99-517: Reach Records is an American independent record label specializing in Christian hip hop . The label was founded in 2004 by Ben Washer and the hip-hop artist Lecrae . In addition to Lecrae, the Reach Records roster contains artists like Tedashii , Trip Lee , Andy Mineo , 1K Phew, WHATUPRG, Anike , Hulvey , Limoblaze , and Jackie Hill Perry . The hip-hop collective 116 operates under
198-551: A "record group" which is, in turn, controlled by a music group. The constituent companies in a music group or record group are sometimes marketed as being "divisions" of the group. From 1929 to 1998, there were six major record labels, known as the Big Six: PolyGram was merged into Universal Music Group (UMG) in 1999, leaving the remaining record labels to be known as the Big Five. In 2004, Sony and BMG agreed to
297-405: A 50% profit-share agreement, aka 50–50 deal, not uncommon. In addition, independent labels are often artist-owned (although not always), with a stated intent often being to control the quality of the artist's output. Independent labels usually do not enjoy the resources available to the "big three" and as such will often lag behind them in market shares. However, frequently independent artists manage
396-519: A Christian rapper and label owner. Along with Lecrae , NF , KB & Emcee N.I.C.E. who have emerged recently on the mainstream rap scene along with American popular music figures DMX , Snoop Dogg , and Kanye West . Outside of the United States, there are Christian rap scenes in the UK, Australia, Brazil, Mexico and Canada. Asian, Black, and Latino rappers are becoming a major part of
495-826: A Stellar Award), Emcee N.I.C.E. & Jor'Dan Armstrong. In April 2022, with the increased demand for Christian Hip Hop and Rhythm & Praise, Sirius XM announced the launch of Holy Culture Radio (www.holyculture.net/radio), where audiences could listen throughout the day to faith-inspired music and enjoy any of the fourteen shows within the channel. To date, Holy Culture is a go-to destination for all things Christian Hip Hop. Various prominent mainstream hip hop artists who profess through some of their music to be Christians (including Kanye West , Nas , DMX and others), have incorporated Christian symbols and messages into their music and videos through images, lyrical content and overarching themes. The 2002 Nas hit song and music video " One Mic ", featured obvious references to his Christianity in
594-562: A US Senate committee, that the Byrds never received any of the royalties they had been promised for their biggest hits, " Mr. Tambourine Man " and " Turn! Turn!, Turn! ". A contract either provides for the artist to deliver completed recordings to the label, or for the label to undertake the recording with the artist. For artists without a recording history, the label is often involved in selecting producers, recording studios , additional musicians, and songs to be recorded, and may supervise
693-479: A bigger company. If this is the case it can sometimes give the artist greater freedom than if they were signed directly to the big label. There are many examples of this kind of label, such as Nothing Records , owned by Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails ; and Morning Records, owned by the Cooper Temple Clause , who were releasing EPs for years before the company was bought by RCA . If an artist and
792-408: A conventional cash advance to sign the artist, who would receive a royalty for sales after expenses were recouped. With the release of the artist's first album, however, the label has an option to pay an additional $ 200,000 in exchange for 30 percent of the net income from all touring, merchandise, endorsements, and fan-club fees. Atlantic would also have the right to approve the act's tour schedule, and
891-502: A deal with a proper label. In 2002, ArtistShare was founded as the Internet's first record label where the releases were directly funded by the artist's fans. Christian Hip Hop Christian hip hop (originally gospel rap , also known as Christian rap , gospel hip hop or holy hip hop ) is a cross-genre of contemporary Christian music and hip hop music . It emerged from urban contemporary music and Christian media in
990-584: A group. Grapetree Records was the first Christian rap label founded by Knolly Williams and Jeff Adams 1994. Gotee Records formed in 1994, co-founded by dc Talk member Toby McKeehan , better known as TobyMac, making it the first record label marketed explicitly for Christian hip hop and R&B that was backed by a major label. The label was among the first to market the Contemporary Christian music market through distribution at Christian bookstores and playing on Christian radio . In 2004,
1089-558: A joint venture and merged their recorded music division to create the Sony BMG label (which would be renamed Sony Music Entertainment after a 2008 merger); BMG kept its music publishing division separate from Sony BMG and later sold BMG Music Publishing to UMG. In 2007, the remaining record labels—then known as the Big Four—controlled about 70% of the world music market , and about 80% of the United States music market. In 2012,
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#17327980819041188-476: A label want to work together, whether an artist has contacted a label directly, usually by sending their team a demo, or the Artists & Repertoire team of the label has scouted the artist and reached out directly, they will usually enter in to a contractual relationship. A label typically enters into an exclusive recording contract with an artist to market the artist's recordings in return for royalties on
1287-462: A large international media group , or somewhere in between. The Association of Independent Music (AIM) defines a 'major' as "a multinational company which (together with the companies in its group) has more than 5% of the world market(s) for the sale of records or music videos." As of 2012 , there are only three labels that can be referred to as "major labels": Universal Music Group , Sony Music , and Warner Music Group . In 2014, AIM estimated that
