Lecrae Devaughn Moore, better known by his stage name Lecrae, is an American Christian rapper, songwriter, and record producer who works as a solo artist and as the head of the 116 Clique. He had a rocky start in life, but that all changed when he discovered his faith at the age of 19. He began a musical career after being heavily influenced by 2Pac Shakur and pushed by his newfound religion. His debut album, ‘Real Talk,’ was published in 2004 through his own independent record company, Reach Records, which he co-founded with his buddy Ben Washer. As a solo artist, he released six more studio albums, three mix tapes, and two EPs, while with his group, he released three studio albums, one remix album, and one EP. He has won six ‘GMA Dove Awards,’ two Grammys, two BET Awards, and other accolades. Lecrae is actively involved in the community, and he founded ‘ReachLife Ministries’ in 2005 with the purpose of “bridging the gap between biblical truth and the urban milieu.” He is a strong advocate for the preservation of responsibilities and feels that fatherhood should be viewed as a value that should be instilled in American men. He has written several op-ed pieces for Billboard magazine about race relations in modern-day America.
Childhood and Adolescence
Lecrae Devaughn Moore was born in Houston, Texas, on October 9, 1979. His father had been absent from his life since he was a child, and he eventually became a heroin addict. His mother and grandmother, who were both poor yet diligent, raised him. He joined them to their local church for services, but their initial reaction to religion was lukewarm at best. He grew raised in San Diego, Denver, and Dallas, among other places.
When he was eight years old, he was sexually molested by a female baby sitter, and it had a long-term detrimental impact on his libido, according to Lecrae. Hip hop provided him with a safe haven in a world full of abuse and violence.
He looked up to his uncle, who exposed him to a life of crime, as well as 2Pac, who he idolized for his rapping ability. He started using drugs at the age of 16 and soon moved on to dealing. His grandmother had given him a Bible as a good luck charm, and he carried it with him.
When he was arrested for drug possession, it marked a turning point in his life. After Lecrae promised to read and follow the Bible, the officer let him leave. As a result, he resumed his church attendance. He began attending Bible studies after being invited by a friend.
He was once engaged in an accident in which his automobile was totaled, but he was unharmed. This encounter solidified his trust in Christ, and he committed his entire life to his faith. He went back to his college, the ‘University of North Texas,’ where he volunteered and sang in a juvenile prison center.
Career of Lecrae Moore
Lecrae Moore’s album ‘Real Talk’ (2004) was published six years after his conversion through ‘Reach Records,’ a label he co-founded with his friend Ben Washer. After being re-released in 2005 by ‘Cross Movement Records,’ it reached #29 on the ‘Billboard Gospel Album’ chart.
He founded ‘116 Clique’ with other musicians contracted to ‘Reach Records’ in 2005. The name of the group comes from the Bible verse ‘Romans 1:16.’ In the same year, they released ‘The Compilation Album.’ Since then, they’ve published three more albums: ‘The Compilation Album: Chopped & Screwed’ (remix, 2006), ’13 Letters’ (2007), and ‘Man Up’ (2011), as well as an EP called ‘Amped’ (2007).
For his second solo album, ‘After the Music Stops,’ he was nominated for a ‘Stellar Award’ for ‘Rap/Hip-Hop/Gospel CD of the Year’ (2006). ‘Rebel,’ his third studio album, was released in 2008. Lecrae’s fourth studio album, ‘Rehab,’ (2010), is about breaking free from stifling addictions and patterns. In the 2010 ‘Rapzilla.com staff picks,’ Lecrae and his album were named ‘Artist of the Year’ and ‘Album of the Year,’ respectively.
‘Rehab: The Overdose,’ his fifth studio album, was a straight follow-up to ‘Rehab,’ both being highly conceptual works. While the first season of ‘Rehab’ was about overcoming addiction, ‘Rehab: The Overdose’ was about finding “grace, love, peace, and hope” in Jesus. Because of this album, he earned his first two Dove Awards, one for ‘Rap/Hip Hop Album of the Year’ and the other for ‘Rap/Hip Hop Recorded Song of the Year’ for the song ‘Hallelujah.’
‘Gravity,’ his sixth studio album, was released on September 4, 2012, and had 15 songs with a total runtime of 57 minutes. It reached the top of the charts for ‘Rap Albums,’ ‘Christian Albums,’ ‘Gospel Albums,’ and ‘Independent Albums.’
On May 10, 2012, Lecrae released his first mixtape, ‘Church Clothes,’ as a free digital download. ‘Church Clothes 2’ (November 7, 2013) and ‘Church Clothes 3’ (November 7, 2013) followed (January 15, 2016). He’s also released two Extended Plays, the EP version of ‘Church Clothes’ and ‘Gravity: The Remix EP,’ both of which came out in 2012.
Trip Lee, Tedashii, Canon, Mali Music, and Ty Dolla Sign are among his collaborators.
In May 2016, he inked a contract with ‘Columbia Records,’ his record label. On June 23, 2017, he released a tune called ‘Hammer Time,’ which he collaborated on with 1k Phew. He released his memoir, ‘Unashamed,’ on May 3, 2016, through ‘Broadman & Holman Publishers.’ It opened at #19 on the ‘Best Sellers’ list of the New York Times.
Major Projects of Lecrae
Lecrae’s finest musical achievement, in a career highlighted by successful artistic undertakings and honors, is undoubtedly his seventh and most recent studio album, ‘Anomaly,’ which was released on September 9, 2014. It was the first album ever to debut at number one on both the Billboard 200 and the Top Gospel Albums charts. The RIAA awarded it Gold certification.
Achievements & Awards
In 2013, Lecrae Moore’s sixth studio album, ‘Gravity,’ won a Grammy for ‘Best Gospel Album.’ In 2015, he received his second Grammy for ‘Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song’ for the song ‘Messengers,’ which included Christian pop group ‘For King & Country.’
At the 2015 BET Awards, he was named best gospel artist. He won the ‘BET Best Gospel/ Inspirational Award’ in 2017 for the song ‘Can’t Stop Me Now (Destination).’ He received an honorary doctorate from ‘Canada Christian College’ on March 14, 2016.
Personal History and Legacy
When they were both teenagers, Lecrae Moore met his wife Darragh at a Bible study. They are the parents of three children: two sons and a daughter. Atlanta, Georgia is where the family calls home. His then-girlfriend informed him in 2002 that she was pregnant with his child. The couple decided to have an abortion, which he has regretted ever since. The experience inspired the song ‘Good, Bad, Ugly’ from the album ‘Anomaly.’
Estimated Net Worth
Lecrae has a net worth of $2 million and is an American Christian hip-hop artist, rapper, and record producer. Lecrae Moore was born in Houston, Texas on October 9, 1979. He is the president, co-owner, and co-founder of the independent record label Reach Records, and is known simply as ‘Lecrae.’