There's more to life than smoking weed . . . and singing about it. That's the lesson Joseph "Afroman" Foreman has learned. The rapper, who had a breakout novelty hit in the summer of 2001 with the stoner anthem "Because I Got High" has been dope- and booze-free for more than seven months (he thinks, though he can't really remember) and he has traded glorifying bongs and babes in favor of praising the lord.

"Believe it or not, I'm developing some maturity," says Foreman, twenty-eight, who split Los Angeles for rural Hattiesburg, Mississippi, shortly before "High" blew up and helped his major-label debut The Good Times sell more than one million copies. "I'm realizing that life is bigger than me and my little clique and my little songs. I've been reading the Bible and taking a look at life. I was at the fork in the road when I got my [record] deal."

Foreman says his change of heart was inspired by televangelists, the terror attacks of 9/11 and members of his family voicing concern about his partying lifestyle. "There were some biblical principles I applied even while I was living in sin," Foreman said. "But I got with God when I left L.A. and was inspired by my father, watching a lot of television ministry and just different people I'd run into who would speak on the Bible, in airports, the park, the street. The night before 9/11 played a tremendous role also. I did the Craig Kilborn show and I was funny. It was going to be what everyone was talking about the next day. But the planes intercepted my thing. I was living a stoner fantasy, thinking I was spinning the globe on my index finger."

Just because he's living clean, don't think Foreman has lost his musical mojo. He promises his new songs have tight beats and that he's still rapping about what's on his mind, only now it's not obscured by a dope and 40 oz. haze. Among the completed songs are the anti-materialism rap "Money Ain't Everything," "Glorify You," "Crocodiles in the Water" and "Whatever You Say," which features backing vocals from his son and daughter. He's also completed an answer song of sorts to Nelly's "Hot in Herre," which he had titled "It's Getting' Cold in Herre, So Put on All Your Clothes," but changed to "J-E-S-U-S." Foreman said he's thinking of calling the album either "Revelations" or "Metamorphosis."

Foreman says he's not sure that Universal Records will necessarily support his new direction, but he's due to deliver a number of new compositions to his label within the next few weeks. A spokesperson for Universal said there is no official word on when the label will release another Afroman record.

"I'm just changing my topic," Foreman says. "I've told people about a whole lot of bad stuff -- why not throw in some good stuff? I may be a Christian now, but I can still rap."

GIL KAUFMAN
(May 29, 2003)