Given ‘Illustrative’ Masilela is an author, presenter and our youth leader.

Spoken word artist

He is also an exceptionally talented spoken word artist and RAP musician. His work is best known for its sincerity, honesty and an unforgiving tendency to encourage hope, faith and love.

He was born and raised in Bethal in Mpumalanga. His journey in the arts started in high school where he was a member of a local RAP and Poetry Group called the Elementals. He was also a finalist in the Speak Out Loud Poetry Competition in 2015.

Given holds a National Diploma in Marketing from the Tshwane University of Technology. He calls himself a marketing and sales enthusiast with relentless zeal and passion for venturing into activities that require or demand him to think on his feet.

Radio presenter

He joined the I AM Youth team at Radio Pulpit in 2017. For him, it was an opportunity to express his calling to exhort people to live and experience their full potential in Christ. He became a presenter on Radio Pulpit 657AM in February 2019 where he solo-hosted the show, Friday Live, which eventually became I AM on 657.

He believes that God has created and called him to not only urge people to discover their full potential in Christ Jesus, but also to know God intimately. One of the scriptures that Given lives by is Psalm 71 from verses five to six.

For you have been my hope, Sovereign Lord, my confidence since my youth. From birth I have relied on you; you brought me forth from my mother’s womb. I will ever praise you.

Through his radio broadcasting, he hopes to help young people to understand and navigate the modern world. Listen to Given on our primary youth show, “I Am Live.”