Lecrae
Lecrae | |
---|---|
![]() Lecrae (left) and Akon (right) at the 2013 Billboard Music Awards | |
Background information | |
Birth name | Lecrae Devaughn Moore |
Born | Houston, Texas, U.S. | October 9, 1979
Genres | Christian hip hop |
Occupation(s) | Rapper, songwriter, record producer, actor, entrepreneur |
Years active | 2004–present |
Labels | Reach, Cross Movement |
Website | www |
Lecrae Devaughn Moore (born October 9, 1979), mononymously known as Lecrae, is an American Christian rapper, songwriter, record producer and actor. He is the president, co-owner and co-founder of the independent record label Reach Records, and the co-founder and president of the non-profit organization ReachLife Ministries. To date, he has released seven studio albums and two mixtapes as a solo artist, and has released three studio albums, a remix album, and one EP as the leader of the rap group 116 Clique. He produced much of his earlier material along with other early Reach Records releases. Moore, in reference to his label as a Christian rapper, has stated that his music is just hip-hop, though it reflects his Christian faith.
Moore debuted with Real Talk 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 followed in 2010, and Moore 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, Moore released his first mixtape, Church Clothes, which was hosted by DJ Don Cannon.[1] 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 it along with Church Clothes have been called the most important albums in Christian hip hop history.[2][3] The album debuted as the number one bestselling album on the overall iTunes chart,[4] No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and won the Grammy Award for Best Gospel Album at the 2013 Grammy Awards, marking the first time that a hip hop artist received this award. On November 7, 2013, Moore released his second mixtape, Church Clothes 2. Lecrae's seventh album, Anomaly, was released on September 9, 2014.[5] It debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with 88,587 copies sold through the first week,[6] the first album to top both the 200 and the Gospel chart simultaneously.[7]
Moore received nominations for Artist of the Year at the 43rd, 44th, and 45th GMA Dove Awards, and for Best Gospel Artist at the 2013 BET Awards. His work has received five Grammy Award nominations, two of which he won, three Billboard Music Award nominations, two of which are pending, fourteen Dove Award nominations, four of which he won, four Stellar Award nominations, one of which he won, two Soul Train Music Award nominations, one of which he one, and one BET Hip Hop Awards nomination. Moore's filmography include a role in the television film A Cross to Bear and a brief role as Dr. Malmquist in the comedy film Believe Me, released September 26, 2014. In the social sphere, Moore has advocated for the preservation of responsibility and fatherhood as a value among men in the United States, and in 2013 partnered with Dwyane Wade and Joshua DuBois in the multimedia initiative This Is Fatherhood as part of the Obama administration's Fatherhood and Mentoring Initiative.
Life and career
Early life
Born and raised by his single mother in Southern Houston, Texas, Moore moved often early in life, living in San Diego, Denver, and Dallas. He has stated that he would go to church with his Christian grandmother, but considered it for "older people" and said it "wasn't for me."[8] Lecrae never met his father, who ended up becoming a drug addict. In the song "Good, Bad, Ugly", Moore reveals that when he was almost eight, a female baby sitter sexually molested him, an incident which Moore believes distorted his view of sexuality, influencing his later promiscuous lifestyle.[9] Experiencing abuse and neglect during his childhood, Moore used his ability to rap as a source of significance. According to Moore, his grandmother would not allow him to watch rap music videos on television, but he would sneak in late at night. It was in these videos that Moore found individuals to look up to. Moore states that "there were no Martin Luther Kings or Malcolm Xs, they had all passed away so I had Tupac." After being shown a gun by his uncle, Moore began looking up to gangsters and turned to a life of crime. Moore remembers taking a BB gun and standing in the street pointing it to a car, frightening the female driver, simply for fun. At the age of 16, he started taking drugs, fighting, was arrested in high school for stealing, and eventually ended up on a gang list.[8] Moore tried "pretty much every drug there was to try" except for heroin and crack cocaine.[10]
