Woodbridge man finds salvation in Christian rap

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The logic was that by selling crack cocaine to his mother Woodbridge resident Christian Love would keep her off the streets and safe.

"Streetwise, I've sold drugs since I was 9," said Love, who was raised in Washington, D.C.

His mother, Melody Love, who now lives in Capitol Heights, Md., has been a crack addict since he was a child, Love said.

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The story has a happy ending.

On March 2, Love, now a full-time Christian rapper, celebrated the release of his first album, "The Awakening." It was also his birthday and marked the first year his mother has been off drugs.

"Chris came from a life of hardship to refocusing his life and getting his life together, and now spreading the message for God," Melody Love, 48, said. "I'm very proud of him. Very."

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Love's biography parallels many of his influences. Jay-Z, for example, was a Brooklyn-based drug dealer. But, for Love, who performs under the name Christ-Like, there was a turning point, a moment where he had enough, found his way and decided to dedicate his life to the gospel.

Melody Love says he showed musical aptitude from a very young age, when she bought him a radio with a keyboard and a tape recorder at 7 or 8.

But, by age 9 Love said he was selling drugs. His first brush with the law came later. In 1995 Love robbed a video store with two other individuals. One of his accomplices had a 9 mm handgun. They got out of the store with $5,000 cash and between $2,000 and $3000 in jewelry.

"I think we got away with a Rolex watch and an expensive ring," Love said. "Someone called the cops and a chase ensued. We ended up running through the woods and we got chased by dogs. It was horrible. I've still got the bite marks to this day."

They were caught and arrested for armed robbery. Love spent six months in the Upper Marlboro Correctional Center, where he said he had his first run-in with God.

"I came from a very religious background," Love said, referring to his uncle, who is a pastor in Maryland. "In a crisis, I was taught to turn to God. So, that's what I did."

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God helped him through prison. Out of prison, he stayed straight for a while, but before long he was back to his old ways and back to drug dealing.

"I was in love with the street life," Love said. "It was all I knew."

In 2000, while living in Connecticut, he was arrested for possession with intent to sell. He spent three and a half months incarcerated.

"I ended up getting the charge dropped down to possession, going to a drug rehab facility and getting released on probation, which was kind of some trickery on my lawyer's part to help me beat the charge."

"At times I found myself even supplying my mom and it got to the point, 'How low can you sink, even selling to your own mom?'" Love said.

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Change happened gradually. He started searching for God. He lived homeless for a month in Connecticut, sleeping on the streets or in

shelters.

Finally, after all he had been through, Love hit "rock bottom."

Love said he was tired of evading the police and not feeling safe.

"I was aimless," Love said. "I was lost. I didn't know who I was, where I was going, what was God's plan."

Through it all, Love stayed involved in music. He said he worked with independent companies such as Beatdown Records and Streetmade Records, doing scouting and artist development.

"I always rapped on the side and wrote lyrics for other artists," Love said.

Love discovered Christian rap on the Internet, while applying for the street team of well-known Christian rapper, The Truth.

"I was at a crossroads in my life because I always knew the word and I lived a corrupt life," Love said.

Soon, Love said, God revealed the plan -- the problem wasn't the music, but Love's lifestyle.

He needed to use his rapping abilities to spread a positive message, to glorify God through music.

He returned to the area in 2006 to do just that, and to be closer to his family. Last November he launched his independent label, Christ-Like Music Group.

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Not only has Love turned his life around, but also, so has his mother. Melody Love said she graduated from So Others Might Eat Center for Employment Training two weeks ago and now works as a medical administrative assistant.

"That has always been my desire, to be drug free, and I struggled with it for a long time, and I got into this program (So Others Might Eat), and my life changed," she said.

She said her son has dreamt of becoming a rapper since he was a boy. Now, his dreams are coming true.

"I believe that we've lost testimony," Love said. "(My music) gives you my life experience. It shows you where I was, where I've been and where I'm going."

His influences include rappers such as Biggie Smalls, Jay-Z, Master P and Tupac Shakur.

"It's crazy because none of them are gospel artists," said Love, who doesn't even listen to those kinds of artists anymore. "I don't feel that music today says anything."

Except for research purposes, Love only listens to Christian rappers such as Cross Movement or The Truth. He also said a local favorite is Vaughn Dashiell, who performs under the name Random. Dashiell did production work and appears as a guest on "The Awakening."

"For a first project, first time doing this, I think it's a really good project to start off with, and I'm looking forward to working with him on the second one," said Dashiell, 19, of Woodbridge.

Dashiell, who attends Northern Virginia Community College in Woodbridge, said Love is very "wise" and able to relate to his fans on issues they may be facing.

"I just want to change lives," said Love. "If I could just change one, then my goal is done."

Staff Writer Josh Eiserike can be reached at 703-878-8072 or jeiserike@potomacnews.com.