MISTA DARKEYE

ALBIE AWARD WINNER FOR OUTSTANDING MUSICAL & MINISTRY CONTRIBUTIONS

Mista Darkeye's real name is Morris Jermaine Gordon. He coined the name "Mista Darkeye" from one of his most favorite Bible verses, II Corinthians 5:7 which states, "We walk by faith and not by sight." He is a native of Rock Hill, SC and an alumni of Northwestern High School. He was raised in Flint Hill Baptist Church in RH, SC. He is the youngest of 4 children. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his family, performing, writing lyrics, community events, and worshipping.

He notes that his most important job is being an Evangelist and Minister of Music; his mission in life is  to create new life in others by sharing his faith and showing others how Jesus has made a difference in his life. Mista Darkeye noticed the issues he faced during his transition from boyhood to manhood were common place in the community. He has been able to use his life experiences to speak to youth and let them know that they, too, can overcome being labeled as "different" or an "outsider." 

His musical inspiration comes from a variety of sources: he listens to all genres of music and has been especially touched by the music of Tupac, Nas, LL Cool J, Run DMC, and Notorious BIG. He fell in love with Hip Hop when he realized it was not just about music but about a culture representative of unity and sharing life experiences in an attempt to aspire action, thinking, and brotherly love.

The highlights of his Christian music career include performing with Curtis Blow at Redeeming Life Christian Center, Dr. Stacy LeMay at Champion Kingdom Center, and at "The Charlotte Music Festival" at Tremont Music Hall two years consecutively. On October 6, 2013, he released "Mista Darkeye: Traveling Mercy to Rome," a mixtape available on iTunes. He won an Albie Award in February of 2014 for "Outstanding Music and Ministry Contributions." He has been pursuing music for over 20 years; his first album was released in 2003 before he dedicated his life to Christ.  His most prized accomplishment is the creation of  New Soul Music, an Inspirational Record Label, on July 9, 2014. In 2015, Mista Darkeye signed his first artist, Gospel Singer, Kimberly Moore to New Soul Music. The label released Kimberly's debut album "Crucified" in April of 2017. December of 2017, Kimberly became the recipient of the Queen City Awards-Female Gospel Artist Of The Year Award. The slogan that drives the record label is  "By faith, dreams come true." He is constantly pursuing God and working to fulfill His Vision.