Stellar Awards Officially Announces Christian Hip Hop Nominees

The Stellar Awards nominees have officially been announced, and the Rap/Hip Hop category features a collection of veteran Christian Hip Hop artists. The nominees for the 29th Annual Awards Shows in the Rap/Hip Hop category are: Reach Records artist Lecrae for his critically-acclaimed Gravity album, Reach artist Derek Minor for his sophomore album Minorville, God Over Money artist Bizzle for his album The Good Fight and Full Ride Music owner and artist This’l for his latest project Free From The Trap. Each of these artists is a respected name within the pantheon of God-glorifying hip hop artists and carries a strong fan base. Considering the number of nominees on the initial ballot, having a group of just four artists is an interesting choice for the Stellars. But fans and industry tastemakers will undoubtedly be pleased that these nominees represent an authentic glimpse into the CHH movement. Congratulations to the nominees for their hard work and achievement! Let the debate begin, what album(s) did the Stellar Awards overlook?

MC Jin - Hypocrite EP album cover and tracklisting

MC Jin's new EP 'Hypocrite' drops Tuesday December, 10th. Check out the tracklisting...

1. Prayer (Intro)
2. Hypocrite (Black Chapter)
3. Behind Enemy Lines
4. Don't Walk Run
5. Fear Factor (feat. Amante Lacey)
6. Dead Man Walking (feat. Toestah)
7. Broken (feat. Caleb)
8. Healing (Outro)
9. Hypocrite (Gold Chapter) [Bonus Track]

Listen to Hypocrite (Black Chapter), and Hypocrite (Gold Chapter) here, and tune in Tuesday December 10th for our Live Interview with Jin!on rapzilla.com

NGEN Radio Launches New Show With Tedashii

HOUSTON – NGEN radio is excited to announce a new radio show, SERIUM, hosted by Christian hip-hop artist, Tedashii, airing Saturday nights from 8-9 PM central exclusively on NGEN radio beginning Saturday, November 23.  The one-hour show will challenge the status quo, push listeners deeper in their faith, and find God’s love in the hip-hop movement.
“I am excited about my new show only on NGEN radio.  Serium is here to push the message of a movement and to bring you the hottest hip-hop and realist remixes around,” says Tedashii, Reach Records recording artist and host of Serium.
With his ability to engage his listeners within the first few seconds of his songs, Tedashii is known across the country for his hit music with a positive message.  He is a Reach Records recording artist and part of the 116 movement.  Serium joins NGEN radio’s line up of exclusive content including PHENOMENON hosted by Soul Glow Activatur, the former lead singer of Family Force 5.
“We are thrilled to launch Serium with Tedashii, getting our listeners closer to one of this generation’s most talented artists,” says Carlos Aguiar, Program Director of NGEN radio.  “Tedashii’s style is a perfect fit for NGEN and our listeners as he is unashamed of his faith and knows just how to reach a generation struggling with new issues each day.”
NGEN radio and Tedashii will launch the show at the Unashamed V Tour in Dallas, a conference focused on being unashamed in your faith.  The first Serium show will include exclusive interviews with Tedashii and other artists at the conference, and of course, a mix of hip-hop music.
For more information on NGEN radio and how to listen across the country, visit www.NGENradio.com.
About NGEN radio
Playing today’s hit music, NGEN radio is an on-air, online, and digital music entertainment experience for people who want Christian music with an edge.  The station is designed to capture the energy of the “NOW” generation and power a world of good through connection and community outreach.  Listeners across the globe can tune in at www.NGENradio.com or with the free smart phone app.  The station is also found on multiple signals in southeast Texas: 99.5 FM (Sugar Land), 89.5 FM (Bay City), 91.1 FM (Lake Jackson/Galveston), 99.7 FM (Brenham), 99.3 FM (College Station), 89.3 HD-2 (Houston), 92.5 HD-2 (Bryan/College Station).

