What does King David, an ancient Israeli king and biblical patriarch, share with JUMA, a hip-hop artist/producer from Boston? More than you think. In the epic of David and Goliath, King David, then a teenaged shepherd, chose faith over fear to prevail against an indomitable Philistine giant. And, much like David, JUMA’s story is characterized by overcoming behemoths in defining moments.
He has conquered personal giants of poverty, depression, low self-worth, and alcohol dependence through faith and perseverance. His music draws emotional depth from these experiences, blending the gravity of Tupac with the sonic flare of influences like A Tribe Called Quest and Andre 3000. With nothing more than a passion for music and a love for people, JUMA set out to change hearts through the power of sound, beat-by-beat.
As a result, his socially conscious hip-hop has been featured on multiple major music portals including VH1, MTV, TBN, and TVU. JUMA’s current catalog consists of several works produced for other artists and two self-produced, full-length albums of his own. His first release, Blast Music, features faith inspired anthems and a guest appearance from Grammy award winning singer, John Legend. His second album, Fall of the Giants, formally unites media literacy and hip-hop in audio/visual matrimony with its lead single, Till the DJ’s Gone. A consummate showman, JUMA’s live performance gives audiences permission to party like a rock star and think like a revolutionary at the same time— all without drugs, profanity, and drama.
His latest venture turns the live concert into the ultimate classroom through the Message Tour: an interactive live music tour promoting media literacy education among teens. Founded by JUMA, the Message Tour aims at empowering our nation’s youth to lead healthier and happier lives by revolutionizing the way they interact with media messages.
He says, “I know first-hand, both from my own experience and from the youth that I work with, how the things we see and hear in media can help propel us into our destinies, or scramble our compass. I want to help kids dismount from the merry-go-round of life, question the world, and get a bigger and brighter vision of who they are.” The Message Tour offers youth at high schools, colleges, community centers, and houses of worship media literacy education through live entertainment.
“Overcoming is for everyone. Living a life of purpose, fulfillment, and joy shouldn’t be extraordinary. But that’s just how backwards we’ve been programmed!” says, JUMA. He goes on: “I see my music and my story as vehicles to be used in a variety of ways to inspire this generation to challenge the status quo, overcome their personal giants, and live life with meaning and purpose.”