Flame (rapper)

Last updated

Flame
FLAME716.JPG
FLAME at the Zurich, Switzerland airport.
Background information
Birth nameMarcus Tyrone Gray
Born (1981-09-16) September 16, 1981 (age 43)
Origin St. Louis, Missouri U.S.
Genres Christian hip hop
Occupation(s) Rapper, actor, music executive
InstrumentVocals
Years active2003–present
LabelsClear Sight Music
Website clearsightmusic.com

Marcus Tyrone Gray (born September 16, 1981), known as Flame (often stylized in all caps), is a Lutheran Christian hip hop rapper from the United States. [1] He is with Clear Sight Music and has released nine albums. Flame has been nominated for several Dove and Stellar Awards. The Our World: Redeemed album was nominated for a Grammy Award.[ citation needed ]

Contents

Biography

As of 2005, Flame sold over 35,000 albums, and one of his interludes from his first album was played on Busch Stadium's loudspeakers every time Albert Pujols came to bat. [2]

On February 20, 2007, it was announced that Flame's track, "Gotta Notice", from the album Rewind was nominated for the 38th Annual GMA Dove Awards in the category Rap/Hip Hop Recorded Song of the Year. [3] In mid-2007, Flame joined the rest of Cross Movement for their final tour. [4] Our World Redeemed was nominated for a Stellar Award, Dove Award, and Grammy Award. In 2009, Flame was a special guest on Reach Records 116 Clique's tour Don't Waste Your Life. [5]

In 2010, Flame announced a new album titled Captured. [6] [7]

He studied at Boyce College and obtained a Bachelor of Arts. [8]

In 2014 Flame, along with three other musicians, filed a lawsuit against Katy Perry for alleged copyright infringement. In the suit, Perry was accused of stealing production elements from Flame's gospel track "Joyful Noise", in her song "Dark Horse". Flame and the other plaintiffs involved in the suit claimed that, not only did Perry use appropriate elements of the song, but that the video tarnished their production by using imagery associated with black magic and witchcraft, ideologies that Flame strongly opposes. It was originally reported that the matter had been settled out of court; however, as of late 2018, the case was set to go to trial. [9] [10] [11] On July 29, 2019, a jury sided with Flame, leaving Perry to pay $550,000 and her label to pay the remaining $2.78 million. [12] [13] On March 17, 2020, Judge Christina A. Snyder overturned the jury award, citing numerous factors, including that the musical theme was both simple and common, and that the evidence given did not support the jury's award. Snyder vacated the jury's verdict and denied motions for a new trial, but stated that, should the case be heard on appeal at the Ninth Circuit, a new jury trial would be required. [14] [15] [16] Flame filed a notice of appeal at the Ninth Circuit on April 13, 2020. [17] In March 2022, the Ninth Circuit ruled in Perry's favor, upholding the vacation ruling from the District Court. The courts found the ostinatos in question unrelated, failed to meet the threshold of originality required for protection, and granted JMOL to defendants. [18]

In March 2020, Flame left the Reformed tradition and was received into the Lutheran Church. [19] His EP Christ for You focuses on the Lutheran belief in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, citing the Church Fathers such as Justin Martyr, Augustine of Hippo, Irenaeus, Cyril and Thomas Aquinas (cf. Eucharist in Lutheranism ). [19] Reflecting on his Lutheran Christian faith, Flame rejoiced: "It wasn't until I stumbled upon Lutheran thought that I discovered the treasure found in the liturgical and sacramental side of things." [19] He praised the Lutheran tradition for its "ancient truths that will comfort contemporary consciences" and said that those "Truths that will bring people out of their heads and lift their heads from navel-gazing onto the sweet means of grace that God has provided outside of us." [19] Flame named his album Christ for You as he wants his fans "to experience the joy and freedom that I’ve found in the sacraments." (cf. Lutheran sacraments ) [19]

In 2020, Marcus Gray earned his Master of Arts degree from Concordia Seminary in Systematic Theology, with minors in Church History, as well as Counseling. [20]

