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Lecrae Devaughn Moore (born October 9, 1979), mononymously known as Lecrae, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter,
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and
film producer A film producer is a person who oversees film production. Either employed by a production company or working independently, producers plan and coordinate various aspects of film production, such as selecting the script, coordinating writing, di ...
, record executive, actor, and entrepreneur. He is the president, co-owner and co-founder of the independent record label Reach Records, was the co-founder and president of the now-defunct non-profit organization ReachLife Ministries, is an investor and co-owner of the audio production software MXD, and is a co-founder of the film production studio 3 Strand Films. To date, he has released ten studio albums and three mixtapes as a solo artist, and has released three studio albums, a remix album, one EP, and numerous singles as the leader of the hip hop group
116 Clique The 116, formerly 116 Clique (pronounced one-one-six click), is an American Southern Christian hip hop collective originally from Dallas, Texas signed to the Atlanta-based Reach Records. The group performs a wide variety of contemporary hip hop ...
. He produced much of his earlier material along with other early Reach Records releases. Lecrae, in reference to him being labelled as a Christian rapper, has stated that his music is just hip hop, though it reflects his Christian faith. In May 2016, Lecrae signed to
Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music, Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese Conglomerate (company), conglomerate Sony. It was founded on Janua ...
in a joint deal between his label and Columbia. He left Columbia in May 2020. Lecrae's debut recording, '' Real Talk'', was released in 2004 through Reach Records. His third solo album, '' Rebel'', released in 2008, became the first Christian hip hop album to reach No. 1 on the ''Billboard'' Gospel chart. ''
Rehab Rehabilitation or Rehab may refer to: Health * Rehabilitation (neuropsychology), therapy to regain or improve neurocognitive function that has been lost or diminished * Rehabilitation (wildlife), treatment of injured wildlife so they can be retur ...
'' followed in 2010, and Lecrae began attracting mainstream attention when he performed at the 2011 BET Hip Hop Awards Cypher and appeared on the Statik Selektah song "Live & Let Live" from '' Population Control''. On May 10, 2012, Lecrae released his first mixtape, '' Church Clothes'', which was hosted by Don Cannon. Considered his breakthrough into mainstream hip hop, the mixtape was downloaded over 100,000 times in less than 48 hours. His sixth studio album, '' Gravity'', came out on September 4, 2012, and has been called the most important album in Christian hip hop history by Rapzilla and '' Atlanta Daily World''. The album debuted as the best-selling album overall in the iTunes Store, No. 3 on the ''Billboard'' 200 and won the Grammy Award for Best Gospel Album at the
2013 Grammy Awards The 55th Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 10, 2013, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles honoring the best in music for the recording year beginning October 1, 2011 through September 30, 2012. The show was broadcast on CBS at 8 p.m. E ...
, marking the first time that a hip hop artist received this award. Lecrae released his seventh album, ''
Anomaly Anomaly may refer to: Science Natural *Anomaly (natural sciences) ** Atmospheric anomaly ** Geophysical anomaly Medical * Congenital anomaly (birth defect), a disorder present at birth ** Physical anomaly, a deformation of an anatomical struct ...
'', on September 9, 2014. It debuted at No. 1 on the ''Billboard'' 200 with 88,587 copies sold through the first week, the first album to top both the ''Billboard'' 200 and the Gospel chart simultaneously. He released a third mixtape, '' Church Clothes 3'', on January 15, 2016, an eighth studio album, '' All Things Work Together'', on September 22, 2017, and a ninth studio album, '' Let the Trap Say Amen'', a collaborative project with Zaytoven, on June 22, 2018. His tenth studio album, '' Restoration'', was released on August 21, 2020. Lecrae received nominations for Artist of the Year at the 43rd, 44th, 45th, and 46th GMA Dove Awards, the last of which he won, and for Best Gospel Artist at the
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and
2015 BET Awards The 15th BET Awards was held at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, California on June 28, 2015 and was televised on BET. This year marked the ceremony's 15th anniversary and the milestone was celebrated throughout the show, which was hosted by ...
, the latter of which he won, a first for a rap artist. Lecrae's filmography includes a role in the television film ''A Cross to Bear'' (2012) and brief roles in the comedy film '' Believe Me'' (2014), crime film '' Superfly'' (2018), and Christian drama film ''
Breakthrough Breakthrough or break through may refer to: Arts Books * ''Break Through'' (book), a 2007 book about environmentalism by Ted Nordhaus and Michael Shellenberger * ''Break Through'' (play), a 2011 episodic play portraying scenes from LGBT life * ...
'' (2019). In the social sphere, Lecrae has presented on and written about racial tension and injustice in the United States as well as advocated for the preservation of responsibility and fatherhood as a value among men in the United States. In 2013 he partnered with
Dwyane Wade Dwyane Tyrone Wade Jr. (; born January 17, 1982) is an American former professional basketball player. Wade spent the majority of his 16-year career playing for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and won three NBA champi ...
and Joshua DuBois in the multimedia initiative ''This Is Fatherhood'' as part of the
Obama administration Barack Obama's tenure as the 44th president of the United States began with his first inauguration on January 20, 2009, and ended on January 20, 2017. A Democrat from Illinois, Obama took office following a decisive victory over Republican ...
's Fatherhood and Mentoring Initiative, and in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic worked with Love Beyond Walls to distribute hand-washing stations and food to homeless people in Atlanta.


