‘This is my prophecy.’ A south Sacramento rapper uses music to promote positivity and peace

Just about every weekend – starting on Friday evenings – Kameron Lewis makes appearances in Old Sacramento, and sometimes the Downtown Commons Plaza to showcase his rap artistry.

Lewis, 32, isn’t impressed with mainstream music that floods listeners’ ears with lyrics influenced by money, drugs and sex.

“There is a lack of substance, unity and self-sufficiency,” Lewis said. “The industry is putting out mainstream music (that is) just pushing us to just party and not really care about things that are important in our everyday life.”

Lewis grew up in south Sacramento. He’s a father of five, and he said his goal is to be a positive beacon of light for his children and those who look up to him.

He believes having positive messages in music because he said he grew up in an environment where people lacked guidance and wondered what to do with their lives.

“I feel like it’s important that in Sacramento I’m putting on this type of music,” Lewis said. “Especially in a world where it’s like being destructive is rewarded. Thinking negative about yourself and the people around you, is rewarded. I have to do this. This is my prophecy, my self-fulfilling prophecy and I’m going to continue to live this out.”

Finding purpose in his passion

Lewis originally found his passion playing basketball. He wanted to go as far as he could in the sport, but that’s not what was in his future.

Lewis has been rapping and making music since he was 21.

His stage name is M’ster Lewis.

He started out with a sound that was similar to Christian rap. As he continued to learn about himself and his environment, his music became more universal.

Everything Lewis is doing in music, he said, is a synopsis of what he’s been through.

“Everything I’m doing with my music is what I’m doing in my life,” said Lewis. “I’m relating my life and what I’ve been going through as a child to now.”

Lewis hopes to change the way the youth hear music, aiming to change the frequencies that they’re used to, wanting them to make positive changes in their lives.

According to Lewis, his music consists of uplifting, empowerment, togetherness, family, self-sufficiency, getting yourself together, dealing with your problems, finding solutions, healing yourself, and knowing that you can be somebody great.

“I want to continue to build up people’s minds, the confidence in themselves for what they want to do for life, and just be motivational. I want to be a motivation to the people,” Lewis said.

Rebuilding the Culture

Klay Rojas runs a company called The Relevant Counselor, which contracts throughtout Sacramento to provide counseling services and support groups for parents and children.

He believes that Lewis is an architect of a new culture that is bringing neighborhoods together through of peace, love and community.

Rojas recalls hearing one of Lewis’s songs for the first time. What stood out to Rojas was that in Lewis’s music, he spoke about changing the culture.

“To me, and Mr. Lewis, it’s not what you do occasionally that makes you who you are. It’s what you do consistently. He caught my attention because he is consistently talking about and doing things to change our culture, to go against the grain. He talks about things like support, love, community and building each other up versus tearing each other down.”

Lewis’s personality and outlook is why Rashid Sidqe recruited him to perform at Robert Brookins Park in Del Paso Heights during a celebration for Juneteenth.

Sidqe said he was looking for a ‘crowd-friendly, family atmosphere performer’.

“During that time (in June) we had experienced a few violent murders in our community,” Sidqe said. “I wanted to highlight more of the positive things that young people are doing and some of the positive music that’s out there. I wanted the event to be more of an uplifting event and that’s what his music signified to me.”

Entering ‘God Mode’

Nearly 5 years ago, Lewis and some friends began using a phrase among themselves that represented being the best version of yourself.

They call it “God Mode”. For the girls, “Goddess Mode”.

Part of that, according to Lewis, means taking care of your body, sticking with your family, and doing what you love to do.

“It’s really a lifestyle,” Lewis said.

Another part of the “God Mode” lifestyle, Lewis said, is taking care of the women, taking care of the children, and taking care of the community.

It’s all important to Lewis because he feels it’s going to build up communities.

“It kind of opens up a new ‘cool’,” Lewis said. “It’s cool to be positive. It’s cool to be healthy and not want to be in a broken home, or not want to be broke, and not want to destroy your people and fight. It’s cool to want to be peaceful and take care of yourself. I think people really need to hear more of this.”

For Lewis, music is meditation. Music is therapeutic.

It’s the affirmation that keeps him going when things get hard.

Lewis hopes to continue to inspire people through his musical craft.

This story was originally published August 30, 2023 at 6:00 AM.