Lecrae

Lecrae

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Lecrae

“History does not happen in a straight line…” – Barack Obama 

Neither does hip hop nor its prolific breakout rhymist/activist/author/voice of conscience Lecrae.  

Never afraid to move the needle, few would argue that his much anticipated Columbia Records debut album (due out this summer) comes at a pivotal moment for the artist, as hip hop’s torrent now moves to him.     

Surging or insurgent – depending on your point of view – he’s blessed with a visionary verbal arsenal and an abiding faith that’s piloted a unique career trajectory defying the typical hip hop storyline.  ‘The system may not have planned for this,’ wrote Vibe about Lecrae, ‘but it’s definitely coming around.’ “More caught than taught,” is how the artist describes his incredible journey that includes two Grammys, a history-making #1 album with his masterful 2014 offering, Anomaly (topped multiple categories, including the Billboard 200 and is RIAA Gold certified), and a compelling live resume, most recently notching a headlining 2016 ‘Destination’ tour which Lecrae says was about “real unity, not pretend unity.”  He continues to thoughtfully engage the culture, reeling off a NY Times Bestseller (last year’s riveting memoir ‘Unashamed’) and a breakthrough spoken word performance at the BET Hip Hop Awards last fall that had the twittersphere heralding his arrival as truth-telling firebrand.  BET hailed it as an “epic poem,” of “necessary affirmations.”   

Lecrae relishes his purpose-driven career arc as inspired ‘catalyzer’ – going “from artist to architect” on the new album, widening the close-knit comfort zone of Reach Records (the label he co-founded) by partnering with Columbia Records and expanding his creative outreach.  “I sought influences and collaborators I never imagined I’d have the opportunity to work with,” he says.  The patient growth process was born out of a “gumbo” of more than 50 songs, “some to just get off my chest,” he says – “I don’t know if they were all meant to be heard but I know they were meant to be written.” 

One song that has already seen the light of day is the powerfully uplifting “Blessings,” (featuring Ty Dolla $ign) which iHeartRadio chose for their ‘On The Verge’ platform which connects breaking artists with new listeners.   Lecrae cites a refreshed perspective throughout the making of the new album after surviving one of the most tumultuous years he’s experienced since his turbulent teens.  Among the hardships was the passing of his longtime friend and collaborator DJ Official, some “painful personal” ramifications after the publication of the unvarnished  ‘Unashamed,’ trusting friendships that went south, and  chronic social media sparring from those attacking Lecrae for his candid and heartfelt perspective in response to the  heartbreaking social justice issues making headlines in 2016.  “Some people felt that maybe I shouldn’t be articulating the pain when it comes to the structural and systemic issues that have created barriers and disparity in regard to race,” he says.  “But I came out of it feeling more confident in making this album then at any other time in my life.”