Beautiful Eulogy - Release Me From This Snare

Verse 1

I acknowledged my sin to You and I did not cover my iniquity
There's no way to hide from Your all seeing eyes
You know everything I can't tell you a lie
You know my own heart much better than I
You know when I sleep and You know when I rise
You know all the thoughts that go through my mind
From morning to night every moment of pride Hey
I acknowledged my sin to You and I did not cover my iniquity
You know what I've done, you know what I do
So I open my mouth and confess it to You
And Your making me new, it's Your Spirit at work
To convict me of sin so I know where to turn
And I know where to run,
Run to Your arms to be cleansed of my sin by the blood of your Son Hey
I acknowledge my sin, I know I can't kill it with a knife or a gun
It must be crucified on the cross with Your Son
Then I can know that it's finished and done
Then I can know that I'm truly forgiven and get to the business of living for you
And it's not for my glory but only for You
And it speaks of Your mercy, Your love and Your truth
Give me the faith to believe what You say
And to trust in Your Word when I'm tempted to stray
And to patiently wait for the day You return
I hate my sin it burns but

Verse 2

Oh God my sin is great, there's no escaping it
I hate my sin but i still partake in it
I've become numb to the touch of feeling it
Ive learned the art and skill of concealing it
I might pretend and keep my composure
Hoping never to disclose the truth that exposes it
And even though nobody around me knows it
God you notice it
And when I alone it shows it
I do a good job doing good deeds
Look the right part because I say the right things
Trust your word, and whats best for me
But it seems that I still live in disbelief
I begin to better understand confession
When I understand the weight of my sin and its effect
How it's a direct reflection of my selfishness
And recognize God correct assessment
I don't have to hide behind my own pride
Tear myself up from the gilt inside
Because I've been given everything I've ever needed
To stand clean and forgiven when I received Jesus

Chorus

The old will pass away, while I'm still here You hear my pray
Please, wash my sins away oh Lord release me from this snare

Filmed by Vital Lens
Actress: Autumn Johnson
Actor: Will Smith

SPZRKT 'Lucid Dream' Cover, Tracklisting & Production Credits Revealed

SPZRKT's upcoming free album 'Lucid Dream' releases on November 25th from STRT TRBL.

Tracklist:
1. Back To You - Prod. by Tyshane & Jermaine
2. The Feel II ft. John Givez - Prod. by Major
3. Along The Way ft. Social Club - Prod. by Jeremiah Beats
4. Love & Pain (SPZRKT RMX) - Prod. by Sango
5. A-OK ft. CJTheGenesis & Braille (SPZRKT RMX) - Prod. by CJTheGenesis
6. The Motion ft. Elhae (SPZRKT RMX) - Prod by Sango
7. $pezzy $weg Da $wegazord (interlude)
8. Collide ft. D-Tropp - Prod. by Swade Beatz
9. BC ft. Marz - Prod. by Gabe Ramirez
10. Shoulders (Acapella)
11. U N I V E R S E - Prod. by Sango

Watch Tedashii perform his new song "Fire Away" featuring SPZRKT here

Lecrae’s Church Clothes 2 Sells 15,000 Units First Week

This week’s album sales charts will prominently feature hip hop acts, including the most prominent Christian Hip Hop name. Lecrae has unofficially cracked Top 200 charts at #21 with the non-DJ version of 'Church Clothes 2' which was released last Thursday. After 120,000 downloads of the DJ Don Cannon-hosted version from Datpiff, Lecrae sold over 15,000 album units digitally on iTunes. This number would be impressive for a regular album release with stellar marketing but is especially remarkable considering the presence of a free download. The sequel to last year’s Church Clothes mixtape joins Eminem’s 'Marshall Mathers 2' LP and Drake’s 'Nothing Was The Same' as the top hip hop releases of this week. Congrats to Lecrae for his continued success on the charts!

Beautiful Eulogy - Instruments of Mercy album cover

Beautiful Eulogy are wrapping up their upcoming album 'Instruments of Mercy', which from the sound of the lead single and music video for "Vital Lens" it will likely be in the same vein. The trio are bringing something fresh to hip hop, especially Christian Hip Hop and we're excited to hear how the new project reflects their growth as a group. Today the group released the album cover art and will release their tour dates along with the album release date soon, so stay tuned.

Alex Faith 'ATLast' Cover & Tracklisting Revealed

Although a relatively new name breaking into the CHH music scene, Alex Faith is anything but new to the industry. Since his first coming out on Sho Baraka's "Barakaology" mixtape, to his contributions in the iTunes and Billboards chart-topping album, W.L.A.K., Alex Faith has been long anticipated to release his debut project. On November 5, 2013, Alex Faith releases "ATLast", his debut album with Collision Records.

