Church Clothes 2

Last updated

Church Clothes, Vol. 2
Lecrae Church Clothes 2.png
Mixtape by
ReleasedNovember 7, 2013 (2013-11-07)
Recorded2012–13
Genre Christian hip hop
Length52:12
Label Reach, Datpiff.com
Producer 5PMG, 808&Elite, Boi-1da, David Banner, Dirty Rice, DJ Burn One, DJ Official, Don Cannon, Dunlap, Héctor Delgado, Jon Jon Traxx, Justin Kahler, Mike DZL, K.E. on the Track, Street Symphony (also exec.), ThaInnaCircle, The Bridge (DJ Efechto and D. Steele), Tone Jonez, Tyshane
Lecrae chronology
Gravity
(2012)
Church Clothes, Vol. 2
(2013)
Anomaly
(2014)
Singles from Church Clothes, Vol. 2
  1. "Round of Applause"
    Released: May 14, 2013 [1]
  2. "I'm Turnt"
    Released: October 18, 2013 [2]

Church Clothes 2, officially Church Clothes, Vol. 2, is the second mixtape by Christian hip hop artist Lecrae, released on November 7, 2013 by Reach Records. Hosted by Don Cannon, it follows Lecrae's previous mixtape, Church Clothes , and Grammy Award-winning full-length album Gravity , both of which came out in 2012. Two versions of the album were released, a free version with host Don Cannon, and a commercial version off iTunes without the DJ. The first single off the album, "Round of Applause", was released on May 14, 2013. On May 21, a remixed version of the song, featuring rapper B.o.B, was released. A second single off the album, "I'm Turnt", dropped on October 18, 2013. The mixtape was downloaded over 100,000 times on DatPiff.com in the first two weeks and debuted at No. 21 on the Billboard 200 chart, No. 1 on the Top Christian and Gospel charts, and No. 3 on the Top Rap chart. [3]

Contents

Background

Church Clothes 2 is the second of Lecrae's mixtape and a sequel to the tape he released the previous year, Church Clothes , which also saw Don Cannon as the host. The tape was downloaded 100,000 times off Datpiff.com in only 48 hours, and was hailed as possibly "the most important Christian hip hop album in history." [4] However, the mixtape also generated controversy in Christian circles due to Lecrae's collaboration with the "secular" producer Don Cannon, concerns of him "selling-out" to a mainstream audience, and perceptions that Lecrae took a harsh view of the church in the mixtape's single, "Church Clothes". [5] [6] [7] Following the success of Church Clothes, on September 4, 2012, Lecrae released his sixth studio album, Gravity , which debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 with 72,000 units sold. [8] This album also was hailed as the most important in Christian hip-hop album in history, and garnered a Grammy Award in the Gospel at the 2013 Grammy Awards, the first time a Christian hip hop artist ever won a Grammy. [9] [10]

Promotion and marketing

On May 14, 2013, Lecrae released the mixtape's lead single, "Round of Applause", an anthem congratulating college graduates. [1] [11] The next week, a second version of the single was released, this time with a feature from B.o.B. [12] This version captured media attention, and on June 21, 2013, Pepsi included it in its list "Three Songs You Need to Hear Right Now", along with Justin Timberlake's "Don't Hold the Wall" and will.i.am's "Bang Bang". [13] [14] A second single for the album, "I'm Turnt", was released on October 18, 2013. [2] Upon the release of the album's track-listing on November 2, which listed "Round of Applause" without B.o.B.'s feature, Reach Records producer Alex Medina tweeted that the commercial version of the album does not contain the feature, while the free version with Don Cannon does contain B.o.B.'s feature. [15] Lecrae says he released the album for free because he wanted to allow people hear good music without sapping their wallets. [16]

Reception

Commercial

Church Clothes 2 debuted at No. 21 spot on the Billboard 200, No. 1 on the Billboard Christian Albums and Gospel Albums charts, and No. 3 on the Rap Albums chart. [3] On Datpiff.com, the album has over 146,000 downloads as of November 26, 2013. [17]

Critical

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg
BET Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg
CCM Magazine Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [18]
Christian Music Zine5/5
Jesus Freak HideoutStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [19]
Jesus Wired4.5/5 [20]