1386-463: A lengthy exchange about Christian rap (rap being the core element of hip hop), with Dr. Aniol arguing that the style is sinful and inadequate for Christian messages, with Shai Linne responding that the musical messaging of hip hop is relative, being interpreted differently by people from different backgrounds. In the early 2000s, rap artists of the Roman Catholic faith began emerging. Today,
1485-583: A mixture of hip hop, rock and gospel music in their songs. Christian hip hop is also embraced and performed in the United Kingdom, by Gospel rappers including: Jahaziel, Dwayne Tryumf, Guvna B, Triple O, Sammy G, Simply Andy, MpFree and Just C. In the UK, Christian hip hop is often merged with a music style known as grime , which gives the music a different sound from American hip hop. Many agree that grime music originated in London's black community and
1584-520: A multimedia initiative by 116 Clique which featured a studio album, full-length film, and accompanying curriculum, panel discussion, and concert tour. In 2012 Reach continued to bring Christian Hip Hop into the mainstream market when it became the first record label to hold its own showcase at the South by Southwest festival. Sketch the Journalist mentioned on DaSouth.com that the appearance of Reach
1683-539: A number of active Catholic rappers and DJs are involved in what is known as the "Catholic hip hop scene". Fr. Stan Fortuna is the most notable in the scene found nation continue doing the Catholic hip-hop. Lutheran hip hop artists include Andy Pokel, who in 2017 launched the Here I Stand album based on the events of Reformation Day , as well as Flame , whose album Christ for You , focuses on Lutheran doctrines such as
1782-605: A return by recording for a much smaller production cost of a typical big label release. Sometimes they are able to recoup their initial advance even with much lower sales numbers. On occasion, established artists, once their record contract has finished, move to an independent label. This often gives the combined advantage of name recognition and more control over one's music along with a larger portion of royalty profits. Artists such as Dolly Parton , Aimee Mann , Prince , Public Enemy , among others, have done this. Historically, companies started in this manner have been re-absorbed into
1881-763: A second album in 1991, titled And Now the Mission Continues . The trend of rap artists blending faith and rap continued in the 1990s, with D.O.C. (Disciples of Christ) who emerged from Oklahoma as well as the Gospel Gangstaz from Compton and South Central Los Angeles. In 1991, JC Crew emerged featuring Maximillian (West Coast beat box champion) and T-Bone. More Christian rap artists include Dynamic Twins, Freedom of Soul, IDOL King, Apocalypse, 12th Tribe, and Holy Alliance. 12th Tribe and Holy Alliance were produced by Scott Blackwell of MYX Records . S.F.C.'s (Sup, QP, DJ Dove) 1992 album Phase III
1980-549: A way of reaching the youth and mainstream culture. In 2003 DJ/Producer Vic Padilla shared his love for Christian Hip Hop with then KRUX FM Program Director Lee- and was subsequently asked to host a show he dubbed Holy Culture Radio. Fans would have to stay up to odd hours to listen, as the show was only broadcast live. Vic then partnered up with JZ Designs to bring HolyCultureRadio.com to life- bringing fans 24/7 access to Christian Hip Hop. In 2008, Holy Culture Radio partnered with The Corelink Solution , and James Rosseau (Trig), and
2079-504: A whole, with more artists outside of Lecrae such as Andy Mineo , Gawvi , Wande , Shepherd, 1K Phew, Swoope, Bizzle , Derek Minor and others receiving commercial notoriety in film, television and gaming. The Stellar Awards did something unprecedented at its radio awards main show when it opened up with hip hop and featured performances with DJ Dwight Stone who won "Gospel Announcer of the Year", Miz Tiffany (first CHH female nominated for
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#17327980819042178-459: A year later launched HolyCulture.net ; a place where listeners could get the latest news, videos, and interviews from their favorite Christian artists. Artists like Lecrae , who released his album Anomaly on September 9, 2014, through Reach Records .The album achieved mainstream success as it debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart, with first-week sales of over 88,000 copies in
2277-544: Is a brand or trademark of music recordings and music videos , or the company that owns it. Sometimes, a record label is also a publishing company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture , distribution , marketing, promotion, and enforcement of copyright for sound recordings and music videos, while also conducting talent scouting and development of new artists , artist financing and maintaining contracts with recording artists and their managers. The term "record label" derives from
2376-597: Is a thing now!" The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland has commissioned two rap videos— Kaunis Jeesus and Hoosianna . Latin hip-hop is a subgenre of Latin music and Christian hip hop, taking influence from Latin rapa s well as inP uerto Rican In Brazil, gospel rap comes out of Pentecostal and Charismatic Evangelical Protestant movements, and emphasizes the message of the Gospel and salvation through faith over black politics and identity. Gospel rappers view their music as divinely ordained, and believe their lyrics are