"ATLast" is about Alex Faith's arrival to a place we all have to come to, where Jesus is better than all the other influences warring for our attention, our allegiance and our affections. "ATLast" embraces the southern, urban sounds that Alex grew up around and uses them to transform that culture that raised him. Embracing where he came from and loving everything that made him, "ATLast" does not neglect the urban south, but rather seeks to redeem those things for Jesus. With previous mixtapes such as "Honest to God," Alex has formed a reputation of being candidly honest and authentic, and "ATLast" continues that practice. "We were created for more," Alex says. "Everyone goes through life trying to get somewhere. This destination...we all have to arrive at is always and ultimately going to be at the feet of Jesus."

"I arrived at the conclusion that Jesus is better. There was a war going on for my affections and Jesus won out."

Tracklist:
1. ATFirst
Produced by: Wit & Swoope

2. City of Nightmares (feat. Tragic Hero)
Produced by: Jacob Cardec

3. Light Up (feat. Trip Lee)
Produced by: Wit

4. Hold Me Down (feat. Christon Gray)
Produced by: J.R. for So Hot Productions
Bass by: John McNeill of 42*North
Organ by: Joel McNeill of 42*North

5. Refuge (Interlude) by Odd Thomas
Produced by: Wit & Swoope

6. Bloodlines (feat. J.R.)
Produced by: Wit & Wes Pendleton

7. Letting Me Go
Produced by: Swade and Wit

8. Runaway (feat. Andy Mineo)
Produced by Hothandz Xclusives, Swoope, & Wit

9. Pull Up (feat. Tedashii & Corey Paul)
Produced by: Swade & Wit

10. Never Giving Up (feat. Social Club)
Produced by: D Flow (Beat Politicians)

11. Refuge (feat. Dre Murray & J. Givens)
Produced by: Wit & Swoope


12. ATLast (feat. Christon Gray)
Produced by: Wit & Swoope

Digital only Bonus Track
The Morning (feat. Wes Pendleton)
(Produced by: 42*North

CD only Bonus Track
Everywhere (Remix)
Produced by: Dirty Rice

CD only Bonus Track
Honest 2 God (42*North Remix)
Produced by: 42*North

LECRAE - WE ENGAGE CULTURE FOR JESUS AT R12

Culture is changing at a rapid pace and how we engage it should remain biblically faithful. To help you on mission, The Resurgence wanted to give away Lecrae’s talk, “We Engage Culture for Jesus,” from their 2012 Resurgence Conference. How can you engage your culture, love the people in culture, and redeem the culture around you?

Don't miss R13, the 2013 Resurgence Conference - register here. We'll see you there!

CANON 'MAD HAVEN' PRODUCTION CREDITS REVEALED

Canon's debut album 'Mad Haven' production credits are revealed. The album is set to release October 15, 2013 from Reflection Music Group. 

Pre-order on iTunes

"A haven is a place of restoration, peace, covenant, security and where you might find your hope and joy. I'm going to tell you how I got to that place," - Canon

Tracklist:
1. Mad Haven (feat. SPZRKT) - Produced by Groc, Kurt Denmark & Wit
2. How We Do It (feat. Thi'sl & Lecrae) - Produced by Groc
3. Walk With Me - Produced by Heat Academy
4. Different (feat. Tony Tillman & t.Jay) - Produced by Dirty Rice
5. Relations (feat. Sean Johnson) - Produced by Wit
6. Lotto (feat. Derek Minor) - Produced by Derek Minor
7. What It Sounds Like (feat. Kerwin Richards) - Produced by Canon
8. Special (feat. J.R.) - Produced by Swade & Kurt Denmark
9. Full Plates - Produced by Canon
10. Out Of Tune (feat. Derek Minor & Deraj) - Produced by Derek Minor, Canon, Dirty Rice & Joseph Prielozny
11. The Road (feat. Thurston Lopes) - Produced by Canon, Thurston Lopes & Kurt Denmark
12. Grow Up (feat. Tragic Hero) - Produced by Yung N Fly, Wit & Dirty Rice
13. Mind Vomit - Produced by Canon & Kurt Denmark
14. My City (Bonus Track) - Produced by Supe

*Mixed and Mastered by Wit except track 6 (Lotto) Mixed by Derek Minor

Canon - Lotto ft. Derek Minor

Lecrae Nominated for 2013 Soul Train Awards

Following his Grammy Award-win and nominations, it now appears that Lecrae can add "soul" to his list of attributes. According to the Soul Train Awards Lecrae has one of the best gospel/inspirational performances of the year and honored him with a nomination for its upcoming ceremony for his song "Confe$$ions". In a category riddled with household church names such as Hezekiah Walker, Shirley Ceasar, John P. Kee, Tye Tribbett and Tasha Cobbs, Lecrae is in rare air among these Gospel music icons. The 2013 Soul Train Awards will be hosted by comedian and actor Anthony Anderson and will air on CENTRIC and BET Dec. 1 at 9 PM ET/PT.