Life and career


Early life

Lecrae was raised by his single mother in a poor neighborhood in southern Houston. Shortly after his birth, he moved to Denver, away from his Drug addiction father, then to San Diego. At the age of 6, he was sexually abused by his babysitter. As a teenager, his role models were the rapper Tupac Shakur and his uncle, a member of a street gang. Jonathan Landrum Jr.
Christian rapper Lecrae opens up about troubled past in book
seattletimes.com, USA, May 12, 2016
At age 16, he began using
drugs A drug is any chemical substance that causes a change in an organism's physiology or psychology when consumed. Drugs are typically distinguished from food and substances that provide nutritional support. Consumption of drugs can be via inhalat ...
, tasting almost every substance except crack and
heroin Heroin, also known as diacetylmorphine and diamorphine among other names, is a potent opioid mainly used as a recreational drug for its euphoric effects. Medical grade diamorphine is used as a pure hydrochloride salt. Various white and brow ...
. He starts stealing in high school and dealing drugs, using his grandmother's Bible as lucky charm. Steve Almasy,
For the rapper, a new life, a new message
cnn.com, USA, November 10, 2010
He is arrested for possession of drugs, but the policeman who arrests him discovers his Bible and makes him promise that if he lets him go he will live according to his principles from now on. Subsequently, he begins a
rehab Rehabilitation or Rehab may refer to: Health * Rehabilitation (neuropsychology), therapy to regain or improve neurocognitive function that has been lost or diminished * Rehabilitation (wildlife), treatment of injured wildlife so they can be retur ...
. He drops drugs but replaces them with alcohol and throwing parties. He receives a scholarship and goes to study theater at the University of North Texas but does music instead of going to his classes. He dropped out of his program and went to Middle Tennessee State University. At 19, he goes to a Bible study after being invited by a girl from college. He is amazed to see people like him there, who like the same books and the same music, but who were loving. He decides to live for God, but still makes bad decisions. Following a friend's invitation, he attends a Christian conference in Atlanta and is impressed by the performance of a Christian rap group, The Cross Movement. He is also touched by a clear presentation of the gospel by Pastor James White (Christ Our King Community Church), asks forgiveness for his sins and claims to have experienced a new birth. Subsequently, he is the victim of a car accident and comes out unscathed. He returned to the University of North Texas and earned a degree in Sociology and Electronic Media in 2003. That same year, in a Bible study meeting at Denton Bible Church in Denton, Texas there, he met Ben Washer, with whom he would volunteer and sing in a juvenile correctional facility. Young people's positive response to Christian rap encourages them to start a label.


Early career (2004–2011)