2475-603: Is also considered a pioneer of Christian pop rap , with his first rap solo being "Ain't It Pretty" (1985). CCM 's first rap hit by a blue-eyed soul singer and/or duo, "The Wall" was later released on Gibson's successful album Change of Heart (1988), and featured MC Hammer (previously as the Holy Ghost Boys ). Other tracks included the hit "Love Come Down" and "In Too Deep" from Jesus Loves Ya (1990). Gibson also collaborated with MC Peace on "Enough Is Enough" (1990), "Happy to Know Jesus" (1992) and "You Are
2574-485: Is no identifiable Christian hip hop market, as the majority of Christian hip hop has been underground, or marketed towards the mainstream Christian music scene. In Australia, a multi-denominational group of Christian hip hop artists, led by Mistery from Brethren , have started a hip hop church, Krosswerdz. The church has been modeled on Crossover Church in Tampa, Florida. A small Christian hip hop scene has also emerged in
2673-454: Is often marketed as a "unit" or "division" of the parent label, though in most cases, they operate as pseudonym for it and do not exist as a distinct business operation or separate business structure (although trademarks are sometimes registered). A record label may give a musical act an imprint as part of their branding, while other imprints serve to house other activities, such as side ventures of that label. Music collectors often use
2772-689: Is otherwise regarded as illicit has sparked controversy over the validity of the religious messages expressed through the music. Some Christian listeners hold that "rap music, because of what it inherently communicates, is incompatible with the Christian Gospel", and attack the use of Christian themes and symbols in mainstream music as being disingenuous. On the other hand, "since the mid-1990s Michael Eric Dyson and others have pointed to some cultural sensibilities shared by Christian churches and hip hop music; namely male privilege , middle-class biases, sexism, and homophobia." Some analysts believe that
2871-684: Is owned by Sony Group Corporation ). Record labels and music publishers that are not under the control of the big three are generally considered to be independent ( indie ), even if they are large corporations with complex structures. The term indie label is sometimes used to refer to only those independent labels that adhere to independent criteria of corporate structure and size, and some consider an indie label to be almost any label that releases non-mainstream music, regardless of its corporate structure. Independent labels are often considered more artist-friendly. Though they may have less sales power, indie labels typically offer larger artist royalty with
2970-461: Is predominantly described as a secular genre . Although British, grime music has a strong Jamaican influence as many of the artists are of British-Caribbean heritage. The GL Live music event 2010, held in the United Kingdom, included a fusion of Christian rappers (both American and British) celebrate their faith together whilst demonstrating their own unique styles. The event was attended by Trip Lee and Tedashii , who performed several songs during
3069-463: The free software and open source movements and the success of Linux . In the mid-2000s, some music publishing companies began undertaking the work traditionally done by labels. The publisher Sony/ATV Music, for example, leveraged its connections within the Sony family to produce, record, distribute, and promote Elliott Yamin 's debut album under a dormant Sony-owned imprint , rather than waiting for
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3168-618: The sacramental union , the Lutheran teaching on the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist . Flame named his album Christ for You as he wants his fans "to experience the joy and freedom that I've found in the sacraments." His track "Scattered Tulips" is a critique of Reformed Christianity 's five points ( TULIP ). The release of Christ for You led the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod to declare that "Lutheran hip hop
3267-510: The "parent" of any sublabels. Vanity labels are labels that bear an imprint that gives the impression of an artist's ownership or control, but in fact represent a standard artist/label relationship. In such an arrangement, the artist will control nothing more than the usage of the name on the label, but may enjoy a greater say in the packaging of their work. An example of such a label is the Neutron label owned by ABC while at Phonogram Inc. in
3366-514: The Chemist and then finally Soup the Chemist. Christian emcee Danny "D-Boy" Rodriguez was another well-known early Gospel rap artist, but was murdered in 1990 in Texas . Prior to his death, he helped launch the career of his sister, Genie Rodriguez-Lopez, known as MC GeGee – one of the first female Christian rap artists, by collaborating on her first album I'm for Real . She would go on to release
3465-713: The Christian and Gospel charts and reaching No. 3 on the Rap chart, KB debuted his first studio album, Weight & Glory , at No. 1 on the Christian and Gospel charts and No. 9 on the Independent chart, and Lecrae released both his highly popular mixtape, Church Clothes , and his Grammy Award -winning sixth album Gravity , which debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and topped the Gospel, Christian, Independent, and Rap charts. In 2013, label affiliates were part of DJ Don Cannon 's showcase at South by Southwest. 2013 saw
3564-547: The Christian music market. The record label Ministers of the Underground was one of the few labels to showcase underground hip hop with the group, Secta 7. Members included: Apocalypse, Optixs, Blackseed, Lord Metatron, Righteous Knight, Kaoticgal (who later was known as Keturah Ariel), O.N.E., The Final Chapter, A.T.O.M. the Immortal and Stress. Ministers of the Underground had a small-time show on Christian television, but
