Afroman Gets Real High
Sunday, May 18, 2003
Afroman getting high on religion
Jeremy Alexander
American Entertainment Editor JDAlexander@hattiesb.gannett.com
http://www.hattiesburgame...20019.html
Joseph Foreman, the Hattiesburg rapper who shot to stardom in 2001 with the hit party song "Because I Got High," has a new message for his fans.
"I gave my life to God," said Foreman, who goes by the stage name Afroman.

Foreman's conversion to Christianity has caused him to reassess the direction of his music and his relationship with his record label, Universal Records, which he says cares more about money than art.

"Life is a spiritual battle between good and evil," Foreman told the Hattiesburg American. "God wanted man to worship him out of their own individual will. He did not want us to be robots. He wants us to willfully choose to worship him."

Foreman's album, "The Good Times," went gold in the U.S. and platinum overseas. "Because I Got High," which chronicles marijuana-fueled misadventures, was featured on the soundtrack of "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back." Foreman was nominated for a Grammy for his work.

{{{Foreman's newfound faith in Jesus Christ means more than hit records, music videos or performing before packed venues, he said.

"Life is not promised. God created me. He gave me a voice and a talent to spread his word. Instead of telling people that, I was telling them to get high," he said with a laugh.

So what's next for Afroman?

"I might do the Prince trick," Foreman said, referring to the artist who for a time used a symbol instead of a name. "The artist formerly known as Afroman. Seriously, I'm a new person. In Christianity, we have to glorify God. Afroman was glorifying myself." }}}

Foreman said his faith evolved slowly, and didn't come as the result of a sudden epiphany.

"I've been in church all of my life, but a little kid doesn't know," he said. "The Bible is not some video that you go to Blockbuster and rent when you want it. We are living the Bible whether we realize it or not."

Foreman doesn't go to church because it is "a distraction from the principles." He said he attends intensive Bible study groups instead.

Foreman said that his friends and family are happy with his decision.

John Smith, owner of Mugshots, a local music club that has been home to Afroman performances before and after his record deal, is one of the friends who has watched the transformation.

Smith said that even though there will no longer be financially lucrative Afroman shows, he still supports Foreman's decision.

"I told him to do what he thinks is right," Smith said, "I made money off of his shows, but I can't be selfish. He's a friend of mine before he's a musician."

Local musician and T-Bone Records owner Harry Crumpler said spiritual needs outweigh the commercial.

"As a musician, I understand how over time you can feel the need for change or a demand for change," Crumpler said. "And Joseph, as an artist, has probably reached a point where he felt he needed a change, for no other reason than himself, which is a good thing. In the long run, whether he sells another million records is less important than being spiritually satisfied with himself."

Even with his new outlook on life, one thing that hasn't changed is Foreman's passion for writing, recording and performing music. He said hip-hop fans will still want to hear what he has to say, even though the subject matter has changed significantly .

"One thing I know is hip-hop," he said. "You're judged on rhyming, delivery and your flow. I've seen a rapping clown, a rapping murderer and a rapping pimp. (To most people) your topic is really irrelevant."

Foreman said Universal Records is not happy about his life-changing decision.

"They have no faith in it," he said. "They want to keep me in the marijuana jar. They want me to be Redd Fox. ... Universal is a bunch of people that are looking at charts and bank accounts and they don't know music. They've got history with the old Afroman and they don't want to roll the dice.

"If I change my name to Muhammad Ali, I can still deliver like Cassius Clay. I really don't care about convincing them. In the Bible, Jesus said that broad is the way that leads to destruction. They (Universal) are not in it for the music," he said.

Universal Records officials declined comment for this story.

Foreman said he doesn't care if the record label drops him. He wants to reach young Christians who love rap and if he has to start his own venue, he will. To him, it's out of his hands.

"If I couldn't be in the NBA, I'd still be at the neighborhood court playing 21. ... God runs the whole world. I feel like I'm doing his will and he'll take care of me," he said.

I'll get U high again,
Prince gonna get U high.

Sorry, I couldn't resist, I love that song!

Another one swallows the bait.

Everyone's gotta believe in something... I believe I'll finish the rest of this and order a pizza

First Mase, now Afroman. Another chalk mark goes on God's wall.

I say good for him. People were trying to tout that song as having an anti-drug message. Upon reading this, I think we can all now agree that Afroman was not thinking he was writing an anti-drug song when he wrote "Because I Got High."

"I might do the Prince trick,"

What, Take an E and make a religious record?