Drum – 01 August 2019

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SUPPLIED
RIGHT: Rendani’s rap game is firmly grounded
in her Christian faith and she uses her talent
to spread the word of God to young people.
FAR RIGHT: After a video of her preaching and
rapping at a graduation ceremony went viral,
Rendani became a popular guest on radio
shows and it’s inspired her to record an album.
Worship Ya Elshadai and later sang at
Synagogue Worship church from 2008
to 2011.
When she and her husband, Alfred,
established their spiritual home Vision
of Glory back in 2013, she wanted to fill
the pews with young people.
Rendani decided to make church a
little more exciting to attract the young-
er generation by introducing hip hop
style rap sessions to her sermons.
“They love it and pay attention to
what I preach about. I don’t even write
my lyrics down. Because I love God so
much, I easily get into it.”
Her teenage son, Maanda, was a great
influence in Rendani’s quest to modern-
ise her sermons. “He plays the keyboard
and bass guitar in church. So, one day he
was playing the keyboard at home, and I
started rapping.
“He then went on to download a beat
on the internet and I just flowed and
started rapping,” she shares.
It was so good they decided to take
the “cool discovery” to church, where her
new skill became a hit.
Maanda is proud of his mom’s new
popularity. He comes back from school
just before 4.30pm on the day we pop in
at the family’s home for our interview,
quickly changing out of his school
uniform so he can get ready to go to a
mid-week prayer service with his mom,
who he calls his bestie.
It’s clear the teen adores his mother. “I
am so happy to have an opportunity to
create music with my mother, especially
something that appeals to the youth.
“My friends have given her the thumbs
up and that’s so nice because it gives
me some popularity,” he laughs.

S

HE and her husband estab-

lished Vision of Glory in 2013

after years of dodging “God’s

calling”.

“So many things were go-

ing wrong in our lives. I told

Alfred we had suffered enough so he

needs to trust where God was leading

him and that I would be there to support

him,” Rendani says.

Starting the church

put the couple on a

new path and brought

them closer. Italso

strengthenedherfaith.

“I walkedwithHim

and as aresu

of prophesy

ing in my l

closer andcl

“Thingsw

me in mydr

preachedan

Even now,H

His blessing

ever I want

support mea

Rendanif

life’s purpos

to unfoldbe

particularly

she canspre

gospel ona b

platform,ev

though it’sin

rather unusu

way. “Godc

use anyon

like me.

droppedout

school when

was in Grad

11 but inth

eyes of God

am impor

tant because

have devote

my life tobrin

ing peoplec

er to Him,”s

says.

Dropping

of school

oneoftheworstdeci-

sionssheevermade,

butRendaniwasblind-

edbylove.“Iwasin

love,when my hus-

bandtoldmeheloved

nlove

ewife

wthe

atthe

n’tfor

ngby

mar-

ome-

is a

mthe

t edu-

e only

have

aptis-

l cer-

ficate,

mar-

iage

ertifi-

teand

tor’s

icate.

n I

I al-

people

hould

p on

s and

nd of

matter

ation

uare

http://www.w drum.co.za1 AUGUST 201

withHim

ult thegift

startedmanifest-

life asI became

losertoGod.

wererevealedto

reamsorwhenI

nd worshipped.

Hehasgivenme

andsayswhat-

t todoHewill

all theway.”

feelslikeher

eisstarting

eautifully–

ynowthat

eadthe

bigger

ven

na

ual

an

ne,

I

tof

nI

de

he

,I

r-

eI

ed

ng-

los-

she

out

was

bandtoldmehe

me.I wassoin

thatI becamea hous

andhelped himgrow

spazashophehada

time.”

However,shedoesn

aminuteregretstandi

herhusband.

The couplehavebeen

riedfor 23 years,s

thing she says

blessingfrom

Almighty.

“I’mnot

cated,the

thingI

is a b

mal

tif

a

ri

ce

cat

pas

certifi

Whe

preach

ways tellp

thattheysh

not give up

themselves

theirlives.

“Atthe en

theday,nom

what situa

youface,yo

lovedbyGod.”

‘He downloaded a

beat. I just flowed

and started rapping’

NEWS