Merger of Illspot.net and HolyCulture.net
March 17, 2009 – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. HolyCulture and Illspot.net are proud to announce a merger. The new company will operate under the HolyCulture brand and will offer the full range of services that the previous companies did.
Combined, the organization will deliver Christian hip-hop news, articles, interviews, blogs, music leaks, videos, an online music store (HolyCultureDownload.com), Radio (HolyCulture Radio – with shows featuring CLE Radio with Doc Watson, The Gathering, Didactics with D.A. Horton and Corelink Radio with Trig and O-diggity), “This merger allows us to really take advantage of some synergies and do even more for the Kingdom,” says James Rosseau (Trig), co-owner of HolyCulture.
In terms of the customer base, the organization is planning to ensure a smooth transition as the platforms and services are pulled together. “For example, we foresee a simpler user experience, with one user name and password across http://www.http://http://www.holyculture.net, holyculturedownload.com and the forum,” says Anonymous, co-owner of HolyCulture (and founder of illspot.net).
On a sadder note, Victor Padilla, founder of Holy Culture, has decided to resign. Here is what he had to say:
“As hard as it is to walk away from Holy Culture (radio, website, download store, etc.), and my active involvement in Christian Hip Hop as a whole, the Lord has given me an amazing peace about the decision!
From this point forward, one hundred percent of my time will be directed towards learning more about the Lord and His Word, pouring into my three young boys (that they may be Godly men of the faith!), loving my wife as Christ loves His Church, and serving in any capacity possible in my local congregation (Calvary Chapel of Antioch).”
Often times during my years with Holy Culture, the platform somehow began to receive more attention (and affections) than the God the platform was supposed to be glorifying, and it is with a heavy and broken heart that I admit my guilt in not only being associated with that, but often times being one of the chief architects!
My shame is that the (often misguided) expansion of the platform took too many years (that I can’t get back) from quality time with the Lord, family, and church. This verse in Joel comes to mind when I reflect on times wasted (Joel 2:25 ESV – I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter…). It’s not that Christian Hip Hop is necessarily a locust, but more so that I allowed it to be a locust in my life. And that decision over the past half a decade has affected me emotionally, spiritually, and even physically! But I thank GOD that He is gracious to forgive us of our sins, and restore us! (1 John 1:9 ESV – If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.) My prayer is that the new partners in Holy Culture will do a better job than I did with the platform in expanding His Kingdom instead of expanding a kingdom. Amen.”
About Holy Culture
The Holy Culture is a network of sites working together to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ through the medium of Christian Hip Hop & Urban Gospel (R&P). We serve as a platform for indie Christian artists to share their music with the masses. We are more than a network; we are a movement.
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