Jumping on the Christian music bandwagon of the week, I now direct your attention to chart-topping, evangelical rap artist Lecrae .
Since the realease of his new album Gravity on September 4, he has held three of the top five spots on iTunes’ hip hop charts , including No. 1 and 2. Time Entertainment tells us, “Lecrae is certainly no stranger to topping charts. In 2008 his album Rebel became the first Christian rap album to take the top spot on Billboard ’s Top Gospel chart. It spent 78 weeks there.”
Not only is he topping charts, but “In 2005 he co-founded ReachLife Ministries , a resource center to ‘help bridge the gap between biblical truth and the urban context,’ according to the ministry’s website.”
Lecrae was raised by his mother and has lived in San Diego, Denver and Dallas, where he pursued the street life he idolized as a child, according to his website bio. But after adopting a new worldview [after his conversion at the age of 19] and committing to following Jesus, he started speaking and rapping in Dallas and volunteered at a juvenile detention center while creating his debut album, Real Talk .
” This week on Instagram ,” Time says, “Lecrae pointed out the difference in his lyrics, writing, ‘Dear Hip-Hop, this didn’t happen because of swag, drug references, or stripper anthems. #Godisgood’”
A song from his new album: “Gravity (feat J.P.)”
I don’t know if I would add his work to Matt Schmitz’ Fifty Essential Religious Songs , but he seems to be making headway in the mainstream.
You have a decision to make: double or nothing.
For this week only, a generous supporter has offered to fully match all new and increased donations to First Things up to $60,000.
In other words, your gift of $50 unlocks $100 for First Things, your gift of $100 unlocks $200, and so on, up to a total of $120,000. But if you don’t give, nothing.
So what will it be, dear reader: double, or nothing?
Make your year-end gift go twice as far for First Things by giving now.
