Lecrae’s “Altered Minds” Tour blends Christian Rock and Rap

Tour joined by MIKESCHAIR, After Edmund, Tedashii and Sho Baraka

 Atlanta, GA (September 25, 2009) — Following a successful run of the “Don’t Waste Your Life” summer tour, Reach Records recording artist Lecrae presents a mix of Christian Rock and Rap music this fall on the “Altered Minds Tour.” Launching on October 1, the tour will travel to 26 cities along with Christian Rock bands MIKESCHAIR and After Edmund as well as Lecrae’s labelmates Tedashii and Sho Baraka, who will join the tour in October and November, respectively. www.reachrecords.com/alteredminds provides more details.

Returning from Sydney, Australia’s largest Christian Event, Big Exo Day, it’s been a busy time for Lecrae since releasing ‘Rebel,’ the highest debuting Christian Rap album on Billboard charts. Collaborating for the first time with MIKESCHAIR and After Edmund, the tour was birthed out of the desire to represent unity within the Body of Christ. Representing four varying styles of music from two genres and an array of cultures, the “Altered Minds Tour” will come together like never before to platform music with solid ministry infused throughout each night.

Maintaining his role as President of Reach Records and ReachLife Ministries, Lecrae’s extensive traveling schedule remains committed to spreading the Gospel by sharing his Christ-centered, transparent experiences, messages and music. The Dove Award nominated artist released his junior album titled ‘Rebel’ last year and continues to appear on music charts. Peaking to the No. 1 position on Billboard’s Top Gospel charts, No. 2 on Billboards Top Christian & Gospel Album chart and No. 3 on iTunes’ mainstream Top Rap/Hip Hop album chart, learn more about Lecrae, his music and ministry at www.myspace.com/lecrae

With roots in Houston, TX, Tedashii brings a distinct flavor to the industry. Appearing on the “Altered Minds Tour” in October only, Tedashii’s sophomore album, ‘Identity Crisis,’ peaked to the #2 position on the Billboard Top Gospel Charts. The album offers up a satisfying slab mixtape-style hip-hop featuring heavy-hitting club fare that, even while resembling more secular material, contains a powerful, spiritual message that is undoubtedly worship-oriented. For more information, visit www.myspace.com/tedashii

Canadian-bred Sho Baraka was introduced to hip hop at a young age. Living in Southern California during the height of gangsta rap presented its challenges to many youth, as well as Sho. Since collaborating in music ministry since college with Lecrae, Sho Baraka has since released his debut album ‘Turn My Life Up’ which explores what it means reflect who we are as believers in a culture that needs the Lord. Appearing on the “Altered Minds Tour” in November only, Sho Baraka is set for his sophomore release of Lions and Liars in 2010, stay tuned to www.myspace.com/shobaraka for more information

Born out of an impromptu jam session in a Belmont University dorm room, Curb Records recording artist, MIKESCHAIR has been cranking out tunes since its freshman formation six years ago. MIKESCHAIR has turned a viable corner with their self-titled debut album featuring the worship-driven single “Can’t Take Away” and their latest single “Let the Waters Rise.” For more information about MIKESCHAIR, visit www.myspace.com/mikeschair

Georgia alt-rock band After Edmund (named after the Edmund character in C.S. Lewis’ The Chronicles of Narnia) has been electrifying the regional scene and beyond since 2001, touring tirelessly and refining a potent alternative sound. Slanted Records’ After Edmund is Grammy and Dove Award nominated for their debut record ‘Hello.’ For more information about After Edmund, visit www.myspace.com/afteredmund

For tickets and to learn more about the “Altered Minds Tour,” visit www.reachrecords.com/alteredminds or email press@reachrecords.com

