JUGG Is Holding on to Hope that his Soul Testifies
- Elana Lechay
- 5 hours ago
- 6 min read
From breakdown to breakthrough. Behind the scenes we go! Our September Artist of the Month, JUGG is on a mission. You will be changed after exploring this interview further. JUGG takes us on a journey of how it looks to go from death to life and what that means.
For those discovering you through For The Glory for the first time, introduce us to JUGG. Where are you based, and can you tell us a breakthrough moment that made you the person that you are today? JUGG: My name ‘JUGG’ simply means to work, as the work or the ‘JUGG’ that I'm doing is for the Kingdom of God! With that being said, all the work that I do, I try my very best to bring the ideas that God has given me to life as sometimes the failure of me translating God’s ideas brings me deep anguish in a sense. I'm based in South-East London (Woolwich to be exact) and I am simply a melting pot of events I have been through, events I have witnessed and events that are about to come to pass which helped form the artistic brain that being me. In terms of my breakthrough moment, I always tell this exact story. In 2024 I suffered from a mental breakdown due to multiple avenues in my life I was participating in which caused me burnout, but before my mental walls collapsed I made one final song “Collision Course”! From June 1st until November 2024 life became increasingly more rocky. I lost my grandmother, I lost myself, I almost lost my position as a student at my University… but God never abandoned me!
Whilst all this was happening I made a song called “Breakthrough” in June, the same month where I had my mental breakdown: Breakthrough is about breaking through the breakdown and the is about reaching light at the end of the tunnel and although I didn’t reach that light until November… There’s always and will always be hope in Christ and the light that he is and that light he will bring.
In 2022, you discovered that God had blessed you with the ability to write and rap. You understood that you wanted to use your abilities to make disciples of all nations as stated in Matthew 28:19-20. What was it in that moment of realization that made you understand the weight of what the Lord was calling you to do? What specific role does this scripture play when you are writing and rapping your music?
JUGG: In August 2022, a very close brother Michael took me to my first studio session and the moment I put the headphones on my ears I felt a switch click in my soul almost like flicking on a light switch. Since then I have been obsessed and yes at times over zealous with making music but all things are a journey, I had to learn at various times of life both when it was and wasn’t time to go to the studio and more importantly how to use my gifts correctly to serve the Kingdom of God correctly. Understanding and knowing scripture is important when I write because the last thing you want to do is use scripture incorrectly, so I view scripture as an important foundation on where my words stand on as if God isn’t the solid rock then when the winds and the storm they will test your foundations and they will stand or crumble underneath the tests.
While watching the video clip of ‘MUSIC FOR YOU’ it gave me a sense of comfort, surrender, hope, joy, and it made me reflect on how faithful the Lord has been to myself and others. Can you bring us behind the scenes of that project?
JUGG: Oh my daysss, with MUSIC FOR YOU that was made on such a whim! I had a session with my engineer booked in July and I said “no matter what, this session will be my next music release” then I came across the instrumental and I was pulled in! I wrote the hook and contacted the vocalists Jamelia and Israel for them to sing the hook, I then wrote the rest of the song with the intention if being conscious about the way we live our lives whilst knowing the truth and knowing that "God is faithful all the time."
As a poet, as I read the introduction to Collision Course I was deep in thought and for a moment my thoughts were in focus and the world became still. It reminded me of when I’ve gone to church and the pastor says something in the first 5 minutes that is so good, the sermon could be over. You bring us on a journey of introspection and wonder.
Can you tell us about a time in your life that the Lord freed you from something in order to show you that, “what often looks like freedom is merely the limitation of freedom”?
JUGG: That’s rather simple. Lifestyle. The Lord has freed me from the perception that my old lifestyle gave me freedom. However, knowing and acting are two separate things. Though I recognise and understand that my previous lifestyle was terrible and that it brings no benefit to either me or the world we currently live in, I still find it difficult to shed certain aspects of my previous lifestyle. A butterfly has to hatch and break free from the chrysalis for it to complete it’s transfiguration and this is the same with us! Will we abandon our chrysalis for true freedom in God? Or will we remain in the chrysalis allowing us to be deceived that we are already experiencing freedom?
What has been the most spiritually rewarding part of giving your "yes" to the Lord?
JUGG: The freedom found in Him. The freedom cannot be explained with mere words. It even feels wrong to label the freedom in Him as an “experience” because it’s more than that. Freedom in Him is certainty that no matter what, as long as you have a relationship with Christ everything will genuinely be alright!
For those who have the ability to write and rap, but do not know where to begin and/or are afraid of the unknown, what wisdom would you want to leave with them?
JUGG: The two pieces of wisdom I would give one creative and the other spiritual. As for the creative one, it is better to plant the seed than to spend 20 years strategizing on how best to plant the seeds because 20 years later it doesn’t matter who was or wasn’t ready… one person did what they were supposed to do and now they have a tree that has blossomed. The more you write, rap, sing, utilise and be in touch with the creative gifts God has given you, the more you genuinely find that you have begun and are way past it. "The Unknown” really isn’t as scary as everyone makes it out to be. As for spiritual advice… you cannot write about a person you do not fully know. There is a zeal when it comes to embarking on a journey of evangelising using your creative gifts however understand God more and more should always be the priority and the more you get closer to him, the more what you make and what you end up spewing out creatively becomes more of a reflection of him and his glory.
What can we be on the lookout for that you are currently working on?
JUGG: I'm going to make an announcement! It’s no secret that I'm currently working on an EP titled “Fractured Psyche” which explores complex themes of constriction and liberation but, I want to announce that this will in fact be a double-sided EP with each theme taking a side and each side showcasing different production from one another, hence why ‘Collision Course’ and ‘A Plea Against The Winds’ are different from each other. They’re two singles pulled from two different sides of the EP. They are designed to be oxymoronic but tied together by the fracture of my psyche.
The Putting You On Segment: What’s one Christian song you’ve been loving lately that people should check out?
JUGG: Ouuuu I'm listening to quite a few things but I will HIGHLY RECOMMEND EVERYONE listen to “Your Name” by Ire Albert, a fellow brother AND collaborator of mine.
We are encouraged, filled with hope, delighted, and inspired to know that our Artist of the Month is willing to do whatever it takes to do the work of the Lord.
Go show JUGG some love on all socials and stay tuned to find out when the EP drops and for more of what he has in store!
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