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 throughout 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.

In early January, Lecrae's latest, Rehab: The Overdose, hit shelves and NRT's Bill Lurwick took time to catch up with one of the most in-demand artists in Christian rap today.

You’re fresh off of the Passion conference, and now you’re headed to Haiti, right? What’s going on in Haiti?

It's called The Festival of Hope with Samaritan’s Purse. It’s a memorial, kind of concert and speaking opportunity for those who survived the earthquake that just reminds them of the hope that we have in Christ.

Did you have a chance to go over to Haiti after the earthquake?

I did. I went a few days after the earthquake hit and got a chance to see the turmoil and to brainstorm on ways to help and raise support.

Talk about the title track from your latest album, Rehab: The Overdose. What's it all about?


It’s just bold and brash. It’s very hip hop. It’s authentically hip hop, but it’s authentically Christian as well and it just says, "this is who I am." I live for Jesus and I can’t hide it. I’m not going to be ashamed of that. It’s made me who I am and no love lost. I still have love for everyone, but I recognize that people don’t want it--don’t want life.

A lot of people talk about generalizations in their music or with their art or talent, but you go right to the core. Why is that?

I was pretty dead set in my mission before anyone would listen to me. My mission was clear: to change the way people see the world and see themselves based on the scriptures and by being transformed by the power of the Gospel. So, I’ve always said I’ve been inspired by Romans 1:16, which says I’m unashamed of the Gospel. It’s the power of God for salvation. So, it’s something that I need not be ashamed of. It’s something that I trust in to really change people and that I’m not going to hide. I’d rather hide behind it than hide it.

So, that’s always kind of been my M.O., and whether 10 people listen or 10,000 people listen, that was the mission that I had from the onset.
You were going to remain true to that calling and you weren’t going to compromise anything to get a bigger audience. You would have been happy either way, right?


I read on your bio you like to call yourself an indigenous minister in an urban culture. Explain that verbiage to us.

If you were in the middle of the Amazon and you were trying to reach the natives there, your best bet is going to be to train a leader from one of the people and send him back to reach the rest of his people. He’s probably going to be the most effective person. I feel the same way in an urban context. Because I grew up in that environment and have an affinity for some of those same things, I think I’m a great candidate to go back in and share the truth of Jesus in an urban context. So that’s what I do.

Well, it is Rehab: The Overdose, available as of 1/11/11. It’s all No. 1, man.

Absolutely. It just made sense.