Church Clothes 2 was very well received by critics, who praised the mixtape for its lyricism, versatility, and production quality. Jake Rohn of BET rated the album four out of five stars, stating that "Though songs like "Misconception Pt. 2" and "The Fever" served as little more than bland filler, Church Clothes 2 is a solid effort in when-keeping-it-real-goes-holy. Lecrae is lyrically dope and versatile with the tracks, and he can go toe-to-toe with any emcee, classified "Christian rap" or not." [21] Anthony Peronto of Christian Music Zine gave the album a perfect score, stating that it with its versatility and quality it "feels more like a full length album rather than the straightforward mixtape sound that "Vol. 1 offered and is better off for it." [22] Allmusic's Andy Kellman rated the mixtape three-point-five out of five stars, noting that Church Clothes 2 "is packed with collaborations from the Christian and secular hip-hop worlds, while Lecrae, a leader in his genre, delivers typically authoritative rhymes regarding a wide spectrum of issues." [23] Kevin Hoskins of Jesus Freak Hideout rated the album four out of five stars and summarized that "Overall, I tend to think that DJ Cannon drops his own name way too much and not every single track is great, but it's otherwise quality rap, it's free, and Lecrae is speaking what's on his heart." [19] At CCM Magazine , Andy Argyrakis rated the album four out of five stars and called the album a "home run", noting how it contained "cutting edge production, acrobatic rhymes, and socially relevant lyrics" which offered "plenty of substance throughout these Top 40-friendly sounds. [18] Christopher Johnson of Jesus Wired rated the album a four-and-a-half out of five, saying that Lecrae continues "to explore multiple styles of delivery for his thought provoking messages." [20]

Track listing

Free version
No.TitleProducer(s)Length
1."Co-Sign Pt. 2"Christian Navarro and Street Symphony 2:14
2."Believe"VJ Greenfield and Street Symphony2:24
3."Devil in Disguise" (featuring Kevin Ross)DJ Official4:12
4."The Fever" (featuring Andy Mineo and Papa San) Tyshane 3:59
5."I'm Turnt" K.E. on the Track 2:26
6."Let it Whip" (featuring Paul Wall) David Banner and Héctor Delgado3:58
7."Sell Out"Dirty Rice and Street Symphony 2:19
8."Lost My Way" (featuring King Mez and Daniel Day) Boi-1da and Mike DZL3:19
9."Misconception Pt 2" (featuring W.L.A.K.)Jon Jon Traxx4:33
10."Round of Applause" (featuring B.o.B)K.E. on the Track4:52
11."Was it Worth it" (featuring Derek Minor and Crystal Nicole)Dirty Rice3:31
12."Bun B speaks" (phone message by Bun B) 0:32
13."Finer Things" (featuring Tedashii) DJ Burn One and 5PMG3:21
14."Hands Up" (featuring Propaganda)The Bridge (DJ Efechto and D. Steele)3:02
15."My Whole Life Changed"ThaInnaCircle and Street Symphony 3:49
16."If I Die Tonight" (featuring Novel)Justin Kahler3:37
17."Hang On"Tone Jonez, Dirty Rice and Street Symphony 3:04
Total length:52:12
Commercial version
No.TitleProducer(s)Length
1."Co-Sign Pt. 2" 808&Elite and Street Symphony 2:16
2."Believe"Dunlap and Street Symphony2:12
3."Devil in Disguise" (featuring Kevin Ross)DJ Official4:16
4."The Fever" (featuring Andy Mineo and Papa San) Tyshane 4:06
5."I'm Turnt" K.E. on the Track 2:28
6."Let it Whip" (featuring Paul Wall) David Banner and Héctor Delgado3:59
7."Sell Out"Dirty Rice and Street Symphony2:19
8."Lost My Way" (featuring King Mez and Daniel Day) Boi-1da and Mike DZL3:22
9."Misconception Pt 2" (featuring W.L.A.K.)Jon Jon Traxx4:36
10."Round of Applause"K.E. on the Track3:49
11."Was it Worth it" (featuring Derek Minor and Crystal Nicole)Dirty Rice3:55
12."Bun B speaks" (phone message by Bun B) 0:34
13."Finer Things" (featuring Tedashii) DJ Burn One and 5PMG3:26
14."Hands Up" (featuring Propaganda)The Bridge (DJ Efechto and D. Steele)3:06
15."My Whole Life Changed"ThaInnaCircle and Street Symphony3:51
16."If I Die Tonight" (featuring Novel)Justin Kahler3:40
17."Hang On"Tone Jonez, Dirty Rice and Street Symphony3:09
Total length:55:04

