S3 Ep. 207 Resonating Faith: Clinton Flames & Baron Jay on Music's Transformative Power

Discover the profound connection between music, faith, and cultural influence as we host the vibrant duo, Clinton Flames and Baron Jay on the World Cafe podcast. Clinton shares the spiritual inspiration behind his music, discussing how the Holy Spirit shapes his creations to ensure they resonate deeply with listeners. Meanwhile, Baron Jay opens up about his passion for singing, writing, and producing, as they both reflect on the electrifying energy at the Summit Bible Church's Afro gospel event in Abuja. Their stories highlight the camaraderie among artists and the transformative power of music to impact a generation searching for purpose.

Prepare to be captivated as Clinton and Baron gear up for an unforgettable return to the stage in 2024, promising innovative sounds and performances that transcend the ordinary. Our discussion navigates modern platforms like YouTube and TikTok, emphasizing the importance of staying relevant while trusting in divine guidance. We address the potential for positive influence among Nigeria's youthful demographic, advocating for non-judgmental approaches that foster genuine connections. Join us as we anticipate the transformative musical experience on December 6th, 2024, filled with spiritual depth, fun, and a message that truly touches lives.

Transcript

Speaker 1 0:12

Hello there, welcome to the World Cafe podcast. This podcast has been designed with created content that centers on the power of words. Can we really do anything without speaking? Can we really do anything without the agency of words? Yes, that is what this podcast is all about, and I am your host, amakri Isubie, your neighborhood word trader. I believe in the power of words, for it is the unit of creation. I trade in words to profit my world.

Speaker 1 0:52

Ah ha, you're wondering why I'm shouting, really, okay, you know how we do it on the show, you do. But before I do that, I will ask you this question how are you? How has it been? I'm fine. Yes, now I'm going to do that. Good morning, good afternoon, good evening, good, everything.

Speaker 1 1:16

Wherever you are on the surface of the earth at this very instant, watching and listening to me, it's always exciting. You know, coming into this space, welcome to the world cafe live show. And, uh, you know, yes, this is the space where we come into, lean on one another's experience to forge a positive path. I needed to say that because of my guest today and, uh, maybe when we get into more of it, you'll know why. So, yes, what are we going to be doing today?

Speaker 1 1:50

Well, I have an amazing, amazing set, two guys. Sorry, gen z, they don't have grey, like me. Yes, I'm going to say one or two things about them, then I'll allow them to introduce themselves and I'll tell you why they are here, piggying back on what we did in 2023, because they are back again, not to repeat history, but to make history. So I have Clinton Flames and Byron G. Yes, these are young people, they are millennials. I don't call them millennials for just calling sake they are. You can see the way they are dressed and all that. So they are here with me and, like I said, I'll tell you why they are here. Let me allow them introduce themselves, then we'll pick it up from there. I'm going to start with Baron G.

Speaker 3 2:48

What's good people? It's Baron J, Baron J with J-A-Y, and if you spell that backwards, you know what you get. I'm here with my twin. He will introduce himself in a bit. I was about to do that because usually I just do that because I'm the youngest one.

Speaker 1 3:05

So now, before he comes on, who are you? We know your name. What do you do?

Speaker 3 3:11

Well, I'm just a kid who is just loved by God.

Speaker 1 3:17

Okay Expressing that unique, amazing, rich music. So you are a singer, more or less you are a singer, yes, I am. I'm a musician.

Speaker 3 3:27

A musician, I sing I write, I rap, I produce, I mix, I master.

Speaker 1 3:34

Yeah, so I do a lot, a whole lot, a full package. You are Exactly All right. Clinton Flames yes, sir, where is the flame, or where are the flames?

Speaker 2 3:47

Okay, so the flames is something you get to see when you spend a couple minutes or a little while with me, okay, well, the truth is, clinton Flames, as the name implies, is basically the fire of God burning all that is not of God, both within me and without.

Speaker 1 4:09

Oh, great Within and without Fantastic. So, guys, in 2023, we had this event stage. Yes, the Summit Bible Church is an event Afro gospel where we all come together, praise God, worship God, we dance and everything. Yes, and these guys were around, yes, in the city of Abuja and it was an amazing time. And 2024, they are back again, same on that stage. You understand me, and they want to make music, or rather, they want to give us what they have created. So they're on the show today just to share with us what it's going to look like and their process and all of that. So that's why we're here, basically. That's why we're here and I'm going to you.

