On the most recent episode of The Message on Apple Music 1, Christian rapper Lecrae joins Ebro Darden to share his message of kingdom and group constructing. He additionally discusses Kanye West’s journey and embrace of gospel music, fusing gospel and hip hop, being influenced by the late Nipsey Hussle, and extra.
Lecrae Shares His Message With Apple Music…
My message, for me, it’s kingdom, man. And kingdom over empire. Even to get non secular it’s like… Egypt was an empire the place it was like, hey, it’s okay with enslaving individuals, however the kingdom is about unifying and bringing individuals collectively and making their lives higher. And so proper now it’s numerous empirical views out right here in society the place it’s like, how can we step on individuals to marginalize the individuals who don’t get alternatives as an alternative of getting a kingdom mindset the place all people can share and develop. And I really feel like that’s what God will in the end need. So it was non secular for me, however it’s social as nicely. So, for me, I’m like, man, how do I increase the extent of consciousness out right here for these marginalized communities and supply some alternatives for folk.
Lecrae Tells Apple Music About Kanye West’s Journey…
Man, I don’t even know the place to start with that one. So even on a music tip, I believe Kanye goes to discover what he’s experiencing in his music. In order that’s a part of his battle, you’re in a progress course of and persons are listening to you as you develop and as you battle, so that you don’t even have all of it discovered, however you processing it on wax. Processing it in your music. In order that’s going to return with some degree of scrutiny. It’s going to return with some degree of like pushback since you don’t have all of it the way in which determine it out. And folks take heed to music and take that as a declaration. That is the whole lot that it needs to be. And he’s completed that previously with sure statements, “slavery is a alternative.” It’s like a declaration or placing on the crimson cap. These are declarations. When the fact is he was on a journey, he was attempting to determine stuff out. And I believe that the draw back of that’s while you attempt to determine stuff out publicly, individuals take it as you don’t get the chance to develop and alter publicly. That’s the place you landed your aircraft. So privately everybody’s rising, everybody’s thoughts is altering, everybody goes by way of totally different waves. So I give him some measure of grace and a few measure of like, yo, my man, I get it. You studying as you going and also you attempting to course of all of it. I believe it’s onerous for any individual like Kanye as a result of he’s all the time heard, he received so many individuals telling him sure, sure, sure. He will get a lot reward. It’d be onerous to decipher while you’re incorrect as a result of so many individuals round you see you as proper. So I welcome his journey. I’d simply inform people, yo man, give him some house to make errors and provides him some room to say the incorrect issues. And so long as he comes again and admits like, “I used to be bugging. Ah, I received that each one incorrect.” As a result of I do know a few of the people who’ve been journeying with. I do know a few of the individuals. And a few individuals he don’t rock with no extra on the Christian facet that he was rocking with, however he don’t rock with them no extra. And I’m like, “good, I’m glad as a result of they was all saying all that bizarre stuff.” But it surely takes a journey for individuals to get to the place they’re going. And hopefully he’ll land the aircraft in a wholesome place.
Lecrae Tells Apple Music About Embracing Gospel and Hip Hop…
…you bought to recollect, I got here up in hip hop, I didn’t come up within the church. So I already had this attitude about Christians and gospel rap or no matter. And it was already so unfavorable. So after I began doing it, I knew the notion I used to be going to have inside hip hop. And I used to be like, “yo, let me simply do my factor.” However over time I noticed, man, it’s one thing I can embrace and never have to fret about what individuals say, as a result of it’s like, look, it’s what it’s. And if the music is nice, then you realize what’s occurring.
Lecrae Tells Apple Music About The Risk of Dropping a Challenge in 2021…
Yeah. I imply, I’m engaged on some stuff, we’ll see. I’m engaged on some music, so we’ll see what occurs. I imply, it’s very potential, however on the similar time, I’m not going to hurry nothing. I really feel like I etched my place out right here, so I’m simply attempting to remain constant. It’s humorous, a few of the finest recommendation I ever received was from this particular person named Ebro years in the past. I had put out this album Anomaly, it was the primary album within the nation. It was the primary of its type to be primary on Billboard, on Unbiased Gospel, the whole lot. And he was like, “yo man, don’t sit right here, come proper again and hold coming again with extra music, numerous cats get content material, simply placing out one thing after which they fall again.” It was like, “man, hold partaking the individuals.” And so man, I took that to coronary heart and I’ve been attempting to try this ever since.
Lecrae Tells Apple Music About His Activism and Being Impressed By The Late Nipsey Hussle…
I imply, being sincere with you, man, I’ve been on my govt grind. So, I personal my very own label. We received 9 artists. I’ve been engaged on getting their music going. I received moved heavy in actual property, transfer heavy and rebuilding the town out right here in Atlanta, working with Killer Mike and Tip on some actual property stuff, and in order that’s actually form of simply attempting to love boss up just a little bit in another areas and actually contribute. Nipsey messed me up, I ain’t going to deceive you. It messed me up. As a result of I believed, man, this man a complete gang member and he altering his group, and I’m presupposed to be the spiritually conscious dude and what am I doing? So I received to provide in the present day.
Lecrae Tells Apple Music About Connecting With Morray…
Yeah, we related on-line, however we ain’t met up in individual. It’s all love. It’s the vibes he give off, clearly from that non secular perspective, for positive. But it surely’s additionally his countenance, man. He identical to… You may’t not like that dude. He received a countenance that’s concerning the individuals. He enjoys each second. The vitality that he convey with him is one thing that… We want extra of that. And the innovation that he brings to music, he attempting to do his personal factor as an alternative of doing what all people else is doing. So man, what do you not like about this man? He gifted, his character, the way in which he carry himself. That complete vibe, that complete vitality. After which we will wax philosophical, non secular as nicely. Man, we’d like extra of that.
Lecrae Tells Apple Music About His Actual Property Work in Atlanta…
So, years again I had the chance to assist plan a college within the metropolis, Peace Preparatory Academy … And we began with kindergarteners and now we as much as the sixth grade. We simply added a grade yearly and it’s within the worst group. Wasn’t no colleges locally. After which on sides of it, I partnered with my people at oaksATL to assist erect some residence complexes which can be income-based, however they high quality. So it seems to be like gentrification is happening, however you must make below a sure sum of money to stay there. And so the group is like, “yo, these for us, what’s occurring?” Yeah, completely. However then additionally you bought to take a monetary literacy class on the faculty to be able to get into one of many buildings. So we educate monetary literacy as nicely … However that’s what I’m doing. I am going to the hood and I simply resurrect stuff, construct up stuff after which attempt to determine a option to hold the group in these locations in order that they don’t get pushed out or pressured out. And that’s numerous what we’re doing. There’s some enterprise stuff too, some industrial stuff that we received occurring. But it surely’s largely residential as a result of proper now in Atlanta, all of the gentrification is heavy.