Discography

Studio albums

YearAlbum
2004Flame
  • First studio album
  • Sold over 98,000[ citation needed ]
  • Released: October 12, 2004
2005 Rewind
  • Second studio album
  • Sold over 74,000[ citation needed ]
  • GMA Dove Award Nominee for Best Rap/Hip Hop Recorded Song of the Year for "Gotta Notice"
  • Released: December 6, 2005
2007 Our World: Fallen
  • Third studio album
  • Released: April 17, 2007
  • First album in a two-album series.
  • "The album is a passionate, but basic, explanation of God's pursuit for His created people," Flame says. "It's very simple, but it's a very informative appeal for people to run to Christ." [21]
2008 Our World: Redeemed
  • Released: March 4, 2008
  • Fourth studio album
  • Second album in a two-album series
  • Stellar Award Nominee for Rap Album of the Year
  • GMA Dove Award Nominee for Best Rap/Hip Hop Recorded Song of the Year for "Joyful Noise"
  • Nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rock or Rap Gospel Album.
  • The last of Flame's albums released with Cross Movement Records.
2010Captured
  • Fifth studio album
  • Released: December 28, 2010
  • Stellar Award Nominee for Rap Album of the Year
  • GMA Dove Award Nominee for Best Rap/Hip Hop Album of the Year and Best Urban Recorded Song for "All I Need"
  • No. 1 on Billboard Gospel (January 2011)
  • No. 5 on Billboard Christian (January 2011)
  • No. 17 on Billboard Rap (January 2011)
  • No. 152 on Billboard 200 (January 2011)
  • No. 11 on Billboard Independent (January 2011)[ citation needed ]
2012The 6th [22]
  • Sixth studio album
  • Release Date: March 6, 2012
  • Stellar Award Nominee for Rap Album of the Year
  • No. 1 on Billboard Gospel
  • No. 2 on Billboard Christian
  • No. 8 on Billboard Rap
  • No. 67 on Billboard Top 200
  • No. 8 on Billboard Independent
  • No. 1 on iTunes Rap (March 2012)
  • No. 8 on iTunes Top Albums (March 2012)
2013Royal Flush
  • Seventh studio album
  • Release Date: October 1, 2013
  • Dove Award Nomination for Rap Album of the Year
2015 Forward
  • Eighth studio album
  • Release Date: July 17, 2015
  • Stellar Award Nomination for Rap Album of the Year
  • Dove Award Nomination for Rap Album of the Year
2018God Knows
  • Ninth studio album
  • Release Date: March 2, 2018
  • Stellar Award Rap Album Of The Year [23] [24]
2020Extra Nos
  • Tenth studio project
  • First EP project
  • First project as a Lutheran [25]
  • Release Date: January 24, 2020
2021Christ for You
  • Eleventh studio project
  • Conceptually focused on the Lutheran Doctrine of the Lord's Supper
  • Release Date: January 29, 2021 [26]
2022Word And Water
  • Twelfth studio project
  • Conceptually focused on the Lutheran Doctrine of Holy Baptism
  • Release Date: April 29, 2022

Related Research Articles

Christian hip hop is a cross-genre of contemporary Christian music and hip hop music. It emerged from urban contemporary music and Christian media in the United States during the 1980s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KJ-52</span> American rapper

Jonah Kirsten Sorrentino, better known by his stage name KJ-52, is a Christian rapper from Tampa, Florida. The "KJ" part of his name refers to his old rap alias, "King J. Mac," a name which he later described in one of his podcasts as "horribly cheesy." "52", which is pronounced "five two", not "fifty-two", is a reference to the Biblical story of Jesus feeding the multitude with five loaves and two fish, which is also sung about in his song "Push Up" from The Yearbook and in the "KJ Five Two" on It's Pronounced Five Two. He was awarded the Rap/Hip Hop Recorded Song of the Year for "Never Look Away" and Rap/Hip Hop Album of the Year at the GMA Dove Awards of 2007. On July 28, 2009, KJ-52 released "End of My Rope", which is the first single for his album Five-Two Television.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lecrae</span> American rapper (born 1979)

Lecrae Devaughn Moore is an American Christian rapper. Since having began his career in 2004, he has released ten studio albums and three mixtapes as a solo artist, as well as three studio albums as a lead member of the hip hop group 116 Clique.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manafest</span> Canadian Christian musician

Christopher Scott Greenwood, known by his stage name Manafest, is a Canadian Christian rapper and rock artist from Pickering, Ontario. He has won multiple awards for the GMA Canada Covenant Awards, GMA Dove Awards, and has been nominated for multiple Juno Awards. Signed for a decade with BEC Recordings, Manafest became independent in 2015.

Rapzilla is a Christian hip hop online magazine. The website contains recent news, albums reviews, articles, interviews, music downloads, videos, release dates, and columns.

