"Rasmentalism"
"Rasmentalism"
Lecrae Moore was born in the south side of Houston, Texas, but lived most of his youth in Denver and San Diego. He currently resides in Memphis, Tennessee. Lecrae provides a southern rap style to Cross Movement. After realizing that he was living a "lifestyle of excessive sin," Lecrae gave his life to Christ at the age of 19. Though rapping was only a hobby to him, Lecrae's lyrics began to reflect his new life in Christ. After being highly influenced by the Cross Movement and being discipled by local seminary students, Lecrae began to use his music for ministry purposes. He has now made Dallas his local mission field. If he's not hosting hip-hop-oriented youth events in the heart of the inner city or witnessing on the streets in Dallas's club district, he's fellowshipping with the 1:16 Clique or his Plumbline College ministry family. With no ambitions of being the next big thing or dreams of fame and wealth, Lecrae has stated that he simply wants to point listeners in the direction of the Cross. Ranging from campus ministry to three weekends a month at a local juvenile detention center, Lecrae teaches with talks and reaches with rhymes. Lecrae was the first hip-hop artist to sign with Reach Records. His debut album is entitled Real Talk. His second album was titled After The Music Stops, and he just recently released his third album titled Rebel. He also married his college sweetheart, Darragh, who is expecting a child later this year. Lecrae has an exclusive licensing deal with both Reach Records and Cross Movement Records. He defines his mission in a nutshell with the statement that he wants “to digest theology and spit it back out so the streets can digest it.” He also uses the word "Krunk" to refer to a spiritual high felt through Christ. On October 8, 2008 Rebel, Lecrae's third album, entered the Billboard charts at #60 with 9,800 units sold.
An unlikely story stands behind the man known by many as "Lecrae". From the southside of Houston to a leader in the movement of urban reform, a rocky road provides a window into the grace he experienced through out his life, with every situation molding him into the artist and leader that he is today. Born and raised by his mother in a struggling community on the south side of Houston, Lecrae moved around to several places giving him the versatile background and cultural awareness he carries with him. San Diego, Denver, and Dallas have also once been home to him and the street life he once idolized and pursued. Along the way, like many in the inner city, he took to rapping as a way of communicating his mind. It wasn't until after high school that his hobby became a passion after his hip hop background was redeemed by Jesus Christ.
At 19 years old at the encouragement of a christian leader he attended a conference and heard James White delivering the message. In that moment, sitting in a chair, his world was flipped upside down as the Holy Spirit convicted him of his sin and need for a Savior. That day Lecrae was rescued by the Lord and began following after Christ. Almost instantly his renewed heart spilled over as he printed his testimony and passed it out enthusiastically all over his college campus at University of North Texas. The next 5 years included many struggles and victories before he teamed up to begin Reach Records, releasing his first album at the age of 25.
Calling Dallas home, Lecrae remained content using his gifts of speaking and rapping while volunteering at a juvenile detention center, but the Lord would have different plans and soon he began working on his debut "Real Talk". Pouring out a genuine discussion of life issues and passionate, unashamed pursuit of Jesus Christ, Real Talk was released to the world where he quickly became noted as an emcee that would meet listeners where they were by delivering transparent, relatable, and impacting messages.
As Lecrae continued to make his mark in the music industry, he realized the stage wasn't enough. He wanted to see deeper impact in urban culture. There needed to be a culturally relevant and biblically solid resource center to help train the next generation. Co-founding ReachLife Ministries in 2005, the non-profit organization exists to partner with organizations to equip local leaders with culturally relevant tools and media projects designed to strengthen communities with the word of God. ReachLife is another vital piece in the larger vision of seeing a reformation in urban culture.
Since formation, Lecrae has released the groundbreaking album After the Music Stops and the first Christian Rap CD to ever sit in the No. 1 position on Billboard's Top Gospel Charts, Rebel. Led by the classic single 'Jesus Musik,' After the Music Stops slowly spread to the mainstream market with other hits such as 'Praying For You' and 'Send Me.' Aimed to build an audience of disciples, the album sat on Soundscan's Christian Hip Hop/R&B chart for two years after releasing in 2006. While in the No. 3 position, Rebel released in 2008 and claimed the No. 3 position on the secular iTunes' Rap chart.
A graduate of University of North Texas, Lecrae now resides in the inner city of Memphis, one of the nations most violent cities. A movement is brewing around the country with hungry, unashamed believers popping up in inner city communities everywhere. Lecrae is humbled to be a part of leading others towards Christ so that lives can be changed forever just like his changed years ago. With new avenues and strategic partnerships Lecrae prays that the impact from Reach will spread far beyond simply the music and into the lives of believers across the world.