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EarHustle411 had an opportunity to interview an amazing man who has made it his life’s work to blessing others with his musical talent. Gospel artist Kevin Styles is about to take Wilmington, NC by storm.

On Sunday, July 19, 2015 Kevin Styles and Psalms will be performing LIVE in the Radical Praiserz Music Concert Series hosted by Out of Bondage Music Radio Syndication spearheaded by Gospel Recording Artist Silivea Johnson aka “Silivea J”.   Silivea J has also made it her life’s work to build a platform for artists to showcase their God-given talents and giving them an outlet to network and build relationships with others in the Gospel community.

The concert series formerly named Radical Praiserz Music Expo & Open Mic now dubbed a Concert Series, it is bound to live up to what its true designation was destined to be and that is to target the youth and adults from all denominations as they come together to worship Christ.

Kevin Styles is a native from Gary, Indiana now living in Atlanta, GA informed EarHustle411 that he was so excited and honored to be a part of such a great production. Kevin has lived a very eventful life, being a member of the GMWA (Gospel Music Workshop of America), Ricky Dillard and New G, (Gospel Group). a survivor of Hodgkin’s Disease, a rare form of cancer and just an all around awesome kind of guy.  We don’t want to delay the time any further, let’s just dive right into it as Kevin speaks with our Media Correspondent SunShyne:

EH411:  Hi Kevin, Thank you so much for taking time out with us, we are so appreciative to be interviewing you.

Kevin Styles:  You are so very welcome, I am so excited for you to have me.

EH411:  Let’s talk about your involvement with the Radical Praiserz Event taking place on July 19, 2015.

KS:  Well, for one I am really delighted to be taking part in this event in Wilmington, NC as I have never been there.  So I am opened to a new opportunity to go and expose more ministry to an area I have never been into and I’m really excited about that.  Definitely, excited about the other artists that are on the bill and the event is actually sponsored by Church’s Chicken so this is kind of a big to do and I an excited about going to Wilmington.  Me and Psalms will be bringing Jesus to Wilmington.

EH411:  I know that’s right!! If Silivea J had her way, Jesus would already be there and you’d just meet Him when you get there.

KS: ABSOLUTELY, ABSOLUTELY!!! She is such a sweetheart.

EH411: Silivea J is so much fun, I won’t spoil it for you but I will have her tell you how she and met.  I will let her tell you and you will be shocked.

KS: She most certainly is and I will have to inquire about that with her.

EH411:  Tell us how you got started  in music and ministry?

KS:  OK, I started the choir actually in 1994, Psalms is actually out of my high school. I was in my junior year and my high school principal showed up on a Sunday morning at my church.  Of course, I was the “cut up”, stayed in detention, jiving and not doing my work and stuff, you know how we are as boys.  He saw me directing my church choir and came to me after service and said ” I need to see you in my office tomorrow”.  I was thinking to myself “now how do I get in trouble on a Sunday”? and have to go to school on Monday.  I was not going into his office, so he has my name summoned over the intercom.

So I went to his office and he asked me to take over at that point in time we were called the DeKalb Motivational Choir and I was like absolutely not.  I did not want the pressure of being the church boy among my peers.  A lot of people did not know what I did and he kept asking, so I said fine I’ll give it a shot.  I was the only student who was enrolled in school with DeKalb County and on the payroll.  It was so powerful, that it kept some of out of jail, off the street and that was the whole purpose of it really was.  When I graduated in 1994, I felt another “pull” on me and I didn’t know where I was going.  But I could hear God pulling me into another realm of this music venture.

From that point, a soprano, alto and tenor I graduated with started having rehearsals on Mondays in my mother’s living room.  My Mon was like “it’s too many of y’all coming in here, you are going to have to find somewhere else to go.  We moved into an apartment and I asked management if we could hold rehearsals in the clubhouse.  So Psalms was birthed in my mother’s living room in 1994 and right today I still have my original soprano that started with me in 1994 and she is still sings with me today.

EH411:  Oh my gosh!! That is totally awesome and almost unheard of.

KS: It was really an experience.  Right, so we have really become one of Atlanta’s number one choirs in the city and of course we’ve done so much on a national scale, that God has been really good to me for the last going on 21 years of the ministry.  We’ve seem the world and traveled.  We’ve done so, so much to the point now I’m just ready to take it where I know I am predestined to me.

EH411:  I hear you!! You better claim it like it’s already done, right?

KS: That’s it, that’s it!

EH411: Tell us how you got involved with the Radical Praiserz?

KS: Believe it or not, one of my sopranos is the cousin of Silivea J.  I met her at her cousin’s wedding last year and she had gotten a copy of my single and said she was going to play it.  She hit me up and was like I love the single,  OMG!! So she started tracking Kevin Styles and Psalms and the things we have done. She said she just could not imagine doing this program with Kevin Styles and that’s how we got on this particular ticket.

