The Daily Blade: Episode #245 – Kyle Thompson // Graves

Date: December 9, 2025
Hosts: Joby Martin & Kyle Thompson

Episode Overview

In this energizing episode, Kyle Thompson expands the boundaries of what counts as worship music, spotlighting the song “Graves” by KB featuring Brandon Lake. Drawing on personal experience, scripture, and lyrical analysis, Kyle illustrates how worship and spiritual transformation are tightly linked—even through genres like rap that are sometimes overlooked in Christian spaces. The episode is aimed at encouraging men to embrace diverse forms of worship that glorify God and proclaim the gospel’s power to bring the dead to life.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Redefining Worship Music

• Worship Is Not Genre-Bound:

  • Many men, Kyle observes, don’t resonate with contemporary worship music, but that doesn’t excuse disengagement from worship through song.
  • “Worshiping God through song is not optional. So, I just want to expand the category of worship music for you.” (00:28, Kyle)

• The Rise of Christian Rap:

  • Kyle reflects on his own journey seeking gospel-centered rap in the early 2000s when the genre was scarce in Christian circles.
  • Now, he celebrates artists like KB as “solid” contributors to worship music.

Song Analysis: “Graves” by KB featuring Brandon Lake

• Song Structure:

  • The song opens with Brandon Lake’s subdued chorus borrowed from his own track “Graves into Gardens,” then transitions into KB’s energetic rap verse.

• Opening Lyrics:

  • “You turn graves into gardens, you turn pain into promise. You bring beauty from ashes. Where we go, I’ll stand by you. Only you take me.”
  • KB jumps in: “Out of the grave again…”

• Theme of Regeneration:

  • The intro immediately invokes the biblical image of God’s power to regenerate and transform—a direct allusion to Ezekiel 37’s “Valley of Dry Bones” vision.

Deep Dive Into Ezekiel 37

• Kyle reads a substantial passage from Ezekiel 37:1-14 (01:44–04:00), highlighting God’s promise to resurrect and revitalize what is dead:

  “Behold, I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people... I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live.”

  • Kyle’s Reflection:
    • “I mean, goodness gracious, that is just powerful, powerful stuff from that passage.” (04:04)

Biblical Connections: Spiritual Death & New Life

• Ephesians 2:1-6:

  • We were “dead in … trespasses and sins” but made alive with Christ by grace.

• Colossians 2:13-15:

  • God “made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses.”

• John 3 (Jesus & Nicodemus):

  • “Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (05:44)

• Key Theme:

  • The core gospel truth is that God raises the dead—physically, in the coming resurrection, and spiritually, through immediate, transformative grace.

Lyrics that Preach

• Chorus Highlight:
  • “Yeah, dead man, dead man, dead man / Brought me back to life, who? / Yeah, dead man, dead man, dead man / Now I’m living twice.”
  • “The capital T truth therein is referenced all over the Bible.” (04:45)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Expanding Worship Music:

  • “Worshiping God through song is not optional. So I just want to expand the category of worship music for you.” (00:28, Kyle)

• On the Power of Ezekiel 37:

  • “I mean, goodness gracious, that is just powerful, powerful stuff from that passage.” (04:04, Kyle)

• On Spiritual Resurrection:

  • “The key—it's really everything. We were dead in our trespasses and sins, but God snatched us from death.” (05:52, Kyle)

• Recommendation:

  • “Guys, check out the song Graves by KB featuring Brandon Lake. Come back tomorrow where we'll highlight a worship song from a ska punk band.” (06:38, Kyle)

Timestamps of Key Segments

• 00:20 – Introduction to redefining worship music and Christian rap
• 01:18 – Song “Graves” breakdown and Brandon Lake’s role
• 01:44–04:00 – Full read and reflection on Ezekiel 37:1-14
• 04:18–06:00 – Examination of related New Testament passages (Ephesians, Colossians, John)
• 05:45 – Focus on Jesus’ words to Nicodemus and how it applies to spiritual rebirth
• 06:38 – Closing encouragement and preview for next episode

Conclusion

This episode encourages listeners—especially men—to broaden their understanding of worship music and embrace its gospel foundations, regardless of genre. Through scriptural exposition and musical analysis, Kyle calls for a recognition of God’s power to raise the spiritually dead, celebrated in everything from classic hymns to modern rap anthems. The chosen song, “Graves,” becomes a catalyst for exploring how God’s resurrection power is both a historical promise and a present reality.