Step into hip-hop artist Eddy Puyol's music world. His music tells a story of faith, love, and joy; his recently released album, Nothing Changed But My Stage Name, exemplifies that.
From the inspiring “Trust God” to the upbeat “Bang Bang Baby,” his music mixes uplifting messages and catchy beats. “Club Five Twelve” is a fun dance track, while “Good Time'” is about enjoying life. “Blessings” is a heartfelt song of gratitude. Together, these songs create a journey through Puyol's life and beliefs, reminding us to appreciate the good times and stay positive."
Here’s a breakdown of Eddy’s latest album—song by song, told in the words of Eddy himself.
“Trust God”
You know it's on from when the beat drops with that chopped-and-screwed sample.
For “Trust God,” Eddy Puyoul—formerly Rawsrvnt—resurrects vital parts of a verse from another song, “Walk With God,” for a message he’s shared throughout a two-decade-plus music career.
Eddy truly believes the key to anyone’s faith walk is trust. (See also 2013’s song “Father I Trust Ya” with artist Sara Delight).
“Once you believe God is who He says He is and will do what He says He’s going to do, that’s when everything begins to fall into place,” Eddy said.
“Trust God” features a lilting piano sample introduction to a menacing, slowed-down drum pattern with matching stutter-step raps. Those rhymes soon speed up and lead to a melodic, worshipful outro that his longtime producing partner Chuck Hemann described as “a gang full of monks riding in a Cadillac.”
The track takes listeners on a journey and advises them of the most secure place to deposit a hopeful heart.
“Bang Bang Baby”
In 2001, hip-hop icon Jay-Z famously dissed fellow hip-hop artist NaS by rapping, “So, yeah I sampled your voice, you was usin’ it wrong / You made it a hotline, I made it a hot song.”
Decades later, Eddy Puyol uses the exact Blueprint for “Bang Bang Baby”—but in a twist, he’s the author of both the hotline and hot song.
Eddy produced the bouncy track with help from longtime music collaborator Chuck Hemman, and its hook is pulled from the artist’s career-reflecting single “This One’s For You.”
“That phrase, ‘bang bang baby,’ has been in my household for a while,” Eddy said. “A few months back, I watched football, and it just popped out of my mouth after a key play. My wife noticed how catchy it was, and then the creative juices started flowing to make it into the hook of a new song.”
The result is a funky, Summertime-esque song showcasing Eddy’s ability to rap double time with playful rhymes designed to motivate everyone from athletes to academics to anime-loving adults.
“I don’t often rap that fast, but I wanted to challenge myself to do something different,” Eddy said. “I believe listeners will be happy with the results.”
And as always, Eddy incorporates his love for high-level sports with a nod to the iconic SportsCenter theme.
“Club Five Twelve”
Eddy Puyol’s “Club Five Twelve” is the worship bop you didn’t know you needed.
Initially, the song may feel like a detour from most of his catalog, but it echoes the artist’s past success in the dance music arena.
His “I Gotta Feeling/Take It All” mashup has been featured in weddings and contemporary artist Chris Tomlin tour sets, and “Club Five Twelve” offers listeners yet another way to express the joy found in life following Christ.
The song pairs an ultra-catchy chorus with a sparkling, Euro-dance-pop beat and takes its title from 1 John 5:12, a Bible verse written on one of the support beams of a client’s home built by Puyol Enterprise, his family’s business.
“This is quite literally a house record,” Eddy joked.
Since his recent marriage, the artist says his creative juices have flowed at a new speed. Eddy co-produced “Club Five Twelve” by providing Chuck Hemann with an audio sketch created in his DJ software program.
“We just took it from there and created a life-affirming song that will appeal to just about everyone,” Eddy said. “It’s currently my kids’ favorite.”
“Like a Cadillac”
Eddy Puyol’s “Like a Cadillac” sounds like what you’d hear if the legendary Isley Brothers and hip-hop duo UGK got together to do a record with the vibe of hip-hop icon Ice Cube’s “It Was a Good Day.”
“Like a Cadillac” samples the artist’s previous work (“Flossin’ Him”), and its smooth groove, memorable melody, and steady beat are tailor-made for a late afternoon drive with the windows down and a cotton candy sunset in the rearview mirror.
