Neither does hip hop n… Read Full Bio ↴“History does not happen in a straight line…”
Neither does hip hop nor its prolific breakout rhymist/activist/author/voice of conscience Lecrae.
Never afraid to move the needle, few would argue that his much anticipated Columbia Records debut album (due out this summer) comes at a pivotal moment for the artist, as hip hop’s torrent now moves to him.
Surging or insurgent - depending on your point of view - he’s blessed with a visionary verbal arsenal and an abiding faith that’s piloted a unique career trajectory defying the typical hip hop storyline. ‘The system may not have planned for this,’ wrote Vibe about Lecrae, ‘but it’s definitely coming around.’ “More caught than taught,” is how the artist describes his incredible journey that includes two Grammys, a history-making #1 album with his masterful 2014 offering, Anomaly (topped multiple categories, including the Billboard 200 and is RIAA Gold certified), and a compelling live resume, most recently notching a headlining 2016 ‘Destination’ tour which Lecrae says was about “real unity, not pretend unity.” He continues to thoughtfully engage the culture, reeling off a NY Times Bestseller (last year’s riveting memoir ‘Unashamed’) and a breakthrough spoken word performance at the BET Hip Hop Awards last fall that had the twittersphere heralding his arrival as truth-telling firebrand. BET hailed it as an “epic poem,” of “necessary affirmations.”
Lecrae relishes his purpose-driven career arc as inspired ‘catalyzer’ - going “from artist to architect” on the new album, widening the close-knit comfort zone of Reach Records (the label he co-founded) by partnering with Columbia Records and expanding his creative outreach. “I sought influences and collaborators I never imagined I’d have the opportunity to work with,” he says. The patient growth process was born out of a “gumbo” of more than 50 songs, “some to just get off my chest,” he says - “I don’t know if they were all meant to be heard but I know they were meant to be written.”
One song that has already seen the light of day is the powerfully uplifting “Blessings,” (featuring Ty Dolla $ign) which iHeartRadio chose for their ‘On The Verge’ platform which connects breaking artists with new listeners. Lecrae cites a refreshed perspective throughout the making of the new album after surviving one of the most tumultuous years he’s experienced since his turbulent teens. Among the hardships was the passing of his longtime friend and collaborator DJ Official, some “painful personal” ramifications after the publication of the unvarnished‘Unashamed,’ trusting friendships that went south, andchronic social media sparring from those attacking Lecrae for his candid and heartfelt perspective in response to theheartbreaking social justice issues making headlines in 2016. “Some people felt that maybe I shouldn’t be articulating the pain when it comes to the structural and systemic issues that have created barriers and disparity in regard to race,” he says. “But I came out of it feeling more confident in making this album then at any other time in my life.”
With trusted friend and Grammy winning producer S1 serving as a key production contributor, Lecrae says it was healing for him to weave some of the more nuanced, complex themes of the new album and come out the other side. “It’s about giving hope to people that they can overcome the fear and the insecurity when things do fall apart,” he says. “The before and after of it all. It may get ugly in your life, but there’s a point of rediscovery where the fear can actually drive the faith and restore you. Sometimes you have to acknowledge where you are at before it can get better.”
Such authenticity has been the hallmark of his 7 studio albums and multiple mixtapes, now nearing the 2 million mark in sales, with the acclaimed artist winning a Billboard Music Award, multiple BET, Soul Train, and Dove awards and even an Honorary Doctorate of music to go along with his 2 Grammy wins. Past signature songs like the ultra-relatable “Church Clothes,” and the prophetic, multi-perspective of “Welcome To America” revealed a Lecrae exploring the plight of the disconnected in all of us. Critics have praised the sociological component of his work and his heightened sensitivity toward the disenfranchised.
On the upcoming album, Lecrae hints he’s still mindful of the outsider role that’s enabled him to work the edges of hip hop stardom, but also conscious of the world coming into his space, now. “I don’t fit in to any one category,” he says. “The BET performance showed I can compete on the highest level and excel at it. I’ve already proven I’m part of the hip hop narrative. On this album I’m taking liberties.”
FAR AWAY
Lecrae Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Far away, far away
You feel so, far, far away, far away, far away
Hopeless
I can spell it
I can smell it in the air
And are You still there?
Cause I lost it all
I keep callin Your name
But do You hear my call?
And are You still involved?
Or am I left alone?
