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Daily Music Spin featured Nathan Jarrelle’s “Know the Boy,” highlighting the Christian rapper and songwriter’s emotional approach to a record addressing race, identity, injustice and the experiences of Black youth in America.

Published December 24, 2022, the feature examines both the message behind “Know the Boy” and Jarrelle’s ability to balance difficult subject matter with controlled delivery, memorable hooks and honest songwriting.

THE STORY BEHIND “KNOW THE BOY”

“Know the Boy” was inspired by a history of police killings involving unarmed Black youth, with Daily Music Spin specifically noting the 2012 killing of Trayvon Martin as part of the context surrounding the song.

Rather than approaching the subject solely through statistics or headlines, the record centers the humanity of the person behind them.

The song’s central idea is captured in the line:

“They say they know I’m in the streets, but they don’t know the boy.”

That distinction—the difference between knowing a narrative about someone and actually knowing the person—is at the heart of the record.

EMOTION WITHOUT LOSING THE MESSAGE

Daily Music Spin highlights Jarrelle’s raw and honest approach to the song while also recognizing the restraint within his performance.

Instead of allowing the production to overwhelm the subject matter, “Know the Boy” uses hip-hop as a vehicle for storytelling. The publication points to Jarrelle’s calm and composed delivery, hard-hitting subject matter, memorable hooks and emotionally sincere rhymes.

That combination allows the song to confront a sensitive subject without losing sight of the people represented within it.

CHRISTIAN HIP-HOP BEYOND THE CHURCH

The feature also discusses Nathan Jarrelle’s broader approach to Christian music.

Daily Music Spin notes Jarrelle’s gospel foundation while recognizing his desire to create music capable of reaching listeners beyond the traditional boundaries of the church.

“Know the Boy” demonstrates that approach through a record where faith, hip-hop, social commentary and personal perspective can occupy the same space.

For Nathan Jarrelle, Christian music has never required avoiding difficult conversations. “Know the Boy” represents an important part of a catalog built around addressing real experiences while maintaining the faith at the foundation of his artistry.

Listen to “Know the Boy” by Nathan Jarrelle below.

READ THE ORIGINAL FEATURE

VoyageTampa featured Nathan Jarrelle as part of its Local Stories series, exploring the artist’s journey through music, faith, entrepreneurship and creative development.

Published October 1, 2024, “Check Out Nathan Jarrelle’s Story” traces a musical journey that evolved from acoustic pop and rock into Christian rap before expanding to incorporate elements of rock, alternative, indie and pop.

FROM ACOUSTIC MUSIC TO CHRISTIAN HIP-HOP

During the interview, Jarrelle discusses a pivotal period in 2016 when his music began transitioning from acoustic pop and rock toward Christian rap.

As his faith developed, so did his approach to songwriting. The goal became creating contemporary music that could communicate the Gospel without compromising the sound, lyricism or message behind the music.

That evolution would eventually lead Jarrelle beyond the boundaries of a single genre. Hip-hop remained part of the foundation, while rock, alternative, indie and pop influences increasingly became part of his musical identity.

FAITH, HARDSHIP AND PERSONAL GROWTH

The VoyageTampa conversation also moves beyond music.

Jarrelle discusses how personal hardship shaped his perspective on faith, creativity and growth. Rather than viewing difficult experiences only through the question of why they happened, he explains his desire to understand what those experiences can develop within a person—and how lessons learned through personal struggles can eventually help someone else.

That philosophy has also influenced his songwriting, where personal experiences and faith frequently exist alongside one another.

THE BUSINESS BEHIND THE MUSIC

VoyageTampa also explores the business and creative work taking place behind Nathan Jarrelle’s music.

Jarrelle discusses experience in artist development, administration and label management alongside songwriting, recording, performing and graphic design.

Through Nathan Jarrelle Ministries, that vision extended beyond creating his own records. The organization was developed around music, artist development and connecting creatives—including musicians, authors, producers and graphic designers—with resources that could help develop their work.

The interview also highlights Jarrelle’s interest in combining artistic vision with the administrative and business skills required to manage releases, intellectual property and creative projects.

AN ARTIST STILL EVOLVING

The VoyageTampa profile captures Nathan Jarrelle during an important stage of that evolution: an artist whose identity had grown beyond a single genre and whose interests extended beyond performing alone.

Music, songwriting, faith, visual creativity, artist development and entrepreneurship had begun forming different parts of the same larger creative direction.

Read the original VoyageTampa interview to discover more about Nathan Jarrelle’s story and the experiences behind his music.

READ THE ORIGINAL INTERVIEW

Jesus Freak Hideout featured Nathan Jarrelle for an in-depth conversation surrounding his album Beyond Your Reach, Christian hip-hop, songwriting, faith, and the purpose behind his music.

The feature, conducted by Michael Weaver, accompanies Jesus Freak Hideout’s review of Beyond Your Reach and explores the story behind an album built around honest discussions of faith, doubt, depression, personal struggle, Scripture, and hope in Jesus Christ.

