Results for Sir The Baptist
interviews
Sir The Baptist
Sir The Baptist is an up-and-coming artist that blends hip hop swagger with his gospel roots. But, he doesn‘t turn a blind eye to what’s going on in the world around him. Not unlike The Staple Singers, Sir is an artist who believes in delivering a message in his songs, whether it's tackling domestic violence with "Deliver Me," or with violence in the streets with "Wake Up." He grew up in the church, in fact, his father was a preacher. That background is what keeps him committed to making music that helps to“change the world.” Sir and a 10 piece band joined Jim and Greg in the Jim and Kay Maybie Performance Studio to perform songs from his debut album, Saint or Sinner (one of Jim and Greg's Best Albums of 2017), and to talk about the message in his music.
Go to episode 638reviews

Sir the Baptist Saint or Sinner
Chicago's Sir the Baptist broke on the scene with a gospel-fueled single called "Raise Hell", and his debut album Saint or Sinner continues his experiments in blending the sacred and the street. Greg says that at Lollapalooza last year, Sir performed part of his set out of a casket on stage, "a commentary on the gun violence in Chicago; but also, a deeper message about faith, about spirituality, and about the role it could play in the lives of young people." Jim and Greg note that Sir the Baptist was ahead of the curve of mixing religious music and popular urban music that fellow Chicagoans Chance the Rapper and Jamila Woods have also explored. Jim says that Sir the Baptist is "firmly based in that rich Chicago tradition of gospel music" but Sir is "skeptical… of faith that is not grounded in morality". He calls "Deliver Me" an extraordinary track. Jim praises the album's deep themes. Both Jim and Greg give Saint or Sinner an enthusiastic Buy It rating.
lists
Top Albums of 2017… So Far
We're halfway through 2017, which means it's time to get a jump on the Best-Of Lists. Here are Jim and Greg's mid-year best Top 10 lists.
Go to episode 604The Best Albums of 2017
It's Jim and Greg's favorite show of the year, where they get to reflect on the Best Albums of 2017. They also hear picks from listeners as well as the Sound Opinions production staff.
Go to episode 627features
Sound Opinions Live!
We frequently welcome musicians to our studios, but we can't always air every performance. This week, Jim and Greg play some of their favorite exclusive in-studio performances, like a memorable one from New Orleans R&B legend Allen Toussaint recorded back in 2014. They also share some never before heard performances from artists like afrobeat collective Antibalas, art rock/punk group Girlpool, gospel/hip hop artist Sir The Baptist and more.
Go to episode 658featured songs
Featured Songs
- Sir The Baptist, Wake Up (feat ChuchPeople), Wake Up (Single), Tympa Chapel, 2015
- MGMT, Me and Michael, Little Dark Age, Columbia, 2018
- MGMT, Days That Got Away, Little Dark Age, Columbia, 2018
- Sir The Baptist, Heaven (feat. Donald Lawrence & Co., Keke Wyatt and ChuchPeople), Saint or Sinner, Atlantic, 2017
- Sir The Baptist, Raise Hell (feat. ChuchPpl), Raise Hell (feat. ChuchPpl) (Single), n/a, 2015