I wander the streets
Cause I no longer have a home
My brothers all gone
My sisters all gone
My family and my friends ain't gonna be here in the mornin
You see me here mourning
They say You feel my pain
They say You went through it
Say to die is to gain
But I ain't gained nothing
I lost everybody
Now I'm losing my mind
And my faith is all I got and
I'm still holding on
That's why I still pray
Feeling empty inside
I can't make it through the day
I don't know what else to do
I don't know what else to say
I'm talking to You now but
I promise that you feel so far
Far, far away
(You seem) Far away, (You seem) far away
(You're so, You're so) Far, far away
(You feel) Far away, (You seem) far away
(You're so, You're so) Far, far away
(You feel) Far away, (You seem) far away
(You're so, You're so) Far, far away
(You feel) Far away, (You seem) far away
Dear hope
Been waiting on you for a while now
Been cut so deep
That I ain't sure if I can smile now
Look at this devastation
Look at the pain and sorrow
Somebody fed me lies
And promised me a bright tomorrow
I know the God I follow
Is bigger than disaster
Big enough to handle any evil that harasses
But I feel like He passed us
Pain overtook us
Buildings tumbled overhead
As the ground shook us
God have You forsook us?
Lord, You still with me?
I know You save souls
I trust You to forgive me
Relief can you hear me?
Hey rest can you get me?
Hey peace can you see me?
Hey love can you heal me?
I don't know what to do
I ain't looking for answers
I just need you to hold my hand through this cancer
Tell me You never left
Even in the midst of death
Breathe on me
I'll do anything to feel Your breath
Far, far away
(You feel) Far away, (You're so) far away
(You're so, You're so) Far, far away
(You feel) Far away, (You seem) far away
(You're so, You're so) Far, far away
(You feel) Far away, (You seem) far away
(You're so, You're so) Far, far away
(You feel) Far away, (You seem) far away
For God alone
Oh my soul, wait in silence
For my hope is from Him
He is my only Rock and my salvation, my fortress
I shall not be shaken
On God rests my salvation and my glory
My mighty Rock
My refuge is God
Trust in Him at all times people
Pour your heart out before Him
God is a refuge for us (yeah)
Far, far away
(He's not) Far away, (He's not) far away
(You know my God is not) Far, far away
(He's not) Far away, (He's not) far away
(Even though He seems) Far, far away
(He's not) Far away, (No, He's not) far away
(Our God is not) Far, far away
(He's not) Far away, (He's not) far away
(Even though He seems)
The lyrics of "Far Away" by Lecrae describe a feeling of hopelessness and desperation in the midst of loss and devastation. The singer is struggling to cope with the absence of loved ones and feels abandoned by God. He questions whether God is still there for him and wonders if his faith is misplaced.
The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "far away" several times, emphasizing the feeling of distance and separation from God. However, in the last verse, the singer turns to God as his only source of hope and refuge. He acknowledges that even in this pain, God is his rock and salvation.
The song explores the complex emotions that come with grief and loss, including doubt and anger towards God. It ultimately encourages listeners to trust in God's presence and promises, even when it feels like He is far away.
Line by Line Meaning
Far, far away
The singer feels isolated and cut-off, physically and emotionally
Far away, far away
The singer emphasizes his feeling of isolation from others and from God
You feel so, far, far away, far away, far away
God feels distant to the singer, making him feel hopeless and alone
Hopeless
The singer is feeling down, unable to find hope in his situation
I can spell it
The singer understands and recognizes his hopeless mindset
I can smell it in the air
The singer can sense the negativity around him and feels like he's suffocating in it
A lotta people wonder if you still care
The singer feels like other people question whether God exists or still cares
Cause I lost it all
The singer has lost everything, including his family and friends
I keep callin Your name
The singer is trying to reach out to God for help
But do You hear my call?
The singer is unsure if God is answering his prayers and feels ignored
And are You still involved?
The singer doubts God's presence and involvement in his life
Or am I left alone?