Do you believe Lecrae will win in this category?

STRT TRBL label launches signing SPZRKT & L9

Far from being in its infancy stages, Christian Hip Hop is now filled with labels and collectives of talented Gospel-centered artists. The kaleidoscope of the culture has broadly expanded from its original tiny following to a variety of lanes and styles. Co-founders Mickey Holm and Mike Luna are aiming to introduce fresh ideas, sounds and artists to the music industry with their new label, STRT TRBL music. While the name (pronounced “Straight Terrible”) may be unconventional, the meaning is much deeper than first glance.

“A little while ago, I hit this rut where everywhere I went, I felt honestly like everyone was terrible.” Holm explained in an exclusive sit down with Rapzilla. “I saw self-interest, and there were so many people who had the desire to just look out for themselves. And I felt that God was saying to me ‘that’s exactly why Jesus came.’ Without Jesus we’re, all terrible; with him we’re awesome” This is deep symbolism for any label, especially one that has the expressed goal of “have fun, make great music, and lead people to Christ.”

With the recent success of Christian Hip Hop on the charts, many will undoubtedly ask if a new collective is necessary. The Ambassador even once famously said that the genre had now graduated to “sucking up the bandwidth” of music, but Luna sees more space to be had. “Within the sub-culture of CHH, it’s not oversaturated with quality music. Even when you look at the mainstream, there’s more than enough room for great artists.”

Holm elaborated that he doesn’t consider STRT TRBL to be a “Christian label” but rather “a label with artist who share our vision. We feel that the artists we have are well-equipped to reach the secular world and get the Gospel into other people’s ears.” Those artists, rapper L9 and crooner SPZRKT, were both featured on the Rapzilla’s 13 Freshman of 2013 list and have styles that are just as unique as the label’s vision. “They’re talented and completely themselves. We’re not trying to make them fit into STRT TRBL. We’re trying to take their vision and help them accomplish that.”

What will their impact be on Christian Hip Hop? While showing excitement for upcoming projects, both men appear to be both realistic and confident. In Luna’s words, “I think there’s going to be a whole different lane that we’ll be able to carve out.” Holm added, “With the artists that we have, the talent in the camp, and the Lord’s continued blessings; I feel like it’s going to be amazing.”

Check out and download the lastest projects from these two artists, SPZRKT's 'The Loner' and L9's 'Something Reckless'. Also, check out Derek Minor's newest single "We Are (Champions)" featuring SPZRKT.

GAWVI joins Reach Records as on-staff producer

If Christian Hip Hop were to make a list of its most prolific producers, there is no doubt that Gawvi would make the exclusive short list. Formerly known as G-Stylez, this successful song-creator has worked with Lecrae, Trip Lee, Rhema Soul, Andy Mineo, Social Club and a slew of other household genre names. As if this weren’t enough, he is now taking his career to the next level by joining Reach Records, the most recognizable name in Christian Hip Hop, as an on-staff producer. This may come as a surprise to casual fans, but for Gawvi, it was a no-brainer.

“Reach Records and I have been family since 2006” he told Rapzilla in an exclusive interview. “Since then till now, we’ve done a lot of projects together and always had that chemistry. As far as being on the actual team, I believe in this season it was the right thing for me and for Reach, and it’s very exciting for both of us.” The excitement will soon spread to fans of the two entities, who will be eager to see what appetizing sounds the mash-up will bring to the table. Gawvi has already set high goals for the merger: “I’ve grown throughout the years, as every person and artist should. And now that I’m so comfortable creatively, I feel I have a lot to offer Reach Records and their crew of talented artists.”

