At first glance, the idea of Christian hip hop seems like an oxymoron.
Don't say that to Atlanta-based artist Lecrae, however.
Considered by some to be the reigning king of the genre, Lecrae describes his music as "authentically hop and authentically Christian." The lyrics include messages about Christian values and ethnics and "I'm not ashamed of it," he said during a recent interview in his East Atlanta studio.
Lecrae recently joined several other Georgia-based artists to receive coveted Dove Award nominations. A co-founder of Reach Records, Lecrae was recently nominated for Rap/Hip Hop Recorded Song of the Year and Rap/Hip Hop Album of the Year for "Rehab," which was released in September.
The nominations mean a lot to the Houston-born artist. "Traditionally, what we do musically has been shunned from all directions," he said.
Some think because it's Christian-based music, it "must not be good or it's just a bunch of religious propaganda." And church folks, he said, "think this sounds worldly and God is opposed to hip hop. I'm a Christian but it doesn't mean my music has to be sub-par and God owns everything, even hip hop."
While some hip hop lyrics glorify a street life, partying and having a lot of women, Lecrae's gives his view on drug dealing and murder as a way to help people see the detriments of the lifestyle. He wants young people, especially, to see the flip side of that life and to give them hope.
"I want them to see the good things in life and the benefit of living with God, as opposed to the detriments of living in opposition to Him," he said.
And he believes you can do that without saying "Jesus" every five words. Call it faith with a hip hop beat.
Lecrae is clearly on to something. "Rehab" debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's Christian and Gospel charts and on the Top 200. He's tried to remain culturally relevant and biblically based in his music and deeds. In 2010, he was nominated for a Grammy for Best Gospel Rock/Rap album for "Rehab."
Even Casting Crowns' lead vocalist Mark Hall is a fan.
Mark Moring, senior associate editor at Christianity Today magazine, said Christian hip hop started growing in the late 1990s and was pretty successful for a time. Then it started to lose steam.
"There are a few out there keeping it alive and Lecrae seems to be one of them," Moring said. "He has just been a hit."
Mention Christian music to some young audiences and they might roll their eyes, believing the only Christian music is traditional hymns, Southern gospel and four men singing four-part harmonies, he said. But it's actually a wide field that includes Christian rock and pop.
"Christian music just mirrors the mainstream music industry by splitting into these genres," Moring said. "I don't think it's necessarily commercially driven but artists are going to make the kind of music they like and talk about the issues they're interested in."
And Lecrae doesn't have a problem with letting anyone know how he feels about God. His faith, he said, drives him in work and his personal life.
"God showed me how to me a husband and a man," said Lecrae, who is married with two children and a third on the way.
A devout Christian, Lecrae, born Lecrae Moore was raised by his mother and moved around a lot in his youth. He admits that he wasn't what he calls a "church boy" and quickly hooked up with the wrong crowd.
But over time, he came to realize that Christianity offered more than the streets. "Jesus cared about the prostitutes and the pimps and he cared about me," he said.
He is also honest about his own struggles.
In a blog post during recording "Rehab," Lecrae wrote about going through his own rehabilitation and battling "depression, anxiety and selfishness. Not only are those things difficult and frustrating for myself and people around me, but they are also a hideous offense to God. They are sins and/or the results of sin. The obvious cure is ALWAYS seeing and savoring more of Jesus. But HOW do we do that in this world of distractions competing for our affections?"
His passion has taken him outside of the studio. Last year, Lecrae took time out to go to Sudan and Haiti to help in an orphanage and in the relief efforts.
"It's incredible," he said of those journeys. "It's not just about poverty, it's about strength and it's about joy."
He also has projects closer to home. One of them, "Man Up," will include a short film of males talking about what it takes to be a man. It will also include a soundtrack featuring other Reach artists. The project is expected to be released this summer.
He also plans to write a book and is warming up his acting skills. Always present though is God.
"Faith is the lens through which I see everything," he said.
