Source: Christopher Cavanaugh / Brandon Cotton / iOne Digital
In exclusive news, iOne Digital relaunches Elev8, a new platform spotlighting a new wave Christian hip-hop and R&B artists.
As the world goes through tumultuous times, there are many online who are looking for a kind of safe space to find motivation and achieve reflection on matters related to mind, body and culture. In that spirit, the return of an online hub dedicated to that mission was announced on Thursday (April 4). Elev8, pronounced as “ele-vate,” seeks to be the foundation for those black men and women who seek non-traditional sources to advance their interconnected well-being.
Elev8 kicks off this mission with a bang with a new cover featuring seven talented up-and-coming artists in the world of Christian Hip-Hop and R&B. The artists – Childlike CiCi, Franchesca, Lee Vasi, Wande, Jor'Dan Armstrong, Mike Teezy and Stevie Rizo – sit down and talk at length with Elev8 Digital Director Aliya Faust about their commitment to their faith influencing their music in various ways, allowing to push envelopes and appeal to the public. “I've always been a girl who wears my heart on my sleeve and that's kind of amplified in this Christian genre because it's really soul work that this music comes from,” Lee Vasi said in the profile. . For Armstrong, who recently hit #1 on the Billboard charts, the new change is remarkable. “I remember 10-15 years ago, we didn't have these kinds of opportunities,” he says. “We didn't have these kinds of platforms. We were frowned upon because we were different or because we had a different approach to what the Gospel sounded like. I am grateful to be a part of what God is doing in the industry and the genre we are in.”
As Faust explains: “I think it's important to have a brand like Elev8 because we recognize that what you feed your mind and body matters. Health is multifaceted. I always refer to four of the eight dimensions of wellness. Spiritual health, emotional health, physical health, social health, etc. – they are all interconnected. When we cultivate them harmoniously, life is elevated.” In addition to more in-depth articles on each of the aforementioned artists, Elev8 will feature more sensational discussions on all of these topics combined with featured videos, exclusive digital profiles, and daily articles along with a newsletter.
Check out the first profile on Elev8 here.