William Lee Barefield III, better known by his stage name Trip Lee, is an American Christian rapper and singer. Signed to Reach Records, he has recorded both as a solo artist and as a founding member of the 116 Clique. Originally from Dallas, Texas, he served as a young adult pastor at Concord Church until 2021. His third album, Between Two Worlds (2010), was nominated for two Dove Awards and won the Stellar Award for Best Hip Hop Album in 2011.

<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 as Bizzle, is an American Christian hip hop recording artist and entrepreneur.

<i>Rehab</i> (Lecrae album) 2010 studio album by Lecrae

Rehab is the fourth studio album by Christian hip hop artist Lecrae. It was released on September 28, 2010 on Reach Records. According to the Reach Records website, the album's "motto" is "The Christian life is an entrance into rehab." Centered on release and freedoms from inhibiting addictions and habits, Rehab is a highly conceptual album. Rehab is nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Rock or Rap Gospel Album at the 53rd Grammy Awards. The album was named the Best Album of 2010 in the "Best of 2010: Rapzilla.com's Staff Picks" awards, and Lecrae was also named Artist of the Year. The song "Background" and the album itself were nominated for Rap/Hip Hop Recorded Song of the Year and Rap/Hip Hop Album of the Year, respectively, at the 42nd Annual GMA Dove Awards.

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

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; 136 singles, including 79 as a featured performer; 77 music videos, including 39 as a featured performer; and 87 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.

The Cross Movement was a Christian hip hop group from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Derek Laurence Johnson Jr., better known by his stage name Derek Minor and former stage name PRo, is an American Christian rapper, singer, songwriter, 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dark Horse (Katy Perry song)</span> 2013 single by Katy Perry

"Dark Horse" is a song by American singer Katy Perry featuring American rapper Juicy J. It was originally released on September 17, 2013, by Capitol Records as the first promotional single from Perry's fourth studio album, Prism (2013). Three months later, it was released as the third official single on December 17. Both artists co-wrote the song with its producers, Max Martin, Cirkut, and Dr. Luke, alongside Sarah Hudson. It was conceived by Perry and Hudson during a writing session in Perry's hometown of Santa Barbara, California, and Juicy J was later commissioned for a verse on the song.

Social Club Misfits, known as Social Club from 2012 until 2016, is a Christian hip hop duo from Miami, Florida made up of rappers FERN and Marty Mar. They formed their musical partnership in 2011 and released their first free album, entitled Misfits, on November 27, 2012. Then, the duo released two EPs entitled Misfits-EP, released on March 26, 2013, and Rejects. on April 2, 2013. The latter garnering some charting success. The third free album from the duo came out on September 13, 2013, entitled Summer of George. Their breakthrough album, Misfits 2, was self-released on April 29, 2014, and Us was released on March 24, 2015.

<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, won Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NF (rapper)</span> American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer (born 1991)

Nathan John Feuerstein, known by his initials NF, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He has released two EPs, I'm Free (2012), and a self-titled EP in 2014 with Capitol CMG. His second and first major-label studio album, Mansion, was released on March 31, 2015. His third studio album, Therapy Session, was released on April 22, 2016, and peaked at number 12 on the US Billboard 200. His albums have earned several accolades, some of which include the Gospel Music Association Dove Award for Rap/Hip Hop Album of the Year in 2016 and the Rap/Hip Hop Recorded Song of the Year in 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gawvi</span> American rapper

Gabriel Alberto Azucena, who goes by the stage name GAWVI, is an American Christian hip hop artist and music producer, formerly for Reach Records. Born in the Bronx, New York, he has released three extended plays, five albums, and twenty-three singles including his songs; "In the Water" and "Late Nights."

Todd Decker is an American musicologist. He is the Paul Tietjens Professor of Music at Washington University in St. Louis. Decker edited the journal American Music from 2020 to 2022.

Marcus Gray et al. v. Katy Perry et al. was a copyright infringement lawsuit against Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson, Jordan Houston, Lukasz Gottwald, Karl Martin Sandberg, Henry Russell Walter ("Cirkut"), Capitol Records and others, in which the plaintiffs Marcus Gray ("Flame"), Emanuel Lambert and Chike Ojukwu alleged that Perry's song "Dark Horse" infringed their exclusive rights in their song "Joyful Noise" pursuant to 17 U.S.C § 106.