- Donnie Trumpet & the Social Experiment, Familiar (feat Chance The Rapper, King Louie and Quavo), Surf, n/a, 2015
- Sir The Baptist, What We Got (Live on Sound Opinions), Saint or Sinner, Atlantic, 2017
- Sir The Baptist, Movin', Movin (Single), Atlantic, 2017
- Sir The Baptist, Saint or Sinner, Saint or Sinner, Atlantic, 2017
- Sir The Baptist, God Is On Her Way, Saint or Sinner, Atlantic, 2017
- Sir The Baptist, Deliver Me (feat. Brandy), Saint or Sinner, Atlantic, 2017
- Chance The Rapper, Angels (feat. Saba), Coloring Book, n/a, 2016
- Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Up Above My Head (feat Marie Knight and Sam Price Trio), Up Above My Head (Single), Decca, 1949
- Sir The Baptist, Raise Hell (Live On Sound Opinions), Saint or Sinner, Atlantic, 2017
- Chance The Rapper, Blessings (Reprise), Coloring Book, n/a, 2016
- MGMT, Little Dark Age, Little Dark Age, Columbia, 2018
- MGMT, One Thing Left to Try, Little Dark Age, Columbia, 2018
- MGMT, She Works Out Too Much, Little Dark Age, Columbia, 2018
- MGMT, TSLAMP, Little Dark Age, Columbia, 2018
- MGMT, When You're Small, Little Dark Age, Columbia, 2018
- MGMT, James, Little Dark Age, Columbia, 2018
- The Temptations, Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today), Sky's the Limit, Gordy, 1971
- Blondie, Hanging on the Telephone, Parallel Lines, Chrysalis, 1978
- The Nerves, Hanging on the Telephone, The Nerves, Nerves, 1976
- The Replacements, Black Diamond, Let It Be, Twin/Tone, 1984
- Justin Timberlake, Filthy, Man of the Woods, RCA, 2018
- The Postal Service, Nothing Better, Give Up, Sub Pop, 2003
Featured Songs
- Harry Styles, Sign Of The Times, Harry Styles, Columbia, 2017
- Harry Styles, Ever Since New York, Harry Styles, Columbia, 2017
- Badfinger, Baby Blue, Straight Up, Apple, 1971
- Sir The Baptist, Heaven, Saint Or Sinner, Atlantic, 2017
- Sir The Baptist, Raise Hell, Saint Or Sinner, Atlantic, 2017
- Sir The Baptist, Deliver Me, Saint Or Sinner, Atlantic, 2017
- Sir The Baptist, High With God, Saint Or Sinner, Atlantic, 2017
- Sir The Baptist, Let It Move Yah, Saint Or Sinner, Atlantic, 2017
- Jenny Hval, Secret Touch, Blood Bitch, Sacred Bones, 2016
- Rockettothesky, Grizzly Man, Medea, Trust Me, 2008
- Jenny Hval, That Battle Is Over, Apocalypse, girl, Sacred Bones, 2015
- Jenny Hval, The Great Undressing, Blood Bitch, Sacred Bones, 2016
- Jenny Hval, Untamed Region, Blood Bitch, Sacred Bones, 2016
- Goblin, Suspiria, Suspiria, Cinevox, 1977
- Giorgio Gaslini, School at Night, Profondo Rosso, Cinevox, 1975
- Jenny Hval, The Plague, Blood Bitch, Sacred Bones, 2016
- Jenny Hval, Female Vampire, Blood Bitch, Sacred Bones, 2016
- Jenny Hval, Ritual Awakening, Blood Bitch, Sacred Bones, 2016
- Jenny Hval, Period Piece, Blood Bitch, Sacred Bones, 2016
- Jenny Hval, Conceptual Romance, Blood Bitch, Sacred Bones, 2016
- Phantogram, Same Old Blues, Three, Republic, 2016
- The Voices of Conquest, O Yes My Lord, O Yes My Lord (Single), VOC, 1968
- Common feat. Vince Staples, Kingdom, Nobody's Smiling, Def Jam, 2014
- Chris Cornell, Seasons, Singles (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack), Epic Soundtrax, 1992
