Home: T : Toby Mac : Biography

Biography (courtesy of Forefront Records)

When tobyMac first threw down the gauntlet with the release of his debut solo album, Momentum, it wasn't so much a brazen hip-hopper's boast as it was a leap of faith. He trusted that any attention he'd be getting would be for where he was going, not for where he'd already been. He made it clear from the get-go there would be no resting on laurels for him on this journey. It was full steam ahead with no looking back. "I'm a man on a mission," he declared on the title track. "My position is momentum."

Let it be said that tobyMac "aka Toby McKeehan" is a man true to his words. "It still amazes me that I could dream this thing up, and people react to it," he says. "When I started, I didn't know what to expect, you never know how people will react to a song, an album. It's always fulfilling to have people connect with your music, to have people respond and be passionate about it or moved by it."

And respond people have. From the lead single, "Extreme Days", a relentlessly aggressive rap-rock juggernaut that came on "like a whirlwind," ruling the CCM Update Rock charts for a record ten weeks. Soon after came a second chart-topper, "Somebody's Watching," an irresistible fusion of hip-hop and R&B built around an inspired sampling of Rockwell's 1984 smash, "Somebody's Watching Me." A third single, "Irene," may prove to be the biggest yet, though no chart position could compare with the feedback tobyMac has already heard from his fans on the inspirational, reggae and Spanish guitar-inflected R&B jam. "I've been told directly by people it's affected them, because it's about anyone who feels they've failed their friends, their family, their God, and I think everybody can relate to that," he says. "It's feeling like you failed and then somebody whispering words of love into your ear, expressing their belief in you."

tobyMac received encouragement of a different kind in April 2002, when he was honored with five Dove Awards, including Rap/Hip-Hop/Dance Album (performer, producer) for Momentum, Rap/Hip-Hop/Dance Song (performer, songwriter) for "Somebody's Watching," and Producer of the Year. That last one was a long time coming for tobyMac, who figures he's spent half of his life in the studio (he is, after all, the founding member of dc talk, which has sold over 7 million albums, won four GRAMMY's and is the best selling group in CCM history). Nevertheless, he says the honor left him "very humbled." Producing Momentum was a landmark achievement for the veteran artist, who found himself challenged every step of the way in bringing his musical vision to life. "I think I've definitely learned about myself as an artist," he says. "I had to stretch in many places. I had to go vocally to places that I've never gone before. It was a very challenging yet affirming process. I love the studio, and I love pouring myself into a song and being a perfectionist, but also being an artist, and stopping when something is just right or leaving when something leaves you wanting more."

But in terms of his career and the new road he's taken on his own, stopping is the last thing on tobyMac's mind. Everything to date, from dc talk, to the out of the gate success of Momentum, it's all just a build-up to the next challenge. "One of the things I love about my new solo artistry is looking at a new beginning," says tobyMac, who has made the music industry his home for well over a decade. "You're at the bottom of a mountain looking straight up, and you're like, "I have some climbing to do." But what I have come to realize is that this is the most enjoyable time of an artist's career. You don't embrace every day of this journey."

From the explosive opening of "Get This Party Started" to the closing, dream-like reverie of "In the Air," Momentum is simultaneously his most personal and yet universal musical statement to date, the two sides fused as seamlessly as his musical blend of old-school hip-hop, R&B, reggae and grinding guitar rock. True to his heart, the songs are filled with an energy and passion of a man not afraid to "live out loud" his faith unshakable in the face of a secular world.

"Hopefully my songs are about my life. Faith is a big part of my life. I'm here in the midst of this world, but my perspective, my outlook, is different because of my faith. So if I put all that together, you have a record that anyone should relate to." Music moves people, to dance, sure, but just as much, to feel, to think.

This year, tobyMac hit the road with his diverse stage posse to tackle an invigorating schedule of 150+ dates across the country. Somewhere down the line, of course, he'll be back in the studio to record the follow-up solo album and eventually to reconvene with dc talk, but right now, Momentum is his mission, and believe him when he says he's just getting started.

"I'm gathering steam and moving ahead with all the things I've learned from dc talk and from my own experiences," says tobyMac. "That's where it started, to say, "We have every reason to roll with momentum." It's amazing what can happen when you put a diverse group of people together. I think "tobyMac" represents a lot of people's passion, collaboration and talent, from the studio to the stage. tobyMac is bigger than Toby McKeehan."

And from the looks of it, unstoppable. Like the song says, "Once you start an avalanche, there ain't no turnin' back."