Lecrae’s Reach Records drops Christian hip hop artist GAWVI for allegedly sexually harassing women
Gawvi, who was signed as an artist to Reach Records, co-founded by Lecrae, in 2016, has been dropped for allegedly sexually harassing women behind the scenes.
By Rebecca Johnson // Sexual Harassment // EEW Magazine Online
Predatory men using the name of Jesus to hide their perversion is nothing new in the Christian world. The latest example of this unsavory practice has allegedly emerged at Reach Records—an American independent record label specializing in Christian hip hop, co-founded by rapper, Lecrae Moore.
Gawvi, real name Gabriel Alberto Azucena, has been dropped by his label, Reach, and kicked off an upcoming tour after being accused of sending unsolicited, sexually explicit photos to women.
Courtesy: Gawvi
In a statement obtained by EEW Magazine Online, a representative for Reach said, “Due to behavior that is inconsistent with our core values, we have ended our professional relationship with GAWVI. This was a tough decision for us because of the level of complexity and because we invest in our artists not just for their talent, but also as brothers and sisters in Christ.”
The statement continued, “This is something we have been processing for over a year and have wrestled with what would be the right way forward. New details that were provided made us realize today’s decision was necessary.”
Credit: Larry McCormack/The Tennessean
A “We Are Unashamed” tour package featuring the entire Reach roster had been announced five days before the latest bombshell. The tour will move forward in March and April without Gawvi, 33.
The label’s remaining artists—Lecrae, Andy Mineo, Trip Lee, Tedashii, 1K Phew, Wande, WHATUPRG and Hulvey—will be featured.
Prior to the most recent development in this ongoing saga, Gawvi announced on Instagram that he and his wife were divorcing after separating in 2020. What followed were damning allegations that made Gawvi’s declaration that “there is no scandal to gossip about” ring untrue.
“Years ago, I made album artwork for Gawvi,” wrote San Diego-based visual artist and designer who goes by Cataphant, also Catalina Bellizzi-Itiola, in a tweet. “For my next project I’m going to make a collage of all the unasked-for dick pics he sent to women while he was still married.”
Cataphant also engaged in Twitter conversations with others who said they personally experienced or were at least aware of similar incidents involving Gawvi.
The accused, who could not be reached for comment, appears to have deleted his Twitter account and scrubbed his Instagram page.
Reach’s statement addressing the scandal concluded on a compassionate note: “We also want our actions to be a reflection of love, care, and concern for those who fail and those who are affected by our failures. Each of us needs God’s grace and we invite you to pray for the families and individuals whose lives are being impacted. This is not a chance to throw anybody away. We continue to hope for restoration to be the outcome.”
Lecrae, 42, who has frequently collaborated with Gawvi, has remained silent publicly, only addressing the controversy with one tweet containing a Bible verse: “Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy. Prov 28:13.”
The Billboard charting rapper, Gawvi, was first signed to Reach as a producer in 2013 then as an artist in 2016. He is best known for his 2018 hit song, “Fight for Me,” featuring Lecrae, which won a Dove Award in the rap/hip-hop category the following year.
From the looks of things, Gawvi was enjoying the spotlight for years, as something more sinister was going on in the background. But, as the saying goes, “What’s done in the dark comes to the light.”
