Tearing down the walls that religious Christians often get boxed into is a clear mission of Nigerian born, London-based artist Limoblaze, through his music and his growing community, Young and Chosen.

His latest effort musically, Pray, is a sonic reflection of this mission: a hip-hop-infused prayer that resonates deeply with a new generation of believers, but it isn’t a branding exercise or a gospel rebrand made to appeal to Gen Z—at least not from Limoblaze’s own words. Rather, it is a reclamation and a reminder that spiritual expression does not need to abandon culture in order to be considered pure.

In this conversation with NoteS, Limoblaze opens up about purpose, navigating cultural relevance as a Christian artist, the global impact of his sound, and why the gospel is not a genre but a message.

NoteS: I want to start by asking—Young and Chosen… what’s it really about?

Limoblaze: Young and Chosen is like an umbrella that covers many things, but primarily it’s meant to be a home for Christian creatives—giving them the freedom to express themselves and, over time, receive the support they need. As the name implies, it’s about encouraging young people to find purpose that’s bigger than themselves.

NoteS: Very interesting. What do you think about the term “cool Christians” that people use—you know, people who love God but don’t fit into the traditional mold of “don’t dress like this,” “don’t have dreadlocks,” “don’t do rap”? What’s your take on that?

Limoblaze: Generally, a lot of those ideas aren’t even scriptural—they’re just opinions. If it’s not in the Bible, it’s a preference, and you can’t impose your preference on people. I think I used to be in the space where I’d say things like “We’re cool Christians,” but these days, I’m just not fascinated by labels. I’m more concerned with people walking in truth. So long as what they’re doing is biblically sound and aligned with the gospel, I’m good with that.

NoteS: But do you ever feel tension between staying culturally relevant and spiritually grounded? Especially through your music?

Limoblaze: Not at all. I don’t feel that pressure because I’m not trying to impress anyone. I’m not trying to be a Christian—I am a Christian. That’s who I am; it’s the reality of my life. So the only standard I try to meet daily is God’s standard, according to Scripture, not man’s. I don’t try to meet anyone else’s expectations.

As an artist, I express music in its truest form to me. Of course, we all get influenced by the sounds we grew up on. The culture rubs off on you sometimes. But for me, it’s never been about chasing trends—it’s always about authenticity.

NoteS: So what sounds shaped you growing up?

Limoblaze: It was a mix—Women of Faith, Michael Jackson, a lot of rap. My older brothers played a lot of Eminem, 50 Cent… so there was that hip-hop influence. But the biggest one was definitely church. I grew up in the choir and the church band. That musical discipline shaped me the most.

NoteS: I hear that a lot. What is it about church music that makes it such a solid foundation for artists?

Limoblaze: Church raises the sharpest musicians, hands down. If you’re in a church choir, you’re rehearsing twice a week, minimum. That’s time spent learning harmonies, arrangements, structure—and you’re also expected to learn music on your own between rehearsals. That level of consistency and practice sharpens you.

NoteS: Let’s talk about your new single, Pray. You mentioned hip-hop and 50 Cent earlier—and Pray leans into hip-hop, even Jersey Club. What inspired that direction?

Limoblaze: It came together differently. The producer sent me the instrumental and I vibed with it instantly. I made some changes here and there and decided I wanted to write a song about prayer that young people could connect with. That’s how Pray came about.

NoteS: You’ve mentioned being an advocate for young people, especially through Young and Chosen. Is it mostly online, or does it extend into real-life engagements?

Limoblaze: It’s definitely more than just online. We’ve done a whole African tour, and now we’re on a Europe tour. I’m meeting people in real life, having conversations, fellowshipping, building community. It’s still unfolding, but yes—it’s growing on-ground too.

NoteS: That’s powerful—listening to your music, you’ve always blurred the lines between gospel, Afrobeats, and hip-hop. Do you think gospel is a genre—or can it live in any sound?

Limoblaze: I’ve never viewed gospel as a genre. For me, the gospel is the message—not the sound. That message can be delivered through any genre—Afrobeats, hip-hop, whatever. People are just stuck on what gospel should sound like, but if you go back 150 years, gospel didn’t sound like it does today. So again—it’s the message, not the style.

NoteS: According to your Spotify page, your first single dropped in 2016.

Limoblaze: Technically yes, but I’d been making music long before that. Back then, people weren’t streaming—they were downloading. I have a lot of music that predates Spotify. My first proper single came out in 2012. That was the beginning of things on a more serious level.

NoteS: So from day one, was it gospel?

