Lecrae's "Rehab" Gets Grammy Nod

On Wednesday it was announced that Houston-born Christian rapper Lecrae's Rehab album was nominated for a Grammy.

Congrats are in order. And so is the annual holy hip hop rant aimed at this whole ordeal.

For some reason, the Grammys only offer a blended "Best Rock or Rap Gospel Album" category for non-church service type Christian music. In fact, the word "rap" wasn't even added to the title until 2006. This year there's only one hip hop album nominated out of the five projects selected.

Best Rock or Rap Gospel Album (Category 52)

Rehab
Lecrae
[Reach Records]

Church Music
David Crowder Band
[Sparrow Records / Sixstepsrecords]

For Those Who Wait
Fireflight
[Flicker Records]

Beautiful Things
Gungor
[Brash Music]

Hello Hurricane
Switchfoot
[Atlantic Recording Corp/ Credential Recordings]

Lecrae's Rebel album is deserving (though certainly not the best of the year) and garnered record sales for our sub-genre, but it's doubtful he'll beat either Switchfoot or the Dave Crowder Band who are also worthy.

I'll have to research it, but I don't think a rap act has ever won this category. If they did, it was either a hip-pop group on a Nashville-based label or someone on rap's outer fringe like Kirk Franklin..

I know that cats in our community would really appreciate the category being separated and given its own slot. But alas, in the eyes of most we're still in that early infant stage of acceptance that hip hop (as a whole) was back in the 80's.

*** Soapbox shout done. Rinse and repeat in 365 Days ***