Until They Put the Toe Tag On: The Unstoppable Journey of Pastor YPJ pt1
How does a gospel artist go viral on MySpace, shift into ministry, and still keep it all authentic?
In this episode of Bonnerfide Conversations, host Gerard Bonner sits down with the one and only Pastor YPJ, a trailblazer who seamlessly blends faith, music, and culture. From his MySpace breakthrough to leading a thriving ministry, Pastor YPJ shares never-before-told stories about his early music career, the marketing strategies that made him go viral, and why faith-based artists need to break out of the box.
This episode is packed with insights on music, ministry, and influence, making it a must-listen for creatives, entrepreneurs, and faith leaders navigating today’s culture.
🎧 Listen Now:
🔥 What You’ll Learn in This Episode
📌 The MySpace Era & the Birth of a Viral Hit
- How MySpace unexpectedly launched Pastor YPJ’s music career
- The backstory behind his viral hit “Jesus (Oh My God)”
- The free CD giveaway strategy that spread his music nationwide
📌 Hip-Hop, Gospel & the Business of Attention
- Why Christian artists struggle to break into mainstream music
- The real difference between secular and profane music
- How the gospel industry limits creative artists
- Why social media changed the game for independent artists
📌 Culture, Influence & Breaking Traditions
- Drake vs. Kendrick—who really won? (Pastor YPJ doesn’t hold back!)
- Why creativity in faith-based spaces needs to evolve
- How content creators and musicians can stand out in 2024
- Why faith-based content doesn’t always need to be “evangelistic”
📌 The Evolution of Christian Hip-Hop
- Why Christian hip-hop used to be corny—and what changed
- The biggest problem with the modern gospel industry
- Why gospel artists should stop forcing themselves into one genre
- The importance of authenticity in faith-based music and content
🔥 Viral & Thought-Provoking Quotes from This Episode
From Pastor YPJ:
🗣️ “We let people bully us into corners, thinking we can’t do what we love just because we follow Christ. But our gifts are bigger than that.”
🗣️ “Not every song has to preach. Not every Christian artist has to be a worship leader. Some of us are called to create.”
🗣️ “Drake lost the Kendrick battle. You know how I know? The man started dissing LeBron. That’s a desperate move.”
🗣️ “The gospel industry loves to trap artists in a box. If you don’t sing what they want, suddenly you’re ‘not saved enough.’”
From Gerard Bonner:
🗣️ “A lot of gospel artists are singing the wrong genre. If you really want to be an R&B artist, go be an R&B artist.”
🗣️ “If God is love, why can’t we sing about love? We’ve let tradition choke creativity for too long.”
🗣️ “Christian music doesn’t have to sound like church to be impactful. Some of the best faith-based music lives outside of Sunday morning.”
🗣️ “We need to stop forcing artists into a box. Just because they don’t sing Jesus in every line doesn’t mean they aren’t Kingdom.”
👥 Connect with Us & Join the Conversation
📲 Follow Pastor YPJ: @pastorypj
📲 Follow Gerard Bonner: @bonnerfide
📲 Join the Discussion: Use #BonnerfideConversations
🎧 Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review! Your support helps us continue bringing unfiltered, powerful conversations to the culture.
🚀 Next Episode Teaser:
In Part 2, we’ll dive into Pastor YPJ’s love for pro wrestling, relationships, and how he’s stayed scandal-free in the public eye. Don’t miss it!
🔥 Ready to break barriers in faith, music, and culture? Listen now!
