“History does not happen in a straight line…”

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.”

crossover
Lecrae Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Yeah, they gon' hate this one
They gon' hate us cause we love Him so much
But it's finna go down dawg
Yeah we gon' represent Him tonight

You can find me in a church
Focused and alert
No suit and tie, jeans and a t-shirt

I'm into praising God because He made us out of dirt
And plus He gave His life for this world's evil works
So flirt with that
Most of y'all can't jerk with that
Cause it ain't no benefits and no purse with that
Still gotta' live your life on this earth with that
But we live eternally and I can work with that
Holla, yeah I cheated, yeah I lust within
But guess what that's why I trust in Him
See you thinkin' that you ain't that bad
You just lying to yourself playboy you better check your health
While you're all about the cash and ice
Hope you ready for change you just broke the first commandment twice
And I know that you done stole before
If it wasn't a gun it was some gum from the grocery store
It's all sin to God
Man look into God
You guilty, you ain't even a friend to God
Sin gotta' high price it'll cost your life
But God fit that bill on the cross with Christ

The crossover from death to life
What's the hold up accept the Christ
We flex the Mic to rep for Christ
So we can put your soul at rest tonight

Yo
I don't catch the Spirit I'm all filled up
I can't lose it either I'm all sealed up
And you can bet yo life
I'm a rep for Christ
One taste He'll get you right

Folks is thinking they Christian
But when they sinnin'
They don't feel the conviction that the Spirit is givin'
And they keep living life like, "that's cool with me."
Y'all people ain't fooling me
Try to play me to the left like I'm trying to get deep on them
This is real talk dawg, you better peep somethin'
This ain't that philosophic rap like ‘Harmoynm'
And I ain't talking about the God you heard about from mom and them
Put that blunt out dawg, put down the Heineken
"man God understands" What? Come again
I guess you think that God is kinda' like yo momma huh?
Like He ain't even trippin' on your sinnin and your drama

The crossover from death to life
What's the hold up accept the Christ
We flex the Mic to rep for Christ
So we can put your soul at rest tonight

Yo, life's way more then ice and rims
And you don't make enough to pay the price of sin
And God's gon' judge you dawg that's reality
Saying you don't believe is like saying there ain't no gravity
Then running off to go jump a cliff
And when you hit the ground tell me what you get
Hey, why you running from the freedom of the gospel?
You hostile
You're looking like your Lucifer's apostle
But God got you
And though we all deserve death He still keep putting breath in your nostrils
But you treat Him like an obstacle
See Him come at your convenience like a stop and go
Waiting for a sweeter deal or a sign or something
Like God ain't come down and die or something
Trust me dawg God wants the best for you
That's why the gospel of Christ is addressed to you

The crossover from death to life
What's the hold up accept the Christ

We flex the Mic to rep for Christ
So we can put your soul at rest tonight

Overall Meaning

In the song Crossover by Lecrae, the rapper confidently proclaims that he is unashamed of his love for Jesus, even though he knows that some people will hate him for it. He talks about how he can be found in a church, not dressed in a suit and tie, but rather in a casual outfit of jeans and a t-shirt. Lecrae believes in praising God because he created humans from dust, and he sacrificed his life for the evil works in the world. He acknowledges that he's cheated, lusted, and sinned before, but he trusts in Christ to cleanse him.

Lecrae emphasizes on how the crossove, from death to life, is a critical point that one needs to accept Christ fully, and this is the message he intends to preach through his music. The rapper points out that a lot of people label themselves as Christians but do not feel the conviction of the Holy Spirit when they sin. Lecrae highlights how people ignore the danger of sin and put all their efforts on accumulating wealth, compromising their eternal lives. He points out that God is not a convenience or an obstacle when one's priorities are right.

Overall, Lecrae tries to awaken people from their apathy and show the importance of accepting Christ and believing in the gospel. He understands that his message is not well-received by many, but he still wants to "represent Him" in his music.

Line by Line Meaning

Yeah, they gon' hate this one
People are going to dislike this song because we are expressing our love for God

They gon' hate us cause we love Him so much
Our deep love for God will cause people to hate us

But it's finna go down dawg
Despite the haters, we will stand strong in our faith

Yeah we gon' represent Him tonight
We will use this song to represent our love for God

You can find me in a church
I worship God in a church setting

Focused and alert
I am fully present and aware during worship

No suit and tie, jeans and a t-shirt
I worship in casual clothing, not formal attire

I'm into praising God because He made us out of dirt
I praise God for creating us from nothing

And plus He gave His life for this world's evil works
God sacrificed his own life to save us from sin and evil

So flirt with that
Consider this truth carefully

Most of y'all can't jerk with that
Many people cannot handle this truth

Cause it ain't no benefits and no purse with that
Following God does not guarantee earthly riches or rewards

