Gordon Hosts Blockbuster Rap Artist Lecrae

Last weekend Gordon College welcomed leading Christian hip-hop artist Lecrae on campus for a high-energy concert. The Bennett Center gymnasium was transformed into a concert venue—packed with students, faculty, staff and members of the broader North Shore community. Lines started forming outside of Bennett over an hour before the concert started. Fifty lucky students even won a meet-and-greet. Excitement rose to a climax when the crowd began spontaneously chanting, “Le-crae! Le-crae!” Young families hung around the outskirts while their kids tried out their own hip-hop moves. Other attendees anxiously scanned the audience waiting for the rap star to appear. Benji Suprice ’18, who emceed the concert, says he was elated about the opportunity. “When I think of Lecrae, I think of someone who has not only transformed Christian hip-hop, but hip-hop in general,” he says. “I’ve listened to him for a long time.” Lecrae, originally from Houston, TX, exploded onto the national stage with the release of his first album, Real Talk, in 2004. He has publically expressed his heart to reclaim the humanity of hip-hop in light of his Christian faith. “I am a product of the grace of God and hip-hop music,” Lecrae said to the crowd on Sunday night. “I love rap,” he continued. “God redeems it all.” However, his music has had effects reaching far beyond the Christian community. His work has received acclaim from a diverse spectrum of Christian and secular organizations alike—recognitions spanning from the Billboard Music Awards to the Gospel Music Association. In 2012, his album Gravity brought home the first of his two Grammy wins—the first ever hip-hop album to be named Best Gospel Album. Throughout Sunday’s concert, as he is known to do, Lecrae interjected personal stories and encouragements. Suprice said “there were moments when I was like, ‘Wow! The Holy Spirit’s in the room.” For Suprice, Lecrae has been a role model for much of his life. “One of the coolest things about him,” the student noted, “is that he works to build bridges, not barriers.” Lecrae will be on tour in the U.S. with his latest album, All Things Work Together, though the end of March. By Grace Shaw ’19, philosophy