In 2004, five years after his conversion, Lecrae teamed up with Ben Washer to found Reach Records, and at the age of 25 he released his first album, '' Real Talk''. The following year it was re-released by
Cross Movement Records Cross Movement Records is an American-based Christian hip hop record label founded by The Cross Movement. CMR, founded in 1997, had an agreement with BEC Recordings. In 2005 they made a license agreement with Reach Records' Lecrae. CMR was to ...
and reached No. 29 on the ''Billboard'' Gospel Albums chart, staying on the chart for 12 weeks. The album later received a nomination at the 2007 Stellar Awards. In 2005, Lecrae co-founded the non-profit organization ReachLife Ministries (no longer operational since April 2015), which equipped local Christian leaders with tools, media, curriculum, and conferences that were based on the teachings of the Bible and relevant to hip-hop culture. Also in 2005, the debut album of 116 Clique, '' The Compilation Album'', was released. After the success of ''Real Talk'', Lecrae then released his second studio album on August 15, 2006. ''After the Music Stops'' charted at No. 5 on the ''Billboard'' Gospel Albums chart, No. 7 on the ''Billboard'' Christian Albums chart and No. 16 on the ''Billboard'' Heatseeker Album charts, and received a nomination for a
Dove Award A Dove Award is an accolade by the Gospel Music Association (GMA) of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the Christian music industry. The awards are presented annually. Formerly held in Nashville, Tennessee, the Dove Awards ...
, as was the single "
Jesus Muzik "Jesus Muzik" is the second single from Lecrae's second studio album, ''After the Music Stops''. It is critically acclaimed and was nominated for two GMA Dove Awards.
", featuring Trip Lee. In 2007, 116 Clique released its second album, ''
13 Letters ''13 Letters'' is the second compilation album by the Christian hip hop group 116 Clique. It charted at No. 29 on the ''Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor adve ...
'', reaching No. 10 on the Gospel Albums chart and No. 29 on the Christian Albums chart. 116 Clique also released the
remix EP A remix album is an album consisting of remixes or rerecorded versions of an artist's earlier released material. The first act who employed the format was American singer-songwriter Harry Nilsson (''Aerial Pandemonium Ballet'', 1971). As of 200 ...
'' Amped'', which peaked at No. 24 on the Gospel Albums chart. On October 8, 2008, Lecrae's third album, '' Rebel'', entered the ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
'' charts at No. 60 with 9,800 units sold and topped the ''Billboard'' Gospel Album charts for two weeks, the first hip-hop album to do so. It also charted at No. 2 on the Christian Albums chart and No. 15 on the Top Independent charts. In 2009, the album received a nomination at the 40th Dove Awards, as did the Flame song "Joyful Noise", which featured Lecrae and John Reilly. 2009 also saw Lecrae's first film role, when he appeared in the documentary ''Uprise Presents: Word from the Street'' by the UK-based TV channel OHTV. In 2009, he moved to Atlanta and he helped establish Blueprint Church (
Southern Baptist Convention The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) is a Christian denomination based in the United States. It is the world's largest Baptist denomination, and the largest Protestant and second-largest Christian denomination in the United States. The wor ...
). On February 5, 2010, Lecrae released a charity single entitled "Far Away", a tribute to the victims of the
2010 Haiti earthquake A disaster, catastrophic Moment magnitude scale, magnitude 7.0 Mw earthquake struck Haiti at 16:53 local time (21:53 UTC) on Tuesday, 12 January 2010. The epicenter was near the town of Léogâne, Ouest (department), Ouest department, a ...
. Lecrae promised that all proceeds from the single's sales would go directly to the Haiti relief effort. On July 7, Lecrae announced on the Reach Records website that the title of his new album would be ''
Rehab Rehabilitation or Rehab may refer to: Health * Rehabilitation (neuropsychology), therapy to regain or improve neurocognitive function that has been lost or diminished * Rehabilitation (wildlife), treatment of injured wildlife so they can be retur ...
''. On August 5, 2010, Rapzilla shared a new song from Lecrae called "Amp It Up". Lecrae subsequently clarified on his Twitter account that the song was not a single from ''Rehab'', but rather a theme song for Kanakuk Kamps, a chain of Christian camps for which he writes songs annually. On August 31, 2010, Reach Records revealed the track list for ''Rehab'', released it for pre-order, and premiered a promotional video "Idols". A second promotional video, entitled "I Am Dust", debuted on September 9, 2010. Upon its release, ''Rehab'' hit No. 16 on the ''Billboard'' 200 chart, making it one of the highest selling Christian hip hop albums at that time. On September 22, 2010, Rapzilla reported that the ''Rehab'' packaging came with an advertisement encouraging buyers to purchase another upcoming album, '' Rehab: The Overdose'', which saw release on January 11, 2011. It included 11 new songs and featured several other Christian artists such as Thi'sl and Swoope. ''Rehab: The Overdose'' debuted at No. 15 on the ''Billboard'' 200. On August 29, 2011, Lecrae announced through Twitter that on September 27, 2011, he would release a special edition of ''Rehab'', entitled ''Rehab: Deluxe Edition''. On the same day, 116 Clique released their fourth album, entitled ''Man Up''. On September 7, 2011, Rapzilla announced that Lecrae would be featured on the BET Hip Hop Awards Cypher on October 11, 2011. Lecrae gained popularity after his verse on the cypher trended nationwide on Twitter and was featured on AllHipHop. Lecrae then appeared as a feature on Statik Selektah's song "Live and Let Live" from his '' Population Control'' album.


Mainstream breakthrough (2012–2016)

