In an exclusive interview with Mr Dennis Esaias who goes by the stage name ESAIAS a gospel hip-hop artist who has featured in a lot of songs with urban gospel artist like Kingzkid, Regardless, Jay Shady, Faafa , Akesse Brempong and recently performed live with international gospel super star Flo Rocka at the Give it up gospel jams which was a huge success.
The urban gospel show on Dominion Tv host who has interviewed the likes of Uche Agu,Obi Shine, Jael Wiafe, Danny Nettey( of blessed memory),Joe Mettle and many other great artists from Ghana and beyond opened up to rep Jesus about his transformation from being a rascal to who he is now and followed his calling into the gospel ministry.
Esaias has one album to God's credit . The 11 songs album titled Abode foforo which was released in 2012 had hit songs like "Superman, Abode fofro , The One , Adansie , Hush etc and has since dropped hot singles such as Aseda ,Nuttin and Oye adie yie.. He is a song writer who has also written songs for a great singer such as Mrs Ella Duncan Williams King.
The "mad dog" as he was known in his bad boy days, begun preaching the word of God in schools and his neighbourhood and later through his music due to the revelation he had that led to his rebirth in Christ(born again).

D: Welcome to rep Jesus Entertainment Esaias.

E: Thank you… (Smiling). You guys are doing amazing stuff and I bless God for your lives and for the exploits you’ve availed yourselves to do for His kingdom. God bless RJE (REP JESUS ENTERTAINEMENT).

D: The first time I heard your name I went like wow…can you tell us about the name Esaias.

E: Lol…Ikr. The one in a zillion name. t’s a Greek name, meaning “God is my salvation”. The root name is Isaiah. The Hebrew name is known in Greek as Esaias. The old testament of the bible was written in Hebrew language and the new one in Greek. So in the Old Testament, it’s Isaiah but t’s Esaias in the new. The first time mentioned was in Mathew 3:3.

D: Is Mr Esaias a Ghanaian, if yes from where?

E: Yes am 100% Ghanaian, hailing from Kumasi.

D: Slowly and surely your name is getting out there. I got to know you through a friend who was so in love with your music. I thought you weren’t known …how wrong I was. Your music was gaining grounds among the youth and that marveled me. So Esaias tell us how you got this far especially in this modern era where the youth goes crazy for worldly music?

E:Shout outs to your friend through whom you got to hear of me. I am in love with the way he is in love with my music too… (Laughing). Getting this far was simply God.

D: Is your music style urban or one we can consider gospel as far as it’s all about Jesus and why that style of music?

E: I learnt a lot when I was in the world and with same knowledge I got from the world God has replaced it with Jesus so I can reach out to the world. A lot has changed about me but very little has changed about my appearance, it’s just that am glowing with the glory of the God now. I dress the same way I use to dress, speak the same I use to speak except that my speech is cleaner now.
Isaiah said in Isaiah 6 :5 "Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts" . I use to do circular rap, talk of any foul language you can find in some circular hip-hop songs ,but now my encounter with Jesus has changed my speech & thought. Am transformed and it’s that same transformation that I have been privileged enough to share with the world though my style of music and my rap. God isn’t against my rap, he is for it. The bible says every good and perfect gift comes from God. The devil cannot give me the gift of rap and it becomes his when people decide to dedicate it to him commissionally or ommissionally but am communicating Jesus Christ not Esaias.

D: How did you find yourself in this ministry?

E: When I got saved I threw rap away and rap wasn’t a part of me anymore, then; God called me to be a Pastor, which was what I thought. If the calling of God was in my life; I was really zealous about being a man of God wearing a cleric and preaching with a loud voice (changes voice to base)… “In the name of Jesus”… (Both Laughing). A very interesting incident took place that actually unveiled this life am living now. One day the youth ministry in my church went to serve in my Pastor’s house, the men did the hard work while the ladies did the chores in the kitchen. I was thirsty so I went to the kitchen and after drinking some water, one of the ladies asked me to me to call one gentleman for her and when I went out the gentleman was talking to the Head Pastor and I couldn’t just interrupt so I had to use wisdom. The guy's name is Kamkam ( now a Pastor), so I called out “ Kamkam , Harriet refer3 wo w) kitchen, )se b3gye chicken” meaning “Kamkam, Harriet is calling you in the kitchen,she says come for chicken”. The Pastor busted out in laughter and asked if I was a rapper and I replied “yes daddy” and he questioned what I was doing with that talent and I told him I don’t believe God can use this(rap) since I used it foully before. He told me I was wasting my time and it was an effective tool to reach out to the youth with . If you have the gift and not use it, it can torment you. The next Tuesday, i found myself in the studio, real quick…hehehehe!

D: How long have you been in the gospel ministry?

E: I started in 2007, that’s 9 years ago.

D: Have you travelled around Ghana on tour to promote your music? If yes when and in which year, if no why?