Released January 15, 2020, Beyond Your Reach is an eight-track hip-hop album produced by Damian Alston. Songs including “John 1:4-5,” “Like Jesus,” “Know the Boy,” “Through These Tears,” and “Beyond Your Reach (Acts 17:27)” approach Christian music through personal storytelling rather than separating faith from difficult human experiences.

WHY NATHAN JARRELLE WRITES ABOUT FAITH AND STRUGGLE

During the interview, Jarrelle explains that he never wanted to create generic, “one size fits all” music.

Instead, his approach to songwriting is rooted in meeting listeners where they are. By writing honestly about his own struggles, Jarrelle uses Christian hip-hop as a way to remind listeners that they are not alone while pointing them toward the hope he finds in Jesus Christ.

The conversation also traces Jarrelle’s development as a writer. Before songwriting and rap, he began writing short stories as a child, influenced by R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps and Fear Street books. Poetry and journaling followed during his teenage years and eventually became a foundation for his songwriting.

THE STORY BEHIND “LIKE JESUS”

Jesus Freak Hideout also highlights “Like Jesus,” a track inspired in part by the famous “Be Like Mike” concept associated with Michael Jordan.

Jarrelle explains that the song grew out of his own struggle with comparison. Rather than aspiring to become another artist or cultural icon, “Like Jesus” redirects that desire toward the person Jarrelle believes is actually worthy of imitation: Jesus Christ.

The spoken-word section at the end of the song was not scripted beforehand, adding another personal element to one of the album’s central records.

SCRIPTURE BEHIND BEYOND YOUR REACH

Scripture is deliberately built into the identity of Beyond Your Reach.

The interview explores the significance of John 1:4-5 and Acts 17:27, which directly inspired songs on the album. Jarrelle describes these passages through the relationship between darkness and light and the belief that God remains near even during seasons of doubt, fear and disappointment.

That idea ultimately sits at the heart of Beyond Your Reach: darkness can be acknowledged without allowing it to have the final word.

Jesus Freak Hideout’s accompanying review praised the album’s smooth production, Christ-centered writing and Jarrelle’s willingness to address difficult subjects while remaining grounded in Scripture.

Listen to Beyond Your Reach by Nathan Jarrelle below.

READ THE FULL INTERVIEW & REVIEW

Sinusoidal Music featured Nathan Jarrelle’s “Desires” in its R&B/Hip-Hop music reviews, highlighting the record’s combination of contemporary hip-hop production, R&B textures, lyricism, and themes of gratitude and faith.

Published November 18, 2023, the review examines “Desires” as part of Jarrelle’s development as a Christian rap artist while recognizing the broader hip-hop influences behind his sound.

The publication points to the atmospheric pads and synths that introduce the record before giving way to Jarrelle’s rhythmic delivery. Sinusoidal Music also highlights the track’s rhyming, use of ad-libs, percussion, hook, and production.

Particular attention is given to the mix itself. The review notes the record’s mid-range control and the space created by its synth production, helping give “Desires” a cohesive sound while allowing the vocals and message to remain central.

Lyrically, “Desires” brings themes of gratitude and faith into a contemporary hip-hop setting an intersection that has remained an important part of Nathan Jarrelle’s music.

In its closing assessment, Sinusoidal Music describes Jarrelle as delivering a “relatable yet powerful narrative” alongside strong rhyming ability.

Listen to “Desires” by Nathan Jarrelle below.

READ THE ORIGINAL REVIEW

Christian music publication Jesus Freak Hideout reviewed Nathan Jarrelle’s 2022 album Low Resolution, highlighting the project’s blend of Christian hip-hop, R&B influence, introspective songwriting, and faith-centered lyricism.

Written by Michael Weaver, the review explores how Low Resolution balances messages of faith with honest conversations about some of the more difficult parts of life. Rather than relying on oversized production or traditional hip-hop anthems, the project takes a more restrained approach, placing greater emphasis on songwriting, atmosphere, and Jarrelle’s delivery.

Jesus Freak Hideout particularly highlighted “Never Let Go,” featuring Cold Illumination, and the song’s exploration of worth, struggle, and finding hope in Christ.

Speaking about the album as a whole, Weaver writes that “Low Resolution boasts of style and substance” and describes Jarrelle as an artist bringing a different perspective to Christian hip-hop.

The review also recognizes one of the ideas that continues to shape Nathan Jarrelle’s music: faith does not require ignoring the darker parts of the human experience. Low Resolution addresses difficult emotions and circumstances while maintaining the hope at the center of Jarrelle’s Christian faith.

Released July 25, 2022, Low Resolution became part of an expanding catalog from Nathan Jarrelle and was followed by Low Resolution 2 in 2023.

Listen to Low Resolution and explore more music from Nathan Jarrelle below.

READ THE ORIGINAL REVIEW