3663-535: The Gospel chart with Lions and Liars . Sketch the Journalist, a blogger for Houston Chronicle , considered that year's Reach Records Unashamed Tour raising the bar for a traveling Christian hip hop concert. Also in 2010, KB , a member of the hip hop group HGA, signed with Reach as a solo act. In January 2011, Derek Minor , then known as Pro, joined the Reach roster in a partnership deal with his own label, Reflection Music Group. In April, Sho Baraka announced that he
3762-599: The Gospel chart. In 2009, Lecrae moved from Houston to Atlanta re-locating the Reach Records in the process, and Tedashii released his second studio album, Identity Crisis , which charted at No. 2 on the Gospel chart. In 2010, Lecrae topped the Billboard Gospel, Christian, and Independent charts, and hit No. 7 on the Top Rap chart, with Rehab . Trip Lee topped both the Gospel and Christian charts with Between Two Worlds , and Sho Baraka reached No. 3 on
3861-535: The Gospel" by West himself. Although generally described to be Christian rappers, artists such as Lecrae , Andy Mineo , KB , Trip Lee , Tedashii , Social Club Misfits , NF , John Givez , Derek Minor and Propaganda describe themselves as hip hop artists who are expressing themselves, yet are openly Christian. Just like in Christian rock and other Christian music genres, some artists welcome being called Christian artists while others do not want to be labeled as "Christian music", as to not limit their music to
3960-503: The Holy Bible. Prominent Christian rapper Lecrae , whose 2014 album Anomaly reached number 1 on the Billboard 200 and received numerous other accolades, expresses an explicitly Christian message in the majority of his music. However, while generally categorized as a gospel or Christian rapper, he distances himself from the genre of gospel rap saying, "Christian is my faith not my genre". The use of religious themes in music that
4059-467: The One" (1992). Other rap groups emerged in the late 1980s, including dc Talk , E.T.W. (End Time Warriors) and S.F.C. (Soldiers for Christ). ETW was led by producer/artist Mike Hill who went on to pastor one of the largest inner city youth groups in the country out of Tulsa Oklahoma. S.F.C. was led by Chris Cooper who originally rapped as Super C (short for Super Chris / Super Christian) and later became Sup
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4158-517: The RIAA on January 17, 2018. " Coming In Hot " by Lecrae and Andy Mineo, was certified Gold in August 2021. On October 16, 2023, the RIAA certification for this single would change to Platinum. Days later, KB's Church Clap alongside Lecrae would be certified Gold. Record label [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] "Big Three" music labels A record label or record company
4257-523: The UK. Rap Fest is an all-day, outdoor, evangelistic outreach concert which takes place every summer. 2011 marked the 18th year for this event held annually in South Bronx area of New York City . Flavor Fest Urban Leadership Conference is held yearly at Crossover Church in Tampa, Florida , founded by Pastor Tommy Kyllonen, lead pastor of Crossover Church of Tampa. Fire Fest International Ministries
4356-456: The UK. At one point artist Lizzie Tear (under contract with ABC themselves) appeared on the imprint, but it was devoted almost entirely to ABC's offerings and is still used for their re-releases (though Phonogram owns the masters of all the work issued on the label). However, not all labels dedicated to particular artists are completely superficial in origin. Many artists, early in their careers, create their own labels which are later bought out by
4455-421: The United States during the 1980s. Christian hip hop music first emerged on record in 1982 with a track entitled "Jesus Christ (The Gospel Beat)" by Queens, New York artist McSweet. The first full-length Christian hip hop album, Bible Break , by Oklahoma artist Stephen Wiley , was released in 1985, with the title track becoming a hit on Christian radio in 1986. Other early Christian hip recording artists from
4554-546: The United States would typically bear a 4th & B'way logo and would state in the fine print, "4th & B'way™, an Island Records, Inc. company". Collectors discussing labels as brands would say that 4th & B'way is a sublabel or imprint of just "Island" or "Island Records". Similarly, collectors who choose to treat corporations and trademarks as equivalent might say 4th & B'way is an imprint and/or sublabel of both Island Records, Ltd. and that company's sublabel, Island Records, Inc. However, such definitions are complicated by
4653-611: The United States. On October 6, 2017, Christian hip hop artist NF released his third studio album Perception , through Capitol CMG alongside NF's newly launched label NF Real Music LLC. Perception debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 with 55,000 album-equivalent units , including 38,000 pure album sales. In 2018, the Holy Culture Mobile App was launched- the first app solely streaming Christian Hip Hop and R&P (rhythm and praise) around
4752-520: The United States. It is the first time an album topped both the Billboard 200 and the Gospel Albums chart. Lecrae also became the fifth artist, after Chris Tomlin (2013), TobyMac (2012), LeAnn Rimes (1997) and Bob Carlisle (1997) to score a No. 1 album on both Christian Albums and the Billboard 200. Anomaly also marks the sixth time that Lecrae topped the Gospel Albums chart and
4851-528: The affiliated organization ReachLife Ministries to help minister to urban youth. Over the next five years, Reach Records released albums by 116 Clique, Lecrae, Sho Baraka, Tedashii and Trip Lee, meeting with increasing commercial success. Lecrae's 2008 third studio album, Rebel , became the first Christian rap album to top Billboard Gospel chart, and reached No. 2 on the Billboard Top Christian chart while Trip Lee's 20/20 hit No. 2 on