The partnership won’t come without a few challenges. When asked about the fluctuations of styles and genres that the label showcases, he called the mixture “stretching.” But this diversity appears to be something that is right down his alley to begin with. “Being in LA, you can’t stay the same. I’ve expanded to so much more than just hip hop’s traditional sounds. I want to do more.” With the backing of one of Hip Hop’s most influential, emerging labels, it’s clear that he will be able to do much more than he previously anticipated. When asked how he would like to be remembered, he thoughtfully answered, “I want to be remembered as someone that was always pushing the envelope. That I never stuck to one sound and always wanted to do something different. I don’t want people to assume what a ‘Gawvi sound’ is; I want to show them what my sound is.” Well, let the show begin.

Lecrae Nominated for Artist of the Year in 44th Annual Dove Awards

It was just announced that Lecrae has been nominated for "Artist of the Year" in the 44th Annual Dove Awards. Check out the other nominees after the jump...

Artist of the Year
Chris Tomlin, sixstepsrecords
Francesca Battistelli, Fervent
Lecrae, Reach Records
Tamela Mann, TillyMann
TobyMac, ForeFront Records

"The 44th Annual GMA Dove Awards will be held on Tuesday, October 15, 2013 at 8:30 p.m. EST with red carpet reception ceremonies starting at 6:30 p.m. EST at Lipscomb University’s Allen Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. The evening will be full of rare and exciting performances showcasing the genre’s hottest, most diverse artists and televised live nationwide exclusively on UP TV."

Do you think Lecrae will take home the award in this category this year?

---

Social Club 'Summer of George' Tracklisting Revealed

The tracklisting for Social Club's upcoming free album 'Summer of George' available exclusively from Rapzilla.com on August 25th.

Tracklist:
1. Steinbrenner ft. Judah Smith (Produced by Cardec Drums)
2. Bang (Produced by D-Flow)
3. Paris ft. SPZRKT (Produced by Cardec Drums and Swade Beats)
4. Double Dip ft. Rey King & Knuff (Produced by Cardec Drums)
5. Majestic ft. Thi'sl (Produced by Tyshane)
6. Summer of George ft. D-Tropp (Produced by Cardec Drums)
7. Art Vandelay ft. Canon (Produced by D-Flow)
8. Van Buren boys ft. Anthony Rose (Produced by Cardec Drums)
9. SCMGWP ft. Cheno Lyfe (Produced by Smash Productions)
10. Fade Away ft. Khleo Thomas (Produced by D-Flow)

MC JIN official video - Over the edge

Derek Minor Official video - Gimme

Canon - MADHAVEN feat. SPZRKT

Lecrae talks assuming motives & mainstream industry relationships

Lecrae talks various assumptions behind his motives, and what goes on behind the scenes with his mainstream industry artists relationships.

Yaves-Butterflies

Andy Mineo Filming Music Video for Wild Things

Reach Records recording artist Andy Mineo is working on another new visual to accompany a track from his debut album 'Heroes For Sale'. Andy recently posted this intriguing image with the lyrics, "Christ died for this terrible heart, that's why I wanna be where the wild things are..., as the caption which confirms the music video will be for "Wild Things". We Are Films, the film production team behind the promotional videos for 'Heroes For Sale', are directing and filming this upcoming video.

Andy Mineo also contributed a new exclusive song, "Stop The Traffic" featuring Co Campbell, to our upcoming 'King Kulture: Stop The Traffic' compliation album.

When Weight and Glory Meet: Highlights from Day One of Legacy 2013

Gatherings like the Legacy Conference are always approached with high expectations. Attendees invade the venue anticipating refreshing fellowship, healthy teaching and fire-kindling exhortation. This year's Legacy theme, Soli Deo Gloria, further cements these expectations with the goal of God receiving the glory alone. And on day 1 of Legacy Conference, He was lifted high.

