Danté Pride on "Come As You Are" & Redeeming Your Story
Danté Pride Says God Doesn’t Want to Change You—He Wants to Redeem You
- God wants to redeem, not change, your style, personality, and way of speaking.
- Pride's testimony of overcoming obstacles inspires others to trust God's plan for their lives.
- Gospel music is alive and well, as Pride passionately declares in 'Dear Gospel'.
Christian rap artist Danté Pride sat down with Jekalyn Carr on Family Affair to discuss his debut EP Come As You Are—a project about God redeeming your style, your story, and your identity. From being kicked out of church for wearing a hat to being told he’d never walk properly, Pride’s testimony is one of radical transformation.
Danté Pride is not your average gospel rapper. He’s a PK—a preacher’s kid—and, as he puts it, a self-described “Bama Baptist Boy” who grew up in a traditional church where Christian hip-hop had no place. But God had other plans.
The Alabama-raised artist stopped by Jekalyn Carr’s Family Affair on Praise 102.5 to talk about Come As You Are, his debut EP that’s equal parts testimony, theology, and trap music. And if you think that combination sounds unusual, that’s kind of the point.
Who Is Danté Pride?
Pride traces his love of gospel rap back to second grade, when his uncle—a youth pastor—played him a track by Christian rapper Canton Jones. He was hooked. He started writing rhymes on the backs of his test papers. His teacher even gave him a CD from a local gospel rapper. The seed was planted early.
But his path wasn’t perfectly straight. He spent some time chasing a different life before the Lord brought him back. And then came the moment that changed everything.
“I was sitting in the back of a church with a hat on because I had no haircut,” Pride recalled with a laugh. A woman walked up and told him to take his hat off—and get out. He was hurt. But instead of letting that rejection push him away from church, it pulled something out of him.
“A lot of times, the thing that burdens you the most is maybe the thing that you may be called to,” he said.
That moment became the heartbeat behind Come As You Are.
What Is the EP Come As You Are About?
The project is built on one core message: God doesn’t want to change who you are. He wants to redeem who you are. Your style. Your slang. Your personality. All of it.
“Come as God has called you to be,” Pride told Jekalyn. “He don’t want to change your style, your fashion, even the way that you talk, your slang. But what he’ll do is he’ll redeem it.”
That message hits different when you know what Pride has been through.
Breaking Down the Tracks
“Make Me Brand New” (ft. Nathan Davis Jr. & Cèjae)
Inspired by the story of the woman with the issue of blood, this track is about identity transformation. In Scripture, she’s labeled by her issue. But when Jesus heals her, he calls her daughter. “She went from the woman with the issue of blood to being called daughter,” Pride explained. “When you have an encounter with Jesus Christ, your name changes.”
“I Need You Now”
A love letter to Jesus, written from a very vulnerable place. Pride opened up about his battle with anxiety and depression—especially during 2020—and how that struggle runs in his family. Rather than hiding it, he turned it into worship. “Whenever I’m feeling anxious, I just cast my cares on him,” he said. This track is for everyone who’s ever been told a cycle is too deep to break.
On that note, Pride had something powerful to say: “The generational cycle may have started with somebody else, but it’s gonna end with you.”
“Dear Gospel”
A bold statement to anyone who thinks gospel music is dead. Pride isn’t having it. “Gospel music is not dead. And it’s not gonna ever be. We just getting started.”
“Just Believe”
This one comes straight from his testimony. When Pride was born, doctors told his parents he had a massive cyst on his foot and would never walk properly or play sports. Today, he leaps across stages. “Since I entered this earth, God had his hands on me,” he said. “I’ve seen too much not to believe.”
“Oil” (ft. Erica Campbell)
Sitting on this record for four years before releasing it, Pride built the concept around the olive press. “In order for the oil to flow, the olive gotta be crushed.” Nothing you’ve gone through is wasted. God will use every part of your story.
“Act Up” (ft. Miles Minnick)
The most playful track on the project—and the most intentional. Pride flips the phrase on its head. Why turn up for temporary things and stay calm for eternal ones? “When they hit the 808 at a Danté Pride concert, I’m acting up,” he said. It’s a call to keep that fire burning for the Kingdom.
A Testimony Built for This Moment
What makes Danté Pride stand out isn’t just the music—it’s the message underneath it. A young man who doctors said would never walk, who got kicked out of a church pew, who battled anxiety in a season that broke a lot of people. He didn’t run from any of it.
He made an EP about it.
And his parting word to anyone in a waiting season? “The highest seat in the room is at his feet. It’s not on the platform. It’s not at the award shows. It’s not on viral Instagram posts.”
Come As You Are is available now on Apple Music, Spotify, and all major streaming platforms. Follow Danté Pride on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook at @IAmDantePride.