References

  1. ↑ Ronnevik, Gretchen (November 22, 2024). "Flame Raps the Sacraments". Christianity Today . Retrieved December 22, 2024.
  2. ↑ Westhoff, Ben (September 14, 2005). "St. Louis - News - Rap vs. Rapture". Riverfronttimes.com. Archived from the original on September 29, 2007. Retrieved September 9, 2007.
  3. ↑ "38th Annual GMA Dove Awards - Recipients". Archived from the original on April 4, 2007.
  4. ↑ "HIStory Summer Tour Details - Cross Movement Records (CMR) .:: A Trusted Name In Christian Hip-Hop". Cross Movement Records. April 11, 1997. Archived from the original on July 23, 2011. Retrieved September 21, 2011.
  5. ↑ {{cite web |website=Rapzilla |url=http://www.rapzilla.com/rz/content/view/1330/103 |title=Don't Waste Your Life Tour Commercial + Dates] Archived March 2, 2009, at rapzilla.com (Error: unknown archive URL)
  6. ↑ "FLAME to drop 'Captured' December 28th (cover revealed)". Rapzilla. November 4, 2010. Retrieved September 21, 2011.
  7. ↑ "Flame Talks New Label & New Album Details". Rapzilla. August 11, 2010. Retrieved September 21, 2011.
  8. ↑ Whitney Jones, Flame’s hip hop strengthened by seminary, baptistpress.com, September 27, 2012
  9. ↑ "Update on Flame Lawsuit Against Katy Perry Over 'Dark Horse'". Rapzilla. August 30, 2018. Retrieved February 23, 2019.
  10. ↑ "FLAME & Lecrae Sue Katy Perry Over Dark Horse". Rapzilla . July 2, 2014. Retrieved April 8, 2019.
  11. ↑ Macias, Jr Martin (August 14, 2018). "Katy Perry Copyright Suit Heading to Trial" . Retrieved April 8, 2019.
  12. ↑ "Katy Perry's hit Dark Horse copied a Christian rap song, jury finds". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Associated Press. July 29, 2019. Retrieved July 29, 2019.
  13. ↑ "Katy Perry among those ordered to pay a total of $2.78M in song copying lawsuit". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Associated Press. August 1, 2019. Retrieved August 1, 2019.
  14. ↑ Maddaus, Gene (March 17, 2020). "Katy Perry Wins Reversal of 'Dark Horse' Copyright Verdict". Variety . Retrieved March 17, 2020.
  15. ↑ "Katy Perry and Capitol Records win appeal in 'Dark Horse' copyright case". Music Biz Nation.
  16. ↑ Gray v. Perry , No.2:15-cv-05642 , 2020 WL 1275221(C.D. Cal.March 16, 2020).
  17. ↑ "Katy Perry Copyright Accuser Takes Case To 9th Circ. - Law360". www.law360.com. Archived from the original on September 30, 2020. Retrieved June 20, 2020.
  18. ↑ Gray v. Hudson; United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (10 March 2022). No: 20-55401; D.C. No: 2:15-cv-05642CAS-JC. uscourts.gov. retrieved 13 March 2022. PDF
  19. 1 2 3 4 5 Becklo, Matthew (February 4, 2021). ""Christ for You": Flame Unpacks His New EP on the Lutheran Belief in the Real Presence". Word on Fire . Retrieved February 18, 2021.
  20. ↑ Veith, Gene (February 3, 2020). "The Rapper Flame Becomes a Lutheran". Cranach. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
  21. ↑ "Flame: Man On Fire". CCMmagazine.com. Archived from the original on October 7, 2008. Retrieved September 21, 2011.
  22. ↑ "Flame Releases New Album March 6th". Archived from the original on July 15, 2012. Retrieved January 18, 2012.
  23. ↑ "The Stellar Award Winners Are..... | Sherry Mackey | 100.3 Hallelujah FM". Sherry Mackey. Archived from the original on April 8, 2019. Retrieved April 8, 2019.
  24. ↑ "Watch Flame new music video Silver & Gold ft. Melinda Watts on Rapzilla.com". Rapzilla. April 2, 2019. Retrieved April 8, 2019.
  25. ↑ "The Rapper Flame Becomes a Lutheran". Cranach. February 3, 2020. Retrieved March 9, 2020.
  26. ↑ Flame, "Christ for You" on Apple Music (2021) https://music.apple.com/us/album/christ-for-you-ep/1549189328
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.