According to CNN, he became a drug dealer and used the Bible that his grandmother gave him as a good luck charm.[11] After being arrested for drug possession, the officer saw the Bible and let Moore go on a promise that he would agree to live by it.[11] He eventually turned from drugs to alcohol consumption and a party lifestyle and became a "misfit of a person."[8] He has described himself during this period as a thrill-seeker, he would pull stunts such as jumping from a third-story building, and gained the nickname "Crazy 'Crae".[10] Encouraged by his concerned mother to read his Bible, Moore said that "I remember ripping the pages out of the Bible and throwing it on the floor. I don't want this Bible. I couldn't wrap my hands around this being true or real." He began to drink and smoke more and look for more women "as the emptiness became more profound."[8] At age 17, his personal, financial, and relationship troubles convinced him that he was at a "dead end."[10][12] Wanting to do what he considered the mature thing, through the influence of his grandmother, he desired to start attending church.[12] A girl Moore attended high school with was there, and she invited him to a Bible study, where he met Darragh, his future wife.[12] Moore was surprised to find that the members of the Bible study "were just people like me. They read the same books and listened to the same music. Their character was just different. They were loving and that's really what drew me in."[10] Moore says that it was at age 19 that he finally decided to live for God, though "it wasn't overnight" and he "spent a lot of time making bad decisions."[10]
Conversion
Lecrae attended a conference after being invited by a friend, though Moore admits that his interest was to meet girls and experience the big city. When he arrived at the conference, Moore was awed by the performance of the Christian hip-hop group The Cross Movement. Lecrae says that he saw "guys who had been shot from being in gangs, girls who were extremely promiscuous in the past, I see rappers, dancers and singers; I see people who came from the same background I came from, and they still embodied who they were culturally, but they were all in love with Jesus and I had never seen that before." After hearing Pastor James White of Christ Our King Community Church speak on how Christians are bought with a price and the suffering that Jesus underwent in the Crucifixion, Moore says that he remembers articulating "God get me out of this, don't kill me; do whatever you have to do to get me out of this, just don't kill me."[8][13] Later, Moore was driving on a highway when he turned too quickly and his car went into a roll. He had no seatbelt and the roof and windshield of the car caved in, his glasses were molded into the frame of the car, but he survived completely uninjured.[8] Moore cites this incident as the one which convinced him to commit his life to Christ. Moore went back to his college, the University of North Texas, with a printed version of his testimony to pass out on campus.[13] He started volunteering and performing at a juvenile detention center, and the reception he received convinced him that offering "hope and encouragement" through music was what he wanted to do.[8] However, Moore still struggled in his faith − as revealed in "Good, Bad, Ugly", in 2002 he impregnated a then-girlfriend. Rather than risk scandal, he and his girlfriend had the baby aborted, a decision he says he now deeply regrets.[9]
Early career, Real Talk, and After the Music Stops (2004–2007)
Five years after his conversion, Moore teamed up with Ben Washer to found Reach Records, and at the age of 25 he released his first album, Real Talk.[13] The following year it was re-released by Cross Movement Records and reached No. 29 on the Billboard Gospel Albums chart, staying on the chart for 12 weeks.[14] The album later received a nomination at the 2007 Stellar Awards. In 2005, Moore co-founded the non-profit organization ReachLife Ministries, which equips local Christian leaders with tools, media, curriculum, and conferences that are based on the teachings of the Bible and relevant to hip-hop culture.[15] Also in 2005, the debut album of 116 Clique, The Compilation Album, was released.[16]
After the success of Real Talk, Moore 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,[17] and received a nomination for a Dove Award, as was the single "Jesus Muzik", featuring Trip Lee. In 2007, 116 Clique released its second album, 13 Letters,[16] reaching No. 10 on the Gospel Albums chart and No. 29 on the Christian Albums chart.[18] 116 Clique also released the remix EP Amped, which peaked at No. 24 on the Gospel Albums chart.[18]
Rebel (2008–2009)
On October 8, 2008, Moore's third album, Rebel, entered the Billboard 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.[19][20] It also charted at No. 2 on the Christian Albums chart and No. 15 on the Top Independent charts.[21] 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.[22] 2009 also saw Moore's first film role, when he appeared in the documentary Uprise Presents: Word from the Street by the UK-based TV channel OHTV.[23]
Rehab series (2010–2011)
On February 5, 2010, Moore released a charity single entitled "Far Away", a tribute to the victims of the 2010 Haiti earthquake. Moore promised that all proceeds from the single's sales would go directly to the Haiti relief effort.[24]