From the opening guitar lick of praise & worship, the celebratory tone was set. The baton was passed from the first general session tag-team with Brian Dye and Decipha to two powerful rounds of practical workshops taught by a "who's who" list of skillful, Gospel servants. Laughter filled the halls of the Moody Bible Institute as old friends were reunited and new bonds were forged. Tears flowed and fingers snapped at the P4CM Spoken Word showcase when Janette…ikz and Blair Linne dealt hard doses of poetic reality. To cap the night, Trip Lee powerfully preached on the glory of God in evangelism, and a litany of artists took the Rapzilla-sponsored stage to rock mics. Though Skrip, Beautiful Eulogy, Propaganda and Derek Minor all had faithful fans in the crowd and easily made new ones; one name in the lineup stood out amongst the rest: Tedashii .Since tragedy and suffering struck Tedashii's family just months ago, countless CHH fans have been yearning just to hear their favorite rapper's voice. Maybe it's idealistic, but supporters undoubtedly clung to the hope that cheering just a little bit louder at his concert could potentially encourage him in some small way. But instead, Tedashii encouraged us. In the moment he most desperately needed the service of the Body, he chose to serve us. After a brief song intro, he shut the music off and read 1 Corinthians 15:12-20. As silence acted as his soundtrack, he urged the audience to remember the reason they all came: "Christ really did rise from the dead". The celebration, teaching, fellowship and preaching climaxed in his emotionally stirring challenge. It felt as though the weight of suffering and the glory of God collided in a Romans 8:28-style fireworks show for the soul. And then, as if the moment could not get any more glorious, the crowd boisterously celebrated Tedashii's "legacy" of Christ-centered music with some of his most memorable songs.

In our "now" culture, we are often "prisoners of the moment". But it's not exaggeration to say that those in attendance will not soon forget what happened on night 1 of Legacy 2013. God was lifted high. Christ was preached. And weight and glory met. Soli Deo Gloria

Derek Minor X In God We Trust X Album Teaser

MUSIC VIDEO: ANDY MINEO - YOU WILL

I am Second - Propaganda

"I was born the wrong color, in the wrong neighborhood..."

Underground rap artist, Jason "Propaganda" Petty, grew up a fish out of water. Born black in a mexican neighborhood. A poet and artist in the midst an alpha male urban environment. When his family went suburban, it got no better. Now he was the poor black kid in the all white neighborhood.

So who was Jason "Propaganda" Petty? What was his purpose in life, his identity? How would he find himself? Was he an artist or a thug? Rich or poor? Black, caucasian, or Mexican? Watch his film and discover the surprising answers he found to life's most challenging questions.

Derek Minor 'Minorville' Album Cover & Release Date Revealed

Reach Records has revealed the cover for their artist Derek Minor's upcoming album entitled 'Minorvile'. The album cover is shown in a behind-the-scenes video looking at the creation process by the design team, Invisible Creature consisting of Demon Hunter members and brothers Don & Ryan Clark, who brought you the 'Gravity' & 'Heroes For Sale' packaging. The stunning visual was created using handcrafted pillars and other fine art techniques, which is scarcely seen in the Christian Hip Hop arena. The video's title also unveils the release date for the renowned project that only Derek's circle will have heard, until September 10, 2013, when 'Minorville' is dropped.

Dre Murray 'Gold Rush: Maybe One Day' Cover & Tracklisting Revealed

The cover and track list are revealed for Dre Murray's upcoming solo debut album with Collision Records, 'Gold Rush Maybe: One Day,' with is set to release on July 9, 2013.

Pre-order on iTunes

Tracklist:
1. Sutter's Mill - Prod. by Wit & Swoope
2. Maybe One Day (feat. Christon Gray) - Prod. by Swoope
3. Ramesses the Great (feat. Propaganda)
4. Pharaoh (feat. Tragic Hero) - Prod. by Wit & Swoope
5. Fiend - Prod. by Wit, Swoope, Big Juice, & Michael Guaglione
6. Benjamin's Curse - Pt. 1 Prod. by Wit, Pt. 2 Prod. by Swoope
7. Gold Rush - Prod. by Wes Pendleton
8. Red Light (feat. Christon Gray) - Prod. by Wit & Tragic Hero
9. Alchemy (feat. Tragic Hero) - Prod. by Wit
10. Letter in a Bottle (feat. Michael Guaglione) - Prod. by Wit & Michael Guaglione
11. Hollywood Heist (feat. Christon Gray, Sean Johnson & Swoope) - Prod. by Wit
12. Welcome to My Life (feat. Alex Faith & Swoope) - Prod. by Wit & Swoope
13. All Alone - Prod. by Wit
14. Gray Tape - Prod. by Wes Pendleton

