According to his web site, Branch has been ministering Christian gospel since 1991. He states that his desire is "to be a model and a messenger of the gospel’s transforming power especially (but not exclusively) among the hip-hop generations."
Branch received a bachelor's degree in Bible from Lancaster Bible College and has a master's degree in theology from the Dallas Theological Seminary (DTS). His master’s thesis, "Theological Implications of Hip-Hop Culture", provided the inspiration for his solo album, The Thesis.
Feels Good
The Ambassador Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But I know where I go when I die
It feels good—I don't have to know how to fly
Just walk on the road with my God
It feels good—when you don't have to run from the cops
And duck when they come to the block
It feels good—not to be duped by a lie
But know how to use the truth to survive
Used to be a time when I was bound in chains
Flesh rumblin'—kind of like the sound of trains
Faith dead—kind of like what's found in James
Heaven's hound turned me around and now I'm changed
And it sounds strange until you see the way they start to
Live clean and free—they're like AJ's partner
Even in regular stuff whether it's cheddar or not
He gets glory from the sacred and secular—yep!
The lesson is what
This—there's a life to get
More than clubs, more than ice and Cris
That life's a trick
Treated with a hyped to get
You to forget without Christ true life was missed
It feels good—'cause I know that I'm gonna cry
But I know where I go when I die
It feels good—I don't have to know how to fly
Just walk on the road with my God
It feels good—when you don't have to run from the cops
And duck when they come to the block
It feels good—not to be duped by a lie
But know how to use the truth to survive
It feels good to be saved from the mindset
That I ain't have a story just because I wasn't raised in the projects
Still makin' the progress; embracin' the process
If you're an ex-thug please take it in context
'Cause I ain't comin' at your neck but I recall when I thought
That I couldn't reach a thug laden with crime
Plus I've been delivered from feeling so out of place
'Cause I ain't fit like figure eights in a prom dress
The state of my mind's just been transformed by the truth
And God's Spirit when I faced the divine text
And now I'm free from the idea that to reach a thug I had to be a thug
The grace is of God—yes!
It feels good—'cause I know that I'm gonna cry
But I know where I go when I die
It feels good—I don't have to know how to fly
Just walk on the road with my God
It feels good—when you don't have to run from the cops
And duck when they come to the block
It feels good—not to be duped by a lie
But know how to use the truth to survive
It feels good—to be able to control tongue
And if you get chumped not to have to load a gun
It feels good—to have green to get gasoline
Though the car has no dubs and no plasma screens
It feels good—just go to New York with wifee, Duce and Meesh
To see Beauty and the Beast
It feels good—yea, to hit the studio and breeze
Back to the ranch and fulfill our duty as the priest
It feels good—in New York to go to Junior's for a cheesecake
Then come back to Philly 'cause you really wanna cheese-steak
It feels good—to take a Bible in a Starbucks
And read all about the God who hung the moon and the stars up
It feels good—just to sit and eat Dungeness crabs
Nd have talk about our wondrous Dad
It feels good—just to know that your temple is clean
You don't need much more just the simpler things
The Ambassador's song Feels Good is a gospel-rap song that speaks about the joys and blessings of living a life of faith. In the first verse, the artist talks about his confidence in the afterlife and how it feels good to walk with God without fear or deception. He talks about the freedom that comes with knowing the truth and how it helps one to survive. The second verse touches on the artist's past struggles with faith and how he came to realize that true freedom can only come from God. The chorus expresses the artist's joy and sense of fulfillment that comes from living a life of faith and righteousness.
In the third verse, The Ambassador talks about the transformation that comes with faith and how one can be delivered from a life of crime, without necessarily becoming a thug. He highlights the power of grace, which is a gift from God that transforms lives. The fourth verse is a celebration of the simple pleasures of life that come with knowing God. The artist talks about enjoying the company of loved ones, the joy of simple meals, and the satisfaction that comes with knowing that one's temple is clean.
One interesting fact about the song is that it was released in 2005 as part of The Ambassador's album "The Thesis". It was well-received in the gospel-rap community and earned him critical acclaim. Another interesting fact is that the song samples the melody and lyrics of "Feels So Good" by Chuck Mangione, which was a hit instrumental song in the 1970s. The Ambassador adds a spiritual twist to the melody to make it more fitting for his message of faith. The song also features a music video that captures the artist's message and is available on various online platforms.
