N.U.B.O.R.N. the FIREWALKER is no stranger to the world of Holy Hip Hop. In fact, he has been actively involved of some aspect of it for more than a decade, dating back to 1994. He has rubbed elbows, shared stages, meals, given and received advice from some of the biggest names in Holy Hip Hop, yet has remained pretty much under the radar, but not unnoticed.
So, who is N.U.B.O.R.N. the FIREWALKER? Born as Triawn Bankston, on January 6, 1975 in Dayton, Ohio to Tyrone and LaCinda Bankston. He is the eldest of 7 children from blended relationships. Like many urban youth, his parents were young and ill prepared when he was born. His dad was in and out of his life, so he had to be the man of the house. At the age of 7, when he would write short stories and poetry that awed his teachers and classmates, and his freestyle raps that were well received in the different hoods in Dayton. When FIREWALKER was about 13 years old, his parents decided to try to work things out and get married, that meant he and the family was moving to Columbus, Ohio. In Columbus, N.U.B.O.R.N. met lifelong friend and then partner in rhyme Jason Smith. Though they both rapped secular at the time, Jason eventually introduced FIREWALKER to Holy Hip Hop in 1992. In 1994, the year after he graduated from Northland High School, N.U.B.O.R.N. was tired of the negative direction of his life, tired of running from God, and he started to truly seek and dedicate himself to God and got baptized.
After turning to Christ, the one struggle that he had was what to do about rap. He had been exposed to Christian Rap, but the church he attended didn't accept it. For months he tried to leave rap alone, but it kept calling to him, in dreams and his daily routine. He prayed fervently for direction from God on how to handle his rap issue, and rather than unveiling a way to leave it alone, God showed him more and more ways that it could be used to draw people to Him. Going with God, he left the church where he had been baptized, and reconnected with Jason and formed T.H.U.G. (Talking Holy Unto God) Ministries with 3 other members in 1994. The group was active until 1997, mostly in the Midwest and recorded 3 unreleased singles in the studio. Though the group was finding much success, they disbanded for various reasons, all on good terms. After the group dissolved, FIREWALKER lent his skills to other ministries, he began ghostwriting and doing graphics for groups and solo artists, as well as becoming a backup dancer/ fill in emcee, speaker and promoter for local ministries.
N.U.B.O.R.N. the FIREWALKER had a passion for serving, he loved what he was doing, but he wanted to do more, especially with his music. In 1999 he started ministering as a solo artist again, this time with a lot more experience. With a good following, and great demand for his music FIREWALKER released MANIFESTATION independently in 2003. Since releasing MANIFESTATION, N.U.B.O.R.N. has traveled to both coasts, down South, and throughout the Midwest spreading the gospel, and has been featured on many projects and compilations, including [T&T: Triumph and Truth, Iron Sharpens Iron, Vol.1], that he released himself. He plans to release an experimental ep entitled [Freewill: The eL*7 Project] and another compilation later this year. He also plans to create new opportunities to share the gospel in any and every facet of the culture. FIREWALKER totes himself as a solo artist, but he's still 1/3 of the group Thundaground (from Ohio), as well as a core member of the supergroup CIA Muzik Ministry, which also includes his eldest son, (Jeremy “Backdraft†Bankston) in Indianapolis, where he currently resides with his wife and children.
In addition to the groups that he is a member of, FIREWALKER has given time as a volunteer to many organizations, from tutoring and mentorship programs, to helping to raise money for the MDA, to working on beautification projects and anti-violence campaigns in poverty stricken and less than desirable neighborhoods. N.U.B.O.R.N. the FIREWALKER has devoted himself to making a difference, not only in the realm of Christian Rap, but also in the world as a whole.