On July 7, Moore announced on the Reach Records website that the title of his new album would be Rehab.[25] On August 5, 2010, Rapzilla released a new song from Moore called "Amp It Up".[26] Moore 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.[27][28] On August 31, 2010, Reach Records revealed the tracklist for Rehab, released it for preorder, and premiered a promotional video "Idols".[29][30] A second promotional video, entitled "I Am Dust", debuted on September 9, 2010.[31] 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.[32] Rehab: The Overdose debuted at No. 15 on the Billboard 200. On August 29, 2011, Moore announced through Twitter that on September 27, 2011, he would release a special edition of Rehab, entitled Rehab: Deluxe Edition.[33] On the same day, 116 Clique released their fourth album, entitled Man Up.[34]
On September 7, 2011, Rapzilla announced that Moore would be featured on the BET Hip Hop Awards Cypher on October 11, 2011.[35] Moore gained popularity after his verse on the cypher, trended nationwide on Twitter, and was featured on AllHipHop.[36] Moore then appeared as a feature on Statik Selektah's song "Live and Let Live" from his Population Control album.[37]
Mainstream breakthrough, Gravity, and Church Clothes series (2012–2013)
On February 16, 2012, Rapzilla announced that Moore was preparing to release his first mixtape, Church Clothes. On May 3, 2012, Moore premiered his music video for the title-track of his Church Clothes mixtape online on XXL.[38] The video was noted for including cameos by Kendrick Lamar and DJ Premier, and attracted almost 20,000 views in less than a day.[38] Hosted by Don Cannon, the mixtape featured the song Darkest Hour, in which Lecrae collaborated with No Malice of Clipse.[39][40][41] 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.[42][43] On June 25, 2012, a remastered version of the mixtape, without DJ Don Cannon, was released as an EP for sale on iTunes.[44] Due to issues with sampling, this version was much shorter with only seven songs.[44] 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.[45][46][47]
On April 27, Moore announced that his next album, Gravity, was to be released in late 2012, and recording sessions began in May.[48] On June 21, 2012 Moore appeared live at the Apple Store in Chicago for Black Music Month.[49] The release date for Gravity, September 4, 2012, as well as the album artwork was announced on July 19, 2012 via Rapzilla.[50]
On August 30, 2012, the rapper Saigon 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.[51]
Gravity was released on September 4, 2012 to critical acclaim.[52] Upon its release, Gravity debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200, with 72,000 units sold.[53] 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.[54] 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.[55]
On November 7, 2013, Lecrae released his second mixtape, entitled Church Clothes Vol. 2, hosted once again by Don Cannon. The mixtape debuted at No. 21 on the Billboard 200, No. 1 on the Billboard Christian Albums and Gospel Albums charts, and No. 3 on the Rap Albums chart.[56] On Datpiff.com, the album was download over 146,000 times by November 26, 2013.[57]
Anomaly (2014–present)
On June 3, 2014 Lecrae announced through social media that his seventh studio album will be titled Anomaly.[58] The album released on September 9, 2014.[59] It is supported by the single "Nuthin".[60] 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 (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.[61] In its second week of sales, the album sold 31,000 copies, bringing the total to 120,000 copies sold.[62] In its third week of sales, the album sold another 17,000 copies, bringing the total to 137,000 copies.[63] 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.[64] The song was subsequently released on October 21, 2014 in the iTunes store.[65]
Influences and musical style
Moore's musical genre is predominantly Southern hip hop, and has been described as falling under the styles of crunk, gangsta rap, and hardcore hip hop.[69][70][71][72][73][74] On his third release, Rebel, Moore slowed down his style on many songs.[75] Rehab 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.[76][77] With the release Gravity, Billboard described Moore as incorporating reggae and soul influences into his "signature brash sound."[78]
