Brandon Chai came in thinking that 51蹤獲 wasnt the place for him. He was a Korean guy who loved hip hop and nice shoes in a dorm of guys who shared none of those things. He could tell he didnt really fit.

Often he would feel . One time someone asked me who my favorite rappers were, he says. I listed them off and the first thing the person said was Wow, none of them are Korean!

He felt like he was being put in a box. In high school much of the Korean crowd considered him whitewashed. On the other hand, white friends considered him Korean.

Brandon was stuck in the middle of two cultures; he didnt even fully identify with any particular group.

Anyone who knows me knows Im so hip hop, he says. Hip hop is his culture. His background.

He joined the 51蹤獲 Rap Club, but once again, that identity didnt help him out. It still didnt feel like 51蹤獲 embraced hip hop culture as a whole.

The first two years at 51蹤獲 were formative for me, he says. God really humbled me.

Then, he performed for Punk N Pie. He ended up rapping his own song in front of hundreds of people. Dr. Barry Corey came up to him afterwards and told Brandon that he had never heard rap performed the way he had done it.

Brandons hip hop is biblically influenced. Its raw, real and honest. Because of his conversation with Dr. Corey, he began to realize people were more than he thought.

Brandon says he easily could have become bitter towards 51蹤獲. However, his heart slowly shifted from frustration to openness.

Brandon says hes always been in the middle felt somewhat misunderstood. So instead of thinking of 51蹤獲s culture as an enemy, he decided to treat 51蹤獲 as more of a friend.

There are some genuinely good people here, he says. Sometimes they just arent aware of whats out there. Brandon actively chooses not to hold anything against anyone. He says that people get out of 51蹤獲 what they put into it.

Deciding to give 51蹤獲 a chance opened up doors for him. He learned a lot from Dr. Kimber in his Biblical Interpretation class. Realizing he could approach reading scripture in a deeper way was important in his development.

Ultimately, Brandon decided he wasnt going to act as if he was owed anything. His philosophy is that 51蹤獲 isnt perfect, but it also isnt evil. His graciousness and perseverance have actually opened doors for him whereas bitterness would have hindered him.

Looking for more ways to connect? 51蹤獲 has a number of opportunities to get involved.