The singer fears that he may be abandoned by God
I wander the streets
The singer feels like he has no home or purpose
My brothers all gone
The singer has lost his brothers and is grieving
My sisters all gone
The singer has lost his sisters and is grieving
My family and my friends ain't gonna be here in the mornin
The singer feels very alone and abandoned
You see me here mourning
The singer is openly grieving and sad
They say You feel my pain
The singer has been told that God knows and feels his pain
They say You went through it
The singer has been told that God experienced pain and suffering too
Say to die is to gain
The singer references the biblical quote 'to live is Christ and to die is gain', meaning that death can be seen as an escape from earthly pain and suffering
But I ain't gained nothing
The singer hasn't found peace or solace in thinking about the possibility of dying
I lost everybody
The singer has lost everyone he cares about and is alone
Now I'm losing my mind
The singer feels like he's losing his grip on reality and his stability
And my faith is all I got and
The singer has faith and hopes that it will help him through his struggles
I'm still holding on
The singer is still trying to keep his faith and hope alive
That's why I still pray
The singer believes that prayer is a way to connect with and seek comfort from God
Feeling empty inside
The singer feels emotionally drained and empty
I can't make it through the day
The singer feels overwhelmed and like he can't handle even the basic tasks of everyday life
I don't know what else to do
The singer is lost and feels like he has no options left
I don't know what else to say
The singer feels unable to communicate his feelings well and feels stuck
I'm talking to You now but
The singer is addressing God in this song because prayer is one of the only things he has left
I promise that you feel so far
Despite the singer's attempts to reach out to God, he still feels like God is distant and inaccessible
Dear hope
The singer addresses hope, which he feels like he's lost
Been waiting on you for a while now
The singer feels like he's been waiting for something hopeful to happen in his life for a long time
Been cut so deep
The singer has been hurt and damaged very badly by his struggles
That I ain't sure if I can smile now
The singer feels like he's lost his ability to even experience joy or happiness
Look at this devastation
The singer is commenting on the many tragedies and struggles he's experienced
Look at the pain and sorrow
The singer is overwhelmed by the negativity and sadness around him
Somebody fed me lies
The singer feels like someone has betrayed him or lied to him
And promised me a bright tomorrow
The singer was given false hope that his life would improve
I know the God I follow
The singer still has faith in God despite his struggles
Is bigger than disaster
The singer believes that God is more powerful than any struggles or tragedies he's experiencing
Big enough to handle any evil that harasses
The singer believes that God can conquer evil and overcome any obstacles
But I feel like He passed us
Despite his faith, the singer feels like God has abandoned him and his people
Pain overtook us
The singer and his community are overwhelmed by the pain they're experiencing
Buildings tumbled overhead As the ground shook us
The singer references a past tragedy, possibly an earthquake or other natural disaster
God have You forsook us?
The singer wonders if God has abandoned his people and is no longer with them
Lord, You still with me?
The singer is directly addressing God, asking if God is still present in his life
I know You save souls
The singer acknowledges God's power to save and help people
I trust You to forgive me
The singer has faith that God will forgive him for his mistakes and shortcomings
Relief can you hear me?
The singer is asking for God's help and relief from his pain
Hey rest can you get me?
The singer is asking for help finding rest and peace
Hey peace can you see me?
The singer is asking for help finding inner peace and healing
Hey love can you heal me?
The singer is asking for help finding love and healing from God
I don't know what to do
The singer is lost and feels unsure of how to proceed in his struggles
I ain't looking for answers
The singer isn't looking for solutions to his problems, but rather for comfort and support from God
I just need you to hold my hand through this cancer
The singer is asking for God's presence and support during his struggles
Tell me You never left
The singer is asking God to reassure him that God has always been with him
Even in the midst of death
The singer is referring to the concept of God being present even during times of great suffering or tragedy
Breathe on me
The singer is asking for God's spiritual comfort and support
I'll do anything to feel Your breath
The singer is desperate for God's presence and will do whatever it takes to feel it
For God alone
The singer is emphasizing the importance of God in his life and his trust in God alone
Oh my soul, wait in silence
The singer is asking his soul to be patient and wait in silence for God's help
For my hope is from Him
The singer trusts in God to be the source of his hope and comfort
He is my only Rock and my salvation, my fortress
The singer sees God as his only source of safety and protection
I shall not be shaken
The singer is confident that God will help him through his struggles and he won't be shaken
On God rests my salvation and my glory
The singer relies on God for his salvation and recognizes God's glory
My mighty Rock
The singer sees God as his strong foundation and support
My refuge is God
The singer finds safety and comfort in God
Trust in Him at all times people
The singer is encouraging others to trust in God during their struggles
Pour your heart out before Him
The singer is encouraging others to talk openly and honestly with God
God is a refuge for us (yeah)
The singer is referencing Psalm 46, which says 'God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble'
(He's not) Far away, (He's not) far away
The singer is emphasizing that despite his feelings of isolation, God is not actually far away and is always present
(You know my God is not) Far, far away
The singer is addressing the listener and saying that God is close by and is always present
(He's not) Far away, (No, He's not) far away
The singer is seeking to reassure himself and others that God is not far away
(Our God is not) Far, far away
The singer is concluding the song by reassuring others that God is always close by and present
(He's not) Far away, (He's not) far away
The singer repeats this line to drive home the point that God is not far away and is always present
(Even though He seems) Far, far away
The singer acknowledges that it can feel like God is far away even when He's not actually distant
Contributed by Jonathan J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.