Speaker 1 5:04

You know, ask them one or two questions and Hear from them. So what was it like last year?

Speaker 3 5:11

Oh, my goodness. First of all, last year was an experience. Uh huh, we haven't been able to Post all the videos we had, because we had a crew With us Like a camera, a video Cinematography, whatever. Yeah, because we had a crew with us like a video cinematography, whatever.

Speaker 1 5:26

Yeah, cinematography.

Speaker 3 5:28

Yeah basically guys that hold the camera, like Jeff, yes, like Jeff. Shout out to Jeff Shout out to Jeff.

Speaker 1 5:36

Jeff is my eye within this space, so all the beautiful images you're seeing, you know he does the magic, amazing, it's beautiful.

Speaker 3 5:45

Shout out to Jeff yeah. So last year was an experience, not just from being on stage Right, because we did a lot of outings last year. One of the most memorable was the stage Afro gospel night. Right why? Because it was a proper experience from backstage, the green room sitting with all the artists and then by the time we got on stage, it was like we almost wanted to be able to, and that's one of the regrets about being an artist a performer is.

Speaker 3 6:18

You never get to watch yourself perform. You only watch recaps and stuff. So the energy in the room was so electric. Yes, you only watch recaps and stuff. So the energy in the room was so electric and we had so many camera angles, like our guys in the room like oh yo, look at our guys on stage, and all of that, and some people didn't know.

Speaker 2 6:31

And then it was just we were about to run out of the green room just to experience the whole thing, the energy was palpable. We had a lot of other artists telling you just relax chill it comes with the territory, but we always want to be in front. Just enjoying the whole experience. But then like you said, it was a really memorable experience.

Speaker 1 6:57

So I need to ask this question. You've been in this space I want to believe for more than two, three years.

Speaker 3 7:03

Yes.

Speaker 1 7:03

Doing this so for your generation. What is that thing that drives you? I'll start with you, clinton. What is that thing that drives you?

Speaker 2 7:14

So personally.

Speaker 3 7:16

Before you go. I think I want to understand the question Drives me, or drives us, to express or to receive.

Speaker 1 7:27

What drives you? What drives you In as much as you're receiving? What drives you to give Right, Because for you to give, you have received.

Speaker 3 7:36

You have received.

Speaker 1 7:36

yes, you can't give what you don't have. So what drives you? What's that driving force?

Speaker 2 7:42

First of all it would be the Holy Spirit. And I started by saying that because it will help explain where I was going to the other time, which is my music. In fact, starting out music, there was a question I needed to be answered, and that's that my music needed to be for a reason, not just for the sound of it's, not just for the talent, the talent of it, not just because you know how to sing. You know my why. Okay, I needed it to matter both to me and to anyone listening to it. Hence Clinton Flames, fire burning within what is not of God and also without. So what drives me is to be able to see the change that I read in scripture happen around me and within me. So, and then I do that with the most relatable sound and with the most relatable lyrics. You know, I just recently we were sharing a Bible verse, a Bible verse that everyone knows, where it says faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. But the truth is a lot of us do not pay attention to that.

Speaker 3 8:56

By by the word of God great that down.

Speaker 2 9:02

Break that now. That by it means faith comes by hearing, and hearing by through the word of god. So it's not just that the word of god is something that should enter into you. Apart from the fact that it enters into you, it becomes a lens through which you attack God.

Speaker 1 9:21

It becomes a through.

Speaker 2 9:22

Yes, so that's kind of like what we are about, what we've been able to receive in our personal place of prayer and study we bring it out through that lens, amazing, relatable.

Speaker 1 9:36

So RNG yes, sir, I think he pretty RNG. Yes, sir, I think he pretty much got it. No, he's not preaching. I like that because sometimes, you know, when we look at scriptures in, I call it reverse order. You know, when you read scriptures it's something I do, I learned it years ago You're telling a story, you know we always look at in telling stories, we either look at it from right to left or left to right. The Eastern culture looks at it from left to right and that's why the language has more value than English. English looks at it from the other way around. You know, just like, if you're reading Hebrew, english goes like this. Hebrew goes the other way. I think Arabic too. I think Arabic that's the Eastern culture goes the other way. So imagine you telling this scripture backwards For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believes in him shall not perish and have everlasting life To have everlasting life, and you should not perish.