Regarding which musical artists have influenced him, Moore, in an interview with Essence, cited Tupac, Nas, DJ Quik, Scarface, and The Cross Movement.[79] In an interview with The Christian Post, Moore listed his top favorite five hip-hop artists as Tupac, Nas, The Ambassador, Snoop Dogg, and, though for his business approach rather than his music, Jay-Z.[80] Moore also names Outkast and Lauryn Hill as major influences, particularly their albums Aquemini and The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, respectively,[81] and considers Hill's song "Adam Lives in Theory" as the top song that nourishes him spiritually.[82] In the song "Non-Fiction", he lists the Tunnel Rats alongside The Cross Movement as an influence when he was newly converted to Christianity.[83] Theologically, Moore follows the Reformed tradition of theology and is considered an influential figure in the New Calvinist movement.[84][85][86] He cites Tommy Nelson, John MacArthur, and John Piper, among others, as early influences on his Christian faith, and Moore even titled one of his hit songs, "Don't Waste Your Life", after the book of the same name by Piper.[87][88] Moore explains that through Nelson, MacArthur, and Piper, he subsequently discovered Spurgeon, Calvin, and Francis Schaeffer, the last of whom Moore calls his "personal hero".[87] Other theologians cited by Lecrae include Tim Keller, Andy Crouch, Randy Alcorn, and Abraham Kuyper.[89][90] He also looks to Martin Luther King, Jr. for inspiration on working out faith in social issues.[90]
He frequently tells the press that "My music is not Christian, Lecrae is." He told Miami New Times's Crossfade that "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."[91]
Popular culture
Los Angeles Lakers guard Jeremy Lin recommended Lecrae and Hillsong in an interview when asked about his pre-game music.[92] NFL quarterback Tim Tebow and professional wrestler Ezekiel Jackson have also endorsed Lecrae.[93][94] 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.[95][96] "Dum Dum," a song by Tedashii featuring Lecrae, was used on an episode of So You Think You Can Dance.[97]
Social activism
In 2011, 116 Clique and ReachLife Ministries, both headed by Moore, launched a media campaign entitled Man Up, intended to mentor male urban youths on fatherhood and biblical manhood.[1] 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.[1]
In May 2013, Moore partnered with NBA player Dwyane Wade, filmmaker Art Hooker, and Joshua DuBois, the former head of the Office of Faith Based and Neighborhood Partnerships under the Obama administration, to create the national media campaign This Is Fatherhood, an initiative "devoted to restoring America's commitment to healthy fatherhood."[98][99] 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, Moore offered studio time and mentoring to the grand prize winner.[98] Moore, Wade, DuBois, Jay-Z, and U.S. President Barack Obama all made appearances in the campaign's promotional public service announcements.[98]
Personal life
Moore currently resides in Atlanta since relocating there from Memphis in 2009, and is married to Darragh Moore. The couple has three children together.[12] Darragh handles the administration for Moore's tours.[100] Lecrae is a graduate of University of North Texas. In an interview with Hip Hop DX, Lecrae stated that Clipse member No Malice sought him out as a spiritual advisor.[101]
Discography
- Real Talk (2004)
- After the Music Stops (2006)
- Rebel (2008)
- Rehab (2010)
- Rehab: The Overdose (2011)
- Gravity (2012)
- Anomaly (2014)
Production discography
- Self-release – Real Talk (2004)
- Json – The Seasoning with So Hot Productions and C.I. (2005)
- Self-release – After the Music Stops with So Hot Productions, Mac the Doulous, DJ Official, and Tony Stone (2006)
- Trip Lee – If They Only Knew with DJ Official, Tony Stone, Mac the Doulous, So Hot Productions (2006)
- Tedashii – Kingdom People with Ben Washer (2006)
- 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 with Bobby Taylor, DJ Official, BenJah, and So Hot Productions (2007)
- Self-release – Rebel (2008)
- 09. "Change"
- Self-release – Gravity (2012)
- Self-release – Anomaly (2014)
Filmography
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2009 | Uprise Presents: Word from the Street | Himself[102] | TV documentary special |
2011 | Man Up | King[103] | Short film by 116 Clique[1] |
2012 | A Cross to Bear | Jerome[104] | Television film |
Welcome to the Family Documentary | Himself[105] | Short documentary web film by R.M.G. | |
2013 | Everything Must Go[106] | Short documentary web film by Andy Mineo | |
The Cross | Short documentary web film by Billy Graham | ||
2014 | Believe Me | Dr. Malmquist[107] | Comedy movie[107] |
Awards and nominations
Lecrae has won many music awards over the space of his career, including two Grammy Awards and four Dove Awards. 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.[108]
References
- ^ a b c d "EXCLUSIVE: Lecrae Announces Church Clothes Mixtape Hosted By Don Cannon". illHype. Retrieved May 3, 2012. Cite error: The named reference ":0" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
- ^ Goss, Armond (August 28, 2012). "Review – Lecrae 'Gravity'". Rapzilla. Philip Rood and Chad Horton. Retrieved January 15, 2013.
- ^ Sketch the Journalist (May 9, 2012). "The most important album in Christian rap history (Lecrae's "Church Clothes") drops tomorrow – and its FREE". Jesus Musik. Houston Chronicle. Retrieved January 15, 2013.
- ^ Harris, Travis (Spring 2014). "Refocusing and Redefining Hip Hop: An Analysis of Lecrae's Contribution to Hip Hop". The Journal of Hip Hop Studies. 1 (1): 14. Retrieved October 3, 2014.
- ^ "iTunes Album page; Lecrae 'Anomaly'". iTunes. Apple. September 2, 2014. Retrieved September 5, 2014.
