REVIEW BY JAMES BOGGS FOR MIXTAPE MAJORS.
Jordan Copas was inspired by God to do music to see his family get saved. It was prophesied several times that Jordan will lead his family to Christ and the bondage of fear will be broken throughout his whole family, even the family that he don't know will be saved through Jordan's music and powerful testimony of what Christ has done. This was spoken before Jordan ever dreamed of doing music. It was also spoken that Jordan would speak bold as a lion in front of the masses on a microphone and God was going to use Jordan to be a cleansing and to bring back the backsliders and those who have given up and lost all hope. Jordan began his music career in the Spring of 2011 and released his first album on 11/11/2011 "The Playground" which sold thousands of units on the streets and thousands of more units were given away for free. Jordan Copas released two more projects in 2012 "Daily Grind EP" and "On Focus Vol. 1." All three of Jordan's projects can be found as a free download, because it is not about making money and getting famous to Jordan. This music is about showing love which is the first and most important thing, it's about getting positive and gospel centered music in the hands of those living in this dying world, and it's about what Jesus has done and is doing. If Jesus can change Jordan and turn the course of his life of a living hell, then anyone can be changed! God don't play no favorites. We desperately need Jesus! And Jordan knows that through a lot of life situations. With life, comes a story, and Jordan has a story to tell.
TRACKLISTING:
01.) Welcome
02.) NLMD (feat. Benjah & Omega Sparx)
03.) builtUP (feat. KJ-52 & Jericho)
04.) Lit
05.) CONQ (feat. J.Murph & R-Swift)
06.) Fire
07.) The Valley
08.) Hear Me (feat. Deshawn White & Street Hymns)
09.) Dear Father
10.) Grace (The Cup)
11.) His Eyes (feat. Benjah)
BONUS TRACKS
12.) Rooted K.A.A. Theme (feat. KJ-52 & Jericho)
13.) Balla
Track one “Welcome” features Jordan Copas alone and it’s a great introduction to the album. The hook says “You can hate me or love me, I’m gonna follow the man”. As a Christ follower myself, I can relate to what that hook means, because you have to follow Christ alone, no matter the cost. It doesn’t matter if people love us or hate us, in fact the bible says we will be hated because the world first hated Christ. We must not live our lives based on how people feel about us. As Jordan proves in his lyrics, he will be a voice for Christ and share that love for others.
Track two. N.L.M.D (Never Let Me Down) Feat. Benjah and Omega Sparx, tells the story of how God came and rescued these artists. God never let them down and their message in this song is that God will do the same for you and me. He will provide. Through life’s struggles, God found them and they surrender everything they have to God.
“Built Up” is the third track and it features KJ 52 and Jericho. This is a very upbeat track. They are putting Jesus on display and presenting the Gospel in a much hyped up manner. They are “Rooted” in Christ and spit true facts about Christ, Sin and Righteousness. They also rap about how God will save the lost and raise them up to be Disciples of Christ. This is a very fun but truthful track about their love for Christ.
Track number 4 is called “Lit” and it tells how Jordan faced trials, and hardships growing up. It tells how he fell down, but with Christ he got back up and he is living for the Glory of “The One who will bring you to your knees”. The hook says “Breaking down these walls, and rebuilding the city”. Jordan also says “he isn’t here to please no man”, which brings back the theme of the first track “Welcome”. The main theme to this song is “being at your worst, but Christ coming to save you, being a witness for Christ, and watching Christ break down the walls inside of us and rebuilding His City of people to share the Gospel and love on others, the way Christ loves us”.
Conq Feat. J. Murph & R-Swift, is the fifth track on the album, and the main theme is “Being more than a Conqueror”, which we can go back to the scriptures and recall what The Apostle Paul told us in Romans that “in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us, for I am convinced neither angels nor demons, neither the present or future nor any powers, neither depth or height nor anything else can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” That is exactly what this song is talking about. They want to see God’s face, as He “pours out His mercy and Grace”. They know that in Christ Jesus they can defeat anything life throws their way. They encourage the listeners to “Rest in Jesus alone”. This is a very powerful, biblical track and one of my favorites so far.
“Fire”, the 6th track has a very hard hitting beat with a powerful hook that states he can feel “the fire running through his veins”. Jordan is pleading to the listener to run to God, stating God is moved when we turn to him in our cries. He also raps about a “Consuming fire in his heart” and a love that only God can provide. “Fire” is one of those tracks that gets you hyped up, but also has you check your heart and search for God in desperation for love and truth.
Track number 7 “The Valley” is a very serious track. Jordan raps about those whom he has loved who have passed from this life. He tells the story of life hardships and pain, and looking for justice during the storm. He also says he felt “numb”, but even through all of that, he goes into the hook needing God, coming to Him as a broken man. He says he needs “God’s Grace and Mercy as he walks through the valley”. He knows God is there for him and that nothing can bring him down. The hardest of life’s struggles and death cannot keep him away from reaching out to the God of The Universe.
