A Genre-Crossing Intergalactic Weekend Ride Posted September 24, 2025 By JoshuaGalla_NRT, Staff Reviewer
What You Need to Know Miami-born Cuban American Eddy Puyol (formerly Rawsrvnt) creates genre-defying music that crosses the lines of hip-hop, worship, funk, and soul. He fuses thumping bass, classic grooves, and modern beats, which move both soul and feet — bridging faith and mainstream spaces. For nearly 20 years (2006), Puyol has cultivated art that glorifies Christ and meets people where they are through stories of personal testimonies, relevant content, and soul issues.
Since changing his stage name from Rawsrvnt to his government name in 2022, Puyol has released Pronounced Poo-Yole (2022), Nothing Changed But My Stage Name (2024), and now the recently released Run tha Funk Back for a Good Time.“This project is more than music,” Puyol said. “It’s a revival of soul, rhythm, and celebration. I wanted this project to honor the classics, nod to my roots, and hit hard enough for today’s audiences. It’s faith. It’s funk. It’s a good time.”
What It Sounds Like From the cosmic strut of “Run It Back” to the jaunty flavor of “Tha Funk,” featuring funkateer soul brother Doctor Dukes, and to the earthy euphoria of “Good Time (Radio Edit),” Puyol delivers a boundary-challenging soundtrack soaked in soul and stank. Picture this, Bootsy, Bruno, and Biggie at an imaginary dance-off; everybody wins. The time-travel experience hits maximum speed with “Sique Otra Vez,” a bilingual bass bomb crafted with DJ Reflex. “El Shaddai” ventures into sacred territory, meshing the heartbeat of the Miami bass scene with gospel grit. Equal parts Sunday service and street corner cipher vibes.
The interstellar ride closes with “Breathe Again,” a reinvention of one of Puyol’s classic hits. Once a Top 5 hit on the UK’s Cross Rhythms City Radio, praised as a pioneering hip-hop worship turntable anthem, the revamped track features rich R&B textures and a polished, pop-driven, radio-friendly vibe.
Spiritual Highlights Puyol has never been a stranger when incorporating his strong faith roots into the lyrics that represent and define him.
On “Breathe Again,” he gives praises with the words, “O Lord My Lord/Look what You’ve done for me/You’ve given me love/And given me mercy/And filled me up with Your peace/So I take time out just to thank Ya/For everything that I got.”
With “El Shaddai”, Puyol exclaims, “My banner/My refuge/My fortress/My shelter/You alone are my God, and I love Ya/‘Cause You always give me some peace of mind/Like all the time.” With this track, an underlying sense of worship blends well with the rap rhyme scheme and altered tempo. It's a pleasant reminder that prayer takes on many different forms and appearances as it's not restricted to within church walls or at a concert scene.
Puyol is an artist of many talents. He’s able to serve auditory crowd pleasers to the people in the pews, in the streets, or in the stands of sports stadiums. He performs so at a high level of excellence with the love of Christ as the foundation. Puyol encompasses what Christian Hip-Hop (CHH) should look like in the art and in the individual.
Best Song One of the standout tracks from the available eight total options is a blast from the past. It’s a combination of the classic Rawsrvnt era with a modernized twist provided by Puyol. “Game Changer” returns in reimagined form, featuring long-time collaborator Chuck Hemann and CHH veteran Lil Raskull. A proven crowd-pleaser, the track was licensed by ESPN’s First Take, CBS, and the NFL’s Miami Dolphins’ coaches show, with the remix engineered to shake stadium bleachers and seats from kickoff to the final fourth quarter whistle.
“Call Mr. 4th Quarter/Bottom of the 9th I’m still bringing that thunder/And be careful for my lighting/‘Cause when it shocks you/You’ll stand there surprised,” recites Puyol. I love how confidence intersects with faith when living out the gifts God bestows upon us to return glory to the Father ultimately.
Final Word Puyol’s energetic tone and approach to his art, combined with his unapologetic incorporation of faith and the Gospels, is a recipe for success. He borrowed musical themes from the 1970s funk decade and provided a modernized twist. It’s gusty and bold, as such a soundscape hasn’t been a part of the CHH space. For someone who thoroughly enjoyed the music of the '70s, the throwback is a welcome addition. The sense of nostalgia, coupled with the fun lyricism, made each track an enjoyable listen. I applaud the experimental feel of the project. Due to the party-like vibe of the included tracks, sync licensing should be a breeze in the realms of sports and entertainment. Run tha Funk Back for a Good Time is a solid listen for those who know and love the era of funk or others seeking a feel-good soundtrack for weekend adventures.
Excerpts from the official press release of the album were used to formulate the random details of this extensive review.
