Unlike most of his contemporaries, Atlanta-based Christian rapper and ordained minister Viktory didn’t come up through the church. Born and initially raised in Chicago, he spent part of his upbringing in California as well, and he didn’t become a Christian until his freshman year of college.

The bold but down-to-earth artist debuted in 2008 with Believe It Now, an album that featured Marvin Winans, Jr. on “Hold Me Down.” Sprawling sets such as The First of Many (2009), Son of the King (2009), and Birth of a Legacy, Vol. 1 (2011) all followed on Viktory’s own Viktorious imprint. Despite interest from assorted labels, Viktory opted to remain independent. R4 (Relentless 4ever) and R4 (Relentless 4ever), Vol. 2 followed in 2012 and 2014 with numerous guests, including Winans, Canon, Bizzle, and Canton Jones.