Track 8, “Hear Me” Feat. Deshawn White & Street Hymns, tells a story of how our culture is divided and how we gossip, throw stones, and try to do everything we can to make money, because that’s what society wants for us. The devil’s schemes have tried to overcome them through anger and frustration, but the artists on this track pour out their hearts for God’s Mercy and Grace. They want to break free from the chains of sin. They are crying out to God In desperation and as the hook states, “Can you hear me, calling your name (we are crying out for your Mercy, we are crying out for your Grace, we struggling and we want to see your face.” These artists truly are seeking God in all of life’s temptations, frustrations and struggles, knowing “Victory is in God”. This is a very powerful, heart wrenching track and at this point my favorite off the album.
“Dear Father” is the 9th track and is another solo track by Jordan. The beat hits very hard and has almost a dub step feel to it. The hook has a mix of Jordan’s normal vocals, with a “Screwed” sound you can hear “forgive me” in it. In this track Jordan is talking to his dad, he is searching for his father and says he forgives his father, he says he judged him and sinned against him, but in the end he just wants to reconcile their relationship. He would like to go fishing and play ball. He just wants to get to know his dad. He’s not looking to judge or receive apologizes, he just wants forgiveness and forgives his father. This is a very personal track and is right from the heart. It also tells how we have sinned against God, but yet God looks at us with love and grace. He forgives us of our sins if we come to him with an open heart, admitting we are sinners and in need of a savior. God is quick to forgive us and loves us so much that He gave his Son Jesus Christ to die on a cross for us. In the same way we should love those who have hurt us and be quick to forgive them. Jordan makes that clear in this track.
“Grace” (The Cup) is the 10th track and opens up telling the story of what Christ did on the Cross. How he took our place and became sin, he took our place so we could become righteous in the sight of God. He tells the attributes of Christ, such as love and being the Prince of Peace, but on the Cross he was despised and treated lowly. We truly do not understand what Christ went through, but He loved us so much he became our substitute. The Gospel is presented directly in this track and it shows us how much Jesus loved us, because as scripture tells us, “While we were yet sinners, Christ Died” and that’s exactly the story we get in this track.
#11 “His Eyes” Feat. Benjah tells how we can look at our situations through the lense of God. We often judge ourselves or others through the situations we go through, but we never look at those situations through how God sees us. Through the Gospel, we understand how God sees us, because God is love and merciful. We don’t have to be perfect and that’s the story told in this track. We should have faith in the unseen and trust in the God who saved Paul’s life, when he was murdering Christians, he can surely do anything in our lives.
**BONUS TRACKS**
12. “Rooted” (K.A.A Theme) Feat. KJ 52 & Jericho is the remix track to “Built Up” and is the Kids across America Theme. Jordan dropped the video on YouTube as well. This is once again a much hyped up track that shows how the artists are rooted in Christ. It is a very fun and upbeat track. This is surely to be played among many youth group events.
13. “Balla” is also another bonus track. This is a nice closing track to the album. It is another upbeat track, but presents many truths to anyone who bumps this. A lot of people want to be a “Balla” in today’s culture but the term usually means to make a lot of money and spend it on pleasures, but Jordan talks about his confidence in Christ and boasts in the Gospel, not the sinful pleasures of this earth. The hook is very catchy and will cause you to get pumped up before starting the day.
In Conclusion,
The album by Jordan Copas has a lot of substance lyrically. The tracks are not boring and they don’t cause you to want to skip to the next one. Jordan has chosen some great production and his lyrics match the hard work of the producers. He has catchy hooks, hot beats, powerful lyrics and perfectly blended adlibs and overdubs. At the level in his career, Jordan is ahead of the curve. I have listened to many Christian Artists albums and not many have what Jordan has. He was able to work with some great artists on this album. Many will remember KJ 52 and what he did for the Christian Rap Scene, and a lot are hearing Jericho as well. The collaborations from all artists are top notch. Very talented individuals on this album. In my honest opinion this album should be in stores, next to Lecrae, Tedashii, Pro, Andy Mineo, Tripp Lee and other great rising Christian Hip Hop Artists. Point blank, Jordan seems like a great guy and his music is even greater because it shows the power of Christ in his life. I encourage anyone seeking answers about God to listen to this album and match it up to what the scriptures say. In the world we live in today, we often hear a Gospel preached that in contradictory to the true Gospel, but Jordan Copas does nothing but preach Jesus in this album. He preaches Grace and Love and that is who our God is. I fully support the album and efforts to get this message to the nations.
James Virgil Boggs
Mixtape Majors
(Ibhar)
@jboggs222
**PURCHASE THE ALBUM ON iTUNES TODAY!**
Twitter: @JordanCopas
iTunes Link: Jordan Copas Album on iTunes
Facebook.com/JordanCopasMusic - the fan/music page
