In a candid and transparent statement, Christian music artist Lecrae addressed the criticism and misconceptions he’s faced over the years, offering a fresh perspective on repentance, personal growth and the journey of faith.
Lecrae began by discussing the concept of repentance, noting that, too often, people mistake personal preferences and wisdom for absolutes. One of the key elements he discussed was the backlash he’s recently received after agreeing to appear on Russell Brand’s podcast. “I got to looking at these comments and I was public enemy number one,” Lecrae shared. “I have forgotten that there were tribes and subsects of Christians that hate me. Literally, I think they despise me.”
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Some of the most common accusations, however, involved Lecrae’s past attendance at Sean “Diddy” Combs’ parties.
When it came to these accusations, Lecrae was direct in his response. “I’ve been to parties, yeah, I’ve been to parties a couple of them,” he admitted. Lecrae explained that, when at those parties, he didn’t see anything nefarious going on, nor was it known for those types of activities. Instead, he compared it to more of “a celebrity barbecue,” as a time of networking with other people. He emphasized that his appearance at such events did not include debauchery.
/**/Lecrae went on to address the deeper, personal criticism surrounding abortion. “I forced my girlfriend years ago to have an abortion. I have since regretted that for every day of my life,” he said with emotion. “I’m not even trying to get emotional on this, but like I have not—I never will be OK with the sacrifice of human life for the benefit of people just being able to do what they want to do.”
Finally, Lecrae took time to reflect on his own journey of repentance. “What is repentance? It’s a change,” he stated. “A lot of people don’t pay attention to you for years, and all of a sudden you pop up on their screen, and you’re like, ‘Ah, he needs to repent.’ My brother, my sister, that was 10 years ago, eight, nine years ago. What’s going on?”
The artist also touched on the importance of empathy in the faith journey, urging Christians to resist judgment. With honesty and humility, Lecrae’s message to the church is clear: true repentance is about change, and the church must be a place of grace, understanding and restoration—rather than legalism and judgment.
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Abby Trivett is content development editor for Charisma Media.