- ^ Tardio, Andres (September 17, 2014). "Hip Hop Album Sales: Lecrae, Jhene Aiko, Jeezy". HipHop DX. Cheri Media Group. Retrieved September 17, 2014.
- ^ Lipshutz, Jason (December 5, 2014). "Grammys 2015: Meet The Lesser-Known Nominees". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved December 6, 2014.
- ^ a b c d e f g Moore, Lecrae. "Seconds". I Am Second. Retrieved July 14, 2012.
- ^ a b Lecrae (Performer and lyricist) (2014). Good, Bad, Ugly (Musical song). Atlanta: Reach Records.
{{cite AV media}}
:|access-date=
requires|url=
(help) - ^ a b c d e Wete, Brian (June 8, 2012). "Interview: Lecrae Talks About Going From "Crazy Crae" To Christian Rapper" (Web). Complex. Complex Media. Retrieved July 14, 2012.
- ^ a b "For the rapper, a new life, a new message". Retrieved September 20, 2014.
- ^ a b c d "Pulling No Punches – an interview with Lecrae". Family Christian. Family Christian Stores. July 10, 2012. Retrieved July 14, 2012. Cite error: The named reference "familychristian" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
- ^ a b c "Reach Records". Reach Records. Retrieved May 16, 2012.
- ^ https://www.billboard.com/artist/lecrae/chart-history/
- ^ "About". Reach Life. Retrieved July 6, 2012.
- ^ a b Thomas, Vincent. "116 Clique". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved August 29, 2012.
- ^ After The Music Stops Billboard
- ^ a b "116 Clique" (Web). Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Retrieved August 29, 2012.
- ^ "Lecrae Rebel still #1 on Billboard's Top Gospel Album Chart". Retrieved September 20, 2014.
- ^ "Chart Topper: Lecrae makes number one on Top Gospel Albums chart", Cross Rhythms, UK
- ^ Rebel Billboard
- ^ "GMA 40th Dove Award Nominees". Rapzilla. Retrieved February 29, 2012.
- ^ UpriseMusicTV (October 11, 2009). "Uprise Presents: Word from the Street" (Video/Web). UpriseMusic. YouTube. Retrieved August 4, 2012.
- ^ Rapzilla (February 9, 2010). "Lecrae "Far Away" hits #42 on iTunes Hip Hop singles chart". Rapzilla. Retrieved August 29, 2012.
- ^ Reach Records >> Blog[dead link]
- ^ "Lecrae "Amp It Up" ft. Tedashii". Rapzilla. August 3, 2010. Retrieved February 29, 2012.
- ^ "@Rapzilla FYI Amp it up is". Lecrae. Twitter. August 3, 2010. Retrieved February 29, 2012.
- ^ "Barn 13 Blog". Barn13. Retrieved February 29, 2012.
- ^ "Lecrae "Idols" – 'REHAB' promo video". Rapzilla.com. August 31, 2010. Retrieved February 29, 2012.
- ^ "Lecrae 'REHAB' Tracklisting Revealed". Rapzilla. August 31, 2010. Retrieved February 29, 2012.
- ^ "Lecrae "I Am Dust" – 'REHAB' promo video". Rapzilla. September 9, 2010. Retrieved February 29, 2012.
- ^ "Lecrae's Next Album 'Rehab: The Overdose' 1.11.11". Retrieved September 20, 2014.
- ^ "Lecrae 'Rehab' Deluxe 2CD/DVD Album Cover & Tracklisting". Rapzilla. September 27, 2011. Retrieved May 16, 2012.
- ^ Armond Goss. "Review – 116 Man Up Film & DVD". Retrieved September 20, 2014.
- ^ "Lecrae Confirmed For 2011 B.E.T. Hip Hop Awards Cypher". Rapzilla. September 7, 2011. Retrieved March 1, 2012.
- ^ Sims, Seandra (October 12, 2011). "Lecrae: The "God Son" of the Cypher". AllHipHop. Retrieved March 1, 2012.
- ^ "Statik Selektah & Lecrae Single". Retrieved September 20, 2014.
- ^ a b Menzie, Nicola. "Lecrae's 'Church Clothes' Video Exposes Christian Hypocrisy?". The Christian Post. William Anderson. Retrieved June 23, 2012.
- ^ "Lecrae readies new mixtape with Don Cannon". Rapzilla. February 16, 2012. Retrieved May 13, 2012.
