Christian hip-hop artist and alumnus performs, speaks in chapel

Dre Murray and freshman Anna Welch pose for a photo. Photo by Brad Crofford.

By Brad Crofford, Editor-in-Chief

Christian hip-hop artist and SNU alumnus Dre Murray performed and spoke in chapel on Thursday, April 11. In addition to performing several songs and involving the audience, Murray shared his testimony.

Murray attended SNU from 2000-2004 for the basketball program and played all four years. A highlight of Murray’s performance was his audience involvement.

Brooklyn Spindle, one of campus pastor Blair Spindle’s children, had the opportunity to beatbox for Murray while he rapped. This was not her first time beatboxing, according to her father.

“Brooklyn is always beat boxing around the house,” Blair Spindle said. “It’s always impressed me that she can do it though I don’t know how she learned really. We had talked about Brooklyn beat boxing for Dre at an event last Spring but it never happened so, yes it was planned. She did a pretty good job plus she’s just so cute.”

Students appeared to appreciate Murray sharing his testimony.

“I always enjoy getting to see Dre share his music and his testimony,” senior music business major Zach Lucero said. “I’ve worked with him on the technical side of shows, and he is consistently a great example of what it means to be a Christ follower. He is super genuine and I am glad that he is finding success in music!”

“He is an awesome witness for Christ and has a great message of how we are to live as servants like Jesus did. I’m a fan,” junior network engineering major Laura Kouts said.

His performance also earned the praise of freshman music business major, Demarkie Roy. As Murray sought audience participation on the song “We Live As Kings,” Roy was one of the few students already familiar with each phrase the audience was to respond with.

“In my opinion, Dre Murray’s one of the best Christian rappers alive,” Roy said in an email to the Echo. “If I had a chance to do a song with him, I would.”

A rapper himself, Roy performed a song as his talent during the Who’s The Man 2013 competition. Roy says he listens to Murray’s music because he can relate to a lot of it, such as coming from a single parent home and knowing what it’s like to live in a rough neighborhood.

“His chapel presentation music and testimony got to me because not too many people make it out of a bad environment and live for god,” Roy said.

Anna Welch, a freshman mass communications major, attended chapel and had the opportunity to interact with Murray in the Commons while he signed her copy of “We Live As Kings.”

“I loved his testimony and music…he brought a whole new style of worship to the table,” Welch said. “His honesty about not wanting to be at SNU and the mistakes he made were encouraging to friends and myself. He showed his good heart while we chatted during the signing and I really hope he can return again.”