4950-407: The album will sell better if the artist complies with the label's desired requests or changes. At times, the record label's decisions are prudent ones from a commercial perspective, but these decisions may frustrate artists who feel that their art is being diminished or misrepresented by such actions. In other instances, record labels have shelved artists' albums with no intention of any promotion for
5049-411: The artist from their contract, leaving the artist in a state of limbo. Artists who have had disputes with their labels over ownership and control of their music have included Taylor Swift , Tinashe , Megan Thee Stallion , Kelly Clarkson , Thirty Seconds to Mars , Clipse , Ciara , JoJo , Michelle Branch , Kesha , Kanye West , Lupe Fiasco , Paul McCartney , and Johnny Cash . In
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#17327980819045148-415: The artist in question. Reasons for shelving can include the label deciding to focus its resources on other artists on its roster, or the label undergoing a restructure where the person that signed the artist and supports the artist's vision is no longer present to advocate for the artist. In extreme cases, record labels can prevent the release of an artist's music for years, while also declining to release
5247-425: The artist is established and has a loyal fan base. For that reason, labels now have to be more relaxed with the development of artists because longevity is the key to these types of pact. Several artists such as Paramore , Maino , and even Madonna have signed such types of deals. A look at an actual 360 deal offered by Atlantic Records to an artist shows a variation of the structure. Atlantic's document offers
5346-484: The artists may be downloaded free of charge or for a fee that is paid via PayPal or other online payment system. Some of these labels also offer hard copy CDs in addition to direct download. Digital Labels are the latest version of a 'net' label. Whereas 'net' labels were started as a free site, digital labels represent more competition for the major record labels. The new century brought the phenomenon of open-source or open-content record labels. These are inspired by
5445-650: The circular label in the center of a vinyl record which prominently displays the manufacturer's name, along with other information. Within the mainstream music industry , recording artists have traditionally been reliant upon record labels to broaden their consumer base, market their albums, and promote their singles on streaming services, radio, and television. Record labels also provide publicists , who assist performers in gaining positive media coverage, and arrange for their merchandise to be available via stores and other media outlets. Record labels may be small, localized and " independent " ("indie"), or they may be part of
5544-436: The clock. In 2019, Christian hip hop had a historic breakthrough in radio, when Los Angeles based radio station God's House of Hip Hop Radio (powered by Dash Radio and curated by CHH artist Emcee N.I.C.E. ), became the first Christian hip hop station in history to win a Stellar Award (one of gospel music's most coveted trophies) at the 34th Annual Stellar Awards . The win signaled a shift not only in gospel but radio as
5643-403: The company. Some independent labels become successful enough that major record companies negotiate contracts to either distribute music for the label or in some cases, purchase the label completely, to the point where it functions as an imprint or sublabel. A label used as a trademark or brand and not a company is called an imprint , a term used for a similar concept in publishing . An imprint
5742-400: The corporate mergers that occurred in 1989 (when Island was sold to PolyGram) and 1998 (when PolyGram merged with Universal). PolyGram held sublabels including Mercury, Island and Motown. Island remained registered as corporations in both the United States and UK , but control of its brands changed hands multiple times as new companies were formed, diminishing the corporation's distinction as
5841-503: The early accepted artists were Disciples of Christ (D.O.C.). One of the most notable mainstream reactions to Gospel rap was to KJ-52 (pronounced "five-two") and his single "Dear Slim", which was written to Eminem in an attempt to reach him with the message of Christ. The song became famous and controversial among Eminem fans when it was featured on the hit show Total Request Live . KJ-52 began to receive hate mail (including death threats) from Eminem's fans, though KJ-52 claimed that
5940-416: The early days of the recording industry, recording labels were absolutely necessary for the success of any artist. The first goal of any new artist or band was to get signed to a contract as soon as possible. In the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s, many artists were so desperate to sign a contract with a record company that they sometimes ended up signing agreements in which they sold the rights to their recordings to
6039-512: The end of their contract with EMI when their album In Rainbows was released as a " pay what you want " sales model as an online download, but they also returned to a label for a conventional release. Research shows that record labels still control most access to distribution. Computers and internet technology led to an increase in file sharing and direct-to-fan digital distribution, causing music sales to plummet in recent years. Labels and organizations have had to change their strategies and
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#17327980819046138-594: The event including "Jesus Muzik" and "No Worries". Christian music awards shows such as the GMA Dove Awards and Stellar Awards have added rap and hip hop categories. With the notable exceptions of tobyMac and his label Gotee Records , and Lecrae , no Christian rapper or hip-hop group has garnered the attention of the mainstream Christian music industry. The nominal sales of Christian rap labels have been almost exclusively to church-going Christians. Christian rap exists almost exclusively underground. There