- ^ "Lecrae, Church Clothes". DatPiff. May 10, 2012. Retrieved May 13, 2012.
- ^ Diep, Eric. "Lecrae f/ No Malice "Darkest Hour"". Complex Music. Retrieved June 11, 2012.
Lecrae, a rapper from Atlanta with Christian-rooted raps, dropped his first mixtape hosted by Don Cannon called Church Clothes yesterday. With production from Boi-1da and 9th Wonder, he is ready to open hip-hop heads with music that delivers a message. One of the major collaborations is with No Malice, who is known for his coke raps as half of the Clipse. He's been busy with his book, but on "Darkest Hour," he's offering his first verse under the moniker he came up with after his religious transformation.
- ^ "[VIDEO] Lecrae's Mixtape 'Church Clothes' Is Not Just Attracting Christian Fans". 102 FM JAMZ. CBS Local. May 13, 2012. Retrieved June 29, 2012.
- ^ "Lecrae status update". June 4, 2012. Retrieved July 5, 2012.
- ^ a b "Lecrae 'Church Clothes' EP (Remastered with No DJ) Released on iTunes". Rapzilla. June 26, 2012. Retrieved July 10, 2012.
- ^ "Lecrae 'Church Clothes' EP No. 5 on iTunes Hip Hop/Rap". Rapzilla. June 26, 2012. Retrieved July 10, 2012.
- ^ "Christian Albums" (Web). Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. July 2012. Retrieved July 10, 2012.
- ^ "Gospel Albums" (Web). Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. July 2012. Retrieved July 10, 2012.
- ^ "Lecrae's 6th Studio Album 'GRAVITY' Releases Fall 2012". April 26, 2012. Retrieved May 7, 2012.
- ^ "Lecrae & Trip Lee Live at Apple Store's for Black Music Month". Rapzilla.com. June 19, 2012. Retrieved July 12, 2012.
- ^ "Lecrae 'Gravity' Album Cover Revealed!". Rapzilla. July 19, 2012. Retrieved July 24, 2012.
- ^ Watkins, "Grouchy" Greg (August 30, 2012). "AHH Stray News: Saigon's New Album, Frank Ocean Debuts On SNL, Kendrick Lamar Sets Oct. Release Date For LP". AllHipHop. AHH Holdings. Retrieved September 1, 2012.
- ^ Brando (September 6, 2012). "A Houston Rap Album Worth Buying: LeCrae's Gravity". Houston Press. Village Voice Media. Retrieved September 6, 2012.
- ^ Caulfield, Keith (September 12, 2012). "Matchbox Twenty Gets First No. 1 Album on Billboard 200 Chart". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Retrieved September 12, 2012.
{{cite web}}
: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|work=
(help) - ^ "Gravity - Lecrae" (Web). Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Retrieved September 13, 2012.
- ^ Newcomb, Tim (September 6, 2012). "Meet Lecrae, the Christian Rapper Tearing Up the Charts" (Web). Time. Time, Inc. Retrieved September 12, 2012.
- ^ "Reach Records Streams Church Clothes 2". Indie Vision Music. November 15, 2013. Retrieved November 20, 2013.
- ^ Omizzle (November 7, 2013). "Lecrae Church Clothes 2". Datpiff.com. Idle Media. Retrieved November 26, 2013.
- ^ Horton, Chad (June 3, 2014). "New Lecrae Album 'Anomaly' Releasing August 2014". Rapzilla. Philip Rood and Chad Horton. Retrieved June 4, 2014.
- ^ "iTunes Album page; Lecrae 'Anomaly'". iTunes. Apple. September 2, 2014. Retrieved September 2, 2014.
- ^ "Music: Lecrae - Nuthin". Rapzilla. Rapzilla. Retrieved September 5, 2014.
- ^ Caulfield, Keith (September 17, 2014). "Lecrae Earns First No. 1 Album on Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved September 18, 2014.
- ^ "Hip Hop Album Sales: Chris Brown, Lecrae, Jeezy, Jhene Aiko". HipHopDX. Retrieved September 25, 2014.
- ^ "Hip Hop Album Sales: Chris Brown, Jennifer Hudson, Lecrae, Jeezy". HipHopDX. Retrieved October 3, 2014.
- ^ Anderson, Trevor (September 18, 2014). "Lecrae Thanks Fans for No. 1 Album With New Song 'Non-Fiction'". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved November 16, 2014.
- ^ "iTunes Album page; Lecrae 'Non-Fiction - Single'". iTunes. Apple. October 21, 2014. Retrieved October 21, 2014.