Oct 1 – Harrington, DE
Oct 2 – East Northport, NY
Oct 3 – Willoughby Hills, OH
Oct 4 – Indianapolis, IN
Oct 16 – Snyder, TX
Oct 17 – Temple, TX
Oct 18 – Cold Spring, TX
Oct 19 – San Antonio, TX
Oct 21 – Omaha, NE
Oct 22 – Forest City, IA
Oct 23 – Rockford, IL
Oct 24 – Cincinnati, OH
Oct 29 – Lynchburg, VA
Oct 30 – Lancaster, PA
Oct 31 – Yorktown, VA
Nov 5 – Pippa Passes, KY
Nov 6 – Jackson, TN
Nov 7 – Baker, LA
Nov 8 – Boaz, AL
Nov 12 – Princeton, KY
Nov 14 – Hattiesburg, KY
Nov 18 – Austin, TX
Nov 19 – Carlsbad, NM
Nov 20 – Abilene, TX
Nov 21 – Tyler, TX
Nov 22 – Memphis, TN

Christian Rap Artists: Don’t Waste Your Life

As Reported by Nathan Black of Christian Post // Christian rap artists and an evangelical ministry have teamed up for a 25-plus city tour to challenge Christians and concertgoers not to waste their life.

The “Don’t Waste Your Life” tour, presented by Reach Records and Desiring God Ministries, is making stops in major cities across the country over the next couple of months, challenging the younger generation to live passionately for Jesus Christ.

The main message: shun seeking worldly joy and instead live lives dedicated to Christ.

It’s a message inspired by evangelical author John Piper’s book, Don’t Waste Your Life. Piper, who leads Desiring God and is a pastor at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, Minn., wrote the book for both Christians and non-Christians hoping to wake them up from living a life focused on comfort and pleasure and one that counts for nothing.

“God created us to live with a single passion to joyfully display his supreme excellence in all the spheres of life,” Piper writes in the book. “The wasted life is the life without this passion.”

“God calls us to pray and think and dream and plan and work not to be made much of, but to make much of him in every part of our lives,” he adds.

Piper learned this piece of wisdom early on in his life when he heard his father preach about an old man who opened his heart to receive Christ but immediately sobbed and lamented that he had wasted his entire life.

“The thought of coming to my old age and saying through tears, ‘I’ve wasted it! I’ve wasted it!’ was a fearful and horrible thought to me,” Piper writes.

A prominent and passionate minister of the Word of God who doesn’t believe in the popular American concept of retirement, Piper wants to warn others, especially the younger generation, not to get caught up in a life that counts for nothing and not to “coast through life without a passion.”

Helping spread that message is a lineup of Christian rap artists, including Dove Award nominee Lecrae, Grammy Award nominee FLAME, Stellar Award nominee Trip Lee, as well as Tedashii and Sho Baraka.

Commenting on the media-heavy culture the younger generation is growing up in, Trip Lee believes their perception and lives are being shaped and influenced by MTV, BET, and YouTube.

But anything separated from Jesus Christ is a waste of our lives, Lee says.

“I think by buying into the lies and pursuing things that are not of the Lord, pursuing things that don’t show him to be glorious, and pursu[ing] things that don’t help us to know him, it’s a waste of our lives.”

The “Don’t Waste Your Life” tour kicked off in Memphis, Tenn., last week and is set to hit Manchester, N.H., on Friday. In addition to stops in New York, Atlanta, and Miami, among other cities, the tour will also hit the country’s largest Christian festivals, including Creation Fest East and West.

On the Web:
www.reachrecords.com/dwyl

Don’t Waste Your Life Tour launches

‘Don’t Waste Your Life Tour’ launches
25-city tour inspired by author John Piper

ATLANTA, June 1 // Featuring a powerful lineup of multi-award nominated Christian Rap artists, the ‘Don’t Waste Your Life Tour’ will travel this summer with Dove Award nominee Lecrae, GRAMMY Award nominee FLAME, Stellar Award nominee Trip Lee, as well as Tedashii and Sho Baraka, who both have plans to release sophomore albums in 2009.

The tour kicked off in Memphis, TN on Friday, May 29 then headed to Minneapolis on Saturday, May 30 to a capacity crowd at Club 3 Degrees, the highly anticipated tour will also make stops in New York, Atlanta and Miami, among other cities, as well as the largest Christian festivals, Creation Fest East (PA) and West (WA).

