People are asking St. Louis, Missouri-based emcee Nico Wells if he is gearing up to sign a record deal with one of Christian Hip Hop’s top labels. When you are featured on four tracks off a Billboard-charting compilation (Jesus or Nothing) and getting props from well-known artists (Jackie Hill, FLAME, and more), the questions should be expected. Jam The Hype spoke with the up and coming Christian Hip Hop artist. The No Eyes Allowed-crafter speaks on 314 Hip Hop, his work on the Clear Sight Music compilation, and more in the interview below.
Jam The Hype: Break down the concept of your first album, No Eyes Allowed.
Nico Wells: No Eyes Allowed, my first project, it stemmed from 2 Corinthians 5:7, for we walk by faith and not by sight. It’s a project that I was working on for 3 years, man. It’s been a journey just collaborating with different people and God dealing with me. It all just came out on the record. Basically, I was at the point where God was getting me to trust him and rely on him despite all these other things that the world offered. I was sick in 2011. I was really ill and I thought I was going to die it was so bad. Looking at that situation, my financial situation, how things were with my wife; I was just like there was no way we were going to make it. I just didn’t see a way through it but God showed himself through those areas so many times. I can’t trust this worldly view of things. I have to trust God and his word. Don’t go by what you see but go by what God tells me, the heavenly things. Walk by faith and not by sight, that’s No Eyes Allowed.
RELATED: Nico Wells – No Eyes Allowed [FREE DOWNLOAD]
Jam The Hype: Talk to us about the Christian Hip Hop scene in St. Louis.
Nico Wells: It’s just crazy. I feel like St. Louis is one of the most slept on cities. We have so much talent here. There are a lot of cats that I’m surprised haven’t made their way to like a higher platform with the skill and the talent that they bring to the table. I have a lot of good friends out here and a lot of cool people who I’ve been meeting and connecting with who just love Jesus and just go hard. I’m excited about the next couple of years. I feel like St. Louis is going to erupt with a lot of cool cats who are from here. Of course, you got Thi’sl, Flame, and Json. There is so much talent. You got me, MikeREAL, STLien, T-Word, and others. There are so many dope artists here that I like. Jackie Hill is originally from St. Louis even though she is in Chicago now. We got a lot of really dope people here. We grinding and everyone shows love to each other. It’s really cool. Me coming to the faith and actually building relationships with a lot of these cats; it’s been good to know them as a person versus it just being all music.
Jam The Hype: I saw she (Jackie Hill) shouted you out the other day.
Nico Wells: Yea, she shows a lot of love and I appreciate it. She is awesome.
