We were lucky to catch up with Codie Rogers recently and have shared our conversation below.
Codie, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Do you wish you had waited to pursue your creative career or do you wish you had started sooner?
Do I wish I started sooner or later? Neither. I don’t think I wish anything because I am a believer of God’s timing. Yeah, I get it, I could just answer the question, but all I know is that doing things my way or wishing things in my timing has always been the thing that has set me back. And, when I get comfortable going one direction, and am thrown in another, I sulk and beat myself up over the head. But, in the way God has pieced my life together, all I can say is that I am grateful for where He’s brought me, and I would not have made it this far had it not have been for the challenges that have shaped me. God has a way of working things out, and as I have learned to sit in the challenges and learn the lessons, I am just happy I am not where I used to be!
I’ll say, the thing that set me on track is discovering joy in hardships. In fact, the Bible tells us to consider it joy when we go through hardships, because it is making us stronger! (James 1:2-3) When we face various challenges, we don’t fret the reality of our weaknesses in the way we once did before, because overtime, we learn that hardships are able to be overcome, more specifically by the power of God. These weaknesses remind us how much we need strength from a savior. And, in the way we are reminded of His presence, why we need Him, who gave us the capacity to do music, art, to express ourselves, etc., God has reminded me that there is something even bigger going on than what I can even comprehend. And, while I can continue to question everything, whether good or bad, God has used the detours to get me here. And to get “here” hurt at times, but “here” is pretty darn good compared to before. So, do I wish I started back then, or later? Neither, because, I am on time. And, in these moments, there’s joy in knowing that the struggles have made the end results worth it, and wow. That is so humbling, yet so satisfying.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
My story started in 2015. I was a 15 year old sophomore in high school from Virginia Beach who loved music. I listened to a lot of Eminem. Lots of secular rap and all things music. But, in 2015, I also discovered Christian rap. The very label Lecrae founded, Reach Records, along with other artists such as Andy Mineo, KB, etc., grabbed my attention. In that time, they announced a giveaway called 116 merch for life. They were going to be giving away FREE merch and music for like…ever—to one person! Well, I won it. I had put my email in—the only requirement—and days later, I walked out of PE class, and the first thing I saw on my phone was an email that said I had won. It projected me into Christian rap. I rapped for school projects in High School, and after graduation in 2018, people came to my first concert where I performed my own music. At this same first concert, the son of my pastor was getting into playing electric guitar, and I asked him if His son wanted to play for a song or two. Well, it was a hit. From there, we just kind of formed a rap/rock band, called Rochii.
We actually got a lot of buzz during COVID by 2020. Prior, we had been traveling and doing shows on the weekends, which was crazy to me how we even got those opportunities. However, COVID trapping us in the house actually got us making a lot more music. We got attention on the socials, and even got featured on a couple of remix contests. That includes Lecrae’s “Set Me Free” remix challenge, not to mention winning KB’s best overall “10K” remix challenge, which was featured on Rapzilla. In the build up to that, we entered for a chance to open for Christian Contemporary Music artist, Tauren Wells for “Rock the Camp 2020” in Nashville. However, the COVID outbreak caused “Rock the Camp” to get postponed. We were bummed, but during this time, the catalog of music we created during COVID lockdown enabled us to develop our sound, setlist, and following. We were solidified as a group, and when “Rock the Camp 2021” came back around the next year, we were voted on to open for Tauren Wells in Nashville by July 2021. I don’t think we would’ve went through with this opportunity the year prior had it not been for God’s timing, but it is even more so amazing because this launched us into doing more youth group events, conventions and/or conferences, etc. We just peaked.
Now, there came a point where there was less time to do the band stuff. It just fizzled out, and we went to focus on our own adult job roles by the end of 2021. I started getting serious about school, and ministry work at a church, and I thought the music thing was pretty much dead. We didn’t officially stop or announce that we were. We just stopped. And, nobody got the answer they wanted as to why we did. My hopes and dreams faded, but I found that I was led the last couple years in situations that humbled me. I learned I had grown in my stage presence and confidence, but my speaking abilities needed work. As someone who wants to share about God and His word, I was weak in my Biblical understanding. I realized I was caught up in this identity of music. There was a lot more work needed to be done in me that I did not realize. So, here is what I had to realize. I think that if getting big with music was an actual possibility for me at the time, my brain and heart would not have been ready for it. That is not to say that I will never be completely free of pride as a human being with flaws, but Lord knows there are seasons where God just has to remind us that we are weak, and that we need Him. And through humility, we learn that this life is truly about Him and His glory, not us.