Chart history

ChartPeak
position
UK Christian & Gospel Albums (OCC) [24] 15
Billboard 200 [3] 21
US Christian [25] 1
US Gospel [26] 1
US Rap [27] 3

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lecrae</span> American rapper, record producer, and actor from Texas

Lecrae Devaughn Moore is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record and film producer, record executive, actor, and entrepreneur.

<i>Rebel</i> (Lecrae album) 2008 studio album by Lecrae

Rebel is the third studio album by Christian rap artist, Lecrae. The album was released by Reach Records on September 30, 2008. The album was nominated in the best Rap/Hip-Hop Album category at the 40th Annual GMA Dove Awards but lost to Group 1 Crew's Ordinary Dreamers.

Mark Julian Felder, more commonly known under simply Bizzle, is an American Christian hip hop recording artist and entrepreneur.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lecrae discography</span> Christian hip hop recording artist discography

The discography of Lecrae, an American Christian hip hop artist, consists of 11 studio albums, two of which were collaborative; four mixtapes; two extended plays, one of which was collaborative; 110 singles, including 61 as a featured performer; 66 music videos, including 31 as a featured performer; and 86 guest and other appearances. Lecrae debuted with Real Talk in 2004 through Reach Records; the album was re-issued the following year by Cross Movement Records. After the Music Stops followed in 2006 and his third solo album, Rebel, was released in 2008 and reached No. 1 on the Gospel chart, the first Christian hip hop album to do so. Rehab, his fourth solo album, was released in 2010 and reached No. 1 on the Gospel, Christian, and Independent charts, and garnered a nomination at the 53rd Grammy Awards. Rehab: The Overdose, was released on January 11, 2011, and peaked at No. 1 on the Christian and Gospel charts. Lecrae began garnering mainstream attention when he performed at the 2011 BET Hip Hop Awards Cypher, and was featured on the Statik Selektah song "Live and Let Live" from his Population Control album.

<i>Church Clothes</i> 2012 mixtape by Lecrae

Church Clothes is the first mixtape by Christian hip hop artist Lecrae, released for free on May 10, 2012, and hosted by DJ Don Cannon. It featured No Malice of Clipse on the song "Darkest Hour", and included production work by 9th Wonder, Boi-1da, S1 and Street Symphony. Label-mates Tedashii and Andy Mineo, as well as other fellow Christian hip-hop artists such as Dre Murray, Thi'sl, Swoope, Christon Gray, and Braille, also made appearances on the album. The mixtape was downloaded 100,000 times in 48 hours, and met with critical acclaim. It received controversy in Christian media upon its release due to its condemnation of hypocrisy in the Christian Church and Lecrae's collaboration with the mainstream producer Don Cannon. A shorter, remastered EP version was released on iTunes on June 25, 2012. The EP debuted at number 10 on the Billboard Christian Albums and Gospel Albums charts.

<i>Gravity</i> (Lecrae album) Album by Lecrae

Gravity is the sixth studio album by American Christian hip hop artist Lecrae, released on September 4, 2012. The album features appearances from Big K.R.I.T., Mathai, Ashthon Jones, Sho Baraka and Mali Music, along with labelmates Trip Lee, Andy Mineo, Derek Minor, who was formerly known as PRo, and Tedashii. Producers on the album include DJ Khalil, Street Symphony's Heat Academy, and The Watchmen. The first single off the album, "I Know", was released on July 24, 2012, and was followed by "Tell the World" featuring Mali Music on August 15, 2012, and "Mayday" featuring Big K.R.I.T. and Ashthon Jones on August 30, 2012. Reach Records released five music videos for the album: "Lord Have Mercy", featuring Tedashii along with No Malice of Clipse, on August 1, 2012, "Tell the World", featuring Mali Music, on October 19, 2012, "Mayday", featuring Big K.R.I.T. and Ashthon Jones, on December 13, 2012, "Fakin'", featuring Thi'sl, on February 1, 2013, and "Confe$$ions", featuring David Banner, on April 30, 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andy Mineo discography</span>

