Manafest Interview: From Quitting $70K Job to Almost Going Broke from Music; God's Plan Keeps His Chosen in 'The Moment' (VIDEO)

Christian rap/rock artist Manafest has been making inspirational and powerful music for the last ten years. His latest album The Moment will be releasing on August 5, and if one thing is for certain, Manafest has not had a "Moment" to slow down as he has consistently released albums, instrumentals, and now a book and audio book.

The artist chatted with BreatheCast to speak on his new album, getting help with funding his album from the fans through PledgeMusic, and living for "The Moment."

BreatheCast: The Moment is coming out August 5th, how is this album going to build upon or advance what you did with Fighter?

Manafest: Stylistically I went back to a little bit of my roots with rhyming but still singing a lot. Working with a new producer, Joel Prueirre, which we both kind of felt like we stretched each other lyrically and musically. Every album builds, the thing is you have to make sure you are putting a lot of effort in it. It starts to just ride on the successes of the past but you have to force yourself not to do that.

BC: The album is kind of split. The first half is a little more poppier, and the second half is a little more grungy and gritty. How do you progress from rap and rock and keep yourself coming up with new ideas?

M: Well the fact that I do mix the genres a lot gives me a lot to play with you know the way I would approach a hip-hop track as opposed to a rock track or a pop track is completely different. SO you know from all the traveling I do, all the books I read, movies I go see, people I hang out with; I'm just always getting new ideas.

BC: Your new single is "Diamonds." How does you and Trevor of TFK's chemistry come together on these tracks, and do you guys normally have something in mind when you sit to do a track?

M: Since we've been working together for so long we know what each other likes. Trevor is really good at kind of pulling me in directions that might be stretching and still work. We didn't even sit in the room together for that last track. Joel and him did when they were on tour to track some of Trevor's vocals and stuff while. We just collaborated online and sent files back and forth.

Watch the video below:

BC: Working with the fans on the PledgeMusic campaign, did that have any affect on what went on the record and what drove you to do certain things on it?

M: It didn't in driving it, but it is a lot of work to do one of those campaigns. I recommend artist or band to do one because it is a great way to connect and build with your fans. It's just a way to communicate and get your support and feel like they're involved.

Well you know, I'd probably do it different next time because there are a couple of things we did like signing the CDs, and I always want to hook my fans up, and I really went all out with some of the packages and stuff, and I probably feel like now that we are putting them together I got a team of people helping me. It is a lot of work man. I'd probably scale it back, and honestly make people pay more if they want some of these packages because it's mine. My goal is to serve my audience in the best way I can, and the best thing I can do is to be making more music not signing CD's.

BC: The album is called The Moment. What was that exact moment that you knew this is what you were called to do?

M: When I quit my job to go on the road when I was making $70,000 a year, and went broke almost. But even when you are on the road, just because I quit my job actually, I had thought I had made it, then all of a sudden I was living it, and actually it wasn't as easy as i thought it was going to be, you know? It's a process, it didn't just happen overnight.

BC: What was the moment when you knew you had it together and that you had 'made it?'

M: I think honestly it was when I could start providing for my family. We were finally starting to get a little more financial support to be stable. Ok, this could actually work as a career. And all the emails from fans. And when it's connecting with people because no one wants to do anything. Artists can say, 'Oh i just make art for myself.' That's such a lie, you make stuff for other people. You want other people to appreciate your work and stuff. You don't want to keep doing things if people don't like it.

BC: Is there a moment in your career that you wish you could go back and redo?

M: Yeah, there's a lot of them, I've made a lot of dumb decisions. I've wasted thousands and thousands of dollars on different things. Trying things, marketing things, radio. I quit my job a little too early. I don't look at them as regrets, but there are certain decisions, people I've hired, where I should have listened to God a little bit more, and been more patient.

 

Manafest
(Photo : Facebook: Manafest)

 

BC: Did writing your book change anything about you as an artist in terms of being more open in your songwriting, or even interacting with the audience at a show or speaking to fans?

You know I'm starting to shoot a lot of videos and be really personal, and you know I always was really personal. You know writing the book and doing the podcast and all these things has really opened me up to be kind of a bit of an open book and I think it's great to be transparent. I want my fans and all these people to really be able to know me.

BC: Aside from the ministry aspect of music what are some of your goals? And why do you think being a Christian artist gets such a band wrap?

You know there's just so many stereotypes of people on the outside looking in that really have no idea how the industry works and how the music business works or what the lifestyle is until you've lived it and I've been in this for over eight years and seen people come and go. I actually created a course called "Launching Your Career as an Artist" so people could really think about what it is they are doing. There is a module in there called Lifestyle Design because sometimes we don't really think about the type of lifestyle we lead by going into it because sometimes we jump into it thinking it's something else. All of a sudden you're in it and then you're like, 'This isn't what I really wanted.' So it's really important to know what it is you really want and know what it is that you are called to do. There's just a lot of things that have a bad wrap.

I have a long list of goals, I call them lifetime goals that I set for each year. I just had a daughter this year, and am releasing an album this year. You know the way God created us is to always be future thinking, and looking toward the future. You know I want to keep creating my music, writing more books, meeting people, and keep it exciting and keep challenging myself.

BC: We've seen Christian rock, country, and pop transition well at times over into secular music and get mainstream success. but it seems like hip-hop is always a little behind and hasn't found that mainstream audience in terms of a Christian crossover artist. Do you think this is something that is possible?

M: Oh, I think it's happened. I think Lecrae and Andy Mineo are two great examples that have crossed over and reached mainstream success in many ways. it's funny though, you think it's mainstream success, but they may not be a household name but they are definitely doing very well in both the mainstream and Christian and they have a really great supportive teams and I'm really excited about what those guys are doing and I 100% support them.

I like Andy Mineo's stuff a lot. I like a lot of Lecrae's newer stuff a lot. I think he's doing some good stuff.

Pre-order The Moment here and catch Manafest at the Atlanta Festival, Alive, East to West Festival, LifeLight Festival, Rock the Universe, and Awakening Festival.

The Moment Track Listing:
The Moment
Edge of My Life
Criminal
Cage
Love Wide Open
Light
Diamonds
Paradise
Bull In A China Shop
Startup Kid
My Way
Thrill of it All