Ep. 2: Suicide, Cerebral Palsy, and Christian Rap - A Conversation with #ConstantlyPositive Rap Artist Whyte Lyte

Brews, Beards, & Shipwrecks

In this second episode of Brews, Beards, & Shipwrecks, Chunjay sits down after a concert he played at The Bottleneck in Lawrence, KS with Kansas rap artist, John "Whyte Lyte" Deterding. White Lyte was born to a mother on drugs, and he was taken into foster care with white parents in a small Kansas town, who eventually adopted him and raised him in the Lutheran Christian faith.

They talk about Whyte Lyte's joy over adversity, challenges he has faced as a man living with Cerebral Palsy, and how he has turned CP into a force for positivity and helping others with depression, with a special interest in helping those who are at-risk for suicide. They also talk about hip-hop, battle rapping, what it means to be a "Christian rapper," and using "spitting bars" to make a difference in the lives of others.

“Brews, Beards, and Shipwrecks” theme song by Royal Ruckus.

“Shipwreck” by Cookbook and Uno.Mas from the Roberson Bullies EP.

Who is Whyte Lyte?
Chunjay talks about Bakersfield and Royal Ruckus.
What is Christian rap? What does it mean?
How Royal Ruckus figured out how to relate to that.
Whyte Lyte started making raps in church to stay alert and deal with ADHD.
Cussing in music, cussing in life?
Rapping in church vs. bars?
On Lutheran Christianity.
More on Christian rap.
Crack cocaine = “the white made me” and “the white raised me.”
Dropjaw walks in and *imposes* himself on the conversation.

"A Letter to Live #ConstantlyPositive" by Whyte Lyte. Available at https://whytelyte.bandcamp.com/

Whyte Lyte’s biological mother was on cocaine, tells his story.
Whyte Lyte spits bars.
“Know Hope”/The Color Morale metal group/suicide prevention.
Props to A. Ward, a Christian battle rapper.

Snippet from an A. Ward battle.

Battle rap and word play.
How Whyte Lyte views CP: "I have many more blesses than curses, and I throw them all on verses."
Whyte Lyte discusses how he turned "disability" into joyful abilities.
Anxiety problems, "concealed depression," and how things falling apart made everything come together.
Chunjay discusses his divorce, and how it helped Royal Ruckus make a comeback.
Chunjay outlives his father in number of days alive on earth, and introduces the next song.

"Lost Boys" by Chunjay of Royal Ruckus, featuring Cookbook, Eligh, and Chris Felix, from The Summer of the Cicadas double LP.

A discussion of beards, and Whyte Lyte's experience as a man child.
Whyte Lyte and Dropjaw's friendship.
Cerebral Palsy, friendships, and theme park advantages.
Falling and not needing sympathy.
Heart Support - http://heartsupport.com/
Hip-Hop Pet-Peeve: Rapping over vocals.
A cricket joins the podcast.
Google #ConstantlyPositive project.
Hope for the Day organization http://hftd.org.
Dropjaw is drinking Dos Equis Amber.
Chunjay is drinking Guinness and cheap whiskey. On a proper Guinness pour.
Why Whyte Lyte doesn't drink.
Chunjay's Bluetooth water bottle.
Whyte Lyte loves Heath McNease.

Whyte Lyte's favorite rap song of all time:
"Nintendo Thumb" by Heath McNease from The Heath McNease Fan Club Meets Tonight.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkUUM_RtmUrrEl_lVtPLYlZKSgbLdfqLb

Chunjay discusses Chester Bennington's suicide and plugs http://hftd.org.

Props: Bakersfield, GalleryCat, recovery groups, Martin Luther, The Color Morale metal group, Dropjaw, A.Ward, Cash Hollister, http://heartsupport.com/, http://hftd.org, Heath McNease.