Check out the new concept album from Rusty Shipp!
Check out the new concept album from Rusty Shipp!

Bir Witness and Justified Interview

 

Hip hop artist Bir Witness teamed up with his wife Justified for a new studio album, titled Back to the Garden. We caught up with the duo to talk about the album, working together, and the creative process...
This interview took place April 9, 2025.


  • JFH (John DiBiase): This isn't just a Bir Witness or Justified release, but a collaboration between a husband and wife. What was this collaboration process like?

    Bir Witness: The first song we recorded for the album was "Lost It All," and nobody knows that better than my wife and me. We have dedicated ourselves to others and were left broke, broken, and unbalanced but, God, we found each other, she is not only my wife but my church, my process of writing comes from battling depression and music was the only thing that could stop me from being suicidal. My wife gave me a reason to live when I was ready to leave earth and be with Jesus because I was on fourteen high doses of medication, and I was on my way out until Jesus visited me, and I received council. After some time, I was free from letting my diagnosis overtake me and I became sharper, stronger mentally and emotionally, so I poured all my faith into a bestselling book, my wife's heart, my family, and this album recording, engineering, and producing what I consider my most legendary sound ever.

  • JFH (John): Did you find the collab process to be easy or did it get a little tricky at times?

    Bir Witness: We always came to an understanding. We don't give each other a reason to be dissatisfied with the results. I brought my gifts, and she did also.
    Justified: We always have so much fun, but also, we take it seriously and invite the holy spirit in before we record any song, and it always comes out so powerful.

  • JFH (John): How do you think having this be a collaboration helped shape the themes of the songs? Was much of it written to be for both of you? Or did you each kind of bring your own songs to the project individually? (Or both? :) )

    Bir Witness: Both. We brought our testimonies, our illustrated past and focused on the masterpiece of Jesus.
    Justified: I bring my style, and he brings his, and it just works. I bring my knowledge of the spiritual realm, and he brings his. When we listen to the finished work, there is no way not to hear that we are one in all that we do.

  • JFH (John): Tell us about the thematic concept for Back to The Garden.

    Justified: Back to the Garden is the redemption and healing that we received in walking for over a year in nonstop deliverance and breaking off strongholds that had doctors misdiagnosing me. When we say breaking off strong holds, we broke off agreement with over 200 things all the bad fruit that comes out of things that are not of God that we came into agreement with in our lifetime Bad fruits that has given the enemy access to steal from us.

    Back to the Garden is God redeeming us back to good as he intended before sin came in. Redeeming us back to our original design.

  • JFH (John): Do each of you have a personal favorite song on the record? Why?

    Bir Witness: I love "Felt Defeated." That record is something to put a praise on it for any women dealing with or have been affected by what my wife has experienced in her past. That record really raise the bar for what the other records should sound like.
    Justified: My favorite is "Get Out." I want others to know that God has given us authority to kick things out break them off and nail them to the cross. That we don't have to settle for all the garbage that the world has put on us. That was never God's intention for us.

  • JFH (John): Did any of the tracks just totally blow you both away when you finished with it -- like it had completely exceeded your expectations going in?

    Bir Witness: "Reel Life." My wife sounds like she's taller than me on her verse, she's not even on her tippy toes. lol
    Justified: I agree. I wasn't expecting to be on "Reel Life," but as soon as I heard it, I was like "Yup, I need to get on this!" and once it was complete, we were like "OK, that needs to go on the album."

  • JFH (John): You have a couple guest artists on the record as well. Tell us about those.

    Justified: We have our amazing granddaughter Zyralise she is 3 years old and she can memorize any song and sing her little heart out plus she loves Jesus so much. Then we have our youth group the "Lit Squad" who are truly amazing and talented. You will definitely be hearing more from my granddaughter and the youth group.

  • JFH (John): What do you hope people will take away most from Back to The Garden?

    Bir Witness: My pastor and my church encourage us to share our testimony regardless of what people think, and to stay silent is a lie from the pits of Hell. True freedom is truth and living it!
    Justified: For others to know that the enemy is real and many things that they suffer from sickness, mental health anxiety and so on is all from the enemy and they can be set free just like us.

  • JFH (John): Do you see yourselves doing more projects together in the future?

    Bir Witness: For The rest of our lives, we made that decision on our wedding day 11/11/21
    Justified: Absolutely. I waited patiently 9 years for my husband, and when I found myself always doing music by myself, I prayed for a husband that will do music with me. The bonus part was that he was an engineer and producer, and I do all the graphics and videos, so it works perfectly.

  • JFH (John): What's next for both of you -- Individually and collectively?

    Bir Witness: Our 3rd album should be out sooner than later. We have so much more to shift in this Christian hip hop culture and the music industry at large.
    Justified: I want us to push our story out there as much as we can, especially because so many things are being called "mental health," when it's just spirits and strongholds that people can be set free from. I'm all about doing what we need to do to save souls and set the captives free.

  • JFH (John): What has God been teaching you lately? Any advice for anyone struggling with their faith right now?

    Bir Witness: Give God all the glory, that's how you win, hold on to His word and His word alone. Amen!
    Justified: That God loves us so much and He is not a God that wants to condemn you or stick you in a religion that's boring. No, He wants to love on you, heal you, and help you grow, for He has such a beautiful story already written for each person. We just need to have faith and walk it out.

  • JFH (John): Any last comments?

    Bir Witness: I love you, my Queen. We made a classic and I encourage anyone reading this to check us out! You will not be disappointed EVER!!! GOD DID!!!!
    Justified: Keep God first in all that you do and especially if you are married God can use both of you way more than just individually. That I am truly proud of my husband for Trying God, Loving God and Truly living for God. It shows in the way he loves me every day.

     

    Justified and Bir Witness

     



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