Sounds like: Pure hip-hop; compare to GRITS, Kanye West, Big K.R.I.T.
Top tracks: “One Sixteen,” “Take Me There,” “Good Thing”
Most Christian hip-hop tends to reflect back what is in the rearview mirror of its secular counterparts rather than attempting to keep up with the time. Full credit then goes to Trip Lee and his trio of production partners (Andy Mineo, KB, and Lecrae). Together, this dream team matches pace with dramatic, soulful backdrops built from scratch (live instrumentation wrapped up with hand-programmed rhythms) rather than cobbled together from existing sources. Their work has had an audible effect on Lee, as well. The 24-year-old rapper makes some of his boldest proclamations to date, calling out his critics, poking holes in his own success, and, as he references on “One Sixteen,” his unwavering pride in the gospel of Christ.
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