The Last One: Lecrae to drop ‘Church Clothes 4,' the final volume in the mixtape series
By Music Editors // Hip-Hop // EEW Magazine Online
Two years before releasing Anomaly, which soared to #1 in 2014, award-winning rapper, Lecrae Moore, dropped Church Clothes Vol. 1, hosted by DJ Don Cannon.
In the ten years since the first Church Clothes mixtape was released, the 42-year-old has crossed over from Christian Hip-Hop into the mainstream.
Moore, regarded as one of the leading trailblazers in the CHH genre, has consistently released music that represents faith and hip-hop with edginess that challenges the church to live up to its potential while encouraging the culture to reconcile with its savior.
In a previous interview with EEW Magazine Online, he said, "I feel like I represent a voice for people that doesn't necessarily get heard. I'm glad to give people a different picture of Christianity, of urban men, Black men."
Hip-hop magazine XXL said of the lyricist, "It's impressive how he's able to deliver a message without being preachy,” calling Church Clothes “a prime example of the reach of hip-hop music and culture."
Speaking of reach, the original Church Clothes mixtape was downloaded 100,000 times in 48 hours — an impressive feat for a rapper who built his brand on a faith foundation.
"Once upon a time, we had the vision to demonstrate what it looks like to be authentically hip-hop and a follower of Christ,” Moore said, sharing his perspective a decade later. “We put that vision together in this project called Church Clothes, something for the streets but representing who we are as believers. Church Clothes resonated with people, and they connected with it.”
After completing three distinct volumes of the mixtape, the co-founder of Reach Records added, “It's only right that we keep the legacy with Vol. 4.”
Moore stressed, however, “Church Clothes 4 is the last one though!"
In the first single from Church Clothes 4, "Spread The Opps," available for pre-save, Moore acknowledges the opposition he has faced throughout his life and vows to stand steadfast despite it. "I've been running for so long from the opposition. Since I was a kid, there were enemies, both physical and spiritual, that were trying to destroy me. I decided to stop running. This song, ‘Spread The Opps,’ is me knowing that even in the valley of death, God is with me. He’s scattering the opposition,” he explained.
On “Spread The Opps,” listeners will be enthralled by ominous production from DrumGod, JuanRa, Simbo, and DudeClayy, as 808 drums pair with haunting vocals from students from AGI Entertainment. Under the direction of Natarsha Garcia, CEO/Artistic Director, BrandinJay, Creative Director and owner of Teddy Bear Productions, the students, whose ages range from nine to 13, create the backdrop for a lyrical barrage from Moore.
Atlanta-based image-maker Ray "Neutron" Spears, director of the music video for "Spread the Opps,” said, “I found myself interested in his inner turmoil and specific inflection points on his journey of realization, how these experiences reverberate outside of Lecrae the individual, and their broader implications in society.”
Through the years, fans have watched Moore reconstruct a vision of faith despite the large-scale shift towards mistrust and disillusionment within the church in the wake of America's racial tensions. As he delivers Church Clothes 4, the lyricist stands at the crossroads of sacred and secular.
He laughs with those who have called him "righteous and ratchet," acknowledging that "it is my lane, and this lane is completely acceptable."