Lastly, the chords for the song Feels Good are A, E, F#m, and D.
Line by Line Meaning
It feels good-'cause I know that I'm gonna cry
I feel good because I know that I will express my emotions.
But I know where I go when I die
I believe in an afterlife and have faith that I'll go to a good place when I die.
It feels good-I don't have to know how to fly
I feel good because I don't have to achieve something significant or extraordinary to be happy.
Just walk on the road with my God
I am happy to walk through life with my faith and belief in God.
It feels good-when you don't have to run from the cops
I feel good because I don't have to live in fear or avoid law enforcement.
And duck when they come to the block
I'm glad I don't have to act suspiciously or hide from the police in my neighborhood.
It feels good-not to be duped by a lie
I feel good because I can see through deception and understand the truth.
But know how to use the truth to survive
I'm glad that I have the knowledge and wisdom to use the truth to help me live a fulfilling life.
It feels good to be saved from the mindset
I feel happy to have been freed from a negative mindset.
That I ain't have a story just because I wasn't raised in the projects
I'm glad that I've been able to overcome negative stereotypes and biases about people who didn't grow up in certain neighborhoods.
Still makin' the progress; embracin' the process
I'm happy to continue to work hard and embrace the challenges of personal growth.
If you're an ex-thug please take it in context
I want people who have had a difficult past to understand that I am not judging them.
'Cause I ain't comin' at your neck but I recall when I thought
I don't mean to criticize anyone, but I remember when I used to think differently.
That I couldn't reach a thug laden with crime
I used to believe it was impossible to connect with someone who had a criminal background.
Plus I've been delivered from feeling so out of place
I'm happy to have overcome feelings of being outcast or excluded.
'Cause I ain't fit like figure eights in a prom dress
I feel like I don't always fit in, like how a figure eight doesn't fit in a prom dress.
The state of my mind's just been transformed by the truth
My mind has been transformed by my belief in the truth.
And God's Spirit when I faced the divine text
My faith and belief in the divine has helped me understand the truth further.
And now I'm free from the idea that to reach a thug I had to be a thug
I'm glad to have let go of the idea that I needed to be a certain way to connect with certain people.
The grace is of God-yes!
I believe that God's grace has helped me overcome obstacles and challenges.
It feels good to be able to control tongue
I'm happy to have self-control over my speech.
And if you get chumped not to have to load a gun
I'm glad I don't feel the need to use violence in response to conflict.
It feels good-to have green to get gasoline
I feel good to have enough money to buy essentials like gasoline.
Though the car has no dubs and no plasma screens
I'm happy with what I have, even if I don't have extravagant possessions.
It feels good-just go to New York with wifee, Duce and Meesh
I'm happy to spend time with loved ones and create new memories.
To see Beauty and the Beast
I'm looking forward to watching a movie together with family or friends.
Yea, to hit the studio and breeze
I enjoy being creative and expressing myself in the studio.
Back to the ranch and fulfill our duty as the priest
I'm ready to go back home and fulfill my responsibility as a religious leader.
It feels good-in New York to go to Junior's for a cheesecake
I'm happy to indulge in something special, like going to a famous cheesecake shop in New York City.
Then come back to Philly 'cause you really wanna cheese-steak
I'm excited to go home to Philadelphia to eat a delicious cheese-steak sandwich.
It feels good-to take a Bible in a Starbucks
I enjoy reading and studying the Bible in a peaceful and relaxing environment like a coffee shop.
And read all about the God who hung the moon and the stars up
I enjoy reading about my faith and belief in God and the wonders of the universe.
It feels good-just to sit and eat Dungeness crabs
I enjoy eating seafood and having conversations with others while doing so.
Nd have talk about our wondrous Dad
I like talking with others about God, who I refer to as my father.
It feels good-just to know that your temple is clean
I feel content knowing that I am living my life spiritually in a clean and righteous way.
You don't need much more just the simpler things
I am happy with having simpler things in life and don't need extravagancy to feel fulfilled.
Contributed by Annabelle V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.