6237-533: The fifth time he topped the Christian Albums chart. Since then, Lecrae has released two albums. He released All Things Work Together in 2017 and Let the Trap Say Amen (a collaborative album with Zaytoven ) in 2018. He has also been featured on many single hits, including " Coming In Hot ", his latest, a duo with Andy Mineo. In its second week of sales, the album sold 27,000 copies, bringing
6336-490: The first week. Tedashii released his fourth album, Below Paradise , on May 27, three years after his previous release. The album peaked at No. 17 on the Billboard 200, while selling more than 13,800 units the first week. Lecrae released Anomaly , the follow-up to the Grammy-winning album Gravity on September 9. The album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 , with first-week sales of 88,587 copies in
6435-419: The following day, making it her first single release under the label. Reach Records received its first official RIAA certification when Lecrae went gold with 500,000 units of his Anomaly album, recognized on August 26, 2016. He went gold again with his ATWT single " I'll Find You " featuring Tori Kelly on March 27, 2018. Andy Mineo went gold, his first plaque, with "You Can't Stop Me," recognized by
6534-469: The founding of the label Reach Records by the Americans Lecrae and Ben Washer also had a considerable influence in the development of Christian hip-hop. In 2015, the label have been setting records with sales and award-winning albums. In 2019, Kanye West, a popular artist and producer, released his ninth studio album, Jesus Is King (shortened as JIK). JIK was described as an "expression of
6633-490: The genre, and this success is expanding the appeal of both Christian hip hop and Christian EDM within general hip hop and broader popular music . The first commercially released and distributed gospel hip hop record was MC Pete Harrison of Queens, New York. Under the recording name McSweet, he released The Gospel Beat: Jesus-Christ (1982), written and arranged by Harrison and produced by Mac Sulliver on Lection Records of PolyGram . The first notable full album released
6732-556: The image of Tupac nailed to a cross pinned him as a hip hop martyr. Recent hip hop artists include Jay-Z with Kingdom Come , DMX with " Walk With Me Now and You'll Fly With Me Later ", Nas with God's Son and Kanye West with " Jesus Walks " as well as Jesus Is King . However, although these artists may profess to be Christians, they are not generally considered to be part of the Christian hip hop movement. Some Christians believe that hip hop culture in any form conflicts with biblical teachings, while others consider hip hop to be
6831-475: The incorporation of secular hip hop culture into the Christian rap genre, holding that "Holy Hip-Hop" is still associated with the mainstream hip hop culture that they view as incompatible with Christianity 's teachings. Whereas many Christians hold that holy hip hop can be used to evangelize, others disagree, arguing that the use of this style distorts the gospel message. From December 2013 well into 2014, Scott Aniol and Christian hip hop artist Shai Linne had
6930-484: The label and consists primarily of the label's solo acts. The artists Sho Baraka , Derek Minor , Aha Gazelle , KB , and Gawvi were formerly signed to the label, and DJ Official was under the label until his death. Reach Records began in Dallas in 2004, when 25-year-old amateur rapper named Lecrae teamed up with Ben Washer, a friend he met while doing youth ministry . According to Lecrae, knowing that people emulate
7029-420: The label. That November, HipHopDX published a story on the filmmaker Art Hooker, who was working on the documentary film Unashamed , which traces the rise of Reach Records and 116 Clique and their contribution to the global underground Christian hip hop movement. DaSouth.com noted the high level of activity by the label in 2011, and considered the biggest move that the label that year was its Man Up campaign,
7128-734: The major divisions of EMI were sold off separately by owner Citigroup : most of EMI's recorded music division was absorbed into UMG; EMI Music Publishing was absorbed into Sony/ATV Music Publishing; finally, EMI's Parlophone and Virgin Classics labels were absorbed into Warner Music Group (WMG) in July 2013. This left the so-called Big Three labels. In 2020 and 2021, both WMG and UMG had their IPO with WMG starting trading at Nasdaq and UMG starting trading at Euronext Amsterdam and leaving only Sony Music as wholly-owned subsidiary of an international conglomerate ( Sony Entertainment which in turn
7227-433: The major labels (two examples are American singer Frank Sinatra 's Reprise Records , which has been owned by Warner Music Group for some time now, and musician Herb Alpert 's A&M Records , now owned by Universal Music Group). Similarly, Madonna 's Maverick Records (started by Madonna with her manager and another partner) was to come under control of Warner Music when Madonna divested herself of controlling shares in
7326-537: The majors had a collective global market share of some 65–70%. Record labels are often under the control of a corporate umbrella organization called a "music group ". A music group is usually affiliated to an international conglomerate " holding company ", which often has non-music divisions as well. A music group controls and consists of music-publishing companies, record (sound recording) manufacturers, record distributors, and record labels. Record companies (manufacturers, distributors, and labels) may also constitute
