In Leaving a Major Label, Faith-Based Rapper Lecrae Embraces the Spirit of Independence Along with Spirituality

This article was originally published here by Variety

— by Variety

Lecrae Devaughn Moore — better known simply as Lecrae — has always valued his independence. The Atlanta-based hip-hop recording artist and producer — who says “I am a hip-hop artist who happens to be Christian, believes in God, and follows the teachings of Jesus,” although he prefers not to be called a “Christian rapper”” — co-founded his independent record label, Reach Records, when he began dropping solo albums with 2004’s “Real Talk.” He maintained that autonomy up through 2014, when he entered a joint venture with Columbia through Reach and released “All Things Work Together,” which yielded his first platinum single “I’ll Find You.” He was still affiliated with Columbia in March, when his new single, “Set Me Free,” was released right as the COVID-19 pandemic was taking hold. After a month and a half’s worth of silence and quarantine, Lecrae returns this week with news of a forthcoming album, “Restoration”  — with guests such as John Legend and Kirk Franklin — and a return to real independence with it. The new album, due to be released sometime this summer, will be released solely on his Reach label, which also reissued the “Set Me Free” single independently this month, following the break with Columbia.

Variety caught up with Lecrae after Memorial Day to discuss his own personal independence day, as well as the responsibility of having an independent label at times of crisis and joy.

VARIETY: How has the quarantine been for you? It looks as if it’s been a busy one.
LECRAE: The initial phase was anxiety, bewilderment and discombobulation. Then it moved into embracing whatever new normal there was, finding a new rhythm. Now, we found a rhythm. It’s been challenging and yet refreshing. Plus, I’ve cooked more than I have, ever, during my lifetime.

You are a Christian man. During this time, some spiritually minded artists have claimed that COVID-19 was God’s way of saying we need to realign the planet. What’s your take?
I totally believe that when things are out of control, God is in control. All things work together for our good, if we know Him and trust Him. Obviously, I think there is something going on behind the scenes that is ultimately for our good. What that is, I can’t say. Is it possible that God is saying that we better take better care of the earth? Sure. But whether the coronavirus happened or not, we should be taking better care of the earth.

Talk about the health of your business. At the end of March, Columbia was sending out press releases about your new single. Here we are two months later, discussing your return, in full, to your Reach label. What happened during those eight weeks?
When you’re an independent artist, there’s a fluidity that you have, a nimbleness that allows you to react and respond quickly in the midst of chaotic circumstances. When you’re responsible for hundreds of artists, like Columbia, you cannot pivot quickly — especially during a crisis. There were pivots that needed to be made, responses that I wanted to execute toward things in society — like the homeless community and the prison community — and things I wanted to be involved in. Historically, my music has been an expression of that.

As a musical first responder.

I’m connected to issues of substance in society. When you find yourself in a position where you are chained due to the vision of a major label and you can’t move with nimbleness, you realize that you’ve got to do something different. I had a No. 1 album independently, so it wasn’t as if I didn’t believe in myself and my crew. I had nine other artists on the label and didn’t want to take away from their ability to produce. Since this new record (“Restoration”) was pretty much done, I didn’t see that there was much heavy lifting that my label couldn’t do on its own. We would be better suited (than Columbia) to move at the speed we need to move.

I want to release music when I want. People need this. When you’re part of a major, there are decisions such as having to release another artist’s single on the same day. Or you can’t talk to the label president because they are dealing with another artist’s situation. If I’m being 100% candid, when you have that many artists, there are simply other priorities that are not you. When you are an independent, you are your own priority. You don’t have to wait in line to make them see the value of who you are as an artist… Also I don’t have to wait to approved to do a feature or be a guest on somebody else’s record, where (with a major), by the time I get all the department heads to say yes, the moment is gone. Now I can do whatever I want.



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[Picture Courtesy Reach Records ]