On February 16, 2012, Rapzilla announced that Lecrae was preparing to release his first mixtape, '' Church Clothes''. On May 3, 2012, Lecrae premiered his music video for the title track of his ''Church Clothes'' mixtape online on '' XXL''. The video was noted for including cameos by Kendrick Lamar and DJ Premier, and attracted almost 20,000 views in less than a day. Hosted by Don Cannon, the mixtape featured the song ''Darkest Hour'', in which Lecrae collaborated with No Malice of
Clipse Clipse, also known as The Clipse, is an American hip hop duo, chiefly active from 1994 to 2010. It consists of brothers Gene "No Malice" and Terrence "Pusha T" Thornton. Pusha T was known as Terrar during the group's early years, while No Mal ...
. ''Church Clothes'' was downloaded more than 100,000 times in less than 48 hours on DatPiff.com, and in less than a month reached 250,000 downloads, a platinum rating on the website. On June 25, 2012, a remastered version of the mixtape, without DJ Don Cannon, was released as an EP for sale on
iTunes iTunes () is a software program that acts as a media player, media library, mobile device management utility, and the client app for the iTunes Store. Developed by Apple Inc., it is used to purchase, play, download, and organize digital mul ...
. Due to issues with sampling, this version was much shorter with only seven songs. Upon its release, the EP debuted on the ''Billboard'' charts at No. 10 on both the Christian Albums and Gospel Albums charts for the week of July 14, 2012. On April 27, Lecrae announced that his next album, '' Gravity'', was to be released in late 2012, and recording sessions began in May. On June 21, 2012, Lecrae appeared live at the Apple Store in Chicago for Black Music Month. The release date for ''Gravity'', September 4, 2012, as well as the album artwork was announced on July 19, 2012, via Rapzilla. On August 30, 2012, the rapper
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announced that Lecrae would be one of the featured artists on his upcoming album '' The Greatest Story Never Told Chapter 2: Bread and Circuses'', due November 6, 2012. ''Gravity'' was released on September 4, 2012, to critical acclaim. Upon its release, ''Gravity'' debuted at No. 3 on the ''Billboard'' 200, with 72,000 units sold. The album also debuted at No. 1 on the Christian, Gospel, Independent, and Rap Album charts, No. 3 on the Digital Albums chart, and 24 on the
Canadian Albums Chart The Canadian Albums Chart is the official album sales chart in Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocea ...
. After the iTunes deluxe version of the album hit No. 1 on that vendors charts, and the regular version at number No. 2, '' Time'' wrote an article about Lecrae and his success with the album. On November 7, 2013, Lecrae released his second mixtape, entitled ''
Church Clothes Vol. 2 ''Church Clothes 2'', officially ''Church Clothes, Vol. 2'', is the second mixtape by Christian hip hop artist Lecrae, released on November 7, 2013 by Reach Records. Hosted by Don Cannon, it follows Lecrae's previous mixtape, ''Church Clothes'', ...
'', hosted once again by Don Cannon. The mixtape debuted at No. 21 on the ''Billboard'' 200, No. 1 on the ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
'' Christian Albums and Gospel Albums charts, and No. 3 on the
Rap Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a music chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales in the United States and is compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The chart debuted as Hot R&B LPs in the issue dated Jan ...
chart. On Datpiff.com, the album was download over 146,000 times by November 26, 2013. On June 3, 2014, Lecrae announced through social media that his seventh studio album would be titled ''
Anomaly Anomaly may refer to: Science Natural *Anomaly (natural sciences) ** Atmospheric anomaly ** Geophysical anomaly Medical * Congenital anomaly (birth defect), a disorder present at birth ** Physical anomaly, a deformation of an anatomical struct ...
''. The album released on September 9, 2014. It is supported by the single "Nuthin". It debuted at No. 1 on the '' Billboard 200'' with over 88,000 copies sold through the first week. It is the first time an album tops both the ''Billboard'' 200 and the Gospel Albums chart. Lecrae also became the fifth artist following Chris Tomlin (2013), TobyMac (2012),
LeAnn Rimes Margaret LeAnn Rimes Cibrian (born August 28, 1982) is an American singer, songwriter and actress. She originally rose to success as a country music artist at age 13 with 1996's "Blue". She has since crossed over into pop, contemporary Chris ...
(1997) and Bob Carlisle (1997) to score a number one album on both Christian Albums and the ''Billboard'' 200. ''Anomaly'' also marks the sixth time that Lecrae topped the Gospel Albums chart and the fifth time he topped the Christian Albums chart. In its second week of sales, the album sold 31,000 copies, bringing the total to 120,000 copies sold. In its third week of sales, the album sold another 17,000 copies, bringing the total to 137,000 copies. ''Anomaly'' went on to sell over 500,000 copies, and was certified Gold by the
RIAA The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
on August 26, 2016. As a reward to fans for their support in helping his album go No. 1 on ''Billboard'', Lecrae released a new song, "Non-Fiction", as a free download on September 17. The song was subsequently released on October 21, 2014, in the iTunes store. The single "All I Need Is You" from the album was nominated for Best Rap Performance at the
57th Annual Grammy Awards The 57th Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 8, 2015, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. The show was broadcast live by CBS at 5:00 p.m. PST ( UTC−8). Rapper LL Cool J hosted the show for the fourth consecutive time ...
, and on June 12, 2019, the song was certified Gold by the RIAA. To promote ''Anomaly'', on September 18, 2014, Lecrae appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, performing alongside
The Roots The Roots are an American hip hop band formed in 1987 by Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter and Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. The Roots serve as the house band on NBC's ''The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy F ...
, the program's
house band A house band is a group of musicians, often centrally organized by a band leader, who regularly play at an establishment. It is widely used to refer both to the bands who work on entertainment programs on television or radio, and to bands which ...
. He made a subsequent appearance the following year, on January 9, 2015, this time as a featured performer. On January 15, 2016, Lecrae released his third mixtape '' Church Clothes 3''. The mixtape debuted at No. 12 on the ''Billboard'' 200 and No. 1 on the Christian, Rap, and Independent charts, selling some 29,207 units.


