Artist interview (April 2023) for my blog, The Praise Pursuit. Photo courtesy of artist.

“I’ve always had a deep love for performing arts; I've been around it my entire life. Now, I get to take all that and give God the glory.”

Artist Masonx3x5, whose name is inspired by the Proverbs 3:5 scripture, grew up in the Los Angeles area of California in a Jewish family. His parents and brother were a significant presence in the film industry.

When Mason was 12 years old, his older brother, actor Simon Helberg, gifted him a guitar; and it inspired Mason to create his own art.

“I have been heavily influenced by music since I was born,” he shared. “My parents were always listening to music. My brother was in a band and also played the piano.”

Mason continued, “I started listening to hip hop and rap and was inspired by the genre.”

At age 19, Mason attended the Musicians Institute in Hollywood to study post production audio engineering. He spent his time writing lyrics and recording music at his friends’ homes.

However, while he was busy creating art, Mason was also experiencing periods of hardships.

He had begun smoking weed at age 12; and by age 26, it had progressed to harder substances (meth, heroin, and fentanyl.) During this valley of his life, Mason experienced homelessness, rehab stays, nights in jails, and living on the Los Angeles streets for four years.

It was in 2020, after an arrest and a judge’s ruling to join a program or get sent to prison, that Mason was invited to the Victory Outreach Men’s Home. The stay at the international ministry’s California rehabilitation home encouraged Mason to study the Word and become saved.

Mason is still a part of the ministry today, and serves as a ‘ThirdWave’ leader for students and young adults.

“Nothing helped me until I got saved at age 26, and I let Jesus into my heart,” he declared. “Now I’m three years clean, sober, and saved.”

Mason explained It was hard at first because he didn’t want to accept that Jesus was and is the Messiah.

“The more I studied and the more I looked into it, the more I came to know and believe that He is the Messiah,” the rapper stated. “A lot of it was understanding how He fulfills the law (because Jews live by the law and the Old Testament.) The more I looked into it, I could see how every scripture in the New Testament aligns with scripture from the Old Testament.”

Living his new saved life for Christ, Mason no longer creates music for the world; he gladly makes music for God.

“God gave me a love for something (music) and I give that love back to Him through my music,” the artist shared.

Mason clings not only to the Proverbs 3:5 scripture that inspired his artist name, he also prays Deuteronomy 6:4-9 in Hebrew every morning and every night. He cites Isaiah 40:31 as another pivotal Bible verse in his life.

Mason releases solo tracks and also collaborates with other artists. The song ‘Save Me’ features artists GodFearin, Xay Hill, and Darnell Nate.

Masonx3x5 raps with a group of five other Christian hip hop artists (Little J, TURK, LBC.Clive, Anointed Hope, and BROTHERIX,) known as The6 Music.

About a year ago, the six of us started the collective,” Mason explained. “As a group we aim to reach and relate to people based on the various walks of life we’ve all been through so there’s something for everyone.”

Masonx3x5 continues to share his powerful testimony, letting others know God can use their valleys to save them, too.

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