“I Became Different Versions of Myself” Montell Jordan Gets Real

Montell Jordan's upbringing in a Baptist home in South Central LA provided his initial training and introduction to the music business. He learned to play piano by ear, which enabled him to create music that hadn't been written yet, a skill he attributes to his church experience.

Montell states, 'Church for me Cam, that was my... farming, you know, that was like my my minor league introduction to the music business.' He learned to 'play by ear' and 'create on the fly.'

Montell Jordan struggled with the dichotomy of being a Christian kid who became an R&B/hip-hop artist signed to Def Jam. He eventually found peace by separating his faith from the organization, renouncing any conflicting oaths, and ensuring his relationship with God remained primary.

He discusses the 'tough road to walk' reconciling his Christian identity with being an R&B artist. Regarding his Kappa Alpha Psi affiliation, he states, 'I made sure that I circle back around to be able to say to God... if there was anything that I did or anything that I said, any oaths, any rituals... that crossed the line between us, I will renounce that.'

Montell Jordan's hit song 'This Is How We Do It' became a massive success not just through its original recording, but by creating customized versions for different cities and DJs. This hyper-local approach made the song exclusive and resonated deeply with audiences.

He explains, 'New York does it like nobody does. Brooklyn does it like nobody does.' He would 'put the DJs' names in the song' and did 'customized versions for every station and for every DJ.'

Montell Jordan's decision to step away from the R&B spotlight and fully embrace ministry was driven by the realization that his relationship with music was 'abusive.' He loved something that could not love him back, leading to a feeling of self-sabotage and unreciprocated effort.

He states, 'I was in an abusive relationship with with music. I loved something that could never love me back. And that's abuse.' He realized 'music is never going to love me back.'

After his transition, Montell Jordan now uses his R&B concerts as a platform for ministry. He subtly plants spiritual 'breadcrumbs' throughout his shows, sharing his testimony and the message of God's love without making it an 'awkward' church service.

He describes his show as an 'experience' where he tells the audience, 'Y'all know I'm a pastor now, right?' and later explicitly shares, 'Jesus Christ changed my life... I'm able to be here to be able to help you see what it looks like when God gets a hold of a man's heart.'

Montell Jordan and his wife view their 32-year marriage as a covenant, not a contract. This means it's based on obedience to God and an 'eternal strategy,' removing divorce as an option and fostering resilience through challenges like infidelity, loss, bankruptcy, and cancer.

He explains, 'Marriage is a covenant... covenant is obedience based.' He adds, 'we put God at the center of our decisions... we have taken divorce off the table.'

From his experience in marriage counseling, Montell Jordan identifies narcissism in husbands as a common and highly damaging factor in relationships. He notes that men often resist accountability, which exacerbates this issue.

When asked about the common issue, he immediately responds, 'Narcissism. From husbands.' He clarifies, 'when a man feels like he's entitled and can get away with almost anything... that's dangerous. And I think every man needs accountability and men do not like having accountability.'

As a two-time prostate cancer survivor, Montell Jordan stresses the critical importance of early detection, especially for Black men, who have a higher risk. He advocates for regular PSA blood tests, noting that the traditional 'finger check' is becoming antiquated.

He states, 'One in every eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer. One in every six will be a black man.' He emphasizes, 'early detection saves lives... the PSA a blood test can tell you and can document if you have prostate cancer or not.'