Signing with Columbia and ''Restoration'' (2016–present)

In August 2015, Lecrae announced an upcoming memoir titled ''Unashamed'', which on May 3, 2016, was published through B&H Publishing Group, a subsidiary of LifeWay Christian Resources. It opened at No. 19 on The New York Times Best Seller list. In May 2016, Lecrae signed to
Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music, Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese Conglomerate (company), conglomerate Sony. It was founded on Janua ...
, which will release future recordings in conjunction with Reach. Lecrae explained that he signed this deal in order to increase the international audience for Reach, since his label peaked nationally with the release of ''Anomaly''. In September 2016, Reach Records announced Lecrae's upcoming tour schedule, The Destination Tour (You're Accepted), which ran through October and November. On October 21, 2016, Lecrae released the single "Can't Stop Me Now (Destination)", the lead single from his upcoming studio album. On January 27, 2017, he released the second single "Blessings", featuring Ty Dolla Sign. Lecrae followed this up with the third single "
I'll Find You "I'll Find You" is a song by American Christian hip hop recording artist Lecrae, featuring American singer and songwriter Tori Kelly. It was written by Lecrae, Kelly, Natalie Sims, Sasha Sloan, John Mitchell, DJ Frank E and Danny Majic, with pro ...
", featuring
Tori Kelly Victoria Loren Kelly (born December 14, 1992) is an American singer-songwriter, and voice actress. She first gained recognition after posting videos on YouTube as a teenager, and made it through to Hollywood week on the ninth season of ''Americ ...
, on June 8, 2017. Then, on June 23, 2017, he released a promotional single "Hammer Time", featuring 1K Phew. On August 7, 2017, Lecrae announced his eighth studio album, '' All Things Work Together'', his major label debut. The album was released on September 22, 2017. "Blessings" went on to be certified Gold on April 30, 2019, and "I'll Find You" was certified Platinum on February 26, 2020. On May 24, 2018, he announced in a DJ Booth editorial that he and producer Zaytoven would release a collaborative album called '' Let the Trap Say Amen''. The album was released on June 22, 2018. In December 2019, the Atlanta Hawks accidentally leaked information about a new Lecrae album coming March 2020 when they posted about a Lecrae performance—also in March—that included information about the album: ''Restoration''. In an interview with Black Enterprise, Lecrae said that he is excited to put out some healing music, that there is always "hope, healing, and restoration available if you seek it". In the same interview, Lecrae discussed his forthcoming second book, ''I Am Restored: How I Lost My Religion but Found My Faith'', which will be a follow up to his first book ''Unashamed''. ''I Am Restored'' will release October 13, 2020. The first single to ''Restoration'', "Set Me Free", featuring YK Osiris, and the accompanying music video, was released on March 20, 2020. In May 2020, Lecrae left Columbia, and stated that this would give him more artistic freedom and control. '' Restoration'' was released on August 21, 2020. On December 3, 2021, Lecrae released ''No Church In a While'', a ten-track collaboration album with 1K Phew.