- Falling In Reverse, Pick Up The Phone, The Drug In Me Is You, Epitaph, 2011
- Lou Reed, White Light/White Heat, Rock N' Roll Animal, RCA, 1974
- Blind Melon, Letters From A Porcupine, Nico, Capitol, 1996
- Sonic Youth, My Friend Goo, Goo, DGC, 1990
- Helium, Superball, The Dirt Of Luck, Matador, 1995
Featured Songs
- Sir The Baptist, Deliver Me (live on Sound Opinions), Saint or Sinner, Atlantic, 2017
- Tame Impala, Solitude is Bliss (live on Sound Opinions), Innerspeaker, Modular Recordings, 2010
- Beach Slang, Ride The Wild Haze (live on Sound Opinions), The Things We Do To Find People Who Feel Like Us, Polyvinyl, 2015
- Eleanor Friedberger, Open Season (live on Sound Opinions), New View, Frenchkiss, 2016
- Arcade Fire, We Used To Wait (live on Sound Opinions), The Suburbs, Rough Trade, 2010
- Allen Toussaint, Southern Nights (live on Sound Opinions), Southern Nights, Reprise, 1975
- Girlpool, It Gets More Blue (live on Sound Opinions), Powerplant, Anti-, 2017
- Benjamin Booker, Have You Seen My Son (live on Sound Opinions), Benjamin Booker, ATO, 2014
- Japandroids, Adrenaline Nightshift (live on Sound Opinions), Celebration Rock, Polyvinyl, 2012
- Antibalas, Hook and Crook (live on Sound Opinions), Where the Gods Are in Peace, Daptone, 2017
- Melody's Echo Chamber, Cross My Heart, Bon Voyage, Domino, 2018
- Slim Harpo, Buzz Me Babe, Buzz Me Babe (Single), Excello, 1962
- Parquet Courts, Mardi Gras Beads, Wide Awake!, Rough Trade, 2018
- Pusha-T, If You Know You Know, Daytona, GOOD Music, 2018
- Ezra Furman, Suck the Blood From My Wound, Transangelic Exodus, Bella Union, 2018
- Rolling Blackout Coastal Fever, Talking Straight, Hope Downs, Sub Pop, 2018
- Juliana Hatfield, Have You Never Been Mellow, Juliana Hatfield Sings Olivia Newton-John, American Laundromat, 2018
Featured Songs
- Otis Redding, Try a Little Tenderness, Complete & Unbelievable: The Otis Redding Dictionary of Soul, Volt, 1966
- Wilson Pickett, In the Midnight Hour, In the Midnight Hour, Atlantic, 1965
- Dusty Springfield, Son of a Preacher Man, Dusty in Memphis, Atlantic, 1968
- Aretha Franklin, Respect, I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You, Atlantic, 1967
- Sam & Dave, Soul Man, Soul Men, Stax, 1967
- U2, Angel of Harlem, Rattle and Hum, Island, 1988
- Peter Gabriel, Sledgehammer, So, Charisma, 1968
- The Mar-Keys, Last Night, Last Night!, Atlantic, 1961
- Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Promenade, Pictures at an Exhibition, Island, 1971
- King Crimson, The Court of the Crimson King, In the Court of the Crimson King, Island, 1969
- Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Lucky Man, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Island, 1970
- The Folkes Brothers, Oh Carolina, Oh Carolina (Single), Buster Wild Bells, 1960
- Prince Buster, Judge Dread (Judge Four Hundred Years), Judge Dread (Judge Four Hundred Years) (Single), Blue Beat, 1967
- Negativland, I Still Haven‘t Found What I’m Looking For (Special Edit Radio Mix), U2, SST, 1991
- Lightnin' Hopkins, Happy Blues for John Glenn, Walkin' This Road By Myself, Prestige Bluesville, 1962
- Eryn Allen Kane, How Many Times, Aviary: Act II, 1552 Music, 2016
