Christian battle rapper and author Street Hymns has put on a masterclass in patience and creativity. Today, as he prepares for the official rollout of his highly anticipated manga project, The Fallen, he looks back on the eight years that took him from a bunk bed in Colorado to the streets of Tokyo and London.

“My first tour was as a spoken word artist & my first ‘signing deal’ was as an author,” he shared on social media. “I always KNEW both those things would happen… just not like THAT. Little me would’ve been SHOOKETH.”

The Start

The genesis of The Fallen Manga traces back to May 1, 2018, during a discipleship trip in Colorado hosted by Grant Skeldon. At the time, Tom Dean, who was serving as the CFO for Zondervan, was hosting a seminar designed to teach young leaders how to navigate and land publishing deals.

Admittedly, Street’s focus was elsewhere. “At that time, my mind was on RAP! So I wasn’t interested,” Street recalled. Noting his lack of attention, Skeldon nudged him, whispering, “Bro, he’s talking to YOU!”

Spurred by the prompt, Street raised his hand during the Q&A session. “Hey, I see a lot of great books, but are you aware of any good Christian Mangas?”

Dean looked at him and issued a direct challenge: “No… But you write it.”

That night from his bunk bed, Street penned the core premise of what would become The Fallen. By August 2019, after a year of mapping out storylines and fight sequences, he officially invested in the vision, reaching out to an artist to handle the project’s illustrations.

Street compiled the initial artwork and storyline to show Dean, who was highly impressed. “This is great! Send me a proposal and give me a call,” Dean told him.

“I now realize (at that time) I was texting the WRONG NUMBER,” Street revealed. Thinking he was facing silent industry rejection, and with the sudden onset of the COVID-19 pandemic alongside the rapid acceleration of his battle rap career, Street tucked the manga away due to a lack of funds and creative drive.

The Breakthrough

The project found new life in December 2023 during a conversation with @jackietheeducator. When she explained that publishers routinely sign creators based on solid concepts and structured pitches rather than fully completed manuscripts, a lightbulb went off.

Jackie mentored Street on proposal formulation and pitching strategies. Armed with a proper pitch, Street reconnected with Tom Dean, this time with the correct phone number. Dean had since launched his own literary agency and immediately signed on as Street’s agent, routing the proposal to David C. Cook. The publishing giant loved the concept and signed Street to a contract.

More Delays

Landing the deal, however, was only the first milestone in a demanding creative process. Over the last two years, Street has had to balance the weight of a publishing deal with production setbacks.

“Ever since then, I’ve learned the true meaning of resilience, dedication, and faith,” Street reflected. “After some tough transitions from TWO different illustrators and navigating delay after delay, there were so many moments where I wanted to throw in the towel. So many moments where quitting honestly seemed easier.”

When the momentum stalled, support arrived through the community. Friends and philanthropists Howard and Roberta Ahmanson provided deep encouragement during the project’s heaviest seasons of delay. In a pivotal move, their son, @davidfgreen, took his own family alongside Street on an immersion trip to Japan to study both the modern and ancient history of manga firsthand.

“That trip changed EVERYTHING for me,” Street said. “Learning the cultural depth, storytelling traditions, and artistic legacy behind manga reignited my creativity and gave me the courage to keep moving forward.”

Team Formed

It led to a breakthrough in the artistic lineup. Through Chinese mangaka @c.m.kevin, Street Hymns connected with his current illustrator, @shangomola, a creator he described as a “generational talent.”

The synergy between the writer and the new illustrator has elevated the book’s standard.

“His attention to detail, passion for storytelling, and deep knowledge of manga has sharpened me immensely as a creator,” Street noted. They recently solidified their partnership overseas, meeting up in person during a recent trip to London.

The Next Generation’s Spark

Street Hymns urged the culture, parents, and leaders to take the imaginative sparks of young creatives seriously.

“If you see your son, daughter, student, niece, or nephew doodling characters…writing stories…creating worlds…DON’T suppress that gift! Ignite it. Encourage it. Invest in it. Because whether they become ‘successful’ or not, creativity has a way of opening doors, healing hearts, building confidence, and shaping futures.”

Who’s ready for the digital ONE-SHOT release of THE FALLEN Manga next month?

The post Street Hymns Announces ‘The Fallen’ Manga Release Date After 8-Year Journey appeared first on Rapzilla.