Naturally, one who intently studies the Holy Bible gains an affinity for certain figures chronicled in Scripture. Readers begin to see themselves in the characters as they learn about their strengths, flaws, trials and triumphs.
For faith-driven hip hop artist Zaire Ink, Jacob, the younger son of Isaac and grandson of Abraham, is that ancient and timeless kindred spirit.
Ink, born in Montreal and now based in Edmonton, pays homage to Jacob’s personal journey from schemer to God’s faithful servant — and his personal rise from adversity — in his forthcoming 10-track debut solo album “When You Meet Yourself”, scheduled for full release on Nov. 20.
“Early on in his life, his name means trickster or deceiver,” said Ink. “We see that play out in how he steals his brother (Esau’s) inheritance in the story of the stew. He goes along in this way until he wrestles with God and God changes his name from Jacob to Israel, which means ‘he who wrestles with God.’
“‘When You Meet Yourself’is very much based on that. I had this moment of confronting myself and seeing, ‘oh, I am broken. I am sinful. I am far from God,’ but in that moment, I’m also seeing God wants to call me a son.”
Ink is unveiling singles from ‘When You Meet Yourself’ in the lead-up to the concept album’s release, and its deeply personal thematic centrepiece, “Audio/Biography”, dropped in June.
His keystone piece explores the “dark and dangerous path” he took in life as he increasingly struggled with a move from Montreal to Calgary when he was 16 years old. The transition was made more difficult by many of his older brothers remaining behind as they had their own life plans underway. This arduous season culminated with his parents’ divorce. Seeking solace from above was not instinctual to Ink at that time. He did not know God intimately even though he was raised in a Christian household.
He experienced the abyss at 21. This tragic night is recounted in “Audio/Biography”.
“One of my brothers gets into a car accident, and one of my other brothers and I subsequently get into a verbal altercation,” said Ink. “And in that split second as he’s driving, I end up jumping out of the car. This was really my rock-bottom moment where I had to take a step back and start to wrestle with some existential questions like, ‘Who am I? Why am I here? Is there a God?’”
“Audio/Biography”lays bare how Ink journeyed through mental-health challenges and suicidal ideation during this time. Providentially, the spiritual search spawned by his nadir led him to wrestle with God and be made anew.
“I started to encounter Jesus and just (experienced) the truth of the Gospel,” said Ink.
Scripture began to come alive for him. John 6:39-40, Jesus’ message about how He accompanies all believers, struck a deep chord. In those two verses, Christ told the crowd: “And this is the will of Him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those He has given me but raise them up at the last day. For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”
There was a distinct tone of awe in Ink’s voice when he spoke on what this passage means to him.
“I was like, ‘wow, Jesus is really personal.’ He’s God in the flesh and wanting to walk with us through all of the things that we’re going through and promises us that He’ll hold on to us tighter than we can hold on to Him,” said Ink.
Ink’s transformation stirred his creativity and manifested the deeply personal project known as “When You Meet Yourself”.
“I felt like it was time to really provide people with the full scope of everything that I’ve been through and the journey that God has taken me on,” Ink said.
The hip hop artist in his mid-20s, twice honoured at the YYC (Calgary) music awards because of his artistic skill at blending poetry with rap, imbued “When You Meet Yourself” with a three-section structure: salvation, sanctification and glorification. It depicts the arc from recognizing the need to change to embracing the ongoing, daily work of personal conversion and growth.
As Ink awaits the world to experience “When You Meet Yourself” as a complete product, his focus is on being the best father he can be to his son who recently celebrated his first birthday.
“As much as the creativity is so important to me, just pouring into my family is what I’m focused on at the moment before jumping back into the opportunities that God has for me,” said Ink.
He is also energized whenever he leads creative expression workshops and speaks about mental health and faith at various schools and churches in Western Canada.
Learn more about Ink’s music at zaireink.com/.