Limoblaze: Always. I grew up in church, so music has always been an extension of my walk with God. That’s the only thing I’ve ever wanted to express.

NoteS: Some people say the gospel music space works differently—deals, audience, bookings. From your experience, is that true?

Limoblaze: To some extent, yes—but not always. For example, I’m signed to a faith-based label, so there’s a clear expectation that my music aligns with biblical truth. But when it comes to production, marketing, promotion—cost is cost. Whether it’s gospel or not, nobody’s giving discounts.

You’re still dealing with ads, rollouts, studio time. Whether you call it ministry or not, money changes hands, and that’s business. The difference is what you’re prioritizing: the Kingdom, or the commerce.

NoteS: Right. You’re currently touring Europe, and I hear Australia’s next. What’s been the most surprising part of connecting with your global audience?

Limoblaze: I think the biggest surprise was seeing crowds—especially white audiences—singing my songs in Yoruba and Pidgin, word for word, without understanding the language. I expected Nigerians in the diaspora, but seeing people outside the culture connect with the music on that level—it still amazes me. That kind of reach is a blessing.

NoteS: That must be an incredible feeling. Do you have any personal ties to Lagos?

Limoblaze: Yeah, I’m a Lagos boy. I started shuffling between Lagos and London three years ago, but before that, I lived in Lagos fully for about four years. If I’m not traveling, I’m usually in either city.

NoteS: Were you born there?

Limoblaze: No, I was born and raised in Benue. I spent the first 23 years of my life there before moving to Lagos.

NoteS: Got it. I think your last Nigerian performance was in Abuja back in March, right?

Limoblaze: Yeah, that was the final leg of my African tour.

NoteS: How does performing at home compare to performing abroad?

Limoblaze: It just feels like home. That’s the best way I can describe it. No matter where I go, coming back home and hearing your own people sing your songs—it hits different. That feeling tops every other stage.

NoteS: In 2022, you had one of your biggest songs with the legendary gospel hip-hop artist Lecrae— Jireh (my provider). You even flipped a Maverick City track. What’s the story behind that?

Limoblaze: That started with Happy, the producer. He flipped the song and Lecrae sent it to me. Lecrae was coming to the UK to perform at Big Church Day Out and wanted me on stage. We already had a song together, but he felt we needed something bigger.

So I recorded it—not even in a proper studio, just to perform. But after the show, it went crazy. People wanted the song, followers tripled overnight. Lecrae helped me clear the sample and jumped on the track. We tried to re-record, but the energy wasn’t the same, so we dropped the original.

NoteS: Oh wow—many great things do happen unexpectedly. So if someone’s just discovering you, what’s the first track they should listen to?

Limoblaze: It depends. My catalog is deep. If they like worship, I’d say Yahweh. If they like rap—Pray or Pull Up. If they’re into R&B, maybe Pretty Day. If they want Afrobeat, I’d say Desire. There’s something for everyone.

NoteS: What genre do you enjoy making the most?

Limoblaze: Rap is my first love. But funny enough, I have more Afrobeat songs. As I grow, I’m leaning more into Afro-pop and Afro-R&B. Maybe I’m just not trying to jump around too much on stage anymore, haha.

NoteS: Haha, fair enough. Looking back—what moment made you realize this isn’t just music anymore? That it is a movement?

Limoblaze: Probably my second tour. That’s when it clicked. I started meeting people who told me, “This song saved me during my divorce,” or “This track brought me back to God.” That’s the real reward. Forget the numbers and awards—knowing God is using your music to transform lives? That’s everything.

NoteS: For real—an artist seeing their music impact real life, I feel, is the most rewarding feeling. As we enter this final half of the year, what are you praying or hoping for personally?

Limoblaze: It’s been a really busy year for me, mehn—because I’m still on tour. A prayer for me right now is just to continue growing in my relationship with Jesus. That’s the one thing I’m focused on.

I’m not fascinated by money—as long as I can provide for myself and my family, I’m good. God has always been faithful in that area, and I trust He’ll continue to be.

And yeah, I also want to reach as many people as possible through Young and Chosen, and for the movement to keep growing. I want loads of young people around the world to continue identifying with their faith.

NoteS: And that’s a big amen to all of that. I’d love to see every one of those things come true.

Limoblaze is unapologetically building a movement and promoting truth, creativity, community, and other soul-centered values rooted in the Bible rather than mere opinion. Whether through his personal mission with music or the Young and Chosen collective, he continues to stay true to this. So even when he raps, “What would Jesus do is my reference,” in his latest single Pray, he’s simply staying consistent in his message.