Lecrae - Church Clothes 3

Lecrae
Church Clothes 3
2016
Spotify

In a move that has become more of the norm than not in hip hop Lecrae released his newest record Church Clothes 3 as a surprise on January 15th. This album however is anything but thrown together tracks. Church Clothes 3 shows the development of the Atlanta rapper as a clear and linear path from young man into emotional leader and poet. The themes here are social justice, oppression and the current climate of being black in America and are expertly delivered with Lecrae's crystal clear voice. Much like Vince Staples Lecrae doesn't have the need for metaphor or complex story telling instead his real life and experiences are the backdrop. Perhaps the best track on the album comes early on with "Deja Vu". Once the words are finally uttered Lecrae has already dropped so much truth on you that a chorus is the only thing that can possible cleanse your palate. Lecrae never falls into the trap (see what I did there) of using a beat just because it's popular or it will get a spin in the clubs, instead he does what a rapper should and uses his beats as the backbone for the words that He wants to say. This is the kind of freedom one can have when they decide to leave the corporate label behind and do their art on their own.

The album is very quick at 36 minutes even for a mixtape and just cruises right by. If you aren't careful the message of the record can be lost because the vibe is so engaging. While god is usually ever present in rap music Lecrae takes his faith seriously and puts it in to practice rather than just talk about it out of tradition. "Can't Do You" featuring E-40 is the most pop ready track on the album with an interesting beat and just enough beat to snap your fingers to but there is no affectation, no one trying to mask their words because they can't actually rap. "Misconceptions 3" is where Lecrae brings in the crew (John Givez and Jackie Hill Perry) and really lets them set it loose. The four and a half minute track is an all out onslaught on what other rappers think of them and the story that brought them where they are today. The album finishes off with "I Wouldn't Know" the most trapish song on the record and in all honesty probably the weakest. It does not have the same pop as the rest of the record and the pace just seems to slow for the style Lecrae has. Church Clothes 3 really is just a taste of the skill that Lecrae has and for a surprise album to reach number 1 on the billboard hip hop charts is really saying something.

7.9 out of 10