Writing at his most humble and transparent, John Piper, author and pastor for preaching at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, released the book “Don’t Waste Your Life” to encourage Christians to shun seeking worldly joy and instead to live lives dedicated to Christ. Inspired by the top-selling book, Memphis-based Reach Records and Piper’s Desiring God Ministries have partnered to present the “Don’t Waste Your Life” message to 25-plus cities through music and a message.

Last year, Reach Records’ ‘Unashamed Tour’ jump started a widespread movement gathering and encouraging audiences in more than 20 U.S. cities, London, and Somerset, UK who were not ashamed of the gospel.

This summer, the artists will stand behind the mission to plead and challenge this generation and concertgoers not to waste their life, but to live passionately for Jesus Christ.

For ticketing information and to learn more about the “Don’t Waste Your Life Tour,” preview tour clips and messages, visit www.reachrecords.com/dwyl or email press [at] reachrecords.com for more information.

DWYL TOUR SCHEDULE:
May 29: Memphis, TN
May 30: Minneapolis, MN
June 5: Manchester, NH
June 6: Woodbridge, VA
June 11: Lima, OH
June 12: New York, NY
June 13: Detroit, MI
June 19: Miami, FL
June 20: Orlando, FL
June 23: Virginia Beach, VA
June 25: Mt Union, PA (Creation Fest East)
June 27: Birmingham, AL
June 28: Baton Rouge, LA
July 8: San Antonio, TX
July 9: Oklahoma City, OK
July 10: Houston, TX
July 11: Dallas, TX
July 12: Odessa, TX
July 13: Albuquerque, NM
July 15: Phoenix, AZ
July 16: San Bernardino, CA
July 17/18: San Diego, CA
July 19: San Leandro, CA
July 23: George, WA (Creation Fest West)
July 24: Seattle, WA
August 29: Atlanta, GA

 

FLAME, Lecrae, John Reilly, and Da Truth Receive Dove Nods

March 3, 2008 — The highly celebrated song “Joyful Noise’ from the Grammy Nominated album Our World Redeemed by FLAME is nominated for a 2009 GMA Dove Award. Alongside Lecrae, John Reilly, and Da TRUTH, FLAME shares the nomination for “Joyful Noise” in the “Rap/Hip-Hop Recorded Song” category.

Written by FLAME and labelmate Da TRUTH, “Joyful Noise,” which was produced by St Louis based producer Chike, expresses the 95th Psalm which invites us to worship God. Infusing echoing snaps, sharp synthesizers, and a wrenching rock laced electric guitar, the unforgettable single gleams with an appearance by Reach Records artist Lecrae and Christian Rock artist John Reilly of the Reilly Band. Veteran music video director Tripp Crosby filmed the chart-topping music video in Atlanta at Andy Stanley’s North Point Church. The song is available on FLAME’s album OUR WORLD REDEEMED and both the song and music video is available at www.myspace.com/FLAME314

Christian music’s biggest night of the year, the 40th Annual GMA Dove Awards will take place on April 23, 2009, at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, Tenn., with artists from every style of gospel and Christian music coming together for a special night of music and celebration. The award show will be broadcast live nationwide that night on the Gospel Music Channel from 8-10 p.m. EST/PST.

FLAME’s GRAMMY and Stellar Award-nominated Our World Redeemed is the sequel to his album Our World Fallen, which released in April 2007 to rave reviews, hitting #7 on the Billboard Top Gospel Chart. The two-part album series captures the story of FLAME befriending a non-believer and pointing him to the cross of Christ, while examining the fallen condition of the world. One of the youngest members of the Cross Movement Records artist roster, FLAME is currently studying Biblical Counseling at Boyce College in Louisville, Ky. The 2008 Holy Hip Hop Award honoree has been ministering for over 10 years in music and speaking engagements.

FLAME’s Our World Redeemed is available on Cross Movement Records and are distributed in the CBA market by Provident-Integrity Distribution and by Sony/BMG in the general market.

FLAME spreads Gospel fire

By David Roach (The Towers Magazine – www.towersonline.com)

What do English Puritan John Owen, pastor John Piper and theologian Wayne Grudem have in common with rap music?

