Editing DC Talk (section)

===Formation===
While attending [[Liberty University]], Toby McKeehan met Michael Tait, and the two began to perform together. Tait had previously been featured on [[Jerry Falwell]]'s ''[[The Old Time Gospel Hour]]'' and with the Falwell Singers.<ref name="Rap Finds God">{{cite journal|last=Dougherty|first=Steve|date=January 24, 1994|title=Rap Finds God|url=http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20107361,00.html|journal=[[People Magazine]]|access-date=June 21, 2009}}</ref> He also performed solo, what McKeehan later described as a "kind of an R&B/church-oriented music".<ref name="CCM_12_10">{{cite journal |last=Newcomb |first=Brian Quincy |date=April 1990 |title=Rhythm, Rhyme, & The New World Music |journal=[[CCM Magazine]] |issn=1524-7848 |volume=12 |issue=10 |pages=38, 40–41}}</ref>

The two joined forces to record a song that McKeehan had written, "Heavenbound".<ref name="Rap Finds God" /> They performed the song before an audience of 8,000 [[Liberty University]] students with McKeehan rapping and Tait singing the chorus.<ref name="Rap Finds God"/> The song was well received, selling out the approximately 3,000 copies<ref name="Rap Finds God"/> of their demo tape, ''Christian Rhymes to a Rhythm''. The tape included "Heavenbound" and was distributed by the group in the [[Washington, D.C.]] area.<ref name="Encyclopedia of American Gospel Music">{{cite encyclopedia|year=2005|title=DC Talk|encyclopedia=Encyclopedia of American Gospel Music|publisher=[[Routledge]]|last=Gersztyn|first=Bob|edition=1|volume=1|pages=97–98|isbn=0-415-94179-2}}</ref>

Kevin Max Smith came from a campus rock band to join the group.<ref name="CCM_12_10" /> Max was approached by Tait after performing [[The Imperials]]'s "Lord of the Harvest" during a chapel session. The two became friends and Max was introduced to McKeehan. All three moved off campus to live together.<ref name="auto">{{Citation|title=DC Talk - Narrow Is The Road|url=http://archive.org/details/DCTalkNarrowIsTheRoad|access-date=2020-04-14}}</ref> 

In 1988, the group independently released their self-titled album, a cassette-only release. This album would be re-released by [[ForeFront Records]] the following year.<ref name="Discogs">{{Citation|title=Discogs|year=1988 |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/25287166-DC-Talk-DC-Talk-And-The-One-Way-Crew}} </ref>

The success of the group's demo tape eventually led to a recording contract with [[Forefront Records|ForeFront Records]] in January 1989.<ref name="Rap Finds God" /><ref name="auto"/> Shortly after signing the recording contract the trio moved to Nashville, Tennessee,<ref name="auto"/> and called themselves "DC Talk and the One Way Crew".<ref name="Encyclopedia of American Gospel Music" /> The name was later simplified to "DC Talk", which came to stand for "decent Christian talk", though originally "DC" was taken from [[Washington, D.C.]], where Toby McKeehan had formerly been rapping.<ref name="Encyclopedia of American Gospel Music" />