Did Timbaland Just Make a Gospel Rap Album? Inside 1K Phew's 'Seven Trumpets' From Atlanta, Georgia

Atlanta, Georgia rapper 1K Phew and super-producer Timbaland are taking gospel to the streets. Their joint album Seven Trumpets arrives Friday, Oct. 30, and the duo calls the sound "street gospel," according to Hot 100.9.

"Saved, not soft"

On The Morning Hustle, the pair described music with street flavor that carries a spiritual message, built for listeners who love real hip-hop but want faith at the center. 1K Phew boiled it down to four words: "I'm saved, not soft."

Timbaland said he now wants to make music that honors God and felt deeply connected to Phew during the sessions. "This is my way of just walking into the kingdom and letting God drive the car," he told the show.

Apple Music lists the 12-song album under Reach Records, and pre-release credits on LyricsBull pair "All of You" with Michelle Williams and "New Heaven" with Project Pat.

From the block to the pew

Phew was born and raised in Atlanta and is rooted in Lithonia, just east of the city, according to Rapzilla. His testimony starts at home. He told CCM Magazine that his mother struggled with drug addiction while he was growing up, yet took the family to church every Sunday. "Momma had a drug addiction; she drug us to church," he said in a 2019 Rapzilla feature.

Church didn't keep him off the streets right away. Rapzilla reported that he skipped class, broke into houses and fought for fun to fit in, until a drug deal went wrong and he was nearly shot. That near miss became the turning point for both his faith and his music, and he started treating rap "like a 9-5."

Reach Records and a ministry behind bars

Phew is signed to Lecrae's Reach Records. Per CCM, Reach finally answered an Instagram DM he had sent years earlier, and he was brought in to write for Lecrae's All Things Work Together. The first beat he was played became "Hammer Time," and Phew recalls Lecrae telling him it would make the album as a single.

He has kept building since. His 2024 project Pray for Atlanta, made with his mentor Zaytoven, was a lament for his city, and his song "Move It" went viral again after Vancouver dance crew Brotherhood used it to win a competition, CCM reported.

Some of his most important shows happen far from any spotlight. Phew regularly performs in prisons, which he told CCM reshaped his idea of ministry: "Ain't no lights, ain't no loudspeakers. You really sharing the gospel with these folks and they really receiving it."

The father of three also makes Scripture videos, including an "ATL Version" of Bible stories, and told CCM he studies the text with his collaborator before filming. With Timbaland in his corner, that hometown voice is about to reach a much bigger room.

Where to listen and follow

Stream 1K Phew on Apple Music, where Seven Trumpets is up for pre-add.

Sources

Hot 100.9 — "How Timbaland & 1K Phew Are Bringing Gospel To The Streets"
CCM Magazine — "Happy Phew Year"
Rapzilla — "1K Phew Chronicles His Music Journey in New Documentary"
Rapzilla — "1K Phew & Zaytoven Ignite Atlanta with New Single 'On Fire'"
Apple Music — "SEVEN TRUMPETS – 1K Phew & Timbaland"
LyricsBull — "ALL OF YOU – 1K Phew, Timbaland, Michelle Williams (track listing)"
LyricsBull — "NEW HEAVEN – 1K Phew, Timbaland, Project Pat (track listing)"