Any follower of African Christian Hip-hop music knows Courtney Antipas, formerly known as ILL Ceey. To Ugandans, he is the artist known for spitting fire bars on his collaboration with Ruyonga on the song crossfire which was a massive hit in Uganda.
It was therefore exciting when we here at Ug Gospel Life learned that Courtney Antipas would be setting foot on Uganda soils as a part of those performing on Ruyonga’s “The Unit Africa Tour.” Other artists expected to perform include Ugandan Hip-hop act, Josh SB whose 2017 God DNA EP was a massive success, receiving nominations in the Ug Hip Hop Awards.
We had an exclusive interview with Courtney Antipas, and talked about his Transparent album, Hip Hop in Africa and of course, his forthcoming appearance in Uganda.
Here is how it went;
Interviewer: For those Ugandans who may have missed your hard-hitting collaboration with Ruyonga on Crossfire, what are the basics they need to know?
Courtney: Basically, my name is Courtney Antipas. I am an artist. I live in Zimbabwe. Used to be signed to Fresh Impressions – a South African label run by Harold Moyo. I am pastor also. I Pastor a small church called ONE Church. This is my second year serving on the pastoral team. I serve with two other pastors, Sean Mullens and Trevor Tandi.
Interviewer: We have been following the Live Wise Die Ready movement, albeit silently, did it end? What is/was it all about?
Courtney: Live Wise, Die Ready is a movement promoting positive thinking and positive living among the urban community through Hip-hop. It’s also rooted in scripture, Ephesians 5:15-17
See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
and so, we’re just trying to promote wise living.
I think, this whole Live Fast, Die Young – live in the moment, don’t care about tomorrow thing – we’re trying to tell people that there’s a lot more to look forward to. And there’s more benefits to living wise, than to living fast. So, you can still have a good time, and I hope that is what we show.
That’s pretty much, what it’s all about. We have been silent for a while, just reworking things – changing the model of it, but definitely, it is still out there and this year you will probably hear a lot more about it.
Interviewer: You recently, after what seemed a short break, released an album. Tell us about your intention with this project – Major themes, and message.
Courtney: Last year (2017), October, I released a project called Transparent. I will say, it was my most open project to date. I just wanted to give people, me – and be transparent, not just about my faith because I think people know me for that, but be transparent about some other struggles I’ve gone through and how God keeps us and through the pain and hurt we come out on the other side, much stronger.
So, yeah, I got really deep into some dark places in my life – you know, like when my wife and I lost our unborn child… how that affected us and how we decided to keep trusting God and just giving people hope through your pain. That’s what Transparent was all about and what I hoped to communicate. It was a very personal project – a very introspective project but at the end, it shows you how, even though you walk through the valley of the shadow of death, you can still come out a winner in Christ.
Interviewer: Do you have a favorite song from it?
Courtney: Favorite song, I’d say Kayden, though I don’t think that that was my favorite song on the project. That’s the standout one, because that song means so much more to me than the others… it’s about my son who didn’t make it out here. I’d say Kayden.
Interviewer: Which song(s) have had the most positive feedback from those who have already listened to the album?
Courtney: My standout song, Kayden. That one really caught people off-guard because, the level of honesty from a Hip-hop artist has not really been seen in Hip-hop in general. I just think that a lot of people came to, in one way or another, relate. Maybe, they may have not lost a person but lost something that was really valuable to them. Even like, it could be a dream, and they lost the hope in their dream. But how do you trust God when it hurts? By simply trusting God when it hurts….That song really hit people.
It’s still the song when they talk about the album, the first thing they say is, “wow, that song is just crazy. I mean, you have others… So Soulful had a good spin on radio, the bulk of last year till today, I still get tweets from different stations saying they are playing it. I would say those two, but obviously for different reasons.
Interviewer: Are you coming to Uganda for the first time, and if so, how are you feeling about that?
Courtney: Yes, I will be coming to Uganda for the first time. I am extremely excited. A friend who was living in Zimbabwe – who lived across the road from where my parents to stay, when I used to stay with my parents. Their family was from Uganda and they moved as missionaries to Zimbabwe. I’ve had a really good relationship and friendship with them, and I still keep in communication with them.
It will be fun to be in their home country and yeah… I am just looking forward to being in a different place in Africa. I am somebody who loves culture and cultural diversity and just being with other people from other cultures, just to see how live and how they do things… And how things work. That type of stuff really gets me going. So, I am really, really excited to be coming to Uganda. Definitely!
Interviewer: Apart from Ruyonga, which musicians from Uganda do you know/listen to? Or will it be a first-listen when you hear some music from Ug acts!
Courtney: Let me say, I know about some guys but to say “listen to” I haven’t heard a lot of stuff. I think, guys whose music I know are Ruyonga, and yours (referring to Benjaah Edwards, with whom a stage was shared at Afro fest in Nairobi).
I know some guys who I get follows from – from that side, but I’d really like to get what guys have got. I know Uganda is crazy in terms of music, and especially dancehall. In Zimbabwe, we have a big dancehall community. It’s the sound here (in Zimbabwe) that guarantees you winning. I don’t know why I don’t do dancehall but yeah, I would really like to hear how Ug dancehall goes down and how that sounds.
Interviewer: How is the Christian Hip-hop and Rap scene in Africa faring, in your opinion?
Courtney: I think that there’s pockets of it – it’s there, but it’s in pockets. I believe it could be better and u think a key to that is unity and working together, not just on songs but tours like this year, and just laying the foundation to this thing so that people after us can continue with it. I think it’s there but, I mean it could be better. I think that we just need to get practical about things.
Interviewer: What, in your opinion, is something that Africa’s CHH [Christian Hip-hop] acts should focus on?
Courtney: I think for me, it is so many things. Something I think is key is to continue having that building mentality… and building-thinking as opposed to arriving, because we haven’t arrived.
I think there’s a lot of work on ground we need to cover. And never lose sight of the focus and purpose of why we do this…. and just keep the main thing the main thing and strive for perfection.
Interviewer: Any final words
Courtney: Not really… I am just really excited to come through to Uganda and I am excited to be on this tour. I took a two year’s sabbatical away from music and I just think it’s really cool… and I am ready to get my hands dirty again with this ministry.
Here are the details of Ruyonga’s African tour. 
Ug Gospel Life 