I started my own thing, and that’s what got me here. “I wasn’t surrounded with the culture and the community to bring me into it. “I wasn’t in the Christian rap community but I was a big Christian rap fan,” he says. Hulvey cut his teeth on the battle rap circuit, citing Eminem, Lil Wayne and Lecrae as early influences as he started to hone his craft. Here are the rappers who are setting the bar for the future of Christian hip-hop.
Having studied the trails that were blazed before them and, in many cases, been mentored by the ones who blazed them, a new collection of luminaries are ready for their moment. But now, a new crop of artists are looking to take their music and their message even further, looking for not just recognition, but respect. That rising ride lifted ships of artists like Andy Mineo, Social Club Misfits, Trip Lee and many more, who catapulted CHH to new heights.įor years, CHH had to fight for validation, and that battle has been decisively won. Lecrae has led the way, with a string of standout albums and Reach Records, which has provided a platform for dozens of young, hungry artists eager to rap with excellence. Christian hip-hop - “CHH” to fans - is thriving. Over the last 10 years, the fruits of their labors have been evident. The mainstream Contemporary Christian Music scene rarely recognized such artists, for reasons both financial and, all too often, racial, but who cares? They were building something new and different. The ‘90s had many underappreciated but genuinely gifted emcees who hustled on the sly, proving that faith in hip-hop could be a force to be reckoned with instead of just forced. For most people, their only exposure to Christian rap was a mercilessly unfunny church “parody” video or the occasionally earnest attempt lacing the Gospel into hip-hop that gave new meanings to the word cringe.īut even then, if you paid attention, there were signs that it didn’t have to be this way. Reach Records is committed to building a movement that combines faith with music and popular culture.It doesn’t feel all that long ago that Christian hip-hop was a joke.
Reach Records was launched with no strategy, no funds, no big players, but they made big moves! Today Reach Records is a trailblazing label with a roster of nearly 10 artists and a staff of 20 who are unashamed about sharing their faith and passionate about hip-hop. Long before acclaim, awards, plaques, chart positioning, and radio play, the two started the label because they both love hip-hop and Jesus. Reach Records is an Atlanta based independent hip-hop label founded in 2004 by Lecrae and Ben Washer. You can’t force anybody to follow your way, but you can keep it 1000, let your light shine, and watch them come to you.” The story I’m telling is how I overcame my obstacles. “I’m just a young kid from Atlanta with something to say,” he confesses. “I just want to share my life through this music.
The older heads who I used to hang with in the A, called us younger ones, nephew, so the Phew part is short for nephew.” shares 1K Phew. They say keep it 100, but we keep it 1000. That incident was a turning point for me.1K Phew’s name comes from “being 1000% real and authentic, no matter what,” he shares. Every time I tried to do things my way, it didn’t work out for me. Born and raised in Atlanta, GA, IK Phew grew up with two praying parents who encouraged him. He had it better than some of his peers, yet he still found himself going down a destructive path as a teen. “It wasn’t until I almost got shot one day that I decided to truly surrender my life to God and His plan.
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