Beacon Light

"Joyful, joyful, Lord we adore thee, and in my life I put none before thee," Lil' Beacon rapped for the first time in his life. Miss Shirley didn't know that she was planting a seed in the young fifth grader, putting rap into his heart for the very first time. After all, this was a children's choir, and she needed someone to do the part.

The choir consisted of younger children, many incapable of remembering "the big part." As one of the older kids in the group, Lil' Beacon was selected to rap to the Sister Act track: complete with a Zach Morris haircut. After what seemed like weeks of rehearsing until the verse was crisp and clean, Lil' Beacon buttoned up his white collared dress shirt, tucked it into his black dress pants, and set out for the stage. Little did Beacon know, it would be something he would be doing quite often...

Beacon Light first tasted rap in fifth grade. However, rap never seemed to be an important thing to him until his latter high school days. After digesting immorally infecting music for a long period of time, the young Beacon became quite dim: rarely shining his light, and even becoming quite the bearer of darkness and deception. Freestyling became a second nature, and the only time God was brought up, was when Beacon was using His name in vain.

During this stage of his life, Beacon dove into sin's cesspool, commonly indulging in foolishness: from immoral relationships and loss of sobriety due to drugs and alcohol, to pushing large amounts of money into other people's pockets during a "poker career," Beacon soon learned that with himself as the driver, his life was going nowhere, fast.

Then, in a broken cry for help, Beacon called out to God. After not even speaking to God for at least 2 years, the first words out of his mouth were,"God, I need to know I'm saved." Immediately God gave Beacon a vision, reminding him of when he first accepted Christ at the mere age of four. It was as if God was saying,"Son, I've been with you all along, come home."

From that moment on there was a change in Beacon. The Light was alive and back in His life, and rap wasn't the focus, Jesus was! God helped Beacon to become a "true" Beacon of Light, and it was evident that God was growing him and using him. Finally, after being introduced to Lecrae and some real talk Jesus music, Beacon began to realize his gift to rap could be used.

Now, his debut album Overcomin' has been released, and God is with him. Beacon also currently serves as a worship leader at The Edge Urban Fellowship, an urban hip hop church in Grand Rapids, MI. Exited to see what God does in his life and in others, Beacon Light is ready to serve and see the unique way God is going to impact so many young people in this age. People get ready, Jesus is coming, soon you'll be going home!!!

"I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" ~Jesus~ (John 14:6)

Fun Fact: Beacon Light (Brandon Clahassey) played college basketball at Grace Bible College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and was part of the 2009 NCCAA Division II National Championship team! On top of that, he was an honorable mention All-American!