This trio of theological heavy-weights inspired Marcus Williams-Gray to write and record a Grammy-nominated album that communicates profound Gospel truths through hip-hop tunes.

Williams-Gray, also known as Christian rapper FLAME, is a student at Boyce College who has broken into the world of big-time rap music with a hammer that is as potent as it is unusual within the musical genre: sound biblical doctrine.

On the surface, the two seem a discordant mix — the violence and sex-saturated ethos of hip-hop music and the otherworldly ethos of biblical Christianity — but FLAME has wed the two in a way that is proclaiming the Gospel on a bold new frontier.

“A lot of people say, ‘That music is of the devil,’” FLAME said of rap. “Well, I agree. The message can definitely be demonic or anti-Christ. But the power in rap music in and of itself is massive. So when you take the Gospel message and you marry it to rap music, it’s a dynamic that can’t be duplicated.”

FLAME’s latest album, “Our World Redeemed,” takes the Reformed theology of Owen, Piper and Grudem and translates it into a musical study of redemption. The album has been nominated for a Grammy in the Best Rock or Rap Gospel Album category. The nationally-televised Grammy Awards program will air on Feb. 8 live from the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

“When people, especially those who love rap music, when they hear Christian rap, it’s just an automatic respect if the quality is good,” FLAME, a biblical counseling major, said. “… People stop in their tracks, and they lend you an ear. It’s almost like Mars Hill, the Areopagus. It’s just this marketplace where people want to hear your ideas.”

Though he is careful not to equate rap with preaching, FLAME said the Holy Spirit has used rap to convert sinners to faith in Christ.

“When they hear relevant metaphors and similes that are from the culture but are affiliated with God’s Word and the Bible, its just a wonderful tool in the hands of God,” he said. “And I’ve seen so many people, I’ve just seen their jaws drop and I’ve seen the Holy Spirit dig inside of their heart and start to remove that stony heart. And they hear the Gospel through rap music.”

FLAME believes rap music may be a more effective tool for communicating the Gospel than pop music. A rap song has three verses of 16 bars each, he said; thus, the tempo and non-repetitive nature of a rap song allows those verses to be filled with biblical content.

“You can’t do that normally in just a regular pop song or singing-style song,” he said. “But in this form and in this medium, you can pack so much information in one song. And people just become liberated because they heard God’s heart and His Word articulated in such a way where it makes sense and it’s relevant.”

Growing up in the inner city of St. Louis, FLAME was influenced by hip-hop culture from a young age. He started rapping in fifth grade, addressing positive and benign topics. But as he aged, FLAME turned darker both in his music and his lifestyle. Gangs, drugs and a party atmosphere — the standard elements commonly associated with the ‘hip-hop lifestyle’ — became fixtures of his life.

At age 16 God got his attention: an 18-wheeler hit FLAME. When FLAME asked his grandmother why God let the incident happen, she told him God was trying to catch his attention. A week and a half later his grandmother died, and FLAME felt broken.

When a friend invited him to church, the Gospel captivated him.

“When I heard the Gospel, I just wept because [I realized] the purpose for which God created me, to worship Him. Hearing the Gospel and His love for sinners and the call to repent — all of that just kind of gripped my heart,” he said.

“It was through that experience I remember just shedding tears, man, and asking the Lord to forgive me for all the things I had done in my past and at that point in my present. And He saved me.”

Immediately God began removing vices from FLAME’s life. He recognized that “the Lord was changing me and cleaning me up.”

As part of his devotional life, FLAME wrote raps to God and sang to Him during quiet times. Though he had no plans to become a recording artist, FLAME began to listen to other Christian rappers and realized the potential power of the medium for ministry. So through a series of providential encounters, he began producing albums.

Among the topics his music has addressed are the Trinity, the false teaching of the prosperity gospel, hermeneutics and the Fall of man.

Though he gained the name Flame before becoming a Christian, FLAME says it now describes the “fire in his bones” to spread God’s Word.

