You’ve Been Sleeping On The DJs
There’s a conversation happening inside Christian hip hop that not enough people are having — and it starts with a question most of us haven’t thought to ask: are we giving DJs the recognition they deserve?
That’s the thread running through this episode of WhatItIzWhatItBeezLike?! as James Rosseau sits down with DJ Wade-O, a man who has been in the CHH space for 20 years and has seen it from every angle — as a broadcaster, curator, collaborator, and champion of the culture.
Wade-O’s story starts in a basement. Literally. In 2006, a brother from his church in Newark, New Jersey opened up his home, and the first 29 episodes of Wade-O Radio were recorded there on Sunday nights and released on Mondays. At the time, there was no Spotify, no podcast apps. You had to give people an RSS feed and tell them to paste it into iTunes. Podcasting was barely a concept, and Christian hip hop media was almost nonexistent.
What makes the origin story even more striking is what Wade-O walked away from to pursue it. He was working in finance, making good money in corporate America, and had just finished his master’s degree. There was no master plan. No five-year strategy. He simply loved what Christian hip hop was doing for him — showing him that you could love Jesus and love hip hop — and he wanted to help other people experience that too.
And then God moved. Wade-O describes a moment where he felt clearly led to expand his podcast format from an hour and fifteen minutes to two full hours. Three weeks later, he received a call from someone who ran a Christian rap show across five radio stations and was retiring. The invitation was simple: take over. No audition. No application. Just obedience followed by provision.
That moment launched a trajectory that would eventually lead to Holy Culture Radio on SiriusXM — but the conversation didn’t stay in the past. James pressed into a question that clearly matters to both of them: do DJs get enough recognition in this space?
Wade-O’s answer is nuanced. He acknowledges that it’s gotten better — pointing to spaces like the Kingdom Choice Awards, the Spin Awards, and the Christian Nightlife Awards that have made room to honor DJs. He also names names. DJ Official, who he considers his favorite Christian rap DJ ever, a figure who rarely spoke publicly but produced an entire curated album. Mike LV of Indie Tribe, who isn’t just the voice at the front of a record — he’s choosing beats, coaching verses, and A&Ring projects. iRockJesus, who earned recognition from nearly every major award platform in the space before his passing.
But the deeper point is this: DJs are doing more than most listeners realize. They’re not just pressing play. They’re shaping sound, mentoring artists, and helping build the culture from the inside. And if you’re not paying attention to that, you’re missing a significant piece of the picture.
The conversation also touches on the cities that shaped CHH — Philly, Dallas, Houston, Orlando, Atlanta, St. Louis, the Bay Area — and why Philly in particular deserves more credit than it often receives. From the Cross Movement era to Lamp Mode to Trip Lee relocating from Dallas specifically to be part of Epiphany Fellowship, the contributions run deep. And according to both James and Wade-O, there’s a resurgence happening right now.
One of the more personal moments comes at the very beginning. James shares a story about a time he and his brother reached out to Wade-O to do a mixtape — and Wade-O told them the music wasn’t ready yet. No sugarcoating. No yes-man energy. Just honest feedback rooted in genuine care. James credits that moment as one that revealed Wade-O’s character, and it sets the tone for the entire episode: in a culture full of people who will tell you what you want to hear, the ones willing to tell you the truth are the ones who actually move you forward.
That’s the kind of conversation this is. Twenty years of perspective, zero pretense, and a challenge to everyone listening: pay attention to the people building this thing behind the scenes. You’ve been sleeping on the DJs. It’s time to wake up.
🎧 Catch the full conversation on Holy Culture Radio — SiriusXM Channel 140.
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