1.
Lufkin, Texas
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Lufkin is a city in and the county seat of Angelina County in eastern Texas, United States. This city is 120 miles northeast of Houston, founded in 1882, the population was 35,067 at the 2010 census. Lufkin is situated in Deep East Texas, the city is named for Abraham P. Lufkin, a cotton merchant and Galveston city councilman. Lufkin was the father-in-law of Paul Bremond, president of the Houston, in 1906 while living in Lufkin, writer Katherine Anne Porter married her first husband John Henry Koontze in a double ring ceremony that also saw her sister Gay Porter marry T. H. The minister who presided over the ceremony was Rev. Ira Bryce, in 1907 Allan Shivers the 37th Governor of Texas was born in Lufkin. He served as governor from 1949 to 1957, debris from the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster fell over the Lufkin area on February 1,2003. Lufkin celebrated its 125th anniversary in October 2007, Lufkin is located at 31°20′13″N 94°43′49″W. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of 34.5 square miles. Lufkin is 120 miles northeast of Houston, on average, the warmest month is August. The highest recorded temperature was 110 °F in 1909, on average, the coolest month is January. The lowest recorded temperature was -2 °F in 1930, the maximum average precipitation occurs in May. As of the census of 2000, there were 32,709 people,12,247 households, the population density was 1,225.1 people per square mile. There were 13,402 housing units at a density of 502.0 per square mile. The racial makeup of the city was 59. 92% White,26. 58% African American,0. 26% Native American,1. 37% Asian,0. 01% Pacific Islander,10. 31% from other races, and 1. 54% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 17. 59% of the population,27. 9% of all households were made up of individuals and 11. 9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the family size was 3.17. In the city, the age distribution of the population shows 27. 0% under the age of 18,10. 6% from 18 to 24,27. 3% from 25 to 44,20. 1% from 45 to 64, the median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 88.9 males, for every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.5 males
2.
Christian hip hop
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Christian hip hop is hip hop music characterized by a Christian worldview, with the general purposes of evangelization, edifying some members of the church and/or simply entertaining. It emphasizes the use of positive and uplifting messages to promote faith, Christian hip hop, blending rhythmic music and faith-based lyrics, first emerged on record in 1982 with a track entitled Jesus Christ by Queens, New York artist McSweet. The first full-length, Christian hip hop album, Bible Break, other early Christian hip recording artists from the mid-1980s included P. I. D. who recorded to funky rock rhythms, as well as JC & the Boys and Michael Peace. The first notable full album released was Stephen Wileys Bible Break, written by Wiley, in the same year by David Guzman founded JC & The Boyz. Some of Americas premiere Christian rappers, such as, Michael Peace, SFC, Dynamic Twins, MC Peace, a more commercially successful crew known as P. I. D. Michael Peace is an American rapper and one of Christian raps first solo artists, in the late 1980s, other crews emerged, including dc Talk, E. T. W. and S. F. C. ETW was led by producer/artist Mike Hill who went on to 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 and later became Sup the Chemist, Christian emcee Danny D-Boy Rodriguez was another well-known early Gospel rap artist, but was murdered in 1990 in Texas. She would go on to release an album in 1991. The 1990s saw the trend of funky rap artists blending faith and rap, such as D. O. C. who emerged from Oklahoma as well as the Gospel Gangstaz from Compton. In 1991, JC Crew emerged featuring Maximillian and T-Bone, other 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 1992 album Phase III 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 came out with their 1993 album No Room To Breathe, Freedom of Soul followed with their second album, The Second Coming, also their last album as a group. The label was among the first to market the Contemporary Christian music market through distribution at Christian bookstores and playing on Christian radio. This trend continued with other such as Tooth & Nails Uprok Records and others that gave an outlet to hip hop artists who identified themselves as Christian. Recently, a number of artists and labels such as Reach Records, Grace and Peace Records, Kirk Franklin joined with the 1 Nation Crew in the album Kirk Franklin Presents 1NC. In September 2009, the Higherground Record Pool and One Accord DJ Alliance held their first Gospel DJ Conference at the Crowne Plaza, Queens, the first known Gospel DJs were honored at the event. Kingdom Affiliates Record Pool also was represented at the conference, most recently Christian rap artists like Lecrae and his label-mates from Reach Records have been setting records with sales and award-winning albums
3.