The discography of American Christian hip hop artist Andy Mineo, formerly known as C-Lite, consists of three studio albums, three mixtapes, one compilation album, twenty-one singles, including seven as a featured performer, fourteen music videos, including six as a featured artist, and fifteen guest appearances on various albums. Originally from Syracuse, Mineo initially achieved success as a producer in Upstate New York, and was a member of the hip hop group Fat Camp, signed to Syracuse University's Marshall Street Records. After moving to New York City where he re-dedicated his life to Christ, he closed down his production studio and restarted his career. He released his first mixtape Sin is Wack Vol. 1 in 2009. After providing sung vocals for the song "Background" by Lecrae from the album Rehab, he experienced a surge in popularity and became highly sought after for collaborations. His 2011 single "In My City" featuring Efrain from Doubledge also garnered attention, as did his appearance on the song "Reverse" by Tedashii from Blacklight. He signed to Reach Records in 2011 and dropped his stage name "C-Lite" in favor of his legal name. Under this name he released another mixtape, Formerly Known, in 2011. In May 2012 he debuted a four episode web series entitled Saturday Morning Car-Tunez in which he remixed classic hip hop songs. The four songs were subsequently released for free as a compilation album. His debut full-length studio album, Heroes for Sale, was released April 2013.

Tyshane Thompson, professionally known as Beam, is a Jamaican-American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is the son of dancehall and gospel reggae singer Papa San. He was one-half of the production duo 808&Elite. Beam released his debut studio album, Alien, on 4 February 2022. It includes collaborations with Justin Bieber, Jorja Smith, and his father, among others.

Derek Johnson, Jr., better known by his stage name Derek Minor and former stage name PRo, is an American Christian hip hop artist, singer, record producer, entrepreneur, actor, and screenwriter. He co-founded the hip-hop record label Reflection Music Group (RMG) with Doc Watson, and signed to Reach Records in a joint venture between the two labels in 2011. In 2012, Johnson announced that he had changed his stage name from Pro to Derek Minor. In 2014, he announced that as his two-album contract with Reach was complete, he would no longer be publishing releases through that label.

Kevin Erondu, better known as K.E. on the Track, is an American record producer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reach Records</span> American label of Christian hip hop

Reach Records is an American independent record label specializing in Christian hip hop. The label was founded in 2004 by Ben Washer and the hip-hop artist Lecrae. In addition to Lecrae, the Reach Records roster contains artists like Tedashii, Trip Lee, Andy Mineo, 1K Phew, WHATUPRG, Wande, Hulvey, and Limoblaze. The hip-hop collective 116 operates under the label and consists primarily of the label's solo acts. The artists Sho Baraka, Derek Minor, Aha Gazelle, KB and Gawvi were formerly signed to the label, and DJ Official was under the label until his death.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Round of Applause (Lecrae song)</span>

"Round of Applause" is a single by Christian hip hop artist Lecrae, released on May 14, 2013. The lead single from the commercial version of his mixtape Church Clothes 2, it was followed a week later by an extended, non-commercial version which featured B.o.B. Upon the release of the album's track-listing on November 2, which listed "Round of Applause" without B.o.B's feature, Reach Records producer Alex Medina tweeted that the commercial version of Church Clothes 2 does not contain the feature, while the free version hosted by Don Cannon does contain B.o.B's feature.

The discography of Propaganda, an American Christian hip hop and spoken word artist and poet from Los Angeles, California, consists of five studio albums, two EPs, twelve compilation appearances, eleven music videos, including one as a featured performer, and twenty-three guest appearances.

