Reviewing Lecrae’s Brand-New “Gravity”

Have you heard of the new album by Lecrae, probably the best-known Christian rapper today?  Gravity debuted this Tuesday and immediately hit #1 on the iTunes charts.  That’s a remarkable achievement, especially considering the history of gospel hip hop.  Actually, it’s a remarkable achievement for a Christian artist of any musical genre.

Over at The Gospel Coalition, I just reviewed Gravity.  Here’s a snatch:

Boasting outstanding production, honest and impressive lyricism, and cover art that mashes motorcycle outlaw with Prometheus, Gravity represents Lecrae’s bid to make a comprehensively great record and become the first Christian hip-hop artist fully embraced by the musical mainstream. Debuting on top of the iTunes charts, the album may well accomplish this ambitious goal.

We see the strength of Gravity when we work through it track-by-track. The album begins with a violin. That may surprise some expecting a properly Houstonian beginning, something with bounce in it. The expected heavy bass isn’t long in coming, but Lecrae shows he’s up to something unusual in Gravity. We’re not a minute in, and the track sounds like something Hans Zimmer might record if he teamed up with Timbaland.

Here’s the whole thing.  Read the review if you like, and buy the album.  It is stunningly good.  Favorite tracks: “Falling Down” (with a ferocious beat by The Watchmen), “Violent” (with window-shattering production from Tyshane), “Higher,” and “Lucky Ones.”  I cannot stop playing this album…