Still gotta' live your life on this earth with that
We must still live on Earth despite our faith

But we live eternally and I can work with that
However, we also have the promise of eternal life with God

Holla, yeah I cheated, yeah I lust within
I am not perfect and have sinned like everyone else

But guess what that's why I trust in Him
This is why I put my faith and trust in God

See you thinkin' that you ain't that bad
You may believe you are not a sinner

You just lying to yourself playboy you better check your health
In reality, you are lying to yourself and need to evaluate your spiritual well-being

While you're all about the cash and ice
If you are solely focused on material possessions

Hope you ready for change you just broke the first commandment twice
You are likely to face consequences for breaking God's commandments

And I know that you done stole before
You may have stolen something before

If it wasn't a gun it was some gum from the grocery store
Even small instances of wrongdoing count as sin in God's eyes

It's all sin to God
God sees all sin as bad

Man look into God
Take a closer look at God's teachings and commandments

You guilty, you ain't even a friend to God
You are guilty of sin and are not in a relationship with God

Sin gotta' high price it'll cost your life
Sin has serious consequences and can lead to death

But God fit that bill on the cross with Christ
However, God has given us a way to be saved through Jesus Christ's sacrifice

The crossover from death to life
The transition from a life of sin to a new life with God

What's the hold up accept the Christ
What are you waiting for? Accept Jesus as your savior

We flex the Mic to rep for Christ
We use our music to represent and share the message of Christ

So we can put your soul at rest tonight
We hope to bring peace to your soul with our message of faith

Yo
Hey

I don't catch the Spirit I'm all filled up
I am already filled with the Holy Spirit

I can't lose it either I'm all sealed up
I am secure in my faith and cannot lose my connection to God

And you can bet yo life
I am confident in my belief in God and eternal life

I'm a rep for Christ
I represent and share the message of Christ

One taste He'll get you right
Once you experience God's love, you will feel whole and complete

Folks is thinking they Christian
Some people believe they are Christian

But when they sinnin'
However, when they sin

They don't feel the conviction that the Spirit is givin'
They do not feel the remorse and guilt that comes with sin

And they keep living life like, "that's cool with me."
They continue to live their lives without repentance or change

Y'all people ain't fooling me
I am not fooled by their false faith

Try to play me to the left like I'm trying to get deep on them
They try to discredit me and my message

This is real talk dawg, you better peep somethin'
This is the honest truth and you should pay attention

This ain't that philosophic rap like 'Harmoynm'
This is not philosophical or abstract, we are speaking plainly

And I ain't talking about the God you heard about from mom and them
We are not discussing the God you may have heard about from family or cultural influence

Put that blunt out dawg, put down the Heineken
Stop relying on substances and temporary pleasures to numb your pain

"man God understands" What? Come again
Believing that God enables sin is a false understanding

I guess you think that God is kinda' like yo momma huh?
You may believe that God excuses and forgives all sin because He is loving

Like He ain't even trippin' on your sinnin and your drama
But sin is a serious issue to God and must be addressed

Yo, life's way more then ice and rims
Life has more value than material possessions

And you don't make enough to pay the price of sin
Sin has a cost that we cannot afford on our own

And God's gon' judge you dawg that's reality
We will face judgement for our actions in life

Saying you don't believe is like saying there ain't no gravity
Denying God's existence is similar to denying the existence of a natural law like gravity

Then running off to go jump a cliff
Taking dangerous and reckless actions without understanding the consequences

And when you hit the ground tell me what you get
You will face the consequences of your actions

Hey, why you running from the freedom of the gospel?
Why are you avoiding the liberating message of the gospel?

You hostile
You are resistant to the message of faith

You're looking like your Lucifer's apostle
You appear to be more aligned with evil than good

But God got you
Despite your sins, God still has love and grace for you

And though we all deserve death He still keep putting breath in your nostrils
God has given us life and continues to sustain us despite our sins and mistakes

But you treat Him like an obstacle
You view God as a hindrance to your desires and goals

See Him come at your convenience like a stop and go
You only turn to God when it is convenient for you

Waiting for a sweeter deal or a sign or something
You are waiting for a better offer or sign from God before accepting Him

Like God ain't come down and die or something
God has already given us the ultimate sacrifice through Jesus

Trust me dawg God wants the best for you
God has our best interests in mind and wants us to live our best lives

That's why the gospel of Christ is addressed to you
This is why the gospel is relevant and important for all of us to hear

The crossover from death to life
The transition from a life of sin to a new life with God

What's the hold up accept the Christ
What are you waiting for? Accept Jesus as your savior

We flex the Mic to rep for Christ
We use our music to represent and share the message of Christ

So we can put your soul at rest tonight
We hope to bring peace to your soul with our message of faith

Contributed by Lucy S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it