Speaker 1 10:38

Have everlasting life to have everlasting life, and you should not perish he gave his only begotten son because he loved the world. So you see, now the meaning comes out. It jumps at you. So that's that's it and that's why, when you came up with that, it's not preaching, that's the truth oh sorry, am I setting you guys on fire?

Speaker 1 10:56

Oh, my welcome to my world. So now you are a Nigerian. We have this youthful abundance in Nigeria. If you look at our population, statistically they say I use the word they loosely and carefully at the same time we're 200 plus million people, but 80 percent of our population falls within the age of 18 and 36 thereabouts. So we're pretty young. You know, by 2050, the most populated country on earth, both in terms of numbers and age. So now, from what you do, how do you think your message is going to influence this generation in bringing about that positivity that we all desire, right?

Speaker 3 11:57

right. So there's, there's something he always says. I don't even know where he got it from, where you get at him. Okay, he says, um, he'll say you can't influence the culture, you are not you're not a part of you've not been a part of.

Speaker 1 12:15

It's just like fish cannot influence a dog, a monkey. They're not part of it yeah, so it's basically staying.

Speaker 3 12:26

We are in the world, but not off the world.

Speaker 3 12:29

So we are in here praying let your kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven, right? We know that our heavenly certificate is guaranteed. If you're watching and you think your heavenly certificate is not guaranteed, I think you should. As long as you have jesus, you're good right, that's, by the way. And on earth, somebody said we're just trying to gather neighbors for our time in heaven. So that's basically it. We we're saying God, how do we teach us to reach these people that you care so much about by speaking their language?

Speaker 3 13:04

I think Apostle Paul said when I'm in Rome, I behave like the Romans. Basically, I became all things to all men, that I may win some Right. So in that sense, we don't. We don't. First of all, judgment is one thing. That's just. Even before we came to Christ, there was. I pretty much came up in the streets of Oweri, so I did not know how to be judgmental because I was a church boy and I wasn't exactly accepted in church because the things I liked I grew up in Assemblies of God. Church, oh, assemble, and God, assemble, eji, in assemblies of God church.

Speaker 1 13:39

Oh, assemble and God. Assemble AG, the way my grandmother calls it assemble and God.

Speaker 3 13:44

Yeah, so I grew up very AG, but I didn't have the AG mindset because I wanted to be young. I didn't want to be eight wearing an oversized suit and carrying a big Bible. It's called coat Coat Coat With a big Bible. It's called coat Coat, coat, mm with a pull out. You know that Shoot. Yeah, I didn't want to be that. I really wanted to express dance, all of that stuff.

Speaker 3 14:05

But it seemed like I was an outcast while in church. Now I kind of found a bit of love in the streets because the OG, who has never met me before, sees someone trying to run up on me and is like, oh, leave him, I'm not my smallie. I'm like, okay, I like that. Whatever, that is, that's what I'm looking for in this church space that I'm not seeing, because they're saying, oh, you look like these people outside, so okay, that outside. But then again, outside I wasn always a let's protect this guy. He's a church boy, so that perfect. I won't call it perfect, but there was a middle, like a gray line that I was writing not accepted in the religious setting. But then also, they won't let me do some extra bad things because oh, this one, a church boy, won't just leave. I feel like it was good. I know it was god, it was the holy spirit doing that. So in that sense, there is a relatability.

Speaker 3 14:57

All right, we believe so much in stories with our songs and with we call it instructional music. We don't just because we understand music is a powerful tool to shape culture. So we're not just trying to make songs based off how we feel why that is important. There's always that, beyond how I feel now, because music is timeless, absolutely. So how can we make music where I know that you're at work or you're on the bus listening to these things, because the melody is so sweet, you're going to sing it.

Speaker 3 15:24

So instead of me singing, oh, I feel like dying, when I actually feel like dying Because I know after a moment I won't feel like dying, but this person probably feels like dying now. That's fine. But then they have my song and they're going to be listening to this song for however long Are they going to always feel like dying? Now, what happens is, when they feel a certain way, they will want to feel like dying. And what is the tool to do it? They go listen to my song. I feel like dying. So there was always that. While we feel it, let's make something. Time Like Holy Spirit, help us to make more instructional. You know I'm weak, but, lord, you're my, you know.