<i>Anomaly</i> (Lecrae album) 2014 studio album by Lecrae

Anomaly is the seventh studio album by American Christian hip hop artist Lecrae, released on September 9, 2014, through Reach Records. The album features appearances from Crystal Nicole, Kari Jobe, and For King & Country, along with label-mate Andy Mineo. Anomaly met with a positive critical reception, and the song "Nuthin", released for streaming as a single on July 1, 2014, was nominated for the 2014 BET Hip Hop Awards in the best Impact Track category. The album also fared well commercially, debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with over 88,000 copies sold. It also debuted at No. 1 on the Top Gospel Albums chart, marking the first time that any artist has ever topped both the 200 and Gospel charts. Anomaly won Rap/Hip Hop Album of the Year at the 2015 GMA Dove Awards, and Rap, Hip Hop Gospel CD of the Year at the 2015 Stellar Awards. Two songs earned a nomination for the 2015 Grammy Awards; "All I Need Is You" was nominated for Best Rap Performance, and "Messengers", featuring For King & Country, which won Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song.

"I'm Turnt" is a song performed by Christian hip hop artist Lecrae for his second mixtape Church Clothes 2 (2013). It was released on October 18, 2013, by Reach Records as the second single from the record. An accompanying music video was released on December 17, 2013.

John Lawrence Givens, known professionally as John Givez and sometimes Juan Dando, is an American musician, who plays hip hop, R&B, soul, funk and neo soul music. He is cousins with fellow rapper JGivens. John has released two studio albums, Four Seasons in 2013, Soul Rebel in 2015, while both releases charted on the Billboard magazine charts.

<i>Church Clothes 3</i> 2016 mixtape by Lecrae

Church Clothes 3 is the third mixtape by Christian hip hop recording artist Lecrae. It was released on January 15, 2016, through his label Reach Records. The mixtape is the third in his Church Clothes series, and his first major release since his studio album Anomaly (2014). It features guest appearances from E-40, N'dambi, Propaganda, John Givez, JGivens, Jackie Hill-Perry, and then-label-mate KB. While the previous two mixtapes were hosted by DJ Don Cannon, on Church Clothes 3 S1 served as executive producer on the tape. In addition to S1, Epikh Pro, Black Knight, GAWVI, and others contributed production to the mixtape.

<i>All Things Work Together</i> 2017 studio album by Lecrae

All Things Work Together is the eighth studio album by American Christian hip hop artist Lecrae, released on September 22, 2017, through Reach Records and Columbia Records, also making it his first major label release. The album features appearances from Tori Kelly, Ty Dolla Sign, 1K Phew, Kierra Sheard, Taylor Hill, Aha Gazelle, Jawan Harris and Verse Simmonds.

<i>Church Clothes 4</i> 2022 mixtape by Lecrae

Church Clothes 4 is a 2022 mixtape from Christian hip hop artist Lecrae, released on November 4 through his own label Reach Records. It constitutes the final installment of his Church Clothes mixtape series begun in 2012. It includes featured appearances from Andy Mineo, PJ Morton, A.I. the Anomaly, Jon Keith, nobigdyl., WHATUPRG, and Jordan L’Oreal. Two singles were released from the mixtape — "Spread the Opps", on August 5, 2022, and "Fear Not", on October 26, 2022.

