Hip-hop artist Tedashii grew up believing he was a good kid who never got into trouble. He received a scholarship to Baylor University, where he joined the football and track teams and excelled academically. “I’m living my dream,” he recalled.
Halfway through his first semester, a student walked up to him. He said, ‘I heard the way you speak about girls, how you talk about your life. I heard the jokes you told and how you interact with other guys. And I gotta be honest, I think the Bible would call that sin.’ Tedashii yelled, shoving the student away. For the first time, someone told him he wasn’t good, and it was God saying it.
Later, Tedashii attempted to break a weightlifting record but injured his back. Doctors warned that further injury could leave him paralyzed. He chose to prioritize his ability to walk over football. Two days later, the same student shared the gospel with him again, explaining that Jesus died for his sins and offered a relationship with God. He said that, even though Tedashii was an enemy of God, Jesus came to this world and lived the perfect life that he couldn’t live. He died innocently on the cross, dying the death that he should have died. Three days later, God raised his Son from the dead, proving that Jesus is God. He said, “God doesn’t want your good behavior, he wants a relationship.”
This message shook Tedashii. Later that week, he broke down in his dorm room, realizing he wasn’t good in God’s eyes. He cried out to God, believing the gospel for the first time. The student who shared the gospel with him became a close friend and encouraged him to include Christian messages in his rap lyrics. After Baylor, Tedashii signed with Reach Records and released four solo albums. The gospel’s transformation of his life compelled him to share its message with others.
