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Watchman

from Cathy (cathyvpreece@aol.com)

Music

My South London: Watchman

Oct 25 2002

PULP Fiction ends with Samuel L Jackson's gangster having traded in the way of the gun for the path of the righteous after a 'miracle'. For Brixton's 33-year-old David Williams, the conversion was no less dramatic. Since turning his back on aremed robbery and prison and reinventing himself as a gospel ragga artist Watchman, he has clocked up a MOBO nomination for his debut album Contemporary Christian, and performed at the Queen's Jubilee. With new album Tongues Of Fire out now and his Rap Academy encouraging youngsters back in to education and employment, he tells CEDRIC PORTER the story of his rise to grace...

South London Press

Q. Are you south London born and bred?

A. I was born in King's College Hospital. We lived in Brixton just round the corner from where I am now. I went to Loughborough primary school and Kennington boys in Myatts Field.

Q. Were you into singing?

A. I was into boxing and used to box at the Marcus Lipton Centre. But I didn't have enough discipline although I used to train a lot. Every morning I used to get up and run to Streatham Ice Rink and back - I had a lot of aggression in me. When I was at school I had a lot of difficulty with reading and writing. Probably I was dyslexic.

Q. How did you first get into music?

A. My dad George had a sound system, the Mighty Gold Crown, and I used to go round with him to the Green Man and all the pubs in Brixton.

Q. What was the first time you were in trouble with the police?

A. I was accused of having an offensive weapon.

A. For me it was, like, that was it. I would try and get into a fight at least once a week. I had the attitude of looking at people and, when they looked at me, asking "What are you looking at?" One police officer, every time he saw me, he gave me a producer, to produce my driving documents.

I got about 40 to 60 of these in a period of just a few months.

Q. Why did you go to prison?

A. I was stopped by four police officers in Camberwell. During a struggle, I threw a punch and knocked one of them out. They put me in a van and took me to Carter Street Station and I was fighting all the way. The officer I hit didn't attend - I hope to God that he's well - and I got nine months, three months for each charge of assault. When I got charged with assault I was on remand for grievous bodily harm as well.

I was living in a six-bed hostel in Peckham but I beat everybody up. We couldn't seem to get on and no one would stay there. The housing association staff were scared of me and they handed over the keys. I was 19/20 and it just went crazy. I had girls in nearly every room.

was so angry - every time I came to a zebra crossing I ran in front of cars because I said it was my right of way. Cars would come skidding to a halt - I'd smash the windscreen and smack the driver and leave them hanging out the window.

Q. What happened in prison?

A. In Belmarsh Prison I learned to read by reading the Bible. These armed robbers and drug dealers around me started giving their lives to Jesus. It was like I was a Christian but I didn't know. One day in Belmarsh I opened the South London Press and there I was - wanted by the police on a serious charge but that's all over and done with.

Q. Where did the name Watchman come from?

A. While I was in Belmarsh I went to see if I could get bail but I had a knockback and it was refused. On my way back in the sweatbox with the blacked out windows I opened up the Bible at Ezekiel 3.17 which said "I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel". I knew God was speaking to me. I opened up the Bible again in Jeremiah and it said "I have appointed you to be a watchman". I had never heard the word before. Back in the prison in a matter of hours I was told: "Williams, get your kit, you're going home".

Q. Did this make a difference?

A. After I got out I went on the rampage for a year with street robbery, armed robbery but I never got sentenced for it because people refused to testify. They wanted to deal with it their own way. I split a guy open with a knife and he was in hospital for six months. When he came out of hospital he was trying to kill me with his car - I got knocked down four or five times. A couple of guys lashed out with knives and I had to fight them off. 'Respect' was everything. I had to flee to another hostel ... I went into this pub with a gun because the landlord said: "You can't play pool unless you buy a drink".

Q. So how did you become a Christian?

A. This girl got her mum to phone me and tell me: "My daughter said you have to get up and go to church." My brother Isaac, who is now pastor of the Faith Harvest Church at Brixton Recreation Centre, was coming with me. I was sleeping with one girl and another turned up and I got rid of her - I didn't want my brother to see her. I reached into the fridge for my Tennants - I couldn't go to church without having that first. It was September 27th, 1992. In the church, someone in the congregation asked if I would like to be prayed for. I told him 'No!' When he asked me why I said "Because I am a liar".

He asked me three times if I had to lie and the third time I repeated the question over in my head and answered it: 'No!' I felt as light as a feather. I jumped from my seat, turning to the congregation as I made my way to the front to be prayed for. The presence of God was so powerful that it knocked me backwards to the floor. I got up immediately, embarrassed, dusting off my clothes to pretend I'd slipped, but I was knocked backwards again. As I tried to scramble up, I heard a voice that I immediately knew as the voice of God saying 'Stay there!' I had finally met my match.

*** Watchman headlines a concert tomorrow as part of a Gathering of Worshippers weekend held by Exousia at Haberdasher Aske's College auditorium, Hatcham College, Pepys Road, New Cross.

Also on the 6pm bill are vocalists Sharon McPherson and Beverlyn McKinson with poet Marie Reynolds. Admission £5. Rap Academy can be contacted at www.rapacademy.com or on 020-8299 6622.

Copyright and Trade Mark Notice

© owned by or licensed to Trinity Mirror Plc 2002

icSouthlondonTM is a trade mark of Trinity Mirror Plc.

(posted 7825 days ago)

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