Finding God in Prison: An Interview with Filmmaker Galley Molina
While in prison on federal drug trafficking charges, Galley Molina wrote the movie I’m in Love With a Church Girl, starring hip-hop artist Ja Rule and Michael Madsen of Reservoir Dogs and Kill Bill fame, which is scheduled to hit theaters October 18. The film is accompanied by a powerful soundtrack with songs by some of the top Gospel and Christian music artists of our time, including Israel Houghton, Darlene Zschech, Lalah Hathaway, Anthony Hamilton and many others. More than a trafficker-turned-children’s-pastor, Molina is now CEO of Reverence Gospel Media and is busy producing films, albums and even a new sitcom. An ordained minister, he serves weekly at his home church and believes everything he does within the entertainment industry must be part of his personal ministry to inspire and serve others with his testimony. Here we talk about his film, finding God in prison, and the sitcom he's developing with Israel Houghton.
JM: Galley, did you grow up as the “stereotypical” street kid headed for trouble with the law? Tell us about your journey.
GM: No, I actually grew up in an upper-middle class home. My parents were self-employed: my mother owned a hair salon and my stepfather was a bar/night club owner. I was a pretty good student. I did a little college, was heavy into music, band, choir, and became a D.J. and started making records. I was actually the one in my entire family that was not expected to get trouble. I was the "golden child.”
For me, it happened like this: I was a D.J., and I used to make tapes—shows my age!—for people. This guy moved in across the street from me. He was a young guy and he didn’t live with his mom and dad. There were nice cars in the driveway and all that. He started coming over when I was in my garage and he was actually a really cool guy. We became good friends and I started out by going to a few places with him, meeting a few people, etc. The next thing you know I’m in the drug game. I quickly rose up the chain and became a supplier. The rest is history.
JM: Help us get inside the head of a young adult who traffics drugs. Are you thinking about consequences? Are you thinking about the damage it does to others?
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