EH411: Awesome and it sounds like you guys are so excited about doing it.  It’s a blessing to be able to take a craft that God gave you and use it to uplift, encourage someone and bring people back to Christ that kind of lost their way.  Let me ask you this with prayer being taken out of school, christian schools are closing in neighborhoods where parents and their children may have had access.   How do you feel about what is actually plaguing the black community as it is right now?

KS: I remember being in school when prayer was taken out of school.  I’ve went to public school and christian school and one thing I will say it seems as though when prayer left the school hell broke out.  You’re dealing with a generation whether they want to or not, they kind of want to refuse acknowledge God.  I still hear the scripture saying “upon this rock I’ll build my church”.  Whether you want to believe that God is real and that prayer still works, you know that within the school system there’s all these shootings on campus and all of these crazy things going with the police in the streets; different things like that or whatever.  If this is not a sign that we need to like they say “go back to the old-time way”, people have stopped praying, they’ve stopped believing.  I love the scripture that says “Lord I believe but help my belief” and for years I was under the misconception that is was Lord help my unbelief.  The scripture says I BELIEVE, so I need you to help me with what I believe.  Where we are now people have to first of all go back to do we believe? I think that’s where the problem is people have stopped believing in the power of God and the resurrection of His might.

I am a believer that prayer works and unfortunately we are living in a day and a time people have to pray and believe God outside the box.  That means outside the school systems, but the saints in the world who are believers, I just believe we are under attack, under a spiritual attack.  We had a principal who was fired for actually doing prayer with a basketball team.

EH411: WOW!!

KS: I just thought that was interesting because it seems as though every other religion and what they believe, they always the the “go” or the green light they can just do what they want to do. When it comes to Christianity it’s always these parameters in what we can and cannot do or what we should and should not say.  God has a way that we can’t get over or under as the old folks say you gotta come in at the door.  I just love that He is still showing Himself…God.  In all of the things that are going on He’s still showing I’m in control and I am still GOD.

EH411: Well alright!! How did your involvement with Ricky Dillard come about?

KS: Oh my brother, my big brother Ricky Dillard!! Ricky and I have been friends now since about 1990-91.  When I first met Ricky it was in Atlanta.  My mother had seen them on a TV show and she bought their first album “The Promise”. She said “now I don’t know who this little tall skinny boy is, but they can do their thing!” When I was growing up my favorite choir was of course out of Chicago, Rev. Milton Brunson and the Thompson Community Singers.  There was no other NOTHING, when it came to me and choirs.  It was Milton Brunson and that was it. I had a chance to see Ricky Dillard here in Atlanta, I mean they were all young babies and they really out it down. I met him 1992 again at the Gospel Music Workshop of America in Chicago and we were able to talk some years later and we just remained really good friends.   Ricky came out to look after me when I was diagnosed with cancer to give my mother a break. He came down for a couple of days  and took care of me.  I’ll never forget that, Ricky Dillard thought enough of me to come and check on Kevin Styles.

EH411: I’m checking out the flyer for the Radical Praiserz and have you ever worked with Uncle Reese before?

KS: I actually went to the Stellar Awards this year in Las Vegas and that is where I first heard of Uncle Reese when I saw him performing.  I can’t wait to perform with him and get to now him and establish a friendship with him and fellowship while we are in North Carolina.

EH411:  Well Kevin EarHustle411 was very blessed to have covered the Red Carpet for the Stellar Awards and we didn’t see your face grace the Red Carpet.  Why not?

KS:  Well I was there and primarily pushing my new single, so I did not sing with Ricky Dillard this year.  I was an extremely busy time for me.

EH411: We had a great time, did you have a good time as well?

KS: Yes I did and I am so glad they will be going back and when Beyonce’ hit the stage I was fit to be tied…LOL!!

EH411: EarHustle411 is now going to be following you and what you have going on in your career. Tell our fans how they can reach you on Social Media.

KS: My website is under construction as we speak, on Facebook I am Kevin Styles, there’s Kevin Styles and Psalms on Facebook, Instagram it’s @KevinStyles1994, we can also be reached by phone for bookings at 404-354-7826.

EH411: One thing we like to have people we interview is to leave our fans with something uplifting or encouraging.  Would you mind sharing something uplifting or encouraging?

KS: Absolutely!! I just believe that whatever you dreaming or believing in God for keep dreaming and believing.  One thing about dreams they do come true! It’s not a Disneyworld fanatic, it’s what God predestined to them he also called.  So I encourage the dreamer, I encourage the up and coming artists that are still out there fighting; so keep fighting, our victory is about to be won!!

EH411: Awesome!!! Well Kevin Styles thank you for spending a little of your time with EarHustle411, you are so much fun and we definitely appreciate everything you are doing for the Kingdom of God.  Everything is for the good of  those who love the Lord.

KS: Absolutely, Absolutely!! I can’t wait to meet you SunShyne and Thank YOU!!