Influences and musical style

Lecrae's musical genre is predominantly Southern hip hop and has been described as falling under the styles of crunk,
gangsta rap Gangsta rap or gangster rap, initially called reality rap, emerged in the mid- to late 1980s as a controversial hip-hop subgenre whose lyrics assert the culture and values typical of American street gangs and street hustlers. Many gangsta rappe ...
, and hardcore hip hop. On his third release, '' Rebel'', Lecrae slowed down his style on many songs. ''
Rehab Rehabilitation or Rehab may refer to: Health * Rehabilitation (neuropsychology), therapy to regain or improve neurocognitive function that has been lost or diminished * Rehabilitation (wildlife), treatment of injured wildlife so they can be retur ...
'' was noted for its stylistic diversity, particularly on the song "Children of the Light", which featured Dillavou and Sonny Sandoval and incorporated rock, and reggae influences. With the release '' Gravity'', ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
'' described Lecrae as incorporating reggae and soul influences into his "signature brash sound." ''Let the Trap Say Amen'' blended Lecrae's spiritual lyrics with Zaytoven's
trap A trap is a mechanical device used to capture or restrain an animal for purposes such as hunting, pest control, or ecological research. Trap or TRAP may also refer to: Art and entertainment Films and television * ''Trap'' (2015 film), Fil ...
-style production. Regarding which musical artists have influenced him, Lecrae, in an interview with '' Essence'', cited Tupac, Nas, DJ Quik, Scarface, and The Cross Movement. In an interview with '' The Christian Post'', Lecrae listed his top favorite five hip hop artists as Tupac, Nas, The Ambassador,
Snoop Dogg Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. (born October 20, 1971), known professionally as Snoop Dogg (previously Snoop Doggy Dogg and briefly Snoop Lion), is an American rapper. His fame dates back to 1992 when he featured on Dr. Dre's debut solo single, " ...
, and
Jay Z Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one of ...
, though he admires Jay-Z for his business approach rather than his music. Lecrae also names Outkast and Lauryn Hill as major influences, particularly their albums '' Aquemini'' and '' The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill'', respectively. He considers Hill's song "Adam Lives in Theory" the top song that nourishes him spiritually. In the song "Non-Fiction", he lists the
Tunnel Rats The tunnel rats were American, Australian, New Zealander, and South Vietnamese soldiers who performed underground search and destroy missions during the Vietnam War. Later, similar teams were used by the Soviet Army during the Soviet–Afghan ...
alongside The Cross Movement as an influence when he was newly converted to Christianity. Theologically, Lecrae follows the Reformed tradition and is considered an influential figure in the New Calvinist movement. He cites Tommy Nelson,
John MacArthur John MacArthur or Macarthur may refer to: *J. Roderick MacArthur (1920–1984), American businessman *John MacArthur (American pastor) (born 1939), American evangelical minister, televangelist, and author * John Macarthur (priest), 20th-century pro ...
, and John Piper, among others, as early influences on his Christian faith, and Lecrae even titled one of his songs, "Don't Waste Your Life", after the book of the same name by Piper. Lecrae explains that through Nelson, MacArthur, and Piper, he subsequently discovered Charles Spurgeon,
John Calvin John Calvin (; frm, Jehan Cauvin; french: link=no, Jean Calvin ; 10 July 150927 May 1564) was a French theologian, pastor and reformer in Geneva during the Protestant Reformation. He was a principal figure in the development of the system ...
, and Francis Schaeffer, the last of whom Lecrae calls his "personal hero". Other theologians cited by Lecrae include
Tim Keller Timothy Keller may refer to: * Tim Keller (pastor) (1950–2023), American Christian pastor, author and speaker * Tim Keller (politician) (born 1977), American politician and mayor of Albuquerque See also *Keller (surname) Keller is a surname ...
, Andy Crouch, Randy Alcorn, and
Abraham Kuyper Abraham Kuyper (; ; 29 October 1837 – 8 November 1920) was the Prime Minister of the Netherlands between 1901 and 1905, an influential neo-Calvinist theologian and a journalist. He established the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands, which upo ...
. He also looks to Martin Luther King Jr. for inspiration on working out faith in application to social issues. According to ''
Miami New Times The ''Miami New Times'' is a newspaper published in Miami, Florida, United States, and distributed every Thursday. It primarily serves the Miami area and is headquartered in Miami's Wynwood Art District. Overview It was acquired by Village Voic ...
'', he frequently tells the press: "My music is not Christian, Lecrae is." He continues: "I think Christian is a wonderful noun, but a terrible adjective. Are there Christian shoes, Christian clothes, Christian plumbers, Christian pipes? I think if you're going to, you should label it hip-hop... hip-hop is a particular poetic style. Labeling it with the faith assumes that the song is going to be some kind of sermon, but there's a lot of social and political things that I don't think make it gospel or Christian music." He also stated, "I like to wrap my mind around a total situation. I'm a social anthropologist. If I never been homeless, let me try to be homeless for a week and soak up that information. More like a method actor. So for me it's spending time with people and talking about things from their perspective."


Popular culture

Brooklyn Nets guard
Jeremy Lin Jeremy Shu-How Lin (born August 23, 1988) is a Taiwanese-American professional basketball player who last played for the Guangzhou Loong Lions of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA). He unexpectedly led a winning turnaround with the Ne ...
recommended Lecrae and Hillsong in an interview when asked about his pre-game music. Former NFL quarterback Tim Tebow and professional wrestler Ezekiel Jackson have also endorsed Lecrae. During March 2014, Lecrae signed a ten-day contract with the Atlanta Hawks, and on April 4, 2014, he performed live at Philips Arena after the Hawks game. "Dum Dum", a song by Tedashii featuring Lecrae, was used on an episode of '' So You Think You Can Dance''. Lecrae also created the theme song for a new ESPN ''
SportsCenter ''SportsCenter'' (SC) is a daily sports news television show, television program that serves as the flagship program and brand of United States, American cable television, cable and satellite television television network, network ESPN. The show ...
'' block called "Coast to Coast".


