Teino Evans, Staff Reporter

Gospel deejay Goddy Goddy speaks to workers on a construction site in the inner city. - Contributed

It might not be a name that a gospel artiste is normally bestowed with, but for Howard Reynolds, more popularly known as Goddy Goddy, the name 'Ghetto Priest' came through his natural ministry to inner-city communities across the island.

As a youngster growing up in the communities of Maverly and Orange Grove in Kingston, Howard Reynolds pursued dreams like any other youth, so his first-hand knowledge and experience of life in the ghetto prompted him to use his blessing to help out inner-city youths.

Couldn't do it alone

"The Lord placed an inner-city ministry on my heart, to go and minister, but I realised that I couldn't do it alone so I started to recruit people. First I started by getting together a music band, called 'The Warfare Band'. This band was responsible for the musical side of the ministry," Goddy Goddy explained.

Goddy Goddy says he spent money out of his own pocket to form an outdoor ministry called 'Faith Anointed', a gospel sound system that plays mainly in inner-city communities like Tivoli, Denham Town, Rocky Valley, Cavaliers and Temple Hall.

Faith Anointed is also the ministry that engages in outreach programmes in schools, churches and communities in Jamaica and the Caribbean.

And as he looks to release his latest album, Goddy Goddy says he has decided to pay homage to the inner-city youths who have been appreciative of his efforts over the past five years, by naming it Ghetto Priest.

"A really di people dem gi di album di name, because people in the street ministry weh mi have in inner cities, based upon all a dat, di people dem sey dem si mi as a gospel artiste wey always meet dem needs. Dem always si me acome in an meet dem needs, suh dem gi mi di name 'Ghetto Priest', suh mi jus decide fi dedicate mi third album to the people," Goddy said.

Guest artistes

Goddy Goddy in performance. - Nathaniel Stewart/Freelance Photographer

Goddy Goddy says, "I'll be launching my new album at Fellowship Tabernacle on August 3, 2007, at 7:00 p.m. and some of the guest artistes will include Keron Ennis, Ryan Mark and Omari."

According to Goddy Goddy, his "expectations are great" as his new album will address many real-life issues, a lot of which inner-city youth should be able to identify with.

"It has been long awaited and this album is dealing with social issues, things happening around us in the communities, and is also geared towards changing the outlook on life that the youths have. It's a 21-track album and some of the favourites already are Evil Mind, featuring Omari, and mi have another one called Chacka Chi. That is a tune wey just tell people fi beware of false prophets and people wey pretend fi a speak inna tongues an dem ting deh, because some a dem nuh really filled with the Holy Spirit, is jus a deception," Goddy Goddy said.