- ^ Blanco, Alvin Aqua (August 30, 2012). "Lecrae ft. Big K.R.I.T & Ashton Jones – "Mayday" [LISTEN]". Hip Hop Wired. Moguldom Digital Network. Retrieved April 6, 2015.
- ^ DelaCuesta, JP (July 25, 2012). "VIDEO: Lecrae Previews New Album "Gravity" And Speaks On His State Of Mind In 2012". AllHipHop. AHH Holdings. Retrieved April 6, 2015.
- ^ Afromighty (August 30, 2012). "New Music: Lecrae – "Mayday" (feat. Big K.R.I.T. & Ashton Jones)". RESPECT. Musinart. Retrieved April 6, 2015.
- ^ Hayes, Steve (November 20, 2008). "Lecrae – Rebel". Cross Rhythms. Retrieved April 16, 2011.
- ^ Cordor, Cyril. "Lecrae". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved April 16, 2011.
- ^ Tognazzini, Anthony. "Rebel". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved June 27, 2012.
- ^ Cummings, Tony (October 23, 2007). "Lecrae – Real Talk". Cross Rhythms. Retrieved April 16, 2011.
- ^ Hayes, Steve (November 20, 2008). "Lecrae - Rebel". Cross Rhythms. Retrieved August 7, 2012.
- ^ "Events 10/09: Lecrae" (Print). Cincinnati Magazine. Cincinnati: Emmis Communications: 234. October 2009. ISSN 0746-8210. Retrieved August 7, 2012.
- ^ Moore, C.E. (September 30, 2008). "Lecrae's "Rebel": A Review". The Christian Manifesto. Retrieved August 7, 2012.
- ^ Jeffries, David. "Rehab". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved August 7, 2012.
- ^ Weaver, Michael (October 15, 2010). "Lecrae, "Rehab" Review". Jesus Freak Hideout. Retrieved August 7, 2012.
- ^ McDermott, Tyler K. (July 25, 2012). "Lecrae Talks Upcoming 'Gravity' Album, Big K.R.I.T. Collabo, & Chart Success" (Web). Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Retrieved July 26, 2012.
- ^ Jones, Gerald (May 22, 2011). "5 Questions for Lecrae on Christian Hip-Hop". Essence. Essence Communications. Retrieved September 24, 2014.
- ^ Funaro, Vincent (September 5, 2012). "Lecrae Reveals Top 5 Favorite Emcees, Addresses Jay-Z and the Illuminati". The Christian Post. The Christian Post Company. Retrieved September 24, 2014.
- ^ Cline, Georgette (November 12, 2014). "Lecrae Talks 'Anomaly' Album, Lauryn Hill and OutKast's Influence & Freestyling for '16 Bars' [EXCLUSIVE VIDEO]". The Boombox. Townsquare Media. Retrieved December 3, 2014.
- ^ Sangweni, Yolanda (September 12, 2014). "Rapper LeCrae on Faith, Spirituality, and Why Lauryn Hill's Music Inspires Him". Essence. Essence Communications. Retrieved September 24, 2014.
- ^ DJ Walker (September 10, 2014). "Lecrae Talks Overtly Sexual Entertainers, Says 'Classy' Women Need Not 'Advertise'". Empowering Everyday Women. Empowering Everyday Women Ministries. Retrieved September 24, 2014.
- ^ Piper, John (March 12, 2014). "The New Calvinism and the New Community". Desiring God. Retrieved September 23, 2014.
- ^ Driscoll, Mark A. (2013). A Call to Resurgence. Carol Stream: Tyndale House. pp. 99, 201–202. ISBN 9781414383620.
- ^ Sun, Eryn (October 6, 2011). "Black Reformed Christians Under 'Theological Imperialism?'". Christian Post. Retrieved September 18, 2014.
- ^ a b "Lecrae speaks of hip-hop's relevance". Baptist Press. Southern Baptist Convention. July 8, 2013. Retrieved September 24, 2014.
- ^ Challies, Tim (February 10, 2012). "John Piper's Unexpected Career in Hip-Hop". Challies.com. Tim Challies. Retrieved September 24, 2014.
- ^ Shellnut, Kate (September 17, 2014). "Lecrae Brings Reformed Rap to Jimmy Fallon's Tonight Show". Christianity Today. Christianity Today International. Retrieved September 24, 2014.