- Mavis Staples, History, Now, Livin' On A High Note, Anti-, 2016
- Michael Kiwanuka, Black Man In A White World, Love & Hate, Polydor, 2016
- Sir The Baptist, Raise Hell, Raise Hell (feat. ChurchPeople), Tympa Chapel, 2016
- Radiohead, Burn The Witch, Moon Shaped Pool, XL Recordings, 2016
- Helen Money, Become Zero, Become Zero, Thrill Jockey, 2016
- Wild Belle, I'm Giving Up On You, Dreamland, Columbia, 2016
- Warpaint, New Song, Heads Up, Rough Trade, 2016
- Brian Eno, Fickle Sun (iii) I'm Set Free, The Ship, Warp, 2016
- Brenda Lee, Ring-A-My Phone, Ring-A-My Phone, Decca, 1958
- Metallica, Moth Into Flame, Hardwired…To Self-Distruct, Blackened, 2016
- The Royal Guardsmen, Snoopy's Christmas, Snoopy And His Friends The Royal Guardsmen, Laurie, 1967
- Long John SIlver and the Silver Elves, Harvey The Hippo, Harvey The Hippo, Star Brite, 1959
- The Mekons, Last Dance (Live on Sound Opinions), Fear and Whiskey, Sin, 1985
Featured Songs
- Dessa, Half of You, Chime, Doomtree, 2018
- Superchunk, What a Time to Be Alive, What a Time to Be Alive, Merge, 2018
- Superchunk, Reagan Youth, What a Time to Be Alive, Merge, 2018
- Superchunk, Black Thread, What a Time to Be Alive, Merge, 2018
- Superchunk, Break the Glass, What a Time to Be Alive, Merge, 2018
- Dessa, 5 out of 6, Chime, Doomtree, 2018
- Dessa, Fire Drills, Chime, Doomtree, 2018
- Dessa, Shrimp, Chime, Doomtree, 2018
- Dessa, Velodrome, Chime, Doomtree, 2018
- Esperanza Spalding, Crowned & Kissed, Radio Music Society, Blue Note, 2012
- Was (Not Was), Spy in the House of Love, What Up, Dog?, Chysalis, 1988
- The Beatles, All My Loving (Live on the Ed Sullivan Show), With the Beatles, Parlophone, 1963
- The Waltz 40, Chest Fever (The Waltz 40, Live at the Chicago Theatre), N/A, N/A, 2017
- Pharoah Sanders, Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt, Tauhid, Impulse!, 1967
- MC5, Kick Out the Jams, Kick Out the Jams, Elektra, 1969
- Was (Not Was), I Feel Better Than James Brown, Are You Okay?, Chysalis, 1990
- Was (Not Was), Out Come the Freaks, Was (Not Was), Island, 1981
- Was (Not Was) and Ozzy Osbourne, Shake Your Head (Let's Go to Bed), Born to Laugh at Tornadoes, Geffen, 1983
- Was (Not Was) and Mel Tormé, Zaz Turned Blue, Born to Laugh at Tornadoes, Geffen, 1983
- Was (Not Was), Knocked Down, Made Small (Treated By a Rubber Ball), Born to Laugh at Tornadoes, Geffen, 1983
- Bonnie Raitt and John Hiatt, Thing Called Love, Nick of Time, Capitol, 1989
- Bonnie Raitt, Love Letter, Nick of Time, Capitol, 1989
- Bonnie Raitt, Nick of Time, Nick of Time, Capitol, 1989
- Iggy Pop, Livin' on the Edge of the Night, Brick By Brick, Virgin, 1990
- Was (Not Was), Walk the Dinosaur, What Up, Dog?, Chysalis, 1988
- Robert Glasper, Ah Yeah… That's Just Great (feat. Musiq Soulchild & Chrisette Michele), Black Radio, Blue Note, 2012
- Gregory Porter, On My Way to Harlem, Be Good, Motéma Music, 2012
- The Rolling Stones, Just Your Fool, Blue & Lonesome, Polydor, 2016
- The Rolling Stones, Blue and Lonesome, Blue & Lonesome, Polydor, 2016
- The Rolling Stones, Everybody Knows About My Good Thing, Blue & Lonesome, Polydor, 2016