7425-628: The mid-1980s included P.I.D. (Preachas in Disguise), who recorded to funky rock rhythms, as well as JC & the Boys and Michael Peace. During the 1990s and 2000s, rapper KJ-52 rose to prominence in the field. Christian rock band DC Talk blended hip-hop and rock, and were successful in mainstream Christian music . All three band members have had successful independent careers, Michael Tait and Kevin Max Smith in Christian pop , and TobyMac as
7524-739: The music industry. " God's House of Hip Hop 20/20 Summer Fest " featuring 75 Christian Hip Hop, Latin Christian Hip Hop & Gospel Hip Hop Music. in Los Angeles, California Founded by Emcee N.I.C.E. and Chantal Grayson of God's House of Hip Hop Radio . Although postponed to July 2021 due to the COVID-19 Corona Virus pandemic, 20/20 Summer Fest gained national attention securing one of Los Angeles's most premium venue's Banc of California Stadium . Holy hip hop has enjoyed some crossover acceptance as well. One of
7623-559: The musicians they hear, it made sense to develop an "urban" label with Christian values. In the same year that the label was formed, it released Lecrae's debut album, Real Talk , and in the following year, a more established Christian hip-hop label Cross Movement Records re-released the album, which charted at No. 29 on the Billboard Gospel chart. Also in 2005, Lecrae formed the hip hop group 116 Clique with his friends Sho Baraka , Tedashii , and Trip Lee , and co-founded
7722-507: The output of recording sessions. For established artists, a label is usually less involved in the recording process. The relationship between record labels and artists can be a difficult one. Many artists have had conflicts with their labels over the type of sound or songs they want to make, which can result in the artist's artwork or titles being changed before release. Other artists have had their music prevented from release, or shelved. Record labels generally do this because they believe that
7821-548: The record label in perpetuity. Entertainment lawyers are usually employed by artists to discuss contract terms. Due to advancing technology such as the Internet , the role of labels is rapidly changing, as artists are able to freely distribute their own material through online radio , peer-to-peer file sharing such as BitTorrent , and other services, at little to no cost, but with correspondingly low financial returns. Established artists, such as Nine Inch Nails , whose career
7920-430: The releases of Andy Mineo's first studio album, Heroes for Sale , on April 16 which charted No. 11 on the Billboard 200 chart, and sold 28,000 units the first week. Derek Minor's fourth album, Minorville , was released on September 10. It was his second and last with Reach. Minorville charted No. 1 on Billboard Gospel chart and sold over 8,000 units the first week. Lecrae's mixtape, Church Clothes 2 ,
8019-418: The salaries of certain tour and merchandise sales employees hired by the artist. In addition, the label also offers the artist a 30 percent cut of the label's album profits—if any—which represents an improvement from the typical industry royalty of 15 percent. With the Internet now being the dominant source for obtaining music, netlabels have emerged. Depending on the ideals of the net label, music files from
8118-470: The second season of MTV's hit show The Buried Life . Christian symbols and themes have also been invoked by rap artists who do not consider themselves "Christian rappers", and do not claim to represent any particular set of religious beliefs. Examples include MC Hammer 's No. 2 single " Pray "; Richie Rich and his first single "Don't Do It"; and many of Tupac 's lyrics with his first posthumous record The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory , including
8217-419: The selling price of the recordings. Contracts may extend over short or long durations, and may or may not refer to specific recordings. Established, successful artists tend to be able to renegotiate their contracts to get terms more favorable to them, but Prince 's much-publicized 1994–1996 feud with Warner Bros. Records provides a strong counterexample, as does Roger McGuinn 's claim, made in July 2000 before
8316-586: The song was not a " diss ". This also led to the single being disparaged by VH1 as No. 26 on their "Top 40 Worst Moments in Hip Hop", an issue the artist addressed in "Washed Up". In contrast, the GRITS song " Ooh Ahh " received positive exposure on various TV Shows and movies, such as The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift and Big Momma's House 2 . It was also featured as the theme song for
8415-557: The song, including the chorus "Yo all I need is... One God to show me how to do things his Son did..." Kanye West's 2004 hit song and music video " Jesus Walks ", has received a notable amount of attention for its Christian content. DMX incorporated prayers in many of his albums, and his 2006 song and music video " Lord Give Me a Sign ", was highlighted by not only strong Christian lyrical content but actual scriptural quotes ("no weapon formed against me shall prosper and every tongue that rises up against me in judgment, Thou shall condemn") from
8514-551: The structures of capitalism and mainstream media." Some think that the use of mainstream religious symbols in predominantly African-American music has increased the extent to which that music has disseminated through predominantly white American culture. The 2007 Holy Hip Hop Music Awards received a written endorsement letter from the mayor of Atlanta, acknowledging the event's support by the City of Atlanta, and recognizing its 7th year. However, EX Ministries and other churches contested
8613-492: The suffering expressed through rap music manifests itself in a certain spirituality that can be compatible with mainstream religious messages, although it approaches religious ideas in a much less direct way than most forms of religious expression. "Just as the MC slides into notes and dances around beats, "spirit" is not attacked straight on; it is courageously approached from below, from the margins, from youth, from uncertainty, through