References

  1. 1 2 "Round of Applause – Single by Lecrae". iTunes . Apple Inc. May 14, 2013. Retrieved November 8, 2013.
  2. 1 2 "Lecrae – I'm Turnt". Rapzilla . Philip Rood and Chad Horton. October 18, 2013. Retrieved November 8, 2013.
  3. 1 2 3 "Reach Records Streams Church Clothes 2" (Web). Indie Vision Music. November 15, 2013. Retrieved November 20, 2013.
  4. Sketch the Journalist (May 9, 2012). "Lecrae's "Church Clothes" the most important album in Christian rap history". Da South. Archived from the original (Web) on July 15, 2012. Retrieved November 25, 2013.
  5. Arnold, J. F.; Nick Ahern (May 11, 2012). "Dual Impressions #29: Lecrae|Church Clothes". The Christian Manifesto. Archived from the original (Web/Audio) on June 26, 2012. Retrieved November 25, 2013.
  6. Arnold, J. F. (May 10, 2012). "Lecrae, Church Clothes, and Mainstream Attention". Evangelical Outpost. Archived from the original (Web) on June 23, 2012. Retrieved November 25, 2013.
  7. Menzie, Nicola (May 31, 2012). "Lecrae Sets Record Straight on Christian Hypocrisy in 'Church Clothes'" (Web). The Christian Post . William Anderson. Retrieved November 25, 2013.
  8. Caulfield, Keith (September 12, 2012). "Matchbox Twenty Gets First No. 1 Album on Billboard 200 Chart". Billboard . Nielsen Business Media . Retrieved November 25, 2013.
  9. Goss, Armond (August 28, 2012). "Review – Lecrae 'Gravity'". Rapzilla . Philip Rood and Chad Horton. Retrieved November 25, 2013.
  10. Ruggieri, Melissa (February 10, 2013). "Lecrae wins first Grammy award". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution . Cox Enterprises. Archived from the original on February 13, 2013. Retrieved November 25, 2013.
  11. "Lecrae "Round Of Applause"". HipHopDX. Cheri Media Group. May 14, 2013. Retrieved November 26, 2013.
  12. "Lecrae - Round of Applause ft. B.o.B." Rapzilla . Philip Rood and Chad Horton. May 21, 2013. Retrieved November 26, 2013.
  13. HipHopDX (June 21, 2013). "Three Songs You Need to Hear Right Now". Pepsi.com. PepsiCo. p. 2. Retrieved November 26, 2013.
  14. Attia, Amir (June 21, 2013). "Justin Timberlake, Lecrae Crack Pepsi's "Songs You Need To Hear Right Now" List". HipHopDX. Cheri Media Group. Retrieved November 26, 2013.
  15. Medina, Alex (November 2, 2013). "mrmedina: Church Clothes 2 iTunes version: ..." Twitter . Retrieved November 8, 2013.
  16. "Lecrae talks about Church Clothes Vol. 2" (Web). Rapzilla. October 22, 2012. Retrieved November 20, 2013.
  17. Omizzle (November 7, 2013). "Lecrae Church Clothes 2". Datpiff.com. Idle Media. Retrieved November 26, 2013.
  18. 1 2 Argyrakis, Andy (January 1, 2014). "Lecrae: Church Clothes Vol. 2 (Reach Records)" (PDF). CCM Magazine . Salem Publishing. p. 45. ISSN   1524-7848 . Retrieved January 1, 2014.
  19. 1 2 Hoskins, Kevin (November 25, 2013). "Lecrae, "Church Clothes, Vol. 2" Review". Jesus Freak Hideout. John DiBiase. Retrieved December 7, 2013.
  20. 1 2 Johnson, Christopher (February 7, 2014). "Lecrae Shows Off Diverse Wardrobe With Church Clothes 2". Jesus Wired. Retrieved February 21, 2014.
  21. Rohn, Jake (November 18, 2013). "Mixtape Review: Lecrae, Church Clothes 2". BET . BET Networks . Retrieved November 26, 2013.
  22. Peronto, Anthony (November 11, 2013). "Lecrae – Church Clothes Vol. 2 (Review)". Christian Music Zine. Tyler Hess. Retrieved November 26, 2013.
  23. Kellman, Andy. "Church Clothes, Vol. 2". Allmusic . All Media Network. Retrieved November 26, 2013.
  24. "Official Christian & Gospel Albums Chart Top 20". Official Charts Company . November 10, 2013. Retrieved February 28, 2022.
  25. "Billboard Top Selling Christian Albums (week of 11-23-13)" (Web). Billboard Magazine. November 17, 2013. Retrieved November 20, 2013.
  26. "Billboard Top Selling Gospel Albums (week of 11-23-13)" (Web). Billboard Magazine. November 17, 2013. Retrieved November 20, 2013.
  27. "Billboard Top Selling Rap Albums (week of 11-23-13)" (Web). Billboard Magazine. November 17, 2013. Retrieved November 20, 2013.

Markman, Rob (November 7, 2013). "Lecrae's Church Clothes 2 Isn't Just For The Sunday Crowd" (Web). MTV . Retrieved November 20, 2013.