Speaker 2 16:04

It's always that answer. Yeah, so it feels like you know how we talk about how, if this place is filled with darkness, the only solution to that darkness is to turn on the light. Yeah, it's not by coming in and shouting oh there's darkness here, what's good, we know there's darkness, we know already.

Speaker 1 16:22

What's the difference? We know already.

Speaker 2 16:23

What's the difference? What kind of difference can you affect in such kind of spaces? Turn on the light. So all we're doing, in fact these days we are enjoying the ability to not I don't know if I'll call it an ability now because we're enjoying it, but it's like we're more dependent on the Holy Spirit to help us per time, because we've realized, I think some days ago we were talking about how yesterday is no longer ours. The past is gone. Tomorrow is not guaranteed to us, just as humans.

Innovative Sounds and Spirituality

Speaker 2 16:59

All we are doing is we're putting ourselves inside of God, because he's the one that controls tomorrow, but then all we have is right now, like right now, the right I just said before. The now has passed, so it's just right now. So we trust him for every step of the way as we go. So the affecting of the lives and the people we're hoping to reach. We even usually say something that the Holy Spirit is relevant. We even usually say something that the Holy Spirit is relevant. So the only way to stay relevant in the world that we are in right now, the only way we can reach people that are so influenced by YouTube, influenced by Snapchat I don't even have Snapchat on my phone.

Speaker 2 17:40

he does not like Snapchat he disdains but I think it's the filters, I don't know. Yeah, but youtube, snapchat in a world where we have tiktok and the rest tiktok, you would have to think outside the box, of course. Gen z right, but there's already the other guys coming.

Speaker 1 18:01

Gen alpha and the ones after them are coming exactly.

Speaker 2 18:07

There may be delta you know, so it's the only thing we can do at a time, we'll just finish everything.

Speaker 3 18:15

Proverbs 3 6. It's basically the underlying factor trust in the Lord with all your heart. Lean not on your own understanding. Acknowledge him and he will direct. So we needed our path to be directed. How do we do it? Acknowledge him in all our ways, trust not in our own understanding. Lean, trust him and lean not on.

Speaker 3 18:33

So even with experiences we've had, we usually don't approach new or similar experiences with oh, we've been here before, yeah, that's with every song. We don't approach right now, a little bit of game. We don't approach a song with a notebook. What do I mean? We go on a blank canvas. Sometimes he, he receives the song when he leaves me my space and then I'm like okay, I will give you first. Yeah, so when he does and he's trying to play me the thing because I'm not ready to record, I tell him I don't want to hear it. I only want to hear it when I want to create and since I've known myself to write music, I've not written a verse without saying the phrase help me, holy spirit. Never. So when I hear people saying, oh, you're blind the way, I'm like I know who do, I am yeah.

Speaker 2 19:21

And then for the pressure, too that comes with wanting to reach as much people as you, as we want to yeah, you know that thing you often say. I think it was tupac that said that, yeah, but he said I'm not looking to change the world, to change the world.

Speaker 3 19:35

I just want to spark the mind that might eventually change the world, true, so?

Speaker 2 19:40

and he's very correct and we understand that. Leave it for the only speaker To translate to you.

Speaker 1 19:46

So what are we expecting on the 6th of December? Guys stage is coming up again on the 6th of December and Baron G and Clinton Flames they will be there on stage with others. Don't worry, we'll let you in on the others as we progress. You know subsequent episodes and all that you get to see them. 6th of December 2024 what should we expect? Explosion, oh my goodness, explosion. A pandemonium? No, not that pandemonium, not that kind of pandemonium?

Speaker 3 20:26

yeah, but first of all, we always our first approach is someone was talking to us and saying oh, you know, like when you're looking to affect lives, just like we just said, we don't approach it trying to. Oh, I want to affect the life because really all we get to do is express the holy spirit would do what he would do with it. Yeah, we can't change a man, but the holy spirit can and will right so that's it.

Speaker 3 20:51

So for for us, first thing, we're coming to have a lot of fun. Okay, right, and if that entails having that fun while ministering, yeah, or while we're in the audience, or while we're in the green room, I don't like that green room.

Speaker 2 21:08

We're praying as this morning right Sure the Bible verse is it's.

Speaker 1 21:14

God that walks in us to will and to do of his good pleasure.

Speaker 2 21:18

And that verse is. If you think about it properly, it says he's the one that walks in us, but to will and to do. So what we think is in charge of it, what we do is in charge of it. So anybody that wants to please God, we just stay in him, right? So, all we're doing is he has allowed us the opportunity to be on stage.