Listen, based on this story, I am not saying whether an artist career is His ultimate will for me or not, but let’s fast forward to this year, 2024—where I am currently at today. Because, let me tell you something. I locked in on focusing on my solo rap artist career as “CXDIE” this past year, and guess what happened? I was asked to open for Tauren Wells again at Regent University, 3 years later in my hometown. What are the odds? I’m still 24, and feel as if there is so much I don’t know as a young man, yet feel as if I have lived 3 different lives, 3 different seasons, and 3 different lifestyles and circles in the last three years of my life. I have learned so much. I have seen my growth in speaking aside from music, and that is all God’s work in me. I have seen that this music is not about me, but God. There are so many directions I could go with this, and I can’t even comprehend what another 3 years will look like. However, this 2nd time opening for “coincidentally” the same artist actually projected me into more open doors this year than ever before. I have traveled across states for shows. I have spoken messages at school assemblies. I feel like this momentum just randomly picked up out of nowhere.
I don’t know what happened. And again, I don’t wish this all occurred sooner or later. I wish that God’s will be done, because if I continued to wish things on my own timing, I would be a disaster. God knows when we are ready for something, or whether something is even for us, and long story short, I don’t wish I started sooner or later because God, as a mastermind, is already using me anywhere as He does His work in me. And that is good enough for me.
Now, you’re probably asking, where the heck did “CXDIE” come from? I mean, my name is Codie, but my artist name is CXDIE, which is pronounced Codie. And, what you are going to find in my music is some pretty great beats—because I am generally picky about the music I make. And, if you think the music stinks or it ain’t for you, well, that ain’t new to me. “Ain’t New To Me.” is actually a song from my last mixtape, and it goes with this idea that it ain’t new to me what people have to say about my music. I have heard many say they’re rocking with it. I have heard people say it ain’t their vibe. And, that’s cool, but I’m quite certain that I was not made here for the approval or applause of man. Because, I was created and made for God’s glory, and what you are going to find in my music is that it is more than just good. It is rooted in a message. I make music not for me or for anybody, but for the name of Jesus, and so that God’s glory will be revealed. Once people get behind this message, they realize the music ain’t so bad after all.
Anyway, you’re gonna find that my name, CXDIE, in itself reveals God’s glory, more specifically through His son Jesus Christ. You could see the spelling of my artist name as (C)hrist, carried the cross (X), and He (DIE)d. And, as a matter of fact, He died on the cross for our sins and made eternal life possible for those who believe in His death and resurrection. And, while I am alive, I, Codie, am to carry my own cross daily and follow Jesus. Through my identity as Codie, I identify with Christ. A spotlight on me is a spotlight onto Him. And, if you still don’t get it, first of all, stream my music…and then I want you to message me, so we can have a conversation. I’d love to meet you.
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
You know, some people actually believe this life is meaningless. They believe we are just here by accident—by an accidental explosion—and that we just go back in the dirt, and that’s it. But, I believe this life has intention behind it. Because in the same way an author creates a book, a creator made this world. It didn’t just “poof” into existence. And, the same way we sit in english class and talk about “what is the author’s purpose,” a creator had a purpose for this world. A creator and a purpose has been programmed into this life, and I believe the Bible defines that. Not any religion, but our God defines the meaning. And we find our meaning written out in God’s word—the same book that people call flawed and written by man. All books were written by man—even the science textbooks they make you read in schools. God, the creator gave us science. If God is sovereign and powerful, I believe that He guided His people to formulate what we have today, and we trust that what God has breathed through His people into text is good. He has shown us our meaning—which is rooted in our relationship with Him, and that is what my mission is. My mission is to point people to the creator of the world, and to remind them of who He is!
Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?
I get anxious. In the same way I preach at times, or want to post my thoughts that I am passionate about on social media, carefully expressing myself and my thoughts is scary. I care what people think of me, and when people say they don’t, their responses daily reveal that they do care. In the way they get petty, in the way they make insecure posts daily, people care. But, I don’t care if you do or don’t like me, I just don’t want to be misrepresented. More specifically, I don’t want to misrepresent Jesus. People take God’s truth as hate, and I want people to receive me well. The reality is is that not all will, because they won’t always respond to the truth well. And, that’s okay. My heart is that I just hate conflicts. I like unity, and when there is opposition, I can’t help but feel like shutting down and getting frustrated. I mean I get over it, but just feeling tense at times is real. As a creative, I’m constantly trying to rethink my words, my response, if how I portray my art or speech is offensive, because God’s word can already come across as offensive or intimidating. I am just overly critical of myself as an artist. If I feel led to do something, I hope it is the right direction, but people can just get nasty or critical of you. The gossip happens, and it’s like man, I just know I mean so well. And, to put together something that won’t cause a single soul to backlash, is impossible it feels. It feels that there’s nothing I can do about it. Criticism hurts, especially knowing I have the guts to put myself out there, but others are confident saying things behind a cell phone screen and keyboard, all while not making an effort to inspire people in the way I want to. That’s how I feel. It’s easy to freely tell people they’re wrong until you understand how it feels to get opinions from multiple camps, because you’re in the spotlight. Public speaking is scary.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://itscxdie.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/itscxdie
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/codie.n.rogers
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@cxdie
- Other: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/48tDiGFFs0WGkDTz8Wp18T?si=iJPo_DtwTkefJp9qCfDp4A
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/cxdie/1605723966
Image Credits
Annette Holloway
Zach Blackburn