NAME OF GROUP:
- Unforsaken



NAME OF MEMBERS IN THE GROUP:
- Atrain, Jimbo Rocko, Big Tee, Raw Proof


HOW DID THE GROUP FORM?
- Unforsaken started in May 2007 with Jimbo Rocko as the music producer & hypeman and Atrain as the lead emcee.


WHAT CURRENT CITY DOES THE GROUP RESIDE IN?
- Sandusky, Ohio... about an hour East of Cleveland


HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THE NAME "UNFORSAKEN"?
- Hebrews 13, read it :)


HOW LONG HAVE YOU GUY'S BEEN TOGETHER?
- it will be 3 years this month! Birthday party anyone?


WHAT IS THE NUMBER ONE SINGLE YOU ARE PROMOTING RIGHT NOW OFF YOUR ALBUM?
- Currently, its "Change Da World" but you can look for the album title track "Stand Up" to be dropping once we have an official release date


WHO CAME UP WITH THE CONCEPT FOR THE SONG AND WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOUR AUDIENCE?
- Jimbo Rocko & Atrain both contributed to the idea of the song. Over the past year, we have heard so many people, politicians, organizations, and celeberties talk about "the change we need" or how we need a change in direction. But we believe that true change comes from the inside-out. That in order for us to see the change, we must be the change. "Change Da World" is a song that deffinally connects with our audience because there are so many people out there that want to see change in their lives, their schools, jobs, families, not so much the world as in the global earth, but the world that evolves around them.


THERE AREN'T TOO MANY CHRISTIAN GROUPS WITH YOUR SOUND THESE DAYS BESIDES FAMILY FORCE 5 SO WHAT MADE YOU GO DOWN THAT ROUTE TO SOUND DIFFERENT?
- All 4 of us have always encouraged for people to find the diversity, uniqueness, and creativity within themselves. This is both on and off stage. We feel that just because we're a rap or hiphop genred artist that we don't have to stick to a certain sound or formula. We enjoy having the freedom to be as creative as we'd like to be


ANY TOURS COMING UP YOUR FANS SHOULD KNOW ABOUT?
- Yes! The "Stand Up With Reason Tour" with Unforsaken and Jaylee! We're still in the booking stage of it, but it looks like we'll be hitting Toledo, Detroit, Fort Wayne, Columbus, Pittsburgh, Philly, DC, NYC, Cleveland and a few other stops as well!


WHAT MADE THE GROUP BECOME A CHRISTIAN BAND INSTEAD OF CHASING AFTER THE SECULAR MARKET?
- We all have a firm foundation in our belief and relationship with Jesus, and we're not ashamed to admit that. You constantly hear about some rapper out there getting shot, or caught dealing, and there are so many kids out on these streets that look up to these dudes and follow in their foot steps. We wanted to offer something with a more positive message with a deeper meaning. Something that they can listen to on their iPod when they're home alone going through a difficult time and insteed of turning to sex, drugs, and guns for answers, they can turn to God to be the provider for all they have.


WHAT ARE SOME OTHER BANDS OUT THERE THAT INSPIRE YOU GUY'S TO DO MUSIC?
- Tobymac, Justin Timberlake, Lecrae, Da Truth, Family Force 5, Rick Ross, Kanye West


WHEN WILL THE NEXT UNFORSAKEN ALBUM BE RELEASED?
- "Stand Up" will drop sometime in August! Keep checking our Myspace for info on that!!


WHAT'S SOMETHING THAT MANY OF YOUR FANS DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE GROUP?
- when we all get together, we love having a crack contest! Just imagine every yo momma, fat, skinny, ugly, and dumb joke you can think of. Put that in the presence of brotherhood and you'll have a good time!


HOW LONG HAVE YOU GUY'S BEEN IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY?
- I would say that day the band was born, so May 2007. And like a baby, we're learning new things everyday!


WHAT WAS THE MOST INFLUENTIAL THING SOMEONE HAS TOLD THE GROUP THAT MADE YOU ALL WANT TO KEEP MAKING GOOD CHRISTIAN CRUNK MUSIC?
- About a year ago, we were performing at a music festival somewhere in Ohio, and after the show we were hanging out at our merchandise table just talking with people, getting to know them, taking pictures, stuff like that. And this girl, I wont say her name, but we'll call her Anna... she came up to us and started to pour her heart out right there on the spot. She started explaining how she felt her life was worthless, how her parents done love her, how so many boys only talk to her to try to get one thing, and how she has turned from what used to be this innocent christian girl, to a girl that is caught up in the party scene and has issues with cutting and suicidal thoughts. Well, she came to the music festival with a bunch of her girl friends, not really expecting a christian artist to be performing, in fact, she admitted that when the host of the festival announced that a christian artist was up next that they almost left, but once they found out that we were performing rap & dance music, they were courious enough to want to stay and watch. So about... I dunno, 4 ot 5 songs into our set, we performed our song "Forgiveness" which speaks a lot about learning to love others, how to forgive them, and to even forgive yourself. After we finished the song, I kept strumming the guitar rift with my acoustic guitar and began to speak about how God loves us all, how precious we are to him, and how love & forgiveness co-exsist. Thats why He died & rose again, thats why He did the things He did for us, because of the love He has for us. All that was said really struck home with her. So we all joined hands, prayed for her, and to this day we still stay in contact with her, she is now serving as a youth leader at a local church, she gave up partying, cutting, and has made peace with her family. But this just didn't happen overnight.. it was a process. Like our song "Forgiveness" says "forgiveness is a task, not an over night thing / ask Christ how to forgive and you will be free / forgiveness can be long, hard, and even depressing / but take your time, do your thing, cause Rome wasn't built in a dream"


HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE CHRISTIAN MUSIC INDUSTRY? DO YOU FEEL LIKE ITS HARDER TO CONNECT WITH OTHER'S OF THE SAME FAITH AND FANS?
- I think there are still some walls that need to be torn down in the CM market. I think that we have came a long way in the past 5-10 years, but I still see a few things that need worked on. It seems as though that the people that are trying to make this world a horrible place all have their stuff together, so why don't we? A little bit of what Im talking about is within the church. We have been denied many oppertunities to perform and minister because of our musical genre. Folks talking about "its a musical genre that is affiliated with the club, drug, and sex scene and we want no part of it" yet back in the day when Elvis was doin' his thing... people at that time were saying simular things about him. Now look, you'll probably find a guitar in just about every church. It's sad to see sometimes, but its true.


WHAT CAN EVERYONE EXPECT NEW THIS YEAR FROM UNFORSAKEN?
- Be on the look out for "STAND UP" releasing sometime this August. It will be available online, iTunes, Rhaspody, and Napster. Also, you can bet that UNFORSAKEN will be touring harder than ever starting this fall


LAST QUESTION, WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF 5 YEAR'S FROM NOW COLLECTIVELY?
- hopefully touring more often and reaching out to larger crowds. Not so much crowds as in the size of the audience, but crowds as in different people of different backgrounds, cultures, and races. The more people we can relate to and show them the way to salvation, the more successful we are. Not by man's standards, but by God's!