Speaker 3 21:45

We just answer his call and go there that's right anything he wants to do through us for the people yeah, but to demystify it, so, so that we're not sounding too deep, because they can't be like bro, they drop scriptures and they preach in here okay so, um, musically, sonically, yeah, we're coming with some sounds that you've never heard before.

Speaker 3 22:11

Because we always jam with POP Company, our band, our guys. We're coming with Fire and Brimstone With the set, like we switched up the sets for y'all, like whatever I heard last year. Just forget about that. If you can remember, there is shout out to the light guy from last year. Yes, so there was something that happened we didn't get to with the dress, dress and tech. We didn't get to see this light guy. Yeah, but then a few minutes to going up, I think they had already called us and we're like, oh, we want the lights off. And we're like, oh, they can't do. You know, we didn't rehearse for that. Immediately we went on stage, boom lights went off. Immediately the beat dropped, boom lights.

Speaker 2 22:49

I was like I was like you rehearsed yeah, so shout out to him that's what stage does that's what stage does.

Speaker 3 22:55

So if you're watching this and you're not planning to pull up, listen, you're gonna miss like a stray bullet I like that like a stray bullet.

Speaker 1 23:05

So, guys, uh, I wish I can keep them here on and on, but you just heard them. 6th of December is going to be an amazing evening. It's a Friday, so don't tell me I'm going to XYZ the next day, or?

Speaker 2 23:21

whatever.

Speaker 1 23:22

Just come, come. Who is it for? Everybody, don't mind their looks, it's for everybody. It's for yesterday, today and even tomorrow.

Speaker 2 23:31

You understand what I mean by that.

Speaker 1 23:34

Wherever you are in the city of Abuja. I don't think it's going to be streamed live. Will it be streamed live? I?

Speaker 3 23:41

don't think so. You have to be in the building.

Speaker 1 23:45

If you want to see it live. You're not recording. Well, I don't know You'll miss out completely, but it's going to be an amazing time, wherever you are in the city of Abuja. Please put it down 6th of December. Usually, such events start from 4 o'clock, in my opinion, where you have the hyping and everything going on the sound and all that, yes, red carpet and all of that.

Speaker 1 24:12

So, guys, come on. I know, from 6 pm, let me not say the roof is going to be on fire. The truth is he will come. You know what I mean by that. So I just want to leave you with this few words. Stage is an amazing, amazing place to experience God musically. Like Clinton, I mean, baron G said don't miss it. If you miss it like a stray bullet, you missed something. So before I let them go, you know what we do on the show. All the time we usually give out this freebies Gift. Yes, so I Like that. It has been designed in such a way that you can sit on it, you can sleep on it, you can embrace it, whatever.

Speaker 3 25:05

But this is.

Speaker 1 25:06

From us to you the world cafe podcast. Thank you so much thank you sir and sorry, don't worry. That's why it's movable and that's for you.

Speaker 1 25:18

Thank you for coming. Thank you for coming, guys. You know how we do it on the show. This is the space where we come in to lean on one and other's experience to forge a positive path. My producer will always tell me to do this. Well, follow us if you want to, but I'm not forcing you anyway, because if you don't, you have a lot you're missing. So, on socials, at Amakri Isuboie, ig, linkedin, facebook, tiktok, we're all there, our channel. No, snapchat is not my thing.

Speaker 1 25:54

We're together Not my thing. So on YouTube, just go there. You'll find everything we do there. Go ahead, subscribe, follow, drop that comment and share Till I come your way again. My name is amakri. Amakri subohe. Bye for now. Awesome time it has been with you on the world cafe podcast today. Thank you for being there. You can catch me up on my social media handles Twitter, facebook, linkedin and Instagram all at Amakri Isoboye. Also, you can get copies of my books A Cocktail of Words, the Color of Words by H Aaron Notebook and Hocus Pocus on God on Amazon and Roving Heights online bookstores. You can also subscribe to my YouTube channel at the same address at Amakri Issawe. I love to hear from you and how this podcast has impacted you. You can leave me a message at my email address, amakrig Garibaldi at gmailcom. That is A-M-A-C-H-R-E-E-E-G-A-R-I-B-A-L-D-I. Yes, till I come your way again. Bye for now.