Northwestern hosts rap/hip-hop artist FLAME

By Joanne Fox for Sioux City Journal

ORANGE CITY, Iowa — Christian rap/hip-hop artist FLAME will perform a free concert at Northwestern College’s Christ Chapel on Feb. 13. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. and is sponsored by Northwestern’s Student Activities Council and Office of International and Intercultural Affairs.

FLAME, born Marcus Gray, grew up in inner-city St. Louis. He accepted Christ at the age of 16 following a near-fatal car accident and the death of his grandmother. FLAME has released four albums since 2004. His latest, “Our World Redeemed,” was nominated in December for a GRAMMY in the Best Rock or Rap Gospel Album category. FLAME’s recording has also been nominated for a 2009 Stellar Gospel Music Award.

FLAME gives “Thanx” for Grammy nod in new song

By Kevin C. Johnson // (St Louis Today – www.stltoday.com/blender)

FLAME, a gospel rapper from St. Louis, isn’t taking his new gospel music Grammy nomination lightly.

He recorded a new song called “Thanx” on which he runs down a list of thanks to those who’ve contributed to his success.

Click here to hear FLAME’s new song.

FLAME’s “Our World Redeemed” CD is up for a Best Rock or Rap Gospel Album Grammy. He’s sharing the category with tobyMac, Superchick, Sanctus Real, and After Edmund.

Get more information at www.myspace.com/FLAME314.

Boyce College Student Garners GRAMMY Nomination

OUR WORLD REDEEMED receives a GRAMMY Nomination

 

December 8, 2008 (Atlanta, GA) – During the GRAMMY Awards’ nomination unveiling, FLAME’s ‘Our World Redeemed’ stood out amongst some of CCM’s biggest names. Receiving his first GRAMMY Award nomination in the Best Rock or Rap Gospel Album category, FLAME was nominated along with Christian Rock artists After Edmund, tobyMac, Superchick, and Sanctus Real. For a full list of nominees, visit www.grammy.com. The winners in all categories of the 51^st annual event will be revealed during ceremonies on February 8.

The GRAMMY award nomination for ‘Our World Redeemed’ follows FLAME’s 2009 Stellar Award nomination announcement. ‘Our World Redeemed’ serves as the sequel to ‘Our World Fallen’ that began by capturing the story of FLAME befriending a non-believer and pointing him to the cross of Christ, while examining the fallen condition of the world. ‘Our World Redeemed’ digs deeper into the plot when the untimely passing of the fictional character’s relative becomes the inspiration to continue sharing the Gospel reinforcing the dire need to accept Jesus Christ.

“I was in my neighborhood sharing the Gospel. As I was talking to a 15-year-old I could tell everything was going over his head,” says FLAME. “I asked him if he’d heard about Adam and Eve and he said no. That is what inspired the two projects.”

Garnering support with the hit single and music video ‘Joyful Noise,’ filmed at Andy Stanley’s Northpoint Church, ‘Our World Redeemed’ debuted in the No. 5 position on the Billboard Top Gospel Chart, No. 1 slot on Soundscan’s Christian R&B/Hip-Hop Chart, and No. 7 position on iTunes’ mainstream Rap Chart. ‘Our World Fallen‘ peaked to the No. 7 position on the Billboard Top Gospel Chart.

Born in the inner city streets of St. Louis , Marcus Gray accepted Christ at the age of 16. Heavily influenced by the hip hop culture, he was particularly drawn to the work of The Cross Movement, who later signed FLAME to their own label. One of the youngest members of the Cross Movement Records artist roster, FLAME is currently studying Biblical Counseling at Boyce College in Louisville , Ky. The Holy Hip Hop Award honoree was recognized in 2008 for his invaluable service, sacrifice, labor and contributions to the music industry and has been ministering for over 10 years in music and speaking engagements. 