- Midnight Star, Operator, Planetary Invasion, SOLAR, 1984
- Saint Etienne, Only Love Can Break Your Heart, Foxbase Alpha, Heavenly, 1990
- Neil Young, Only Love Can Break Your Heart, After the Gold Rush, Reprise, 1970
- The Miracles, Ooh Baby Baby, Ooh Baby Baby (single), Tamla, 1965
- Sir The Baptist, Wake Up (feat. ChuchPeople), Wake Up (single), Tympa Chapel, 2015
Featured Songs
- Isaac Hayes, Do Your Thing, Shaft, Enterprise, 1971
- Helado Negro, Enfocando, Island Universe Story One, Asthmatic Kitty, 2012
- Kendrick Lamar, All The Stars feat. SZA, Black Panther: The Album, Top Dawg, 2018
- Ab-Soul, Anderson Paak and James Blake, Bloody Waters, Black Panther: The Album, Top Dawg, 2018
- Kendrick Lamar, Big Shot feat Travis Scott, Black Panther: The Album, Top Dawg, 2018
- Jorja Smith, I Am, Black Panther: The Album, Top Dawg, 2018
- Vince Staples and Yugen Blakrok, Opps, Black Panther: The Album, Top Dawg, 2018
- Rose Royce, Car Wash, Car Wash Soundtrack, MCA, 1976
- Curtis Mayfield, Superfly, Super Fly, Curtom, 1972
- Isaac Hayes, Theme from Shaft, Shaft, Enterprise, 1971
- Pink Floyd, The Nile Song, More, EMI Columbia, 1969
- Shriekback, This Big Hush, Oil & Gold, Island, 1985
- Beck, Ramona (Acoustic Version), Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, ABKCO, 2010
- Suzi Quatro, Rock Hard, Rock Hard, Dreamland, 1980
- Urge Overkill, Girl, You'll Be a Woman Soon, Music from the Motion Picture Pulp Fiction, MCA, 1994
- Kool & The Gang, Jungle Boogie, Wild & Peaceful, De-Lite, 1973
- Blue Swede, Hooked On a Feeling, Hooked on a Feeling, EMI, 1974
- Redbone, Come and Get Your Love, Wovoka, Epic, 1973
- Simon & Garfunkel, The Sound of Silence, Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M., Columbia, 1964
- Joy Division, Transmission, 24 Hour Party People Soundtrack, FFRR, 2002
- Aimee Mann, Save Me, Magnolia: Music from the Motion Picture, Warner Music, 1999
- Jimmy Cliff, The Harder They Come, The Harder They Come, Island, 1972
- Scotty, Draw Your Brakes, The Harder They Come, Island, 1972
- Jimmy Cliff, Many Rivers To Cross, The Harder They Come, Island, 1972
- Wendy Carlos, Theme from Tron, Tron: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, CBS, 1982
- The Jesus and Mary Chain, Just Like Honey, Lost in Translation, Emperor Norton, 2003
- Public Enemy, Fight The Power, Do The Right Thing, Motown, 1989
- Come Be Me, Helado Negro, Island Universe Story Four, RVNG International, 2018
- John Coltrane, Part 1: Acknowledgement, A Love Supreme, Impulse, 1965
- Aphex Twin, IZ-US, Come to Daddy, Warp, 1997
- Aphex Twin, Bucephalus Bouncing Ball, Come to Daddy, Warp, 1997
- The Beatles, Any Time At All, A Hard Day's Night, Parlophone, 1964
- The Flamingos, I Only Have Eyes For You, I Only Have Eyes For You (Single), End, 1959
- Art Garfunkel, I Only Have Eyes For You, Breakaway, Columbia, 1975
- Lorraine Ellison, Stay with Me, Stay with Me (Single), Warner Bros., 1966
- Bette Midler, Stay With Me, The Rose, Atlantic, 1979
- The Beatles, Help!, Help!, Parlophone, 1965
- Sir the Baptist, Wake Up (feat. ChuchPpl), Wake Up (Single), Tympa Chapel, 2015
- Was (Not Was), I Feel Better Than James Brown, Are You Okay?, Chrysalis, 1990