KB - Heart Song ft. Jasmine Le'Shea

Mali Music - Ready Aim

Responding to the Culture

The dictionary defines culture as the “customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group.”¹ People in every culture reject the gospel (remember that Satan is active Ephesians 2:2–3 and 1 Peter 5:8). If we as believers intentionally seek out nonbelievers to share the gospel with, we must learn to have a balanced approached in penetrating the cultures that reject the gospel while relating to people without compromising our moral integrity. Three general ways Christians approach the culture are; running away and hiding; diving into and sinking; and studying, relating, and impacting.
Running away and hiding is the choice to remove yourself from any interaction with anyone outside of your local Christian community. Some have taken this to an extreme and have very little interaction with and impact on nonbelievers. The Bible calls believers to live a life of separation, meaning a distinct lifestyle that chases after the things of God and not the things of this world Romans 12:1-2 and 1 John 2:15-17). But living a holy lifestyle doesn’t mean we should separate ourselves from everyone who isn’t like us. Living in total isolation from sinners is counter-gospel and the Great Commission.
Diving into and sinking means lowering the standard of our biblical convictions, sometimes even to the point of sinning in order to be accepted by the non-believing culture. When this takes place there is no longer a distinction between the Christian and the non-Christian in speech, attitude, and action. An example of this is a Christian who dates a nonbeliever in order to “witness” to them. Before too long they move in together and start living in sin. From the outside looking in, the Christian is living in sin and their lifestyle can no longer be distinguished from that of the sinner. Unrepentant sin (that is biblically identified) should then be corrected by the elders of the local church the Christian is in fellowship with (Matthew 18:15-17 and 1 Corinthians 5:1-13).
Studying, relating, and impacting is looking at the culture through the lens of the Bible before entering in. The culture’s belief system, language, and practices are examined in light of Scripture, allowing the believer to find ways to relate to the culture. The Christian will use vocabulary and concepts the culture can understand to build relationships, but won’t commit acts of sin in order to gain approval (Acts 17:16-34). Relationships are developed, the gospel is shared, and follow-up becomes the focus. Think of music. Christians are free to use their gifts and talents to preach the gospel through various forms of music. The Christian would stay away from certain elements of the music genre they are targeting and the lifestyle that is associated with it (e.g., clubbing, drugs, the abuse of alcohol, obscene language, and fornication), so that they are involved with the culture but yet distinct from all that the culture has to offer in the realm of sin.
As God has called us as a movement to Live it Up, let’s be mindful of how we can, under the accountability of our local church leaders, seek to study, relate and impact the campuses, barbershops, offices and stores He’s called us to reach for His glory. Remember the goal is not acceptance earned by paying the price of compromise rather it’s being found faithful to the call has placed on our individual lives.

Lecrae nominated for Best Gospel Artist in BET Awards '13

The 2013 BET Awards Nominations have been announced, and it should come as no surprise to anyone that the Gospel category will include an artist with unique "church clothes". Following his Best Gospel Album GRAMMY win earlier this year, Lecrae has once again been nominated in a major awards Gospel category. This time it's for Best Gospel Artist in a category filled with household names in the Gospel Music realm. The other nominees are Deitrick Haddon, Tamela Mann, Mary Mary and Marvin Sapp. This is Lecrae's first BET award nomination and only the second time that a rapper has been nominated for this award. The first? Some guy named Kanye West in 2005.

The R.E.A.C.H. of ReachLife

ReachLife Ministries exists to help bridge the gap between biblical truth and the urban context.
With the platform God has given us through the music of Reach Records, it became apparent that ministry leaders were in need of resources beyond a CD. Leaders would continually ask us if we had anything other resources they could use after the concert was over.
Unfortunately, there is a lack of sound resources available to ministry leaders in this environment. It is a huge challenge to find resources that are both biblically sound and that speak to the urban context. For many of these leaders, our music was the first time they saw those two areas merged, and it became evident that more resources needed to be developed.
Because of this need, we feel a burden to go beyond just CD’s and concerts. We want to use the platform we’ve been given by God to spark a movement of believers that are committed to seeing the gospel saturated in all areas of their life. We are a ministry in its infancy with a commitment to bridging the gap between biblical truth and the urban context.
God has given us a platform through music, and we want to steward this platform in such a way that impact will last long after the music fades away. We are passionate about seeing the urban church strengthened, and therefore seek to be a trusted resource for the equipping of urban leaders.
The strategy for fulfilling our mission is described in one word, R.E.A.C.H.
R- Resources. We have developed (and are developing) Bible-centered resources that communicate biblical truth in the heart language of the urban context. It is our desire to see churches purchase our curriculum in bulk (at discounted prices) and use them as tools of evangelism and discipleship. Please click here to view our curriculum catalog and prayerfully consider implementing them in your bible study, church, small group, Sunday school or youth group.
E- Events. We are introducing and unpacking our resources before our supporters in two ways; ReachLife Institutes and the Unashamed Conference.