Social activism

In 2011, 116 Clique and ReachLife Ministries, both headed by Lecrae, launched a media campaign entitled ''Man Up'', intended to mentor male urban youths on fatherhood and biblical manhood. It features concert tours and a curriculum centered on a short film and a studio album, both titled ''Man Up'', and since 2012 has also featured a string of conference events. In May 2013, Lecrae partnered with
NBA The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United St ...
player
Dwyane Wade Dwyane Tyrone Wade Jr. (; born January 17, 1982) is an American former professional basketball player. Wade spent the majority of his 16-year career playing for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and won three NBA champi ...
, filmmaker Art Hooker, and Joshua DuBois, the former head of the Office of Faith Based and Neighborhood Partnerships under the
Obama administration Barack Obama's tenure as the 44th president of the United States began with his first inauguration on January 20, 2009, and ended on January 20, 2017. A Democrat from Illinois, Obama took office following a decisive victory over Republican ...
, to create the national media campaign ''This Is Fatherhood'', an initiative "devoted to restoring America's commitment to healthy fatherhood." The campaign began on May 1 with a "This is Fatherhood Challenge", in which contestants could submit videos, songs, and essays about fatherhood through June 10. The winners received cash prizes and a trip to Washington, D.C., for a ceremony on Father's Day. In addition, Lecrae offered studio time and mentoring to the grand prize winner. Lecrae, Wade, DuBois,
Jay Z Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one of ...
, and U.S. President Barack Obama all made appearances in the campaign's promotional public service announcements. Lecrae has also contributed op-ed articles to ''Billboard'' dealing with race relations in the United States, including the 2014 Ferguson unrest, 2015
Charleston church shooting On June 17, 2015, a mass shooting occurred in Charleston, South Carolina, in which nine African Americans were killed during a Bible study at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church. Among those people who were killed was the senior past ...
, and 2016 shootings of Alton Stirling,
Philando Castile On July 6, 2016, Philando Castile, a 32-year-old African-American man, was fatally shot during a traffic stop by police officer Jeronimo Yanez of the St. Anthony police department in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area. Castile was ...
, and five Dallas police officers. In these articles, Lecrae has called for understanding and empathy across racial divides and willingness to listen to the oppressed, and also pointed out the need for spiritual healing through Jesus Christ. In mid 2016, Lecrae did a talk about racial reconciliation at Yale University, titled "Knowledge through Narrative: Bridging the Racial Divide in America". He also spoke on hip hop culture at a Nashville TEDx conference, decrying the misogyny and violence rampant in much of hip hop's lyrics but advocating for hip hop to be used as an agent for social change. At the 2016 BET Hip Hop Awards, Lecrae performed an original composition addressing racial injustice in the United States, referencing the shooting of Philando Castile. In March 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Lecrae worked with a local non-profit, Love Beyond Walls, to distribute hand-washing stations and food to homeless people in Atlanta. He also wrote an essay for ''Billboard'' in which he discussed the need for humane behavior in the midst of widespread social panic due to the outbreak. After the murder of George Floyd, Lecrae was inspired to write "Deep End", which was a late addition to ''Restoration''.


Other business ventures

Lecrae has partnered with Oust Labs to be an investor and co-owner of the audio production software MXD, which was founded by Jacob "Biz" Morris. In 2020, Lecrae teamed up with Adam Thomason to found the film production studio 3 Strand Films. He is a venture partner in Collab Capital, and has participated in several real estate ventures, including Invest Atlanta and Peace Preparatory Academy, intended to revitalize
English Avenue English Avenue and Vine City are two adjacent and closely linked neighborhoods of Atlanta, Georgia. Together the neighborhoods make up neighborhood planning unit L. The two neighborhoods are frequently cited together in reference to shared ...
.


Personal life

Lecrae currently resides in Atlanta since relocating there from Memphis in 2009, and is married to Darragh Moore. The couple have three children together. In an interview with HipHopDX, Lecrae stated that
Clipse Clipse, also known as The Clipse, is an American hip hop duo, chiefly active from 1994 to 2010. It consists of brothers Gene "No Malice" and Terrence "Pusha T" Thornton. Pusha T was known as Terrar during the group's early years, while No Mal ...
member No Malice sought him out as a spiritual advisor. On October 20, 2016, Lecrae wrote in '' The Huffington Post'' that he has been struggling with depression and doubt, which was partly caused by the backlash he received from many American evangelicals who are critical of his public stance on race-related issues. On August 14, 2020, Lecrae posted a video on his YouTube channel that includes footage of him re-connecting with his long-absent father who now resides in San Diego.


Discography

* '' Real Talk'' (2004) * ''
After the Music Stops ''After the Music Stops'' is the second studio album released by Christian rap artist Lecrae on September 24, 2006. The album received a Stellar Awards, Stellar Award nomination for "Rap/Hip-Hop/Gospel CD of the Year" and a Dove Award nomination ...
'' (2006) * '' Rebel'' (2008) * ''
Rehab Rehabilitation or Rehab may refer to: Health * Rehabilitation (neuropsychology), therapy to regain or improve neurocognitive function that has been lost or diminished * Rehabilitation (wildlife), treatment of injured wildlife so they can be retur ...
'' (2010) * '' Rehab: The Overdose'' (2011) * '' Gravity'' (2012) * ''
Anomaly Anomaly may refer to: Science Natural *Anomaly (natural sciences) ** Atmospheric anomaly ** Geophysical anomaly Medical * Congenital anomaly (birth defect), a disorder present at birth ** Physical anomaly, a deformation of an anatomical struct ...
'' (2014) * '' All Things Work Together'' (2017) * '' Let the Trap Say Amen'' (with Zaytoven) (2018) * '' Restoration'' (2020) * ''No Church In a While'' (with 1k Phew) (2021)


