For a guy who came from a hometown population of merely a hundred people immersed in country music, Benjiman sure did choose a different life for himself than industry or agriculture. He may have stuck out like a sore thumb due to size and since rap and hip-hop radiated from the car stereo, but the rhyme slayer unwaveringly stuck by the side of his passion.

“Growing up I knew this is what I wanted to become, and though a lot of people I lived near didn’t necessarily get it, they were supportive,” he recalls. “I mean, there were plenty of times when I’d drive down the street with the bass turned up and get some eye rolls, but people would say ‘well, that’s just Ben.’ But I always knew from the beginning God would make a way and if at any point I stopped rapping for Christ, I’d drop the mic.”

After throwing school talent shows off course during the formative years and then staging several years worth of local shows into young adulthood, Benjiman got the break needed to ascent beyond small town territory. He was summoned through mutual friends’ word of mouth to participate in some BEC Recordings’ sessions, eventually landing on both of Kutless’ projects, plus Falling Up’s debut disc. Whether contributing to the former’s “Pride Away” and “Let You In” or the latter’s “New Hope” and “Jackson Five,” it was evident Benjiman was destined for more than a supporting role, but rather the main event.

“Basically, working on those projects behind the scenes and as a side component led me to a relationship with the label and eventually a record deal,” the hip-hop heavyweight explains. “BEC and Uprok both represented the type of music I really dug- hard rock mixed with rap, or at least live instruments mixed with rap. I decided I was going to do an album with lots of live music that would represent my diverse interests as a music fan.”

In order to do just that, Benjiman pulled from a pedigree that includes the aforementioned artists, Thousand Foot Krutch, old school Christian hip-hop act SCC and new schooled boundary breakers like The Roots, Black Eyed Peas and personal encourager TobyMac. Along with powerful pipes, intricate storybook scheming, a pro-active message and minimal use of programming throughout the subsequent Activate, the newcomer’s already carved out a noticeable niche of his own.

“My goal is to be a bit off the beaten path musically, but most importantly message wise to give kids something they can sink their teeth into,” Benjimin relates. “The main idea centers around peer pressure, which has always been around for kids but now seems to be heating up. There are so many signals being sent about drugs, alcohol and sex through mainstream media that it becomes the focus and they’re scared to step out on a limb for the things that really matter.”

Amongst the many analyzations of that topic are “Trace of Love” (about being sucked into life’s vices) and “Lay It All Down” (centered around abandoning worldly distractions in favor of spiritual freedom). Even more compelling is “Know You Personally” which tells the story of three different people- one who’s fallen away from God, another who goes to church just to please his parents and a third that’s a frustrated Christian.

“It’s a song that says how important it is to ignore what the world around us is doing and truly get to know God personally,” the writer relays. “In the case of all three characters, their situations are never going to get better unless they totally turn it over to Him and get their faith on a relationship level.”

On a simply fun-filled, party blazing note, the emcee provides the groove infused titled cut, plus the equally exciting jams “One More Time” and “Upside Your Head” (both featuring J-Bizz and Nehemiah from Ruff Diamond Productions). Along with studio masterminds JR McNeely (a multiple Grammy Award winner) and Zach Hodges (a 20-year-old prodigy and Aaron Sprinkle’s right hand man) Activate hits the target in every musical instance and is destined to spur satisfaction on lyrical levels as well.

“Number one, I appreciate that the label’s given me a spot that they didn’t have to and my plan is to keep it going for them as long as I can,” Benjiman summarizes. “I’ve always sought to be a long term artist that continues to evolve with time and I’ve seen that steadily as I’ve been pursuing this for the last 12 years of my life. But that’s also a testament to tenacity and the fact that when God calls you to something that we’re to trust in His perfect timing and make sure His purpose is the central point of our lives.”