E: I have done that but not to promote my music, it’s always an opportunity to reach out to young people but not to necessarily go to a particular radio and say “hey play my music”. I don’t do that, as to how my music gets to the radio stations; only God knows. The scripture confirms it. Promotion does not come from the East or the West but promotion comes from God meaning, the East represents oil,wealth,money,etc . If I had billion of cedis or dollars to invest in my promotion and God isn’t in it, it wouldn’t go anywhere, they (presenters and disc JOCKERS) will play it but for a month or two and they will stop. It (bible) also says promotion doesn’t come from the West, what is in the West? Influence, connection, education,affluence, strength, beauty, handsomeness, everything strong, everything perfect, everything civilized is in the West. It’s not about all that I listed it’s just God that does the promotion. Not just Ghana I also but I've done phone interviews on radios overseas and if my music is going that far then it can only be God doing the promotion.

D: What inspires you to do what you do?

E: The spirit of God. The bible says “if it’s not given to you from above you can’t do it” Whatever song I write, Idea or postings I do on social media if it’s not given to me from above I can’t do it. There is nothing that I do or have done or will ever do that if God does not help me with, will succeed
Real life situations too. My music is basically what I've personally seen or heard that's why people feel they can relate to my songs a lot because of how real it sounds . That's because a reality inspired it.

D: Where did you get your high school and tertiary education? If so which one, if not why?

E: (Smiling)…I didn’t get to go to the school I wanted to attend. I was a rascal, the hard tough kind of kid. I wanted to be part of the hard knocks like Kumasi High School in Kumasi. My Junior High School (JHS) results weren’t that good to fetch me into the school I wanted and I know now that God orchestrated everything. I didn’t pay much attention to my books and wasn’t focused but idolizing worldliness and thug life, not because I was not smart. When I got the chance to get into Antoa Senior high (a school he says he never saw him self attend) to offer Business, I top the class in elective business the first term yet I was always in trouble with authorities and getting punished. They use to call me “mad dog”. I introduced a click full of rappers and dancers. Back home I joined two clicks, a gangster group called "wild boyz" (same name tattooed on his left arm) who idolized fashion and gangster life so we used to go to the club with knives and guns…yes guns.! and a rap group called Fork & knife clan .

D: What course did you offer and what were your favourite subjects?

E: I liked business. I wanted to be a visual arts student but my school didn’t offer visual art so I had to do business and I learnt it was hard, so I had to pay more attention to it.
Was there any particular teacher you remember having been influential? How?
I didn’t have teacher friends…hahahaha! I don’t actually remember. They might have liked me as at that time but since I deem my behavior unacceptable I thought they didn’t like me. No teacher hates his or her student. I was never in their good books because I was always in trouble, getting called into the staff room and getting all the scolds and insults.

D: How would you describe yourself as a student both socially and academically?

E: Socially I was there. I have always been famous but for the wrong reasons in the past. I don’t remember anywhere have been and not been taken noticed of. I am the outgoing type and rap gives me the opportunity to relate with people. I don’t mind coming to you and complementing you or telling you I love your shirt or the fragrance of your perfume. Academically I was there but wasn’t paying attention then when I was in school and was withdrawn from school several times but my grandmum will always go and beg on my behalf and when am taken back. I was given an acre of land to weed. I didn’t finish my High School education; I was sacked, they couldn’t deal with me anymore but to cut the long story short . I am glad to say I finished my diploma in The University of Ghana (Legon) and will go back to do music. I always say that maybe if I had gotten the chance to get into the uni right from SHS, I would have messed my life than I did so God knows best and am grateful.

D: What extracurricular activities did you participate in when you were in school?

E: I am a natural artist…hehehehe but not like Justin Mensah (Jay Smoke), for Jay he is a pro, no! no! no! Don’t try Justin. I draw and have always drawn which is a hobby.

D: What would people you know find surprising about you as a teen? Why?

E: I used to be a "fitter" (mechanic) .for three years.
That's where God shaped my temperament. All sorts of issues but hey, He saw me through and that's how come I value every person I meet cos you might never know what they'll become tomorrow.
Secondly, I smoked but not anymore by God's grace. If anyone out there wants to stop but they can’t, they need Jesus. It’s not something you can decide on your own to stop. David said "in sin did my mum conceive me"; we were born in sin and it is only Jesus that can deliver us. Nobody can help you, no doctor, no leaf or intake or drug can save you from adidictions. It is only Jesus . I know because am a witness

D: Anything for your fans. The hausa's will say "Sokolafia" which means parting gift but here I will need you to give a word to your fans and people out there who find their life's situation similar to yours. 

It's ok to be unique so don't reduce your self to mix well with the majority. God is a God of varieties .I wouldn't be Esaias if I had followed the opinions of men . Same people that opposed my different style of music celebrates it today because I did not adhere to their nice but "not of God' opinions of how gospel music should sound . So ddare to be different but with God's supreme backing.
Lastly, when ever you see Esaias just know that there's hope for every one regardless of the situation. Jesus can! Jxt call on him
Esaias is currently working hard on his second album and will soon give more details on it so follow him on all social media platforms (instagram,Twitter,Facebook) @EsaiasMusic for all updates .
You can support him by attending events he's on and sharing his testimony or music with the world in any way you can
To book Esaias to speak or perform at your event,schools or functions, pls call +233 2411 2507 or send an email via [email protected] .

D: Thank you so much Esaias for your time.

E: God be praised koraa...hehehe.