A Stadium of 70,000 Praises Up With Forrest Frank & Paul Wall

Forrest Frank & Paul Wall Bring Christian Rap to a Packed NRG Stadium

Forrest Frank and Paul Wall lit up NRG Stadium with a Christian rap concert in front of roughly 70,000 people at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. Forrest, already a major name in Christian rap and the grandson of the late meteorologist Neil Frank, delivered a high‑energy set that blended worship, Houston culture, and surprise moments.

Paul Wall kicked off the show as an unexpected guest, remixing his classic “Sittin’ Sideways” into “Sittin’ Sideways, Givin’ God Praise.” Forrest kept the Houston love going by shouting out Bun B, Trae Tha Truth, and even mentioning Fulshear during his freestyle.

I honestly hope they turn that remix into a full song. A moment like this could be a spark for a new wave of Houston‑based Christian rap.

Houston’s Christian Rap Roots and the People Who Helped Build It

H‑Town Christian rap has had its moments of momentum thanks in part to NGEN Radio and the late Chris Chicago, as well as the now‑defunct Letz Chop It Up Podcast (episodes still on YouTube). NGEN still exists as a digital station, but back when it had an FM signal, a lot more people stumbled onto Christian rap by accident and became fans.

Even though Letz Chop It Up is gone, Witeout helps keep that spirit alive through the Somethin’ Ain’t Right Podcast with Tre9. Tre9 also runs his own segment showcasing music videos, interviews, and artists. The podcast is still small, so if you’re reading this, go show it some love on YouTube and help keep Houston’s Christian rap culture alive.

Houston Artists Who Have Collaborated With Christian Rappers

Here are Houston artists (and DJs/producers/engineers) who have worked with Christian rappers, updated with all the latest details:

• Lil Keke – Livin Proof, Puntin, S.O.M., and others
• Bun B – Tre9, Von Won
• Scarface – Von Won
• Z‑Ro – Von Won
• Paul Wall – Lecrae, Pyrexx, Von Won
• DJ Red – The New Cool
• Bruce Takara (Bruce Bang)
• Wonderus – Von Won, S.O.M. (Soldiers Ona Mission)
• Lil O – Von Won, Herbert Addison
• Propain – Von Won
• Baby Bash – Von Won
• Lil Flip – AD The Problem Solver
• Trae Tha Truth – Lecrae
• NuWine – Lil Raskull
• Big Pokey – Puntin, Livin Proof, Chad Jackson Gospel, Tre9
• ESG – Puntin, Herb Flav
• Chalie Boy – Puntin, Three J (now Luke Nyne)
• Chamillionaire – Puntin, Von Won
• K‑Rino – Von Won, Livin Proof

Houston & Texas Artists Who Fully Transitioned to Christian Rap

• 007 (5th Ward Boyz) – now part of IAmRAW with Gifted Da Flame Throwa
• Bushwick Bill (Geto Boys) – My Testimony of Redemption
• LitaRodi
• Von Won (formerly Playboy Click)
• Lucky Luciano
• DJ DMD – from “25 Lighters” to “25 Bibles on My Dresser”
• Puntin – formerly of PBC (Playas/Players By Choice)
• Dougie D – formerly known for work with Z‑Ro, now active with Von Won at Space City Church and performing at Space City Fest

Keeping Houston’s Christian Rap History Alive

There are definitely more artists out there. Some I only know from their Christian rap work, and I’m not always aware of their earlier secular catalogs. Even Tre9 has said he made secular music before the 90s but never released it.

Moments like Forrest Frank and Paul Wall at the Rodeo remind people that Christian rap has deep Houston roots and a long list of contributors. A lot of this history isn’t documented anywhere, so sharing it helps preserve a culture that many people don’t realize exists.

