The growth of Christian Hip-Hop with Lecrae

Written by jonahkennedy
This is the original video from the TODAY show according to INVID fact-checker.

Grammy Award-winning artist Lecrae has been a pioneering force in bringing Christian hip-hop to mainstream audiences while maintaining messages related to his faith.  As one of the most successful crossover artists in the genre, Lecrae has helped establish Christian rap as a legitimate and influential musical movement.  Lecrae has been increasingly open about his journey navigating the intersection of his faith in Christianity and the hip-hop culture.  His music addresses personal struggles, societal issues, and spiritual themes that resonate with both Christian and secular audiences. 

The TODAY show network that this interview has been uploaded on is a verified network from media company MSNBC.

“20 years ago, my genre was like an underground movement.  I remember in 2011 being able to do the BET awards, and being on a national stage, and then the world opened,” said Lecrae Moore, 45, Christian Hip-Hop artist and Co-Founder of Reach Records with more than 20 years in the music industry (Todayshow, 20231).

The artist has been featured in numerous media appearances, including a notable interview with NBC’s Craig Melvin, where they discussed the evolution of faith-based hip hop and Lecrae’s impact on breaking down barriers between sacred and secular music (NBC, 20232). 

“Would you say you are a Christian who performs hip-hop, or would you say you are a hip-hop artist who happens to be a Christian?” said Craig Melvin, 45, News anchor at NBC with over 20 years of in the news industry (Todayshow, 2023).

@Threads: Craig Melvin NBC

Lecrae speaks on how he is not ashamed to acknowledge his faith in Jesus and remains committed to authenticity in both his faith and his artistry (NBC, 2023).  Rapzilla, the leading Christian hip-hop news media outlet, has extensively covered Lecrae’s career.  The platform has documented his rise from underground Christian artist to mainstream success, highlighting how his work has opened doors for other Christian rap artists (Sarachik, 20233).  “Steven Wiley saw what SUGAR HILL GANG was doing and different artists in that era and was like, Hey, There is nobody that’s rapping about God,” said Justin Sarachik, 36, Christian Hip-Hop Journalist, Editor and Chief of Rapzilla with over 10 years of journalism experience.  Justin Sarachik adds that this provided a gateway for Christian hip-hop to make an impact in the culture of mainstream hip-hop (Sarachik, 2023).  With the influence of Christian rap Lecrae has sparked important conversations about the nature of Christian music and its place in contemporary culture.  Christian hip-hop continues to grow with artists who are creating musical influence through their faith in Jesus. 

References


  1. TodayShow. (2023, December 22). Christian rap star Lecrae talks the faith-based hip hop genre. TODAY.com. https://www.today.com/video/a-look-into-the-growing-popularity-of-faith-based-hip-hop-200804421803 ↩︎

  2. NBC. (2023, December 22). Watch today clip: Christian rap star Lecrae talk the faith-based hip hop
    genre – nbc.com. NBC. https://amp.nbc.com/today/video/christian-rap-star-lecrae-talks-the-faith-based-hip-hop-genre/NBCN804421803 ↩︎

  3. Sarachik, J. (2023, December 22). Rapzilla & Lecrae on the today show explaining Christian Rap. Rapzilla. https://rapzilla.com/2023-12-rapzilla-lecrae-today-show-explaining-christian-rap/ ↩︎

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