Reach Records
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Reach Records is an American record label specializing in Christian hip hop, founded in 2004 by Ben Washer and hip-hop artist Lecrae. Reach Records is an imprint of the Columbia Records Group, a division of Sony Music Entertainment, 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 the musicians they hear,29 on the Billboard Gospel chart. Over the next five years, Reach Records released albums by 116 Clique, Lecrae, Sho Baraka, Tedashii and Trip Lee, meeting with increasing commercial success. In 2009, Lecrae moved from Houston to Atlanta re-locating the Reach Records in the process, and Tedashii released his studio album, Identity Crisis. In 2010, Lecrae topped the Billboard Gospel, Christian, and Independent charts, Trip Lee topped both the Gospel and Christian charts with Between Two Worlds, and Sho Baraka reached No.3 on the Gospel chart with Lions and Liars. Sketch the Journalist, a blogger for Houston Chronicle, considered that years 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 deal with his own label. In April, Sho Baraka announced that he 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, the label announced in July that another artist, Andy Mineo, previously known as C-Lite, had signed with the label. In 2012 Reach continued to bring Christian Hip Hop into the 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, 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. In 2013, label affiliates were part of DJ Don Cannons showcase at South by Southwest. 2013 saw the releases of Andy Mineos first studio album, Heroes for Sale, on April 16 which charted No.11 on the Billboard 200 chart, Derek Minors 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. Lecraes mixtape, Church Clothes 2, was released on November 7 and made available for free on DatPiff. com and also sold through iTunes and Reachs 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 Mineos EP Never Land, selling 26,000 units the first week, on March 4, KB released his EP, entitled 100
4.
116 Clique
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The 116 Clique is an American Southern Christian hip hop collective from Dallas, Texas signed to Reach Records. It consists primarily of Reach Records artists, but contains artists from other labels, for them it means acknowledging the power of the Gospel and the divine calling to proclaim it in every area of their life. We can lay our lives down to serve and glorify God in everything we do, Man Up, was expected to be released July 23,2011. However, the release date was pushed back to September 27,2011. A corresponding film, directed by Sho Baraka, was made to show the importance of a godly man, the Man Up Movie & Concert Series tour took place in selected cities where fans could see a screening of Man Up followed by a concert with songs from the soundtrack. Debuting with The Compilation Album in 2005, DJ Primo remixed the original recordings the following year with The Compilation Album, the remix album was released in 2006 and included four bonus tracks. In 2007 they released 13 Letters, the name representing the 13 letters Paul wrote to first-century Christians. In 2011 they released the Man Up compilation album and they released a single, Come Alive, based on their 2012 Unashamed Tour. in 2013, the clique released Now They Know, based on the Unashamed Tour V. Man Up Anthem Come Alive Now They Know 116 Clique Video Man Up Anthem Now They Know In 2008, Trip Lee, Sho Baraka, in 2010, Lecrae, Tedashii, Trip Lee, Sho Baraka, PRo and DJ Official went on the Unashamed Tour 2010. Lecrae was on the 2011 Mission Cruise on May 30 – June 4,2011, Unashamed Lecrae, Tedashii, Trip Lee, Sho Baraka Dont Waste Your Life Tour Lecrae, Tedashii, Trip Lee, Sho Baraka, with special guest Flame
5.
Lecrae
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Lecrae Devaughn Moore, mononymously known as Lecrae, is an American Christian hip hop artist, songwriter, record producer and actor. He is the president, co-owner and co-founder of the independent record label Reach Records, and the co-founder and president of the non-profit organization ReachLife Ministries. To date, he has released seven albums and three mixtapes as a solo artist, and has released three studio albums, a remix album, and one EP as the leader of the hip hop group 116 Clique. He produced much of his material along with other early Reach Records releases. Lecrae, in reference to his label as a Christian rapper, has stated that his music is just hip hop, in May 2016, Lecrae signed to Columbia Records in a joint deal between his label and Columbia. Lecrae debuted with Real Talk in 2004 through Reach Records and his third solo album, Rebel, released in 2008, became the first Christian hip hop album to reach No.1 on the Billboard Gospel chart. On May 10,2012, Lecrae released his first mixtape, Church Clothes, considered his breakthrough into mainstream hip hop, the mixtape was downloaded over 100,000 times in less than 48 hours. His sixth studio album, Gravity, came out on September 4,2012, Lecrae released his seventh album, Anomaly, on September 9,2014. It debuted at No.1 on the Billboard 200 with 88,587 copies sold through the first week, Lecraes filmography includes a role in the television film A Cross to Bear and a brief role as Dr. Malmquist in the comedy film Believe Me. He has also presented on and written about racial tension and injustice in the United States, born and raised by his single mother in Southern Houston, Texas, Lecrae moved often early in life, living in San Diego, Denver, and Dallas. He has stated that he would go to church with his Christian grandmother, Lecrae never met his father, who ended up becoming a drug addict. Experiencing abuse and neglect during his childhood, Lecrae used his ability to rap as a source of significance, according to Lecrae, his grandmother would not allow him to watch rap music videos on television, but he would sneak in late at night. It was in these videos that Lecrae found individuals to look up to, Lecrae states that there were no Martin Luther Kings or Malcolm Xs, they had all passed away so I had Tupac. After being shown a gun by his uncle, Lecrae began looking up to gangsters, Lecrae remembers taking a BB gun and standing in the street pointing it to a car, frightening the female driver, simply for fun. At 11 years old, he started writing music for a rhythm and his first track, written for a neighborhood crush, emulated the style of Tupac, Outkast, and A Tribe Called Quest. At the age of 16, he started taking drugs, fighting, was arrested in high school for stealing, Lecrae tried pretty much every drug there was to try except for heroin and crack cocaine. According to CNN, he became a dealer and used the Bible that his grandmother gave him as a good luck charm. After being arrested for possession, the officer saw the Bible
6.
