M.O.D [Ministri Of Defence] consisted of e.Miner (Efrem Buckle) & Tha Pilgrim (Robert Prendergast). M.O.D appeared on Ambassador’s debut project, Christology: In Laymen’s Terms (1999) and The Cross Movement’s Human Emergecy (2000). If you think the Ministri Of Defence has a militant ring to it, back in 1995 they went under the name P.L.O [People’s Liberation Organisation] recognizing that the Gospel is that which truly liberates a person. That liberation is also to include the Christian young people who love the Lord but can’t relate to the traditions and culture within the Church, The name change was made in order to not offend their Messianic Jewish supporters. The name represents a desire to give a ready defence of the Gospel to the unbeliever, and to encourage the saints to keep the faith – based on 1 Peter 3:15 and Jude 3. M.O.D usually demonstrated their rap skills and God-centred message on the grassroots circuit – performing at schools, youth clubs, prisons, carnivals and outdoor events. When you’ve seen inmates on life sentences accept Christ with tears, or hugged a homeless guy on the street as he has turned to God, you kinda know that the work ain’t over till the last trumpet sounds. Although they were working on an album for the Philadelphia-based Cross Movement Records, they wern’t prepared to compromise. We’re just so aware that so many people, including those we know personally, have been shipwrecked trying to chase a record deal – even to the point of selling out their relationship with God. M.O.D uplift the Lord’s name using a fusion of reggae, R&B, jazz funk and hip-hop sensibilities. They have three tracks on the imminent ‘Inspire’ compilation album, which is a West London Schools project. e.Miner also decided to experiment rapping on a garage music tip by guesting on Abundant’s ‘Guidance’ album. While they admire the production skills of a few involved in secular rap, they have no time for most of its lyrical content, which they describe as “chaff”. “Our purpose is to make the message of the Gospel accessible, and although hip-hop is one of the biggest selling musical genres, the Lord puts us in front of so many people to whom that fact means nothing. So it’s nice to be able to do something that they too will be able to receive. We’re used to people not wanting to hear the Gospel, but we know that there are a minority of people who are into feeling good hip-hop, British or otherwise, and it is this hip-hop community, among others, that we seek to affect.