PAJE recently caught up with Minister Taf on the heels of the release of his latest single, 'Ketch Eh Style'! Check out the video and then dive into our interview below!
PAJE: Hey Minister Taf, thanks for taking the time to share with us! Now, let's get started, shall we? Firstly, we're curious, what are 5 words you would use to describe yourself?
Minister Taf: Humble, God-fearing, Jovial, Down-to-earth, & Kind.
PAJE: Love that. We'd love to know a bit about your testimony - what is it that caused you to recognize that you were ready to serve Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour?
Minister Taf: To keep it short, there was a void in my life. I had no peace, going to clubs and parties was not filling that void either. I was addicted to pornography, womanising, and masturbation. I would have numerous arguments with my wife, and I had to take a look in the mirror and ask myself if this is the life I wanted to live.
Whenever I would go to church, I would see different individuals testifying of what God had done and was doing in their lives, and I wanted that. I then decided to give my life to Jesus. Both myself and my wife got baptised on the same day.
PAJE: Over the time of your Christian walk, what are three things about your relationship with God that have kept you committed to this Christian walk?
Minister Taf: Man, honestly, knowing that He would never leave me nor forsake me, I can talk to Him about anything, and to fulfil His purpose for my life, I need to stay with Him because I
want to do that. Suh hear wah, a mi and Him to di end like Chucky (laugh).
PAJE: Yea, God has a way of really showing Himself strong and more than worthy of our commitment through His own faithfulness and grace. Thanks for sharing that. What would you say to the person who feels called to pursue a life with Jesus Christ but feels like if they do that, they're no longer going to be accepted by the ones they love most?
Minister Taf: I would say take that step and pursue a life with Jesus Christ, it’s the best decision you’ll ever make. If those people truly love you, they’ll accept your decision, and at the end of the day, you are already accepted by Jesus. So, no offence, don’t be desiring the
acceptance of humans. If they leave, they are not meant to be in your life, and God will send
you the ones who are meant to be in your life.
PAJE: Over the past 3 years, many Christians have found their faith tested in one way or another. What would you say are 3 of the biggest lessons you've learned in the past 3 years?
Minister Taf: I would definitely say I’ve learnt to never let go of God, to trust God no matter what life throws at me as things sometimes happen suddenly, and never stop praying.
PAJE: Yup, the past three years have been something else, but indeed, God remains constant. Thanks for that solid reminder! Now, to switch gears a bit - We'd love to know, who are your top 5 musical influences, and why?
Minister Taf: Tupac, Beenie Man, Bob Marley, Bizzle & Maverick City
Tupac: I just love the fact he wasn’t afraid to speak his mind. He was outspoken and charismatic. He was a voice for the black community, and has some powerful lyrics. He’s unique and maybe I could say he knows how to play with your emotions, as today he can give you “Hit Em Up,” and tomorrow he gives you, “Dear Mama” or “Brenda’s Got A Baby.”
Beenie Man: He’s more than an artiste, he’s an entertainer. He knows how to keep a crowd going, he interacts with his audience, and he’s just full of lyrics. I love his humility too, as you probably saw a video of him recently on a flight singing for the passengers. He’s in a class by himself. Di general just full a vibes!
Bob Marley: For me, I love the fact his music is very positive. He was also humble, and his music introduced the world to Jamaica. His music will last a lifetime. Look at today, so many times he has albums reaching number 1 on the iTunes reggae chart. It goes to show you that good music can never die. Due to his positivity, this quote is from him. - "The greatness of a man is not in how much wealth he acquires, but in his integrity and his ability to affect those around him positively."
Bizzle: He’s a rapper from the U.S, and I love the fact he keeps it real in his music. He is not afraid to talk about his struggles, and not just from an artiste point of view, but from a human
point of view. We also have a similar testimony about pornography and masturbation.
Maverick City: They just live for worship, and I admire that. I love seeing them pouring out their heart and soul in worshipping God. I, myself love to worship God, and He loves that, too. Me is a yute weh all run round church a worship God, mi just love worship mi Heavenly
Father.
PAJE: Wow, what a list! Speaking of music, tell us the story behind you choosing to become a Gospel artiste.
Answer: I never once thought I'd be doing music, period. I always wanted to become a professional footballer because I was very good at that. I have won many medals and trophies in football. I loved music, and I was a huge fan of hip hop music, so I would be playing hip hop all day, but still would be playing my reggae/dancehall music.
Due to the fact that I always loved music, myself, and a friend of mine called Delano used to write music, so he would sing and I would rap.
I braved it out once and performed 112’s song “Peaches and Cream” at an event held at Duanvale Primary school (laugh). Fast forward to when I came here in the UK, I was in a youth choir called “S4C Fusion,” and I would write rap verses to their songs, which was getting love.
We were having rehearsal one night in October of 2012, and I heard the voice of God speak to me about pursuing music, then the Holy Spirit gave me a song titled “Make A Change,” and that’s where it all started. God then flipped the script in 2016, and that’s when I started doing the Reggae Gospel.
PAJE: What a journey it has been for you! Now on the flipside, on a regular day, if you had no shows and no external obligations, what are three things Minister Taf would definitely be doing?
Minister Taf: Apart from date nights and going out with my wife, I love playing video games, watching movies, and reading.
PAJE: Do you have any upcoming projects we can look out for?
Minister Taf: As my album “DIFFERENT” is still fresh, I’d say to look out for more music videos.
Thank you so much, Minister Taf, for taking the time to share with us and allow the PAJE Fam to get to know more about the man behind the music! Fam, before you go, Minister Taf wanted to share one last piece of encouragement:
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