NGEN Radio
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NGEN Radio, is a subsidiary of KSBJ. They play genres including Christian rock, Christian pop, and Christian rap. NGEN plays artists like Needtobreathe, Lecrae, Family Force 5, Hollyn, Andy Mineo, NF, Twenty One Pilots, Gawvi, MuteMath, remixes of CCM artists, and other Christian rock and hip hop acts. It can also be heard on HD Radio at 89.3 HD-2 in Humble/North Houston and 92.5 HD-2 in Navasota and the Bryan-College Station metropolitan area. On February 24,2016, the KSBJ Educational Foundation announced it was purchasing KUHA, formerly a music station. This gave NGEN a city-grade analog FM signal for the first time, KUHA went dark on July 15,2016 in preparation for NGENs launch on 91.7, while changing its call sign to KXNG. KXNG eventually launched the format on August 8,2016, kent Matthews is a DJ for NGEN, who ran the original KSBJ Light Force. It was a Saturday night show that aired on KSBJ, which featured music to NGEN. The show discontinued when NGEN launched
7.
Identity Crisis (Tedashii album)
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Identity Crisis is the second studio album by Christian rap artist, Tedashii. It was released on May 26,2009 after being pushed back from its originally scheduled May 19,2009 release date, Tedashii based the title of the album on 1 Corinthians 15,10. But by the grace of God I am what I am, the album, initially intended for a May 19,2008 release date, was pushed back to May 26,2009 by Reach Records. In order to make up for the delay, Reach Records made two left over tracks from the freely available online. The albums second single, Im a Believer, featuring label mate Trip Lee and Soyé was released on iTunes on April 30,2009
8.
Blacklight (Tedashii album)
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Blacklight is the third studio album by Christian rap artist, Tedashii on Reach Records. It was released on iTunes on May 24,2011, the album produced singles Need It Daily and Riot. The song Last Goodbye was made into a video which was released on May 30. The release ends with the statement, We can and should live with the end in mind
9.
Below Paradise
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Below Paradise is the fourth studio album from Christian hip hop recording artist Tedashii, released on May 27,2014 by Reach Records. Based on his struggle to deal with the death of his son, the album tackles issues of pain, suffering, and it met with a positive reception from music critics. The album sold 13,800 copies in its debut week causing it to chart at No.17 on the Billboard 200 and this album was the follow-up to Tedashiis third studio album, Blacklight, released in 2011 by Reach Records. Below Paradise was released by the label on May 27,2014. Below Paradise was created after the death of Tedashiis young son in a car crash, Tedashii stated in a press release that In March 2013 I had the worst day of my life. The loss of my son changed me forever, I experienced grief and sorrow to the depth of my soul. The veil was lifted, the cleared and all I had was pain. The reality of being a Christian. This album is my journal shared publicly with everyone during this journey as I worked to understand all I felt. I am human, I am hurt, I am his, by his grace I am what I am. I pray this will be an album that all can feel, even if you cant relate, both are true, and to ignore one and only receive the other you dismiss how great a love God has for us. Below Paradise met with positive reception from music critics, in addition, Conner vows it is not the collaborators that will impact people first its Tedashiis vulnerable message and dynamic production. At HM, Justin Mabee rated the album four out of five, stating how Fans will flock and embrace the rapper after what he’s been through. Mark Ryan of New Release Tuesday rated the album a five stars. At Jesus Freak Hideout, main reviewer Michael Weaver, Mark Rice in his second opinion, Weaver calls Tedashiis return a worthy one because Below Paradise is easily a record you can throw on and listen to from front to back. Rice notes the lyricism is very heavy, Hoskins states how rap heads will be blasting Below Paradise for a long time. Jeremy Hartman of Jam the Hype rated the album a 9.6 out of ten, highlighting how Below Paradise is a powerful, at Wade-O Radio, Branden Murphy gave a positive review of the album, remarking how Below Paradise was a great listen. In addition, the album sold 13,800 copies in its first week of sales
