Artist Spotlight

By Joshua Paul

Lil Sizzle

Rap Name Lil Sizzle

Born as: Caleb Thigpen

Age: 19

Hometown: North Houston

Album Title: Re-Vibal {REE-Vy-bul}

Sizzle’s Favorite Tracks: 2. Is It True?, 5. Back Again f/ Tony Mac, 12. I See You

As God begins to increase the number of Christian music artists we are seeing that they are more diverse in culture and they range in different age groups. As a younger artist Lil Sizzle shows himself to be an encouragement to anyway who says that they are “too young” to minister with God’s Word. After meeting and performing with Sizzle I can testify that in his humility and his stage presence his age is merely a number.

 After listening to his new CD Re-Vibal, it’s clear to see that even at his age he has seen a lot of things and gained a lot of wisdom. The album makes big noise for Christ with scripture based life lessons over banging beats and melodies. Featured Artists include Nina Grace, Tony Mac,  EW3, J. Harrison, J-Real, Testimony and Joshua (G-Code). EW3, Testimony and T-Mak also provide beat production including DJ Huerra.

 I got a chance to catch up with Lil Sizzle on the day of Re-Vibal’s October 14 release date.

 RT: As a believer who was born into a faithful family how did that affect your relationship with Christ?

 I had my relationship with Christ but I wasn’t as close as I could have been. I know that people born into faithful families tend to have the worst reputations and I had my moments. I didn’t get too bad but I’ve realized that whether you do a little wrong or a lot it’s still wrong. I still wanted what the world wanted but music is what helped me to get back to living the way I was supposed to live.

RT: How did you get into being a Christian artist?

 I started when I was 14 as a freshman in high school. I actually started by writing secular songs about girls. My former youth pastor approached my brother and I to write a rap song for our church’s praise and worship service.

RT: Did you ever share your Christian music with other students at school?

 Before that I actually started off selling anything I could at school. I sold candy, food, and even chopped and screwed CD’s. But all that changed when I started doing Christian rap. When I am not on stage I am a quiet person who usually won’t tell you anything unless you ask me so I didn’t really make an announcement that I was a Christian rapper. But if we were ever doing freestylin’ in the lunch room I would rap with them and I would throw in some Christian raps as well. I dropped my first Chrisitian mixtape at school and it didn’t go that far. I dealt with being shy and worrying about what others thought about me but as I grew I learned to realize that it didn’t matter what people said about me. They will always have something to say but if they’re right then I need to change.

RT: Where is your focus when you are writing a song?

 I believe that when I write a song its got to be something that I’m living. If a principle in one of my songs is something that I’m not really living then I have to change. When I first started all of my songs were about Christ so I realized that I had to live by what I said and not live a double life. Music is what brought closer to Him so the more songs I wrote the closer I got. I also noticed that when I got on stage that I was influencing people and they were looking up to me so I had to make sure to live my life the right way.

 RT: What other contributions did you make to your album besides the songwriting?

 I also did the graphic design on my album artwork. I’m self taught but I go to school at the Art Institute of Houston for Graphic Design and started a graphic design business called IDK Studios.. It stands for I Do Know and we specialize in professional custom graphics, photography, printing and more. We just launched a new site at www.IDKstudios.com

 RT: What are your plans for promoting your album?

 I’ve linked up with different artists, churches, youth groups, giving out flyers and my commercial that has been on ReelTalk TV. The place that I have promoted the most is the Internet. I’ve done Myspace blasts with my current friends and I also have used some ad space as well. But I mainly point people to www.LilSizzle.com because they can find out a lot of information about me and they can also get my album there as well. I also hope to reach schools and also to promote to all cultures and races.

 RT: So before we finish up do you have any shot-outs?

Shot-out to my mom and dad, my sisters, my girlfriend, and ReelTalk.org for the interview.

 CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE LIL SIZZLE ALBUM

CLICK HERE TO RETURN TO HOMEPAGE