT IF YOU ALSO GO TO
VICTORY BOYD ON INSTAGRAM OR FACEBOOK
OR YOUTUBE, YOU'LL FIND ME THERE AS WELL.
REBECCA: WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
YOU HEARD IT.
HER ALBUMGLORY HOUR.
IT'S BEAUTIFUL.
YOU CAN GET THAT ON ANY STREAMING, PURCHASE IT.
SUPPORT THE ARTIST.
AND LIKE I SAID, VICTORY,
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
WE LOVE AND APPRECIATE YOU HERE.
VICTORY: IT'S MY PLEASURE.
THANKS FOR HAVING ME.
REBECCA: THANKS FOR BEING HERE.
AND THANKS FOR WATCHING THE REBECCA WEISS PODCAST.
♪♪