America's rock rapper TOBYMAC wrestled with God before delivering 'Welcome To Diverse City'. Tony Cummings investigates.

TobyMac

The release of 'Welcome To Diverse City' brings back into the marketplace one of the best selling CCM stars. Since the confused and confusing break up of dc Talk TobyMac, with his engaging mix of hip-hop and rock, has been the most successful of the three ex-dc Talkers. His debut solo album 'Momentum' and the follow up remix disc have sold approximately 500,000 units and already his new album is clocking up big sales. The first song to hit big on US Christian radio is the modern rock track "Gone", which delivers a message about dating. Explained Toby, "Basically, it's a song that's supposed to remind us to treat others with respect and also to appreciate what we have when wef have it." Another standout on the album is the song "Slam", a hard hitting number inspired by Christian sacrifice. "I wrote it after I watched The Passion Of The Christ. It doesn't sound like something that would come out of The Passion, but it really is my view of how Christ did it all in one shot. In one shot, he died for us and offered us hope."

As with his previous releases, there is serious intent behind 'Welcome To Diverse City' but this only came after considerable soul searching. He said, "I had probably recorded about 50 per cent of the songs on the 'Diverse City' album and I was like, 'Am I still into this? Do I still love to do this? Am I passionate?' And, obviously, if I'm questioning that, maybe I'm not. So I really took some time out to spend with God in prayer and open up the Bible. I basically kept asking myself the question, do I still believe? And I didn't mean, did I believe in Jesus? I meant, do I still believe that God can use a song to open someone's heart toward Christ for the first time? Do I still believe that God can use a song to turn around that wayward believer? Do I still believe that God can use a song to cause people to walk deeper with him?

"I spent some time just waiting on God - and, trust me, there's no big ending to this story - except that one day I just stood up and said, 'I still believe. I still believe that God can take a song.' And, out of that time of questioning, everything was confirmed and I wrote that song. I think the best songs come from our own experiences. I have always believed that. And when I listen back to that lyric, it takes me back to that place every time. It sort of gives me something to hold onto when I doubt."

One or two tracks on 'Diverse City' are stylistically uncannily like dc Talk songs which reopens the old debate about whether CCM's supergroup will ever reform. Toby told journalist Christa Farris, "I think everyone's really happy doing the solo thing. I think all three of us are wide open to getting back together and doing something. There's nothing negative between us and I can say that clearly. I couldn't always say that, but I can say that now for sure. There are literally 'warm fuzzies.' I think we want to do something together, but I think we've all sort of carved this path out separately - a real legitimate path. And there are people involved in those paths - people I love and people I'm having a great time with. I think the people who are listening and watching most closely just want us to do what they want us to do. And I understand that. We've made them assume that we're going to do that in all our actions. But, for us, we have to be where we're at peace, where we're happy, where our families are being looked after.

"And for me, this solo thing has been very freeing in all of that. I can set my schedule. I can move forward urban music in the community, which is one of my passions. All of these birds - I'm nailing down with this one stone called TobyMac. It makes me happy. Getting back together with Mike and Kevin would probably make me happy, too. But right now, I'm on this road. I'm not on that road. And I have to stay focused and true to the vision that God has given me on this road."

If Toby's music wasn't enough to keep him busy, he is also developing as a best selling Christian author. His latest work, penned with Michael Tait, is Under God. He said at a GMA press conference, "It's a book that Tait and I have been dreaming about doing for years. We wanted to do it before the second volume of Jesus Freaks books came out, but we felt that was the smart thing to do first. So when they threatened to take out 'under God' from the [US] pledge of allegiance, it came to the forefront of our minds. I think it's gonna be an unbelievable piece of literature. It's really the good, the bad and the ugly of the history of the USA, as it relates to our spiritual lives and heritage."