On Monday, Sept. 11, Harding will host its first Christian rapper, Lecrae, in the Benson Auditorium at 8 p.m. in one of this year\u2019s concerts hosted by the Campus Activities Board (CAB).<\/p>\n
Lecrae will be making a stop in Searcy on the front-end of his All Things Work Together Tour this fall. Lecrae is a two-time Grammy Award winning artist under the Christian rap genre. In recent years, Harding has brought indie-rock artists such as Needtobreathe, or pop artists such as Andy Grammer, but never a rap artist, according to senior Presley Nixon, CAB co-director.<\/p>\n
Logan Light, director of Campus Life, said getting a popular atrist depends on when they are on tour or if they have recently released an album.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe benefit most from what we call routed tours,\u201d Light said. \u201cUsually a band, while they\u2019re on tour, are going to play in Dallas, Memphis, or Nashville. If we can get in early enough on that tour, we can be a stopping place between one of those two.\u201d<\/p>\n
According to Christian Today, Lecrae signed with Columbia records in May 2016, the same label as popular artists like Beyonc\u00e9 and One Direction. Lecrae works with many big artists even outside of the Christian music genre. He has collaborated with artists such as Tori Kelly and Ty$. Lecrae\u2019s music got more popular, many of his fans were worried that his music would turn secular, according to Christian Today.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it\u2019s a very respectable thing that he did, signing onto this huge record label and facing that kind of challenge,\u201d Nixon said.<\/p>\n
However, not many fans saw his decision that way and thought that Lecrae signing with a secular label was a sign that his music would evolve into a secular genre, according to Christian Today.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe can still make good, clean music that doesn\u2019t have to be preachy,\u201d Light said. \u201cI think Lecrae has always pushed back on that label as a Christian rapper. It\u2019s interesting that he got so much backlash because I don\u2019t think that he has changed much. His music has evolved as any artists had. I think the backlash is a little silly.\u201d<\/p>\n
Senior Keslee Dunavin, CAB co-director, said hosting Lecrae supports the mission of Harding.<\/p>\n
\u201cHarding\u2019s focus is to glorify God, and Lecrae does that with his music,\u201d Dunavin said. \u201cI think that him coming is a good opportunity for everyone who wants to go and glorify God in a concert setting.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tickets went on sale Friday, Aug. 25, for students with CAB passes for $5. Tickets are now on sale for all other Harding students for $10.<\/p>\n
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