- ^ a b religionnews1 (September 26, 2014). "Lecrae on his rap, theology and Billboard success". religionnews1. YouTube. Retrieved October 6, 2014.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Rolland, David. "Lecrae Discusses His Brand of Hip-Hop: 'I'm a Social Anthropologist'" Crossfade. Miami New Times, 10 Nov. 2014. Web. 15 Nov. 2014.
- ^ "Knicks Guard Jeremy Lin Recommends Lecrae". Rapzilla. February 15, 2012. Retrieved March 1, 2012.
- ^ Thomasos, Christine (April 12, 2012). "Bubba Watson gives God the glory". The Christian Post. The Christian Post Company. Retrieved August 7, 2012.
- ^ Horton, Chad (April 19, 2012). "6 Reasons Why Lecrae Should've Won Dove Awards Artist of the Year". Rapzilla. Retrieved August 7, 2012.
- ^ Osicka, Luke (March 12, 2014). "Grammy Winner Lecrae Tries NBA for Size". Guardian Liberty Voice. DiMarkco Chandler. Retrieved May 13, 2014.
- ^ Laxton, Mike (April 4, 2014). "Lecrae To Perform After Atlanta Hawks Game On April 4 For Faith & Family Night". Jam the Hype. Rain on Me Productions. Retrieved May 13, 2014.
- ^ O'Neil, Tyler (August 23, 2013). "'So You Think You Can Dance' Uses Christian Rap Song From Tedashii, Lecrae". The Christian Post. The Christian Post Company. Retrieved May 13, 2014.
- ^ a b c Brown, Celeste (May 20, 2013). "Dwyane Wade & Hip-Hop Artist Lecrae Launch Fatherhood Challenge". WLTX. Gannett Company. Retrieved July 8, 2013.
- ^ Rapzilla (May 24, 2013). "Dwyane Wade and Grammy Winning Artist Lecrae Join Forces to Champion Fatherhood". Rapzilla. Philip Rood and Chad Horton. Retrieved July 9, 2013.
- ^ Melissa, Ruggieri (September 7, 2012). "Atlanta rapper Lecrae ready to share his message of hope". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Cox Enterprises. Retrieved July 9, 2013.
- ^ Arnold, Paul W (May 11, 2012). "Lecrae Clarifies His "Gimme A Second" Line About Jay-Z & Lil Wayne, Details Spiritual Advisor Role To No Malice". Hip Hop DX. Cheryl Media Group. Retrieved September 15, 2012.
- ^ UpriseMusicTV (October 11, 2009). "Uprise Presents: Word from the Street" (Video/Web). UpriseMusic. YouTube. Retrieved August 4, 2012.
- ^ Rapzilla (June 30, 2011). "Reach Life - 'Man Up' Movie - trailer (@reachlife @reachrecords @rapzilla)" (Video/Web). YouTube.
- ^ "Lecrae makes his acting debut in "A Cross To Bear"". DaSouth.com. February 8, 2012. Retrieved March 1, 2012.
- ^ Reflection Music Group (March 21, 2012). "RMG - Welcome to the Family Documentary (@rmgtweets)". YouTube. Retrieved January 13, 2013.
- ^ Reach Records (April 9, 2013). "Andy Mineo - Everything Must Go (@AndyMineo @reachrecords)". YouTube. Retrieved April 9, 2013.
- ^ a b Nyamu, Vincent (June 11, 2014). "Watch 'Believe Me' Movie Trailer Featuring Lecrae". Rapzilla. Philip Rood and Chad Horton. Retrieved June 11, 2014.
- ^ Paine, Jake (February 11, 2013). "Lecrae The First Rapper To Win A Gospel Grammy Award". Hip Hop DX. Cheri Media Group. Retrieved March 24, 2015.
External links
- 1979 births
- Living people
- African-American activists
- African-American Christians
- African-American male rappers
- African-American poets
- African-American record producers
- American evangelicals
- American Calvinist and Reformed Christians
- American hip hop record producers
- American music industry executives
- Businesspeople from Georgia (U.S. state)
- Cross Movement Records
- Grammy Award winners
- Hip hop activists
- Male actors from Atlanta, Georgia
- Performers of Christian hip hop music
- Poets from California
- Poets from Georgia (U.S. state)
- Rappers from Atlanta, Georgia
- Rappers from Houston, Texas
- Reach Records
- Reach Records artists
- Religious activists
- Southern hip hop musicians
- University of North Texas alumni
- West Coast hip hop musicians
- Calvinist and Reformed artists and writers