Kevin Burgess, who goes by his stage name, KB, lived in one of the worst areas of Florida. His parents divorced when he was eight. He faced depression and suicidal thoughts when he was in his teenage years and used drugs to cope with his emotions, putting him in even deeper trouble. He then heard the Gospel. This change in his life inspired him to create his own music.

Despite his rough upbringings, KB raps beyond his struggles. In one of his more lighthearted songs, “Not Today Satan,” which features another Christian rapper, Andy Mineo, he raps about fighting against temptation. The song starts off with an upbeat mood, the trumpets continuing a repeated motif with voices matching them. Added with a solid rap beat, it lifts the listener’s spirits.

The song’s title, which is also the tagline of the chorus, adds onto the mood. It gives the impression of a blocked basketball shot or any other straight denial.

“So I’m under armor like I’m Curry.”

This is a fun little piece of word play. Stephen Curry’s popular shoes are owned by Under Armour, but the line literally means that he is under armor, being shielded from the devil’s attacks.

In the second verse, featured Andy Mineo adds his own flavor to the song.

“Get that corn out my face, you know I’m on a diet.”

This line is a subtle reference to the film, Nacho Libre. In this comedy, Jack Black portrays Nacho, who hits away a buttered corn being offered to him. Nacho shouts, “Get that corn out of my face!” By referencing a comedy in his lyrics, he continues to add to the humorous mood, attaching the positive feelings that the movie brings.

In the third verse, KB comes back and references a famous star known around the world.

“Kickin’ these facts like Bruce Lee.”

The famous actor and martial artist Bruce Lee is known for his action movies. He would fight, punch and kick all the villains with his martial arts skills, adding to the message of fighting evil and temptation.

The song ends with an old woman’s voice saying: “Not today Satan! Not today, amen.” She gives the impression of a traditional Southern grandmother scolding the devil, adding a last humorous line to finish the song.

In my next article, I write about a different rapper who goes by his stage name, NF. He writes about his experiences being on the outside of the social circle in his song “Outcast.” If you have not done so yet, check out my previous article about Lecrae’s song, “Cry For You.”