Hip-hop artist Lecrae has an extraordinarily impressive resume of accolades. He’s sold millions of albums with multiple awards including Grammys, Dove Awards and a Billboard Award. As exceptional MC and inspiring speaker, he’s also a philanthropist, best-selling author, and Co-owner and President of Reach Records.
All that is noteworthy. Honesty, though, we’re even more impressed by Lecrae’s compassion and thought leadership. You can see the sincere concern in his eyes and when he conveys his feelings vocally its unscripted and real. We expect to get more of that from him than ever on his upcoming album, Restoration.
Lecrae took time out his busy schedule to answer our “2020 Twenty Questions” questionnaire! We hope THIS INTERVIEW entertains and inspires you.
On a scale of 1 to 10 how happy are you to be alive?
200! Now more than ever before, I think we all realize how much of a gift life is.
As a child what did you want to be when you grew up?
When I was a kid all I ever wanted to be was an entertainer. I wanted to use my gift to influence people and express myself.
It’s funny watching my The Road To Restoration Part 1: The Dreamer and seeing myself as a 14 year old again and what I said when I was in 8th grade. What I wanted to be when I grew up actually came true!
What was your favorite cartoon?
My favorite cartoon as a kid was Ninja Turtles. I mean who doesn’t like turtles with super-powers who eat pizza.
Tell us your favorite song as a kid, as a teenager, and now as an adult.
As a kid and teenager, I loved any song by Tupac.
As an adult, it has been the entire Lauryn Hill Unplugged album.
What’s an album that means more to you now than it did when you first heard it?
The MTV Unplugged 2.0 live Unplugged album by Lauryn Hill means more to me now than it did when I first heard. It expresses the issues that people in the limelight deal with in ways that I’d never considered when I first heard it.
What are your 3 favorite movies?
I love The Matrix, Boyz N the Hood, and The Lord of The Rings.
What’s the last film that made you cry or almost cry, and what scene did it?
The last film that made me cry was actually a film that I was in, Breakthrough.
There’s a hospital scene in the film that reminds me about my father-in-law who was a fireman before he passed away.
What’s your all-time favorite TV show?
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
Which character on that show do you identify with most?
Will Smith’s character of course! His story about being transferred from an inner-city environment to a suburban environment is a lot of my own story, especially in college.
What makes you laugh out loud or smile uncontrollably every time you see it or hear it?
“The Grape Lady Falls” video that went viral on YouTube. It’s not just the fall, but the sounds she makes after she falls.
Who in your family served you the most delicious, unforgettable dish you’ve ever eaten?
My grandmother’s burritos game was crazy! She lived in San Diego.
Tell us the most nutritious thing you’ve fed your mind.
The most nutritious thing I’ve ever fed my mind is meditation. Learning how to let my mind just rest.
When did you start to understand your value?
I started to under my value maybe two years ago when I decided to let my voice be my own and not who everyone else wants me be.
Who is the G.O.A.T. of your profession?
Jay-Z is the G.O.A.T. of the industry because he figured out how to leverage his brand. Through building Roc Nation and his sports management franchise, he’s opening doors for other artists, creatives, and doing philanthropic work that is impacting the community.
Do you aspire to be like them or more like someone you have a stronger personal connection to?
I aspire to be like Jay-Z in a lot of ways because he’s a savvy businessman, an incredible artist, a father, and a husband publicly.
Recall for us the first time you failed. What lesson did you learn from that?
Getting arrested at 13 was my first failure. I learned that little decisions can have big consequences.
In what way have you evolved over the last 12 months?
I’ve become more confident and more aware of who I am than ever before.
When was a time that someone you didn’t know did something nice for you? What did they do?
A business investor offered to have me come to his house and give me advice and he didn’t have to do that.
How would you explain to someone the importance of valuing their time?
That time is something you can’t buy or earn back. You can waste it, so use it wisely.
What’s been the biggest blessing of your life?
Having my wife in my life is my biggest blessing. I’ve never had anyone as consistent and dependable as she is and has been. |THIS.
[By Mr. Joe Walker and Alex aka Grand Kai]