8712-400: The term sublabel to refer to either an imprint or a subordinate label company (such as those within a group). For example, in the 1980s and 1990s, 4th & B'way Records (pronounced as "Broadway") was a trademarked brand owned by Island Records Ltd. in the UK and by a subordinate branch, Island Records, Inc., in the United States. The center label on a 4th & Broadway record marketed in
8811-420: The total to 115,000 copies sold. In its third week of sales, the album sold another 17,000 copies, bringing the total to 137,000 copies. As of October 8, 2014, the album has sold 149,000 copies. On January 13, 2016, Reach Records announced that one of its on-staff producers, Gawvi , formerly known as G-Styles, was signed as an official artist, and that he would be releasing his first studio album, We Belong . It
8910-433: The way they work with artists. New types of deals called "multiple rights" or "360" deals are being made with artists, where labels are given rights and percentages to artist's touring, merchandising, and endorsements . In exchange for these rights, labels usually give higher advance payments to artists, have more patience with artist development, and pay higher percentages of CD sales. These 360 deals are most effective when
9009-488: Was Stephen Wiley 's Bible Break (1985), written by Wiley and produced by Mike Barnes on Brentwood Records. In the same year, David Guzman founded JC & The Boyz. Some of America's premiere Christian rappers, such as: Michael Peace (one of Christian rap's first solo artists), SFC, Dynamic Twins , MC Peace and T-Bone came out of this crew. A more commercially successful group known as P.I.D. (Preachers in Disguise) released five recordings. Jon Gibson (or J.G.)
9108-468: Was DJed and produced by DJ Dove, whose credits also include the Gang Affiliated , Gospel Gangstas' 1993 debut album. Around the same time as Phase III , Dynamic Twins (Robbie and Noel) came out with their 1993 album No Room To Breathe . Freedom of Soul (MC Peace, DJ Cartoon) followed with their second album, The Second Coming ( Caught in a Land of Time was their first), also their last album as
9207-455: Was developed with major label backing, announced an end to their major label contracts, citing that the uncooperative nature of the recording industry with these new trends is hurting musicians, fans and the industry as a whole. However, Nine Inch Nails later returned to working with a major label, admitting that they needed the international marketing and promotional reach that a major label can provide. Radiohead also cited similar motives with
9306-519: Was founded by Charles Onley (a.k.a. King C) in conjunction with Terence A. Townsend, "Apostle T", founder of Save Our City Crusades and Conferences (SoCity) to reach the international community of holy hip hop with a message of encouragement, enrichment, education and unity. Fire Fest conducts artist retreats, artists/industry conferences and new artists showcases, and is a traveling music festival organized to encourage and enrich holy hip hop artists in their ministries, while giving them insight on navigating
9405-439: Was leaving Reach Records, though he continued to tour under the label for the remainder of that year, and remained signed with Reach Booking. In the same month, Reach and its affiliate ReachLife announced that they had renewed their contracts with the distribution company Infinity Music and its parent, Central South Distribution. The label announced in July that another artist, Andy Mineo , previously known as C-Lite, had signed with
9504-462: Was part of a larger surge of hip hop artists, both Christian and non-Christian, at the festival, as according to him "many are saying that 2012 was the year hip hop took over the South by Southwest festival." XXL noted that the label had "a string of well-received and commercially successful album releases and tours" that allowed it to become more prominent. Trip Lee released The Good Life , topping
9603-535: Was released March 2017. Gawvi was dropped from the label in February 2022, after, in the aftermath of his 2020 divorce, allegations surfaced that he had sent multiple women unsolicited sexually explicit photos of himself. On October 28, 2022, Reach Records signed Nigerian born, UK based award-winning musician, singer-songwriter, Limoblaze, to its roster. On June 13, 2024, Reach Records announced their latest signee Jackie Hill Perry. She dropped her single "First Draft"
9702-541: Was released on November 7 and made available for free on DatPiff.com and also sold through iTunes and Reach's website. The mixtape was downloaded over 100,000 times in the first two weeks, and reached to No. 21 on the Billboard 200 chart. January 28, 2014, saw the release of Andy Mineo's EP Never Land , selling 26,000 units the first week, charting at No 13 overall on the Billboard 200. On March 4, KB released his EP entitled 100 . The EP peaked to No. 22 overall on Billboard 200 while selling 14,000 units
9801-674: Was taken off the networks when Christian television opted for more orthodox style programming. The Ministers of Underground hosted events at a series of venues under the name CRU VENTION, or the convention of Underground Hip Hop for Christ, until around the year 2001. A few Christian rappers have emerged from Atlanta, including Remnant Militia and D.I.R.T. While many notable studios and artists share influence in holy hip hop, not one style dominates. Christian hip hop features all conventional hip hop styles , such as Midwest ( Hostyle Gospel ), West Coast ( T-Bone ), East Coast ( BB Jay ), Dirty South ( Pettidee ) and King Wes. Some, such as DC Talk , include
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