Scootie Wop: The People's Champ of Christian Rap
- Tahlia
- Jul 5, 2024
- 3 min read
Emmanuel Lofton, better known as Christian rapper Scootie Wop, began his musical journey as ‘Lil Sco’. It wasn’t until a casual hangout with fellow Christian rapper Deon, formerly known as Da Rich 1, that the name Scootie Wop naturally came together.
Hailing from South Carolina, Scootie Wop, our For The Glory artist of the month for July, has a passion for music that was ignited from childhood and by those closest to him. His family was steeped in musical tradition: his grandfather sang in a gospel quartet, his uncle was a Christian RnB singer, and his father played drums while his mother sang. His natural affinity for rhythms, combined with these influences and his decision to embrace Christ at 19, brought everything full circle for him. Supported by local pioneers like Sir Viva, B.O.C Music, and TJuan with Bigga Rankin, dropping his own music was inevitable.His style and approach have been profoundly shaped by his musical brother, Big Breeze, known for his crisp cadence and tempos.
“Being around bro (Big Breeze) for as long as we have been locked in - he is definitely one that influenced the shift in the product,” says Wop.
Growing up in a military-oriented family instilled discipline in Wop that extended beyond purely just the music. It set a strong foundation for him to stay focused when necessary, establishing a resilience in him to stay attentive to his purpose no matter what criticism comes his way. His vocation is to be the “people’s champ” much like his childhood adoration of The Rock, which he channels in his music through personal experiences. He is a musical wordsmith who skillfully weaves together stories from every perspective, drawing creative inspiration from both his past and present experiences. Wop further adds that, “a lot of the new music that is unreleased will cover a wider range of emotion and perspective as the journey continues.”
His creative process involves gaining inspiration, not only from the stories of others but from different genres as well. An example of this is one of his favourite projects, The Superdupercrunktape, and the latest project, Side A: Ghetto.
“The samples, the bounce, the mix by the great Bryce G, and even the cover art were classic to me. Loved that project, recorded in a living room and mixed in the same living room. My all-time favourite right now.” - Scootie Wop on The Superdupercrunktape.
Scootie Wop has recently released SIDE A: GHETTO, followed swiftly by SIDE B: LULLABIES, where he emphasises themes of sorrow and redemption. Up next for him is a project named Trillmatik, a full-length album, after which Wop plans to take a break from music.
In continuing to serve the community beyond the microphone, Scootie Wop is an answer to many of our prayers with his Christian rap and Hip-Hop bangers. While challenging himself to evolve creatively, he takes a different approach: listening to less music and engaging more with the world around him. He gains inspiration from the beauty that God puts in front of him, picking random samples to flip and seeing what happens, even if his producer Warren has no clue as to where he is going.
In coming to understand the musical versatility of Scootie Wop, listeners also come to find that he is a dry humour connoisseur! Shows like The Office, Modern Family, Tires, and more keep him focused. He can also make a mean ribeye steak, just like he can make a mean body of musical genius like SIDE B: LULLABIES, which is out now!
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