By Geoffrey Rowlands
Parental advisory warnings cover so many hip-hop recordings. There may be numerous positive aspects to rap music but the glorification of guns, drugs, misogyny and so much more negativity all delivered in the language of the gutter so often blights what can be such an incredibly creative genre.
With this in mind, it will probably surprise many people to learn there is a variety of music called Christian hip-hop. Even more will almost certainly be astonished to hear it is actually very popular. So much so that 34-year-old Lecrae Moore has shot straight to number one on the Billboard 200 with his seventh studio album, Anomaly.
“I couldn’t be happier,” smiled Houston-born Lecrae. “The more people who listen to my songs mean I have that much greater chance to positively influence anyone heading down the wrong road in life.”
Lecrae’s work does not carry a particularly overt religious message. His hope is to encourage everyone to become a better person and do the right thing. “I want others to avoid making the same bad decisions that I did. I never even met my father but I learned he ended up becoming a drug addict. I had no positive male role model to look up to. There was also no-one like Martin Luther King when I was young.
“I liked hip-hop and had an ability to rap so it was the rap stars who were my role models. The problem was that most of their songs were about drugs and violence.”
By the time he was 16, Lecrae looked like he was destined to become a career criminal.
“I was arrested for theft, got into fights, took about every drug you can name apart from heroin and crack cocaine and made money as a drug dealer. It was when I got arrested for drug possession that religion started to save my life.
“The arresting officer found my Bible. My grandmother had taken me to church when I was young and had given me a Bible. I used it as a good luck charm. It was certainly lucky for me that night because the policeman said he would let me go if I promised to live by the messages in the Bible.”
Although most youth criminals would immediately renege on their promise, Lecrae kept his word and got out of the drugs scene. But drugs were replaced by alcohol and a party lifestyle.
“I was a misfit of a person. Part of me really wanted to live a better life but if my rap heroes weren’t talking about drugs or violence then it was alcohol and women. I became a thrill-seeker doing all kinds of ridiculous stunts and got nicknamed Crazy ‘Crae. There were so many problems in my life that I felt like I was at a dead end. I was 17 years old.”
The lasting influence of his grandmother persuaded Lecrae to attend a church service. A girl he knew from high school was there. She invited him to a Bible study class. Accepting the invitation changed the course of his life.
“I discovered the people there were very much like me in that they dressed the same and liked the same kind of music. The difference was in their character. They were living the right kind of life.
“I also met my future wife at the Bible study. She was a friend of the girl who invited me. I thought she was lovely but way too Christian for me. Things just worked out for us though. We’re very happily married and have three beautiful kids.”
Lecrae’s change of lifestyle did not happen overnight. Seeing others who had been far more heavily involved in crime but were now living positive lives gave him the realisation that he could completely turn his life around.
“I attended the University of North Texas with the intention of becoming an actor. But I volunteered to help at a juvenile detention centre. I also performed some of my own rap songs for the kids there. Their response convinced me that I should try to offer hope and encouragement through my music.”
After graduating from college, Lecrae co-founded Reach Records with his friend Ben Washer. His debut album, Real Talk, was released in 2005.
“It was hardcore hip-hop but with life-affirming lyrics. The album drew attention and reached number 29 on Billboard’s Gospel chart. From there on, each of my albums have become more successful than the previous record.
“Anomaly is my first mainstream chart-topper but my fifth Gospel number one and my fourth record to hit top spot on the Billboard Christian Albums chart. I also topped the Gospel and Christian charts with my mixtape, Church Clothes Volume 2.”
In addition to his solo work, Lecrae is a member of the hip-hop crew 116 Clique. Consisting mainly of Reach Records solo artists, the group have also enjoyed Gospel chart success.
His acting skills have been employed in several films. Lecrae can currently be seen in the newly released comedy-drama, Believe In Me.
But he is perhaps most proud of his involvement in the This Is Fatherhood media campaign. Along with NBA star Dwyane Wade, film-maker Art Hooker and President Obama’s informal spiritual advisor, Joshua DuBois, Lecrae created an initiative devoted to restoring America’s commitment to healthy fatherhood.
“I know all too well from my own experience how the lack of a father can adversely effect children. Being a good father is so important and incredibly rewarding. I’ve been very fortunate to have so much success in music but nothing matches the joy I get from spending quality time with my kids.”
IN BRIEF
Little Jackie
Brooklyn duo Little Jackie have just released their third studio album, Queen of Prospect Park.
Consisting of singer Imani Coppola and musician/producer/programmer Adam Pallin, Little Jackie’s only hit single was 2008’s The World Should Revolve Around Me. Taken from their debut album, The Stoop, all but one of the songs can be heard at www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGXKQRMeAsk&index=2&list=PL5452E125A1595EC1. The missing song is the title-track. The video for this is posted at www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4EbRlUsrw0.
Their second album, Made4TV, can be heard in full at (no www.) littlejackie.bandcamp.com/. A link to another song, All I Really Want For Christmas, is also here.
The duo’s new single, Sweet, is the latest posting at (no www.) soundcloud.com/little-jackie-1.
Jennifer Lopez/Iggy Azalea
Pitbull was the first vocal partner for Jennifer Lopez on her song, Booty. But the Miami rapper has been usurped by Australia’s Iggy Azalea on a remix of the track. Iggy’s own lyrics have also replaced Pitbull’s original verses. The new partnership has certainly captured the public imagination. Jennifer and Iggy’s Booty video attracted more than 30mn views in the first four days after it was posted on YouTube. The video for the version featuring Pitbull has had less than 500,000 views since being released in June.
Jewel
There was a time when American singer Jewel was homeless. This was a major factor in her joining a campaign to raise awareness of the importance of public housing. She has contributed a public service message to the cause along with her song, Home To Me. The track can be heard at www.rethinkhousing.org/ and is available for free download.