FLAME’s ‘Our World Redeemed’ is available on Cross Movement Records and is distributed in the CBA market by Provident-Integrity Distribution as well as Sony/BMG in the general market. For more information on FLAME and his album ‘Our World Redeemed,’ visit www.flame314.com, www.myspace.com/flame314 or www.crossmovementrecords.com

FLAME scores a GRAMMY nomination

December 4, 2008 (Atlanta, GA) – During the GRAMMY Award’s nomination unveiling, FLAME’s ‘Our World Redeemed’ stood out amongst some of CCM’s biggest names. Receiving his first GRAMMY Award nomination in the Best Rock or Rap Gospel Album category, FLAME was nominated along with Christian Rock artists After Edmund, tobyMac, Superchick, and Sanctus Real. For a full list of nominees, visit www.grammy.com. The winners in all categories of the 51^st annual event will be revealed during ceremonies on February 8, according to Reuters.

The GRAMMY award nomination for ‘Our World Redeemed’ follows FLAME’s 2009 Stellar Award nomination. ‘Our World Redeemed’ serves as the sequel to ‘Our World Fallen’ that began by capturing the story of FLAME befriending a non-believer and pointing him to the cross of Christ, while examining the fallen condition of the world. ‘Our World Redeemed’ digs deeper into the plot when the untimely passing of the fictional character’s relative becomes the inspiration to continue sharing the Gospel reinforcing the dire need to accept Jesus Christ.

Garnering support with the hit single and music video ‘Joyful Noise,’ ‘Our World Redeemed’ debuted in the No. 5 position on the Billboard Top Gospel Chart, No. 1 slot on Soundscan’s Christian R&B/Hip-Hop Chart, and No. 7 position on iTunes’ mainstream Rap Chart.

Born in the inner city streets of St. Louis, Marcus Gray accepted Christ at the age of 16. Heavily influenced by the hip hop culture, he was particularly drawn to the work of The Cross Movement, who later signed FLAME to their own label. One of the youngest members of the Cross Movement Records artist roster, FLAME is currently studying Biblical Counseling at Boyce College in Louisville, Ky. The 2008 Holy Hip Hop Award honoree has been ministering for over 10 years in music and speaking engagements. His last album, ‘Our World Fallen‘ peaked to the No. 7 position on the Billboard Top Gospel Chart.

FLAME’s ‘Our World Redeemed’ is available on Cross Movement Records and is distributed in the CBA market by Provident-Integrity Distribution and by Sony/BMG in the general market. For more information on FLAME and his album ‘Our World Redeemed,’ visit www.flame314.com, www.myspace.com/flame314 or www.crossmovementrecords.com

 

 

FLAME and Da T.R.U.T.H. Receive 2009 Stellar Award Nominations

Nashville, TN (Courtesy of McCain and Company) – Cross Movement Records is pleased to announce that recording artists Da’ T.R.U.T.H. and FLAME have been nominated for 2009 Stellar Awards in the “Rap/Hip-Hop Gospel CD of the Year” category, alongside fellow nominees Sho Baraka, Trip Lee and Frontlynaz. Don Jackson, CEO of Chicago-based Central City Productions, said the awards show will continue to have first-run broadcast television syndication on more than 100 affiliates around the country in the first quarter of 2009 and will also be shown on cable through a new partnership with the Gospel Music Channel. Upon learning of his Stellar Award nomination, Da T.R.U.T.H., nominated for his Open Book project, said, “Congratulations to my fellow co-laborers in this movement to proclaim Christ in the urban mission field who share this nomination with me. When I look at the company I am counted in, it is truly an honor, and yet an even greater responsibility we carry on our shoulders. As God elevates us, we must epitomize His heart and character in every sphere of our ministries.” “It has been awesome to see the response since the release of Our World Redeemed,” commented FLAME, nominated for Our World Redeemed. “I am encouraged by the additional support of the Stellar Award nomination and I am excited to hear that my co-laborers who share the same passion for the Lord as I do were also nominated within the same category.” FLAME’s Our World Redeemed and Da T.R.U.T.H.’s Open Book is available on Cross Movement Records and distributed in the CBA market by Provident-Integrity Distribution and by Sony BMG in the general market. For more information on FLAME and his album Our World Redeemed, visit www.flame314.com and for more information on Da T.R.U.T.H. visit www.datruth.net