Videos Of Forrest Frank At The Houston Rodeo

TikToK Videos:

https://www.tiktok.com/@proper_xl/photo/7615783495117425950?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc

https://www.tiktok.com/@proper_xl/video/7615842088743144735?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc

Luke Nyne (formerly Three J): A New Era of Christian Rap

It was years back when I was helping my neighbor and a group of Latinas her age, including herself with making afew Rap Music Videos for a High School project that involved using beats of popular secular artists and rappers/singers of the time (I think early 2010's, I was in my 20's) and making like cover/remix songs about words like Alliteration or Hyperbole, basically literary devices or figures of speech used in like an English, Literature, Writing, or Grammar class, when I stumbled upon the Christian Rappers Three J and Puntin. I think I was doing online searches for Christian Rap artists that I already knew of like Harmony Hi-See. I  was on YouTube and Spotify while I was upstairs in the house, where the girls were doing a majority of the videos. It was when there was down time and I guess they were practicing their lines or something. 

Upon hearing Three J and Puntin songs and albums (I was looking into both artists as well as others, basically featured artists), I got some of their music on iTunes because I love buying the music to support the artist, and so that the songs are saved permanently to my library. I remember liking that they had that H-Town and Texas style. I was thinking the same thing I was always thinking when I discovered new Christian Rap "How is this not more popular? It needs to be!". 

Side Tangent: I had already began my mission since around 2008/2009 (after I graduated High School) to discover Christian Rap and to share it to my peers in hopes that it may become popular, or at least more known about. After years of sharing Christian Rap, I really have no way of knowing what my influence has been to help CHH (Christian Hip Hop) and Christian Rap to gain new fans/followers. I hope I have been more of a help than a hinderance. The reason I say that, is because I'm a white guy, kinda quirky, so while I try to promote something like Christian Rap, I feel like I may just might make it look weird or something and reinforce the whole "Christian Rap Is Corny" stigma. But I guess it just depends on who you talk to. I may have brought some positive awareness to the genre and to the fact Christian Rap exists, regardless of whether I look the part or not. Maybe some say "Look at that goofball.", others might say "I gotta check this stuff out, it actually sounds good.". And thanks to Lecrae, Andy Mineo, NF, Hulvey, and Forrest Frank, plus several other Christian artists that have had themself (or their creative works) break into the mainstream spotlight, Christian Rap has become more known, accepted, and part of many more families. Maybe not all households everywhere. There's some people who still wouldn't know who Lecrae is if you asked them. But that's a hit or miss. And just because something is famous or popular, doesn't mean absolutely everyone knows who they are. So Christian Rap has made it in my opinion, or at least got through the door to just get started in getting even further. We had a whole group of Christian Rappers get on Sway's Universe! DJ Mykael V, DJ Wade O, and others. 

Back to the blog about Three J who is now Luke Nyne: 

I'm not sure what to even say, except I love Luke Nyne new song "No Other Way". And then another one that has been out, but he's been promoting recently, it's called "Born Ready".

Check out the Amazon Affiliate links, I make a commission if you buy the singles:

No Other Way

Born Ready

 Looking back at Luke Nyne, back when he was called Three J, I loved that he had the Third Coast, Southern, Texas, H-Town style. I was wanting to find more Christian Rap that had Screwed Up Click style since it's popular in Houston Texas, or in Texas in general, Houston Texas rap people like the slow down, chop and screw sounds. So I liked songs like Da South ft Puntin. I like the Walk On Water song ft Harmony Hi-See, he basically sounds like Bone Thugs And Harmony with the fast rap but like T-Pain with the autotune. I loved his melodic singing vocals. I wish Harmony Hi-See still did Christian Rap. Three J's Thrice Album was probably my favorite. But I loved singles from his prior albums. 

Here's a list of my favorite Three J songs: (I'll put links, probably Amazon Affiliate one's too)

Walk On Water ft Harmony Hi-See

3rd Coast Snap

Regular Routine ft Puntin

Rep My God ft Princeton

Changin' Tha Game ft Chalie Boy

Give God Glory ft. Puntin, Beezy, & B.U.G.

From Da South ft Puntin

Still Holdin

This Fly (Remix) ft Lil Johnny & Adam Paul

Here's some videos of  Three J and Luke Nyne: