LECRAE’S “SAY I WON’T” FT. ANDY MINEO VIDEO TO PREMIERE AT BROOKLYN NETS GAME

Reach Records emcee, Lecrae, is gearing up to premiere the music video for his track titled “Say I Won’t,” at the Brooklyn Nets (versus Miami Heat) game on December 16. The song features his label-mate Andy Mineo, was produced by 808XEliTE, Gawvi, & Andy Mineo, and appears on Anomaly.

Also, Reach Records is putting on a “Say I Won’t” video contest for the fans. Those who enter the contest will make a 15 second video showing Reach that they’re not scared to be different, and they could win various prizes (including a paid trip to Brooklyn to watch the game with Crae and Mineo) [Details HERE]. A list of prizes is below.

On April 4 of 2014, Lecrae performed at an Atlanta Hawks game. The Reach Records co-founder’s relationship with NBA players and NBA teams is well-documented.

Do you think we are going to see more Reach Records performances and video premieres at NBA games in the future?

Derek Minor 'Empire' & Marz Ferrer 'Blur' Albums Charting on iTunes

Today two highly anticipated albums, Reflection Music Group artist Derek Minor's 'Empire,' and Marz Ferrer's 'Blur' have made their way onto the iTunes charts. Currently Derek's new album 'Empire,' which is scheduled for it's full release on January 27, 2014, has climbed up to the #10 spot on iTunes Top Hip-Hop/Rap Albums chart off pre-orders alone, and Marz Ferrer, who you've heard on Andy Mineo's latestNever LandEP and a few other features, has landed her solo debut Blur at #13 on iTunes' Top Alternative Albums chart.

Congrats to both artists.

Pre-order Derek Minor's Empire on iTunes and buy Marz Ferrer's Blur on iTunes aswell.

LECRAE NOMINATED FOR MULTIPLE 2015 GRAMMY AWARDS

Lecrae has been nominated for multiple 2015 Grammy awards. What may be most impressive is that one of them is in a mainstream category, “Best Rap Performance.” His track, “All I Need Is You,” is up against Childish Gambino’s “3005,” Drake’s  “0-100/The Catchup,” Eminem’s “Rap God,” and Kendrick Lamar’s “i.”

“All I Need Is You” was produced by Dirty Rice and Joseph Prielozny.

Lecrae was also nominated alongside Erica Campbell for his feature on “Help” for Best Gospel Performance/Song. The other nominees in that category are as follows:

• Karen Clark Sheard – “Sunday A.M.” [Live]
• Mali Music – “I Believe”
• Smokie Norful – “No Greater Love”
• The Walls Group – “Love On The Radio”

The Reach Records emcee even sparked a nomination under the Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song category for his song “Messengers” featuring Australian brother-duo for KING & COUNTRY. Below listed are the other nominations in that category:

• Francesca Battistelli – “Write Your Story”
• Crowder – “Come As You Are”
• MercyMe – “Shake”
• Needtobreathe – “Multiplied”

Lecrae now has five Grammy nominations overall on his resume. [2011 – Rehab/2013 –Gravity/2015 – “All I Need Is You,” “Help” (Erika Campbell’s song], “Messengers” feat. for KING & COUNTRY]

He won the Best Gospel Album Grammy in 2013 for his project Gravity.

In addition to his nomination for Best Gospel Performance/Song, Mali Music also received a nomination for Best Urban Contemporary Album against Jhene Aiko’s Sail Out, Beyoncé’s Beyoncé,Chris Brown’s X, and Pharrell Williams’s G I R L. On another note, Natalie Lauren has also had some contributions to a Grammy nominated album as a writer for select tracks on Iggy Azalea’s The New Classic, which was nominated for Best Rap Album.

The 57th Annual Grammy Awards will take place on February 8, 2015 from the Staples Center in LA and broadcasted live on CBS.

Lecrae's Anomaly Charts #1 iTunes Overall & #1 Amazon Overall

Lecrae and Reach Records had a huge day with the release of their latest release - Anomaly! Lecrae charted at #1 on the iTunes Hip Hop chart and fought hard for #1 Overall but despite a rare top banner takeover, he could not get past the English-Irish pop boy band, One Direction.

Buy Anomaly on iTunes or buy the CD on our store now.

Lecrae Takes Over iTunes Hip Hop

Lecrae's new album Anomaly released today and can be found on the iTunes homepage, Music page, Hip Hop genre, and Christian genre pages. On the Hip Hop genre page you can find Lecrae's discography owning all of the available top banners. This sort of takeover has been reserved for artists that have sold large amounts of records such as Jay Z and Eminem. Congratulations on infiltrating hip-hop, Lecrae and Reach!

Buy Anomaly on iTunes or buy the CD on our store now.

Lecrae and Bart Millard of MercyMe to Host 45th Annual Dove Awards

The Gospel Music Association (GMA) announces multi-Dove Award winning powerhouses Bart Millard of MercyMe and Lecrae as co-hosts for the 45th Annual GMA Dove Awards. The Dove Awards will take place on Tuesday, Oct. 7 at Allen Arena on the campus of Lipscomb University in Nashville, TN and will air on the Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN). 

“I can't wait to be a part of what I believe will be a historic evening,” said rap and hip hop recording artist Lecrae. “Co-hosting with a great friend and talented artist makes it even better. Be careful though, who knows what will happen when Bart and I get together.” 

Says Millard, "I'm so excited to be part of this year's Dove Awards. The Doves are unique because they bring all styles of Gospel music together. Lecrae and I are just a small example of how different and yet unified this community is in sharing a message of love and hope through music.” He jokes, “To prove how unified we are, I will be freestylin' my fresh rhymes while Lecrae sings the chorus to ‘I Can Only Imagine" over and over!” 

Performers and current nominees will include Natalie Grant, Hezekiah Walker, Matthew West and Erica Campbell. In addition, Capital Kings, Olympic Gold Medalist Scott Hamilton, author Karen Kingsbury and Bill Gaither are confirmed as presenters.

Lecrae 'Anomaly' Production Credits Revealed

Reach Records revealed the production credits for Lecrae's upcoming album Anomaly to be released September 9th.

1. Outsiders - Produced by Dirty Rice, Joseph Prielozny, Street Symphony
2. Welcome to America - Produced by S1, J. Rhodes
3. Say I Won't ft. Andy Mineo - Produced by 808XEliTE, GAWVI, Andy Mineo
4. Nuthin - Produced by GAWVI
5. Fear - Produced by Dirty Rice, Joseph Prielozny
6. Anomaly - Produced by Nate Robinson
7. Timepiece - Produced by Mashell
8. Dirty Water - Produced by Derek Minor
9. Wish - Produced by S1, Vohn Beatz, Joseph Prielozny
10. Runners - Produced by Lasanna "Ace" Harris, GAWVI
11. All I Need Is You - Produced by Dirty Rice and Joseph Prielozny
12. Give In ft. Crystal Nicole - Produced by GAWVI, Alex Medina
13. Good, Bad, Ugly - Produced by Jaquebeatz
14. Broken ft. Kari Jobe - Produced by Dirty Rice, Joseph Prielozny
15. Messengers ft. For King & Country - Produced by Dirty Rice, Joseph Prielozny, Street Symphony

Pre-order Anomaly on iTunes now.

What producers do you wish were on Anomaly?

HillaryJane's Stix and Stones Peaks at #3 on iTunes R&B

Infiltrate Music’s newest signee HillaryJane, released her debut solo project entitled Stix and Stones today. The 7-song EP, on its first day of release, has reached the number 3 spot on the iTunes R&B/Soul charts.

HillaryJane, as of late, has been no stranger to charting. Her song "Celebrity", the last single released preceding the full release of Stix and Stones, climbed all the way to number 9 and held for the last 2 weeks on DJBooth.net's R&B/Pop chart. Her single "Chimneys" is also currently #1 Most Wanted on RadioU.

Stix and Stones has made its place between a multitude of successful and even Grammy award wining artists within R&B/Soul. HillaryJane’s debut solo project falls one spot below Trey Songz's Trigga and two spots above 9-time Grammy award winning artist John Legend, who released Love In The Future.

HillaryJane's EP features only two other artists, who compared to other projects released this year, may be out of the ordinary. The song "Celebrity", guest starring the St. Louis native and Full Ride Music Group’s Thi'sl, is one of the two songs on HillaryJane's EP to feature another artist. The other is a remix, which features a little known producer by the name of HXLY KXSS, entitled "Shotgun".

"I really wanted to offer people me, and not a project that stands on the shoulders of other artists", says HillaryJane in an interview with Rapzilla earlier this year.

Production for "Celebrity" and the majority of Stix and Stones, with the exception of "Shotgun", can be accredited to 808xEliTE. 808xEliTE has produced tracks for the likes of 2Chainz, Lecrae, Papa San, Meek Mill, and Andy Mineo and has acquired over the course of their career both Grammy and Dove Awards.

You can support HillaryJane’s newest project Stix and Stones by purchasing it on iTunes or Amazon Music today.

Oscar Urbina Wins Rapzilla.com 16 Bar Challenge

After Los won last year, Oscar Urbina gave CTF Records back-to-back wins in the Rapzilla.com 16 Bar Challenge at Legacy Conference 2014.

"It's monumental," said CTF Records CEO Gus Cruz. "As an upcoming label that does not have many people backing us up because we're unknown, this is good for the artists making a name for themselves ... We're excited."

Level of crowd noise decided which competitors advanced.

"Whenever I wrote a bar, I was always saying, 'How would the crowd respond to this?'" said Urbina. "Would this be good enough?"

When cheers were too close for emcee JGivens to name a winner, judges Swoope and Eshon Burgundy broke the tie. They also critiqued performances before the crowd cheered. Urbina defeated MC Goya and Dru Bex in the final round, the crowd agreeing with both judges who picked him.

"I'm not looking for the punchlines. They find me," said Burgundy of Urbina's final verse.

Urbina studied rap battles and last year's 16 Bar Challenge prior to the event. What he learned made his focus on punchlines intentional.

"I knew it was a capella, so all the spotlight is on the lyrics," he said. "Rapping fast or doing some crazy flow wouldn't really work. For scenarios like this, punchlines and wordplay always does good for the crowd."

In victory, Urbina is defending his home turf being Legacy Conference is held at Moody Bible Institute and Urbina is a Moody grad.

2014 will prove to be an eventful year for him. He released his debut mixtape in January and plans to release another in November.

New Lecrae Album 'Anomaly' Releasing August 2014

Reach Records and Lecrae revealed via a handwritten note, that he will be releasing his new album 'Anomaly' this August.

Tedashii's Below Paradise Has Best Debut Week of his Career

Latest Project From Hip-Hop Artist Tedashii Gets No. 17 Debut On Billboard's Top 200 Album Chart And No. 1 On Gospel, Selling More Than 13,800 Units In Just One Week

ATLANTA, GA – 04 June 2014 –Below Paradise, the latest project from hip-hop artist Tedashii, has debuted at No. 17 on the Top 200 Billboard Album chart and sold more than 13,800 units since it released just one week ago. The album has also taken the No. 1 spot on the Gospel chart while also grabbing the No. 2 positions on the Rap, Independent and Christian charts. This is the highest debut for Tedashii since his first album dropped in 2006. Below Paradise, Tedashii's fourth career studio release, features such artists as Lecrae, Trip Lee, Crowder, Andy Mineo, Kam Parker, Christon Gray and Britt Nicole. The project can be found on iTunes, Amazon, and Google Play, as well as in stores such as Family Christian, LifeWay, Mardel, and select Walmart stores. The deluxe version is available exclusively through iTunes, which includes three bonus tracks that features KB, Dimitri McDowell, and Derek Minor.

Behind the Scenes: Tedashii & Lecrae "Nothing I Can't Do" Video

Check out behind the scenes photos of the upcoming music video from Tedashii's new song "Nothing I Can't Do" featuring Lecrae & Trip Lee. The photos were taken from Atlanta photographer, Garret Reid, who posted them on his blog. He also explained that Trip Lee's part was shot else where, so he will be in the video! Enjoy the photos:

Tedashii Tops iTunes HipHop/Rap Albums Chart

Today, Tedashii released his latest album 'Below Paradise' and it's already made a major mark on the music charts by coming in #1 on iTunes HipHop/Rap Albums Chart.

 Also, Below Paradise reached #7 on iTunes Top albums and #13 on Amazon Hip Hop/Rap Albums Chart. Congratulations to Tedashii for his latest release and impacting the charts.

And if you haven't already, make sure you buy the album on iTunes or AmazonMp3.

Update: Tedashii's album moved up two spots to reach #2 on the iTunes Top Albums Chart

Propaganda, Social Club & Flame Break iTunes

UPDATE: Propaganda moved up and peaked at #6 Overall and Social Club at #9.

The next 24 hours is going to be a big day for Christian Hip Hop with multiple new albums releasing including Propaganda 'Crimson Cord', Social Club 'Misfits 2', Clear Sight Music 'Jesus or Nothing', and Chad Jones 'Keep Up' EP.

The albums just went live on iTunes and are already charting. Propaganda is #2 Hip Hop/Rap Album and #20 Overall Album, Social Club is #3 Hip Hop/Rap Album and #26 Overall Album, Jesus or Nothing is #12 Hip Hop/Rap Album, and Chad Jones is #7 Christian & Gospel Album.

Go ahead, buy these albums and break iTunes!

Breaking News: JGivens Signs to Humble Beast

JGivens, one of our 13 Freshmen of 2013, has made a name for himself in Christian Hip Hop. And it looks like that is going to continue as it was just announced today that JGivens has signed with the music label Humble Beast Recordings. JGivens will be joining a wonderful roster which include Beautiful Eulogy, Eshon Burgundy, and more. Congratulations to JGivens & Humble Beast.

Los Signs With CTF Records

Queens, New York-born Hip Hop artist Carlos Bedoya aka Los, recently inked a deal with CTF Records. The signing comes after months of Los building with CTF, releasing quality tracks and generating a buzz in the Christian Hip Hop community. “I’m excited to have Los on the team. I personally think he is the best punch-liner in CHH! Look forward to what we have coming” CTF Records co-founder Serge

Los spent years developing his craft as a member of H.G.A. (His Glory Alone), an urban Christian collective that consisted of KB (Reach Records), Second Chaynce, OV and more. He was once a part of the group “Grafted” (Klarity and Cato) as well. The H.G.A. rapper stepped out on his own as a solo artist in 2012.

Since becoming a solo artist, he released a project titled ‘The Leak Mixtape,’ dropped spoken word poems that have caught the ears of noteworthy artists like Humble Beast poet Jackie Hill, Jeff Bethke & Sho Baraka, won various competitions and more.

In July of 2013, at Legacy Conference in Chicago, Los won Rapzilla.com’s 16 Bar Challenge which included heavy hitters like Braille, Gemstones and Serge, among others. The victory cemented his reputation as a strong lyricist and punch-line specialist.

Los’ signing with Miami, Florida’s CTF records creates a united trio of rising Christian Hip Hop emcees that includes Serge and Oscar Urbina.

Los is currently working on his first EP, where he is assuring that fans will receive an avalanche of lyrical Christ-centered bars.

Tedashii 'Below Paradise' Tracklisting Revealed

Tedashii's long awaited upcoming album 'Below Paradise' is releasing May 27th. Check out the tracklisting with all the features below.

Tracklisting
1. Below Paradise
2. Perfect ft. Kam Parker
3. Dark Days, Darker Nights ft. Britt Nicole
4. Nothing I Can't Do ft. Trip Lee & Lecrae
5. Catch Me If You Can ft. Andy Mineo
6. Paradise ft. Tauren Wells of Royal Tailor
7. Fire Away ft. SPZRKT
8. Be With You ft. Lester "L2" Shaw
9. Back To You (Interlude)
10. Angels and Demons ft. Crowder
11. My God
12. Love Never Leaves ft. Natalie Lauren
13. Complicated ft. Christon Gray
14. Chase ft. Tim Halperin

Chad Jones Reveals 'Keep Up' EP Cover & Tracklisting

The RMG artist known as Chad Jones recently teamed up with Canon and Propaganda to release the song 'Problems' and now reveals the cover and tracklisting for his EP entitled 'Keep Up'. Let us know what you think.

1. Problem ft Propaganda & Canon
2. I Know ft Foure
3. Long Walk Home ft Hayme Pearl
4. Hold Up ft Derek Minor & Roz

Music Video: Social Club - Cops

Pre-order Social Club Misfits 2 Album on iTunes. Follow Social Club on Twitter.

Music Video: Propaganda - Crimson Cord

You can purchase "Crimson Cord" on iTunes now, as well as pre-order the album at a reduced price until it releases.

Follow Propaganda on Twitter @prophiphop

New Day Signs Reach Records For CBA Physical Distribution

Christian retail's top independent distributor New Day Christian Distributors adds Reach Records to its first-rate lineup of music partners. The Atlanta-based hip-hop label plans to kick off its new distribution agreement with anticipated albums from both GRAMMY Award-winning artist Lecrae and rapper Tedashii.

Reach Records was established more than ten years ago on the ideals of faith and positive messaging. Since its inception, the company has grown from a tiny unknown label to a viable forum for the release of best-selling, culturally impactful music.

New Day's Michael Turner comments, "I love hip-hop, and my sons are Reach fans. I have been inspired by what Reach has accomplished as a label over the last decade and have always felt they would be a natural fit for New Day. We are so excited to welcome them to the New Day family!"

"In the past few years, New Day has been making noise in the industry providing a great platform for independent labels to the CBA market," says Reach Records' Ben Washer. "This year we will have some incredible new projects coming out, and we are ready to get creative with their fantastic team to continue creating a platform for our artists."

Among those forthcoming projects from Reach are Tedashii's fourth solo album, Below Paradise, scheduled to release May 27th and a new album from Lecrae by year's end. For additional information on these and other Reach releases, visit www.reachrecords.com.

V.Rose Releasing Sophomore Album 'Forever After'

Clear Sight Music announces the sophomore release of their artist V. Rose, entitled Forever After. With a street date of May 20, 2014, the project drops almost 3 years after her self-titled debut release.

D. Tropp Reveals Artwork & Tracklisting for Away from Home

D. Tropp, one of the 2014 Freshmen, is set to release his album Away from Home is set to release on May 13th

Tracklisting:
1. United Center [Produced by Swade & Christian Sager]
2. The Drive (ft. Elhae) [Produced by Cardec Drums]
3. No Filter (ft. ABIV & John Givez) [Produced by DZL]
4. Authentic [Produced by Black Knight]
5. Choices (The Break-Up) [Produced by Tyshane]
6. Said & Done [Produced by DZL]
7. Champagne Showers [Produced by DZL]
8. Misbehave (ft. SPZRKT) [Produced by Cardec Drums & Tyshane]
9. For The Moment [Produced by Rey King]
10. Away From Home [Produced by Cardec Drums]

Pre-Order will be available on April 19th.

Da' T.R.U.T.H. Heartbeat Charting #2 On iTunes Hip Hop/Rap Albums

Da' T.R.U.T.H.'s latest album entitled 'Heartbeat' came out today on iTunes and has already charted at #2 on iTunes Top Hip Hop/Rap Albums and #14 on iTunes Top Overall Albums.




 Heartbeat' follows Da' T.R.U.T.H.'s last album's, 'Love, Hope, War', success. on the charts which made it's debut on the Billboard charts. 'Love, Hope, War' peaked at #2 Christian/Gospel & landed #81 in the Top 100 Overall albums on Billboard with a total of 4,733 units sold.

Watch Da' T.R.U.T.H.'s latest music video 'Gray'

Tedashii Ready To Release 'Below Paradise' & Tour With TobyMac, Skillet, and Lecrae

ATLANTA, GA – Well-known, thoughtful lyricist and hip-hop artist Tedashii is set to release his new full-length album Below Paradise (Reach Records) on May 27. This highly anticipated project will be his first album in three years marking his career fourth studio release. The first single “Dark Days, Darker Nights” features Britt Nicole and was released to fans last week, and has received more than 50,000 views in a matter of days. Click here to hear this new song. This album features guest artist appearances by Trip Lee, Lecrae, Britt Nicole, Crowder, Andy Mineo, Royal Tailor and many others.

Below Paradise sheds a new light on what life is really like on this side of eternity. Last year, Tedashii took time off to grieve the loss of his son. This album is a reflection of that experience as he explores the meaning of triumph and hope amidst a life filled with patterns of pain and loss.

"In March of 2013 I had the worst day of my life,” shares Tedashii. “The loss of my son changed me forever. I experienced grief and sorrow to the depth of my soul. The veil was lifted, the smoke cleared and all I had was pain. Instantly phrases like, ‘It's all good’ or ‘It'll be ok’ were cliche and, at best, empty promises. The comfort of life with no pain was gone and I saw the world in an entirely new way. I felt forsaken, alone, and in a place of darkness that has been kept masked by a focus on only the good side of this life. The reality of being a Christian and suffering so harsh a thing was hard for me to grasp.”

Tedashii shares with the listener the reality of suffering, deep and true joy, the bite of life and the false expectations we carry. Below Paradise is filled with true authenticity and uncut honesty during this season of his life.

“This album is my journal shared publicly with everyone during this difficult journey as I worked to understand all I felt, experienced, and believed. I am human, I am hurt, I am His. By His grace I am what I am. I pray this will be an album that all can feel, even if you can't relate, and be moved to true emotions about the reality of life in a harsh world with a loving God, below paradise."

Below Paradise explores not only deep, emotional topics, but it also stretches the sound and style from Tedashii’s previous albums. The songs on Below Paradise read like a journal. Some entries are honest and transparent, but the album is not a somber, solemn experience. Recorded in Atlanta and Dallas, these 14 tracks don’t just focus on loss and grief, they are inspired by all the events that shaped Tedashii as an artist and a man. This includes his experiences in high school as a football-playing, poetry-reading member of the marching band and his conversion to Christianity during college. Meeting his father for the first time, feeling like an outsider, faith, family and fatherhood, Tedashii invites the listener to experience life “below paradise.”

Fans will get to hear the new songs on Below Paradise on the upcoming Summer Shed Tour featuring TobyMac, Skillet and Lecrae. Tour dates listed below.

May 1 Austin, TX / Austin360 Amphitheater
May 2 Oklahoma City, OK / Zoo Amphitheatre
May 3 Rio Rancho, NM / Santa Ana Star Center
May 4 Denver, CO / Red Rocks Amphitheater
May 8 Little Rock, AR / First Security Amphitheater (Formerly Riverfest Amphitheater)
May 9 St Louis, MO / Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
May 10 Memphis, TN / Mud Island Amphitheater

1. You Mock Me 
2. Crimson Cord
3. Daywalkers ft. Lecrae
4. Make
5. Bored of Education
6. Thanks Rev
7. I Ain't Gave Up On You Yet
8. Framed Stretch Marks ft. Derek Webb & Braille 
9. I Don't See It
10. Three Cord Bond
11. How Did We Get Here ft. Andy Mineo & JGivens
12. Redeem ft. Lee Green
13. Tell Me Yours
14. I Can't Call It - produced by Derek Minor (iTunes Exclusive)
15. Make - remix by Beautiful Eulogy (iTunes pre-order only)

You can pre-order Propaganda's new album on iTunes for $7.99 until it releases. Save $2! 

DA' T.R.U.T.H. 'HEARTBEAT' ALBUM COVER REVEALED

Da' T.R.U.T.H. is geared to release his upcoming album 'Heartbeat' on April 15th. We got an exclusive first look at the artwork. You can also hear Da' T.R.U.T.H. new single "Press" featuring Papa San & Canon premiering on the Rapzilla app now.

SOCIAL CLUB - MISFITS 2 TRACKLISTING

1. Misfits ft. Chris Durso (produced by Dflow)
2. Coogi Sweater ft. Andy Mineo (produced by Gawvi)
3. Awkward part 2 (produced by ABIV x Rey King)
4. Cops (produced by Gawvi)
5. No Sleep ft. Rey King (produced by Rey King x D-Flow)
6. Mxfit Lxvin ft. Elhae (produced by D-Flow)
7. My Eyes Burn ft. Marz Ferrar (produced by Rey King x D-Flow)
8. Burn the Bridge ft. Chris Batson (produced by Chris Batson x D-Flow)
9. My life (Santinos Theme) (produced by D-Flow)
10. Social Club is NOT Dead ft. Gawvi (produced by Gawvi)

Misfits 2 is releasing April 29th at all digital retailers.

CHRISTON GRAY DEBUTS AT #1 ON ITUNES R&B

One of the most anticipated albums of 2014 is finally here - Christon Gray's School of Roses. Class is definitely in session. The Collision team and Christon have debuted at #1 on the iTunes R&B charts! 

Even more importantly, School of Roses is sitting at #5 Overall on iTunes, up from it's debut at #7. Lets leverage our scene and push this album to #1 overall!

KB '100' #6 on iTunes Top Albums & #3 Hip Hop/Rap Albums

After his high-charting Reach Records debut album Weight & Glory, KB has solidified his place in Christian Hip Hop with his new project 100. The 6-song EP featuring stellar production and a few well-placed features has already made waves, charting #3 on iTunes Hip Hop list behind Rick Ross and #6 [Update: #5] on iTunes Top overall albums chart. The Florida-based emcee's message of giving everything and leaving nothing behind still resonates with the core of the unashamed audience. Congratulations to KB and Reach Records for the continued witness on the charts!

What's your favorite song from the EP?

Dream Junkies: NREM Edition Available to Download

When three talented MCs unite behind a common vision and mission that focuses on inspiring others more than glorifying themselves, the results should be exceptional.
“Exceptional” is just one way that listeners have described “Dream Junkies: NREM Edition,” the first collaborative project from Kings Dream Entertainment MCs Ruslan, Beleaf, and John Givez.

Each successful MCs in their own right, working together just made sense, “our fans have been asking us to do something together for a while,” said Ruslan. “We didn’t want to do it just to do it. We wanted to do it in a way that would inspire and encourage everyone who heard it."

They began work on the project in December of 2013, combing through countless beat submissions. “It was important for us to find beats that were inspiring for us so that we could inspire others with our writing,” Beleaf said of the music selection and creation process.

What they ended up with were 11 tracks (plus 3 bonus tracks on the deluxe edition). Each track has a unique message designed to fulfill the Dream Junkies mission of inspiring and encouraging others to dream big and become the people God designed them to be.

“This is inspirational Hip-Hop,” said John Givez. “We see all kinds of people that don’t need more club music, or more trap music; they need music that will inspire and encourage them to succeed at whatever they do. That’s what we’re about.”

“Dream Junkies: NREM Edition” is available as a free download at DreamJunkies.us. The deluxe version is available with the purchase of a t-shirt from KingsDreamENT.com, or with the purchase of a ticket to the upcoming Dream Junkies tour dates in Dallas or San Diego.

When asked about the title of the album, Ruslan explained, “We’re Dream Junkies. We pursue and live our dreams, the dreams God planted in us. We want to inspire others to do the same.”

Ruslan also explained the subtitle, “NREM is the first stage of sleep. It’s the first step we go through on the way to our dreams.”

When it was pointed out that there are multiple stages of sleep and asked if listeners could expect multiple Dream Junkies projects, Ruslan answered, “we’re just getting started. We have a lot of music planned for this year, so people should definitely be paying attention to Kings Dream.”

If this is just stage one from the Dream Junkies, hip-hop fans have a lot to look forward to as Kings Dream inspires people toward realizing their dreams.

Reach Records Signs With Red Distribution

Atlanta-based label Reach Records has signed an agreement with RED Distribution for digital and physical distribution in the U.S. and Canada.

Reach Records artists have sold over 1.8 million albums to date, and is home to label co-owner and Grammy award winning hip hop artist Lecrae Moore, as well as label mates Andy Mineo, KB, Trip Lee, Derek Minor and Tedashii.

The first release under the new partnership is “Below Paradise” the fourth studio album from Tedashii, coming later this spring. RED pres. Bob Morelli said, “Both Reach and RED share a singular vision of success. RED is so proud to be their partners, and we look forward to assisting Ben, Lecrae and the entire Reach team in producing their next marketing, sales and artist development success stories.”

Derek Minor No Longer With Reach Records

RMG and Derek Minor Gear Up for a Big 2014

Derek Minor, formerly PRo, has come a long way since his debut album “Black Out” in 2008. Starting with strong rhymes, he’s now grown to combine his lyrical skills with dope beats and a message that encourages and challenges listeners. Along the way, Derek, with the help of business partner Doc Watson, started Reflection Music Group (RMG), signed with the Reach Records team, completed three mixtapes, released two albums, and charted multiple times on Billboard’s Gospel, Christian and Top 200 charts.

In the mid to late 2000’s, Derek Minor began his connection with independent label Reach Records. Through church relationships, he was introduced to co-owner and Grammy award winning artist Lecrae. While the label spent a few years in Memphis, Lecrae challenged Minor in his faith in Christ and music. RMG was already making moves and it became clear that a partnership between Minor and Reach would be mutually beneficial. Derek was signed for two albums, which would provide an opportunity to grow Derek’s music, label, and business insights.

On the Reach/Minor partnership, co-owner Ben Washer comments, “If you have been at an Unashamed Tour in the last few years, you have experienced Derek’s epic anthem for the 116 movement. This is a continuation of the movement and the realization of Derek and Doc’s dreams for Reflection. I remember Reach launching out on our own after a partnership and now RMG is ready for the next phase.”

"My time at Reach Records has been a blessing,” says Minor. “I've grown as an artist, business owner and a man. The beauty of the relationship we've established is that business wasn't its primary agenda and I'm excited to see what the future holds for both RMG and Reach. Lecrae Moore states, “I've known Derek for years even before we did music together.  He's always been driven. We saw a great opportunity to help him build his own label. It was inevitable for him to branch out expand and continue to build upon the movement he's created. He's an all around talent as an artist, producer, writer, and businessman. That's rare.”


As Derek and RMG conclude the partnership, they reflect on the invaluable insight that the partnership provided. The two album signing laid groundwork and strategy to grow the label in the years to come. RMG co-founder Doc Watson assents: "Thanks to Ben and Lecrae at Reach, we learned many things and they helped us to set up RMG the right way. We appreciate their help and stewarding through the years."

So, what’s to come from RMG & Derek Minor? If the present is any indication, the future holds huge potential. Minor is currently touring on a 48-stop tour with Winter Jam in support of his Billboard charting album, “Minorville.” Other RMG artists Canon, B Cooper and Deraj have dropped well received albums, with Canon’s “Mad Haven” charting on the Gospel and Christian charts. Label-mates Chad Jones & Tony Tillman round out the Reflection Music Group roster and are currently in the studio readying new material. In 2014, make time for Reflection!

D-Tropp to Release Debut Album 'Away From Home' on May 13

Artists are often applauded for their authenticity and transparency, merging their flawed lives with their artistic gifts. While that process can be searingly painful for the creator, the recipients of the creation often receive the necessary strength to work out their own shortcomings. After a personally tumultuous 2013, D-Tropp has created such a moment with his upcoming album Away From Home. Catapulted by a few well-placed songs and features as well as a recent spot on Rapzilla’s 2014 Freshmen list, D-Tropp is eager to expose his life to the masses. The artist’s debut full-length album will be released on May 13 for the world to experience his personal journey first hand.

“When we accept Christ into our hearts, we belong to Him. He becomes our home,” Tropp told Rapzilla. “During my depression, I ran from Him instead of running toward Him.” His unflinching willingness to bare his personal scars for the sake of others is displayed in the project’s weighty content, following the example of his career’s signature record “Misbehave” featuring SPZRKT. Living life as an adopted son in a white family, struggling with besetting sins and recovering from betrayal are all openly covered, a concept many will find dangerous. The artist himself disagrees. “I want to share real stories with the world because I believe it will be beneficial.”

While the content of the album itself is darker, the sound is consistently up-tempo, with production assists from recognizable CHH and mainstream names including DZL (Lecrae’s “Lost My Way”), Cardec Drums, Tyshane and others. Desiring to create a new lane with a stronger sound to match his authenticity, the singer/rapper will begin his re-introduction with the album’s first single “The Drive” featuring Ehlae on March 17. While his life may have taken an unexpected detour, D-Tropp is back home. And he’s hoping that his music will lead others to the same place.

Propaganda - Crimson Cord album cover

Propaganda's album cover art was revealed today for his upcoming project 'Crimson Cord', releasing on Humble Beast Records.

Social Club Releases "Misfits 2' Cover

The duo that has made waves in music and in countless lives known as Social Club, made up of artists Fern and Marty Mar, are gearing up to release their new album April 29th. Here is the cover for the album entitled 'Misfits 2'. Let us know what you think

HillaryJane Is Ready To Infiltrate Music

San Diego, CA—Infiltrate Music is excited to announce the addition of 20 year old Houston Texas native, HillaryJane to their growing roster. This deal continues to solidify their position in the marketplace as well as round out their sonic offering. Join HillaryJane and the Infiltrate Music crew at SXSW as they celebrate by premiering new music from the upcoming project.

Since the beginning, Hip Hop has been dominated by males. Whether that is because of the unspoken expectation of bravado, or the actual lack of females is up for debate. What is clear though, is there are not enough ladies. You can find talented artists who are women, but it will be difficult to find one who specifically aims to empower other women to strive for authentic womanhood—HillaryJane aspires to do just that.

“I first worked with HillaryJane on the Stop The Traffic album released by Rapzilla.com which helped benefit NYCUP (a division of InterVarsity in New York City) that fights human trafficking. HillaryJane worked with Infiltrate recording artist Skrip to create, "Not For Sale" which perfectly captures the point of the project,” says Infiltrate Music co-founder Chad Horton.

Flame Reveals Album Cover For 'Jesus Or Nothing

Flame is releasing his eighth album entitled 'Jesus Or Nothing' with ClearSight Music on April 29th.

Andy Mineo Makes Presence Felt on Billboard

The final results are in and Andy Mineo is truly making noise. The NYC native is a force once again in sales categories, scoring the #2 Rap album and #13 overall album this week on the Billboard 200 charts with his new EP "Neverland".

We briefly caught up with the Reach Records emcee for a few minutes to get his thoughts on the exciting chart placement. When asked if this strong sales number was expected due to his recent momentum, Mineo was transparent. "If I'm being honest, I really didn't know what to expect" he revealed. "I do know that our fans always come out and support us, but naturally I was also uncertain because we didn't have the marketing campaign and push that would typically come with an album. But as always, I was very hopeful that our fans would support it."

Considering the dearth of positive voices on the mainstream charts (especially in the genre of hip hop), "Neverland"'s presence is a refreshing shift from the norm in both content and sound. With a flurry of record sales success, it's easy to believe that Mineo's aim is all about the numbers, a notion he quickly corrects. "The record sales just means more opportunities for people to hear the music and ultimately for lives to be transformed. Big numbers of CD's sold is never the ultimate goal, but it just allows for the message to get into more hands."

On the flip side though, he doesn't shy away from saying he strongly believes it's important for Christian music to continue to place high on the charts. "When you chart, that tells a story to the world that more people are exposed to and get to hear. That's an important thing for Christians to consider." Though the true impact of the movement will never be truly represented by sales, Gospel-centered art in the ears of a mass audience is always positive fruit of hard labor.

In the end, it's clear that this artist just wants new listeners to appreciate his artistry. "For people who are listening for the first time I say, 'enjoy the art!' I think its good music that forces you to think about life and my worldview." May Andy Mineo and many like him continue to make their presence felt on the Billboard charts.

Tedashii Announces New Album 'Below Paradise'

Reach Records have announced Tedashii's upcoming 4th album, 'Below Paradise'. The album is slated to release this spring.

Christon Gray's Upcoming Album Entitled 'School of Roses'

From the looks of things, it appears that Christian worldview and the culture are headed for another collision. Collision records double-threat Christon Gray is turning heads with an announcement of his upcoming album entitled 'School of Roses'.

The Ohio crooner, who is quickly gaining a reputation as one of the best voices and writers in Christian music, has garnered critical acclaim for his smooth singing and vicious wordplay. His artistic offerings have also spawned a massive fan following, best displayed by his Rapzilla "Song of the Year" award for the WLAK single "Long Way Down."

With his versatility and consistency, there is no doubt that "School of Roses" will be one of the most highly anticipated albums of 2014. As a special treat, Christon will preview the album on March 1st at "The Vault" in Orange, California sponsored by Soundvision Entertainment.

Andy Mineo Wants A Word With Kanye West

Last year, we reported that, in a recent TV interview, Hip Hop music icon Kanye West professed to be a Christian. Despite the frequency of Christo-centric references in his music (namely his latest album "Yeezus"), more and more onlookers are noticing his desire to use the name of God in his controversial artistry. Now, rising Christian Hip Hop creator Andy Mineo has chosen to chime in. The Reach Records artist commented on the polarizing figure today in an exclusive interview with MTV. When MTV's Rob Markman asked who he would desire to collaborate with, Mineo mentioned Mr. West. I'd love to get in a room with Kanye [West] at some point, have a conversation, and see if something cooks up." Andy went on to elaborate his view of Kanye's legendary position in Hip Hop, his "unique place" in regards to faith and the number of other artists who have Christian themes in their music. Considering the continuous debate over the mainstream involvement of Christian artists, these comments will likely stir up much discussion in the Christian Hip Hop scene and overshadow the encouraging appearance of Reach Records on MTV. Maybe it is part of a carefully-crafted strategic agenda to gain a mainstream platform for the Gospel. Maybe it was simply a genuine admission from an artist appreciative of the artform itself. And maybe it is a sign that the unashamed movement has expanded further than it intended. Regardless of our opinion, it's clear that when it comes to these collaborations, silence is no longer an option.