• The ReachLife institutes are one day intensives that take place in cities across the USA that include times of teaching and end with a concert featuring Reach artists and special guests. Please click here to read an event review on our Institute in Orlando.

• The Unashamed Conference is a global call for the Unashamed to gather for 3 days in Atlanta, GA. During our time together our supporters will be confronted with life changing teaching from leaders within our movement such as; Francis Chan, Lecrae, John O., D.A. Horton, Eric Mason, Trip Lee, and others. Our time together will have a balance of concerts and content that will energize, equip and commission our attendee’s to live out Gospel-centered lives in their respected cities.

A- Academics. We are in the process of building partnerships with Colleges, Seminaries, and Universities that believe in the mission of ReachLife. These partnerships will allow supporters of ReachLife a way to earn degree seeking credit when they finishing going through our resources and attend our events. Our heart in doing this is to ensure a pathway for minorities to be given equal opportunity for leadership development that allows them to serve both inside and outside of the church.
C- Churches. We are focusing much of our attention towards building a global network of healthy churches in the urban context. ReachLife is a para-church organization that has been set up to champion the local church. The churches in our network will be those we recommend to supporters who are looking for churches that are biblical sound and contextually urban. If your church would like to consider being apart of our network please email us directly at toi@reachlife.org and request our “Network Packet”.
H- Helps. We are in the process of creating a catalogue of partnering organizations that are set up to both create opportunities and mobilize saints to engage with urban missions work. If your organization would like to consider being apart of our network please emails us info@reachlife.org
Lastly, ReachLife is funded by two sources of income; our donors and those who purchase our curriculum. We are asking our supporters to prayerfully consider giving monthly to help us develop and distribute new resources, weekly podcasts, and future ReachLife events. If you would like to support ReachLife with a one-time donation or on a monthly basis, you can click here to sign up. ReachLife is a non-profit 501(c)(3) and all gifts are tax deductible.

Yaves - Testify

A single from Yaves' upcoming album 'Favor Over Fury,' which is set to release July 16, 2013.

Derek Minor - Dear Mr. Christian, (Lyric Video) ft. Dee-1 & Lecrae

Dear Mr. Christian, Derek Minor returns with a track that reminds us that we can't know who someone is without knowing where they've been.

DRE MURRAY, OF THE W.L.A.K. COLLECTIVE, IS SET TO RELEASE HIS DEBUT ALBUM UNDER COLLISION RECORDS ENTITLED GOLD RUSH: MAYBE ONE DAY.

Five years have passed since Dre Murray last put out a full-length album (Manumit); though, he has more than made up for lost time.

LeCrae Finishing Church Cloths vol 2

Just moments ago, Lecrae posted an image of this list of beats for the upcoming 2nd installment of the widespread Church Clothes mixtape series, saying "Doing a little writing tonight. #ChurchClothesTwo." The list of production hints at Heat Academy's appearance on the upcoming project, the producer team consisting of Reach Records A&R Street Symphony, Bar None & Dunlap, who are responsible for such hits as "APB" & "Fakin." The recently released, "Round of Applause," produced by KE On The Track, and now featuring a verse from fellow Atlanta based Grand Hustle Records recording artist B.o.B., will supposedly be featured on the sequel.

Beat/Song List (unclear):
1. Death
2. Know Me
3. Life of the Party
4. Heat Academy - Rusty Candybar
5. Heat Academy - Stepbro
6. The Commercial (Unfinished)
7. Bossed Up
8. Seeing My Way

Lecrae represent the movement well on 106 and Park today.

KB_HGA release a freestyle from 1st and 16th project. For more infomation 1stand16th.com

Reach Records has recently announced a new series to come from recording artist, KB. '1st & 16th' has been revealed as the title for this chain of releases. According to the announcement, the series will drop on the 1st and 16th of June and July. KB has indicated via social media that the diamonds on the artwork represent a piece/pieces of media content to be released; which will include "free new music, videos, blogs, documentaries" and even more. The information about the artwork's symbolism could mean that the series will continue into August.

Could this be be the unique project Lecrae posted that the label was planning this morning, and do you think this will lead into a free or retail project to follow up KB's debut 'Weight & Glory'?