Production discography

* Self-release – '' Real Talk'' (2004) - Executive producer with John K. Wells, Ben Washer, and Chris Carreker ** 01. "Souled Out" ** 02. "We Don't" ** 03. "Aliens" ** 05. "Represent" ** 07. "Take Me As I Am" ** 09. "Nothin'" ** 11. "Who U WIt" ** 13. "Wait Intro" ** 14. "Wait" *
Json JSON (JavaScript Object Notation, pronounced ; also ) is an open standard file format and data interchange format that uses human-readable text to store and transmit data objects consisting of attribute–value pairs and arrays (or other ser ...
– ''The Seasoning'' (2005) - co-produced with So Hot Productions and C.I. * Self-release – ''
After the Music Stops ''After the Music Stops'' is the second studio album released by Christian rap artist Lecrae on September 24, 2006. The album received a Stellar Awards, Stellar Award nomination for "Rap/Hip-Hop/Gospel CD of the Year" and a Dove Award nomination ...
'' (2006) ** 10. "The King" ** 16. "Unashamed" * Trip Lee – '' If They Only Knew'' (2006) - co-produced with DJ Official, Tony Stone, Mac the Doulous, So Hot Productions * Tedashii – '' Kingdom People'' (2006) - Executive producer with Ben Washer ** 02. "Houston We Have a Problem" ** 04. "Off Da Hook" ** 09. "Lifestyle" ** 15. "No More" ** 19. "In Ya Hood (Cypha Remix)" * Sho Baraka – ''
Turn My Life Up "Turn My Life Up" is the first studio album of the Christian rap artist, Sho Baraka. It was released through Reach Records and peaked at No. 43 on the ''Billboard'' Gospel album charts. Reception WitWize of Rapzilla had the following to say ...
'' (2007) - co-produced with Bobby Taylor, DJ Official, BenJah, and So Hot Productions * Self-release – '' Rebel'' (2008) ** 09. "Change" * Self-release – '' Gravity'' (2012) - Executive producer * Self-release – ''
Anomaly Anomaly may refer to: Science Natural *Anomaly (natural sciences) ** Atmospheric anomaly ** Geophysical anomaly Medical * Congenital anomaly (birth defect), a disorder present at birth ** Physical anomaly, a deformation of an anatomical struct ...
'' (2014) - Executive producer * ''
Church Clothes 4 ''Church Clothes 4'' is a 2022 mixtape from Christian hip hop artist Lecrae, released on November 4 through his own label Reach Records. It constitutes the final installment of his ''Church Clothes'' mixtape series begun in 2012. It includes featu ...
'' (2022) ** 10. "
Fear Not ''Fear Not'' is a studio album by contemporary worship band Fearless BND. It was released on June 26, 2020 by Fearless International and BEC Recordings BEC (Brandon Ebel Company) Recordings is a Christian rock record label that is an imprint o ...
" - co-produced with Juberlee, CuBeatz, Vinnyforgood, and Luis Bacqué


Filmography


Books

* ''Unashamed'' (B&H Books, May 3, 2016) * ''I Am Restored: How I Lost My Religion but Found My Faith'' (October 13, 2020)


Awards and nominations

In 2016, he received an honorary doctorate in music from the Canada Christian College of Whitby (Ontario) for his commitment to sharing a message of hope with disadvantaged young people. Lecrae has won many music awards over the space of his career, including two Grammy Awards and eight
Dove Award A Dove Award is an accolade by the Gospel Music Association (GMA) of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the Christian music industry. The awards are presented annually. Formerly held in Nashville, Tennessee, the Dove Awards ...
s. In 2013, he became the first hip hop artist to win the Grammy Award for Best Gospel Album, which was awarded to his sixth album, '' Gravity'', and in 2015 became the first rapper to win the
BET Award for Best Gospel Artist The BET Awards Dr. Bobby Jones Best Gospel/Inspirational Award is given to an urban contemporary gospel artist. The winner is determined based on sales and overall quality of content released within the eligibility period. The award was originally ...
.


See also

*


References


External links


Lecrae's Artist PageLecrae's Story
{{Good article 1979 births Living people 20th-century American writers 20th-century Calvinist and Reformed Christians 21st-century Calvinist and Reformed Christians African-American activists African-American Christians African-American male rappers African-American poets American male poets African-American record producers American Calvinist and Reformed Christians American Christian writers American hip hop record producers American music industry executives Businesspeople from California Businesspeople from Georgia (U.S. state) Businesspeople from Tennessee Businesspeople from Texas Calvinist and Reformed writers Columbia Records artists Cross Movement Records Grammy Award winners Hip hop activists Male actors from Atlanta American performers of Christian hip hop music Poets from California Poets from Georgia (U.S. state) Poets from Tennessee Rappers from Atlanta Rappers from Houston Rappers from Memphis, Tennessee Reach Records Reach Records artists Southern hip hop musicians University of North Texas alumni West Coast hip hop musicians 21st-century American rappers Record producers from Texas Articles containing video clips African-American investors American venture capitalists Film producers from Georgia