“I’ve always loved my song “Flossin’ Him,” but “Like a Cadillac” has all the feels I dig. I came up with the line of the first verse, taking my kids to school one day as that’s been our family verse for years,” Eddy said. “I start the second verse with a tagline I often use when talking to people. This is life music at its finest.”
“Good Time”
Eddy Puyol’s “Good Time” is an urban pop record with funk soul DNA. It gives roller skate vibes with a positive message and modern sensibilities to please fans of iconic R&B and hip-hop artists Kool & The Gang, Drake, and Lecrae.
The song starts with the last voicemail his grandmother ever sent him. And then, in his opening verse, he mentions her famous tagline, “Family’s the main thing.”
“My abuela (grandmother) knew how to have a good time, so I was inspired when we put her on the song to create a party anthem,” Eddy said.
Eddy and Chuck took inspiration from his catalog for the track. Here, the duo samples “Beautiful/Be With You,” a song from the artist’s FKA Rawsrvnt crate.
“When the idea hit me to speed up the record, I thought it was so cool,” Eddy said. “Then I brought it to Chuck, who started building on the idea. It got cool when a long-time musician friend of mine, Phillip M. Dukes, came into the studio while we were working on it. He started nodding to the beat and then free-styling these riffs that had my jaw on the floor. The rest is history.”
“Everything I Got”
Eddy Puyol’s “Everything I Got” is a cross between reggae artist Bob Marley’s “Is This Love” and hip-hop artist Sean Paul’s “I’m Still in Love with You.” From the horns to the background vocals to the authentic reggae vibe, it just feels right.
“I started saying this often to my kids,” Eddy said. “One day, I thought about putting this love message to music.”
Puyol’s been inspired by his kids before, as evidenced in “Forever Love” – a track that landed on Pandora’s “Dad Songs for Sons and Daughters” playlist.
“You Gotta Vibe”
True fans of Eddy Puyol know his musical catalog is filled with faith-fueled anthems and songs that celebrate love between men and women.
“You Gotta Vibe” is his latest addition to the genre and commemorates the first year of marriage to his wife, Corinne. The track offers listeners a smooth R&B-styled “date night” feel that reflects his profound appreciation for his partner.
“I’m in a super happy place right now and deeply in love with my wife. So, it’s like the Bible says—‘the mouth speaks what the heart is full of,’” Eddy said. “I love that I can use my art to show that to her, and listeners can do the same with the ones they love.”
“This is the type of ‘grown and sexy’ music needed in today’s artistic landscape,” Eddy said.
“Blessings”
Like any good artist, Eddy Puyol has used songwriting to document his life and process the emotions associated with each era.
Throughout his catalog, you’ll hear help and hurt alongside praise and pain, but here, Eddy takes a mature and celebratory tone to thank the creator for his “Blessings.”
“I’ve survived enough seasons to know that life can be tough at times, but I’m also a living witness that my God can help you bounce back,” Eddy said. “That is the type of message I want to hear in the music I listen to, and I hope others feel the same.”
Eddy begins this track by singing “I can’t deny it…” and then sharing the passion behind his prose.
All of the blessings coming right now, From the top down on me, I see what was meant to hurt and harm me, God turned and flipped for my good
Later, he even thanked the Lord for his excellent work, which kept “my hands and my plate full” and can prayerfully build generational wealth for “my kids’ kids and kids’ kids.”
It's worth noting that the cover art for the single "Blessings" commemorates God's past gifts and the opportunities he provided for other emcees on Christian contemporary-driven traveling showcases, as the track's writer also composed the first theme song for Winter Jam.
Kevin McNeese started NRT in 2002 and has worked in the industry in some form or another since 1999. He has been a fan of Christian music since 1991.
NEW!BEHIND THE SONG
#1236 - Brandon Heath
Transforming wounds into stories of redemption in this powerful song
ADVERTISEMENT
NEW!NRT EDITORIAL
Skillet
We explores some of the band's best songs outside their hits
NEW!NRT LISTS
Jordan Merritt
A real conversation around the artist's new track, "Human"
NEW!HEARTSPEAK
Jordan Feliz
The artist's must-listen-to songs about faith, family, and redemption
NEW!AN NRT EXCLUSIVE
Rock Meets Worship
Seven gritty cover songs of popular worship music and hymns
