Ovadia, Greene’s musical pseudonym, released “Emancipated,” his second album, on Jan. 15 on iTunes and Amazon. The album features ten songs with guest vocals by juniors Mary Wiggins and Trent Kramer, and piano by junior Travis Lacy. Lacy was also the senior executive producer for the album. Junior Chris Waters helped produce the album with Lacy and was also the recording engineer.
“Travis [Lacy] loves rap, and he suggested the name for the album,” Greene said. “It really is based on emancipation and being free from sin.”
Greene was first persuaded to give the Christian rap genre a chance by his youth pastor when he was 14. Greene knew he wrote decent poetry and thought writing raps might be a good transition.
“I didn’t think it was that much different, but it actually really is,” Greene said.
Greene then recorded his first album when he was 16 in his room with a friend. The second album, Greene said, is much better than the first, largely due to the work done by Waters.
“Chris [Greene] and I have worked together since our sophomore year,” Waters said. “We have spent a year and a half working on the album. Chris [Greene] is really appreciative and gracious, and I consider it a privilege to help him get his stuff out there. He puts a lot behind his music. He’s very heartfelt and has a definite talent for it.”
Greene is proud of every track on the album, but one particular song stands out for him and for all involved: “Relentless Mercy.” The song features Lacy on the piano and begins with a simple instrumental lead. Greene comes in with punchy syllables conveying a message which he describes as his own depravity. Wiggins’ voice then melodically cuts through singing a hook from “Amazing Grace.”
“It was really fun,” Wiggins said. “I didn’t expect him to ask me originally. [Greene] is really talented. When you look at him, you wouldn’t expect to hear this incredible rapping come out of his mouth.”
“Relentless Mercy” is part of a three-song set, which starts with ‘Far Away’ and ends with “Eyes on Him.” The set describes “a journey dealing with the de- prived and fallen nature of this world,” Greene said. “Relentless Mercy” has made everyone on the Ovadia team very proud.
“Firstly, it’s the only song we did from the ground up,” Greene said. “It is intimately ours. Somehow the lyrics and the concept of it suit my voice. It is the ideal fit for me.”
Looking toward his future, Greene is not quite sure yet where music will fit in. He will attend seminary after college to pursue his dream of becoming a minister in the inner city.
“I’m really happy and really proud of ‘Emancipated,’” Greene said. “I’m not sure where my music is going, but I would definitely like to pursue it in the future.”
rturnbull@hillsdale.edu
