Who is Christopher Jermaine Townsend? MAGA rapper's AI gospel singer Solomon Ray tops Christian music chart

Christopher Jermaine Townsend made headlines and sparked online debate after creating Solomon Ray, an AI-generated gospel singer. The virtual music artist recently topped the iTunes and Billboard charts, providing its creator with newfound fame on social media. 

Christopher Jermaine Townsend, also known as Topher, is a conservative rapper, musician and digital content creator based in Mississippi. He is an Air Force veteran, having served as a cryptologic language analyst for six years. Topher gained mainstream recognition with his MAGA-centric political activism. 

The TikToker-influencer sparked controversy in 2021 after performing his viral track, The Patriot, at a rally for Trump, around the same time the January 6 Capitol attack happened. The song, which Spotify pulled down, contained lyrics:

“Battle for our freedom now, to the streets we ride / Flags waving all around, patriots full of pride / This is where we make a stand, no more give or take / March around the Capitol, storm the city gates / Putting pressure on their necks until the truth breaks.”

According to Billboard, Christopher Jermaine Townsend created the virtual persona Solomon Ray earlier this year, utilizing various AI tools. In a chat with the outlet, he revealed that ChatGPT helped him pick a name, while Suno allowed him to generate the tracks. Topher told Billboard that he co-wrote the lyrics with ChatGPT and used Artlist.io to generate Ray’s looks. 

While Christopher Jermaine Townsend’s creation has garnered him criticism, he has defended the use of AI. During his recent interview with Billboard, Topher compared it with the initial backlash that CGI received early on. Despite the criticism, Solomon Ray’s songs have been doing well.

Christopher Jermaine Townsend defends his AI creation amid the rise in Solomon Ray’s popularity

As mentioned, Topher has received criticism for using artificial intelligence to create music, which many have described as lacking soul. Christian artist Forrest Frank is among the prominent critics of Christopher Jermaine Townsend’s creation. In an Instagram reel, he addressed Solomon Ray’s chart-topper album:

“I hate to even bring attention to this because I wish it could just disappear, but I want to just let you guys know this is out there and I think it’s important that we just pause a little bit and kind of ask questions like, is it something that we want?” 

He added: 

“At minimum, AI does not have the Holy Spirit inside of it. So I think that’s really weird to be opening up your spirit to something that has no spirit.” 

Frank added that he already doesn’t listen to “secular music,” so he will not listen to “AI Christian music.” Christopher Jermaine Townsend addressed the criticism in one of his Instagram Reels, mentioning that it is all about personal preferences. Topher asserted:

“This is an extension of my creativity, so therefore to me it’s art. It’s definitely inspired by a Christian. It may not be performed by one, but I don’t know why that really matters in the end.”

Topher also accused Frank of not promoting real artists and instead targeting Solomon Ray, claiming it seemed like gatekeeping over uplifting. Amidst the criticism, he also shared a post from the AI artist’s Instagram handle, discussing the iTunes and Billboard charts. On Wednesday, Topher wrote in a post on Solomon Ray’s account: 

“Last week, we celebrated making history on the iTunes Christian charts. This week, the blessings multiplied. Most Billboard placements for any AI artist. Higher peaks. More souls reached.” 

He acknowledged the criticism, describing it as “opposition,” and concluded: 

“The future of gospel music has a new chapter… and Solomon Ray is right in the middle of it.” 

For those unaware, Ray’s EP, Faithful Soul, ranked in the first spot on iTunes Top 100 Christian and Gospel Albums, while the songs Find Your Rest and Goodbye Temptation are among the top two on Billboard’s Gospel Digital Song Sales chart.