Uncle Reece is a true example of a renewed mind and aligning with the purpose for your life. He went from being a 5-year, straight-F high school student with no plan for his future into a young man with a heart filled with compassion for people and the things God loves.

Maurice “Uncle Reece” Hicks was born in Savannah Georgia on February 14,1984. From the beginning, Uncle Reece’s life was filled with music of all types. His mother was singer and was in love with music. His father was in the military. Before the age of thirteen, Uncle Reece had lived on three continents since his father was in the military. One love that maintained and sustained him through his different locations was music.
In 1998, Uncle Reece moved for the last time in his childhood to Jacksonville, Florida after his father retired. At the age of 17, Uncle Reece picked up the microphone and rocked it for the first time while at a friend’s house, who happened to be a local DJ. No practice or experience in the past. Rapping was just something that came natural. Uncle Reece quickly became known for his free-styling and musical ability through the city of Jacksonville. Rather rapping or singing, his music is quickly identified as soulful, powerful, and unorthodox with an authentic message and captivating beat or melody.
However, while in high school, Uncle Reece was continuously challenged by peer pressure. He became involved in drugs, alcohol, and other promiscuous activities. His life was shattered when he learned that he wasn’t going to be able to graduate with his class. He found himself in a place where he had to rely on God. Upon graduation, he thanked God, but put him on the back burner again.

In 2004, he had an encounter with God that changed his entire existence. That spring, Uncle Reece met two people that were relentless about his personal relationship with Christ. After viewing the commitment that they made to Christ, Uncle Reece immediately knew God was calling him. “They weren’t as confused as I was about what to do with their lives,” Uncle Reece recalls. “Many of them didn’t have a 5 year plan or anything like that, but they understood that their purpose on the earth was to glorify God and build His kingdom. Everything that they did represented what they knew.”
Since then, Uncle Reece has been spreading God’s love. The change was so rapid that many people didn’t believe it at first, but for Uncle Reece, it was the answer he’d been looking for. “I always wanted to love God and be a better person, but I never knew that I could do it at my age. I thought I had to be ready to settle down before I grew closer to God.” He began speaking at local schools about abstinence from sex, drinking and drugs. He also began using his God given musical abilities to reach young people all over Jacksonville. In 2005, he was inspired to start Urban Motivations. He used motivational speaking with his music to touch tens of thousands of high school students lives before they transitioned into college.
In 2007, while attending Florida State University, Uncle Reece decided to take his ministry to the next level. Uncle Reece and a partner designed a shirt with a simple message, “Without Jesus I Suck.” Since 2007, this simple message has been seen on CNN, FOXNews, BET and on many major artists. Through these shirts and his music, Uncle Reece has assisted thousands of people in coming to know the Lord.The “Without Jesus I Suck” Facebook page currently has 243,000 fans.

“The desire of my heart has always been to make music that would inspire others to live better lives,” says Uncle Reece. He has been fortunate to record powerful music and grace the stage with some of the greatest Christian musicians of our time. His music has already reached over 50,000 people. Once signed by Phannarow Music, he later became a partner within the label. As an artist, he is currently working on my first album with Phannarow Music.