III | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | October 18, 2011 | |||
Genre | Christian rock, rap, crunk | |||
Length | 32:11 | |||
Label | Tooth & Nail | |||
Producer | Chris Wolfman | |||
Family Force 5 chronology | ||||
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Singles from III | ||||
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III is the third album by Christian alternative group, Family Force 5, released on October 18, 2011 and the last album to feature Solomon Olds before his departure from the band in 2013. The song "Not Alone" charted at No. 47 on the Hot Christian Songs. [1] The next single, "Get On Outta Here", was free for several days before paid release,[ citation needed ] where it charted at No. 27 on iTunes Rock chart.[ citation needed ] Wobble charted at No. 20 on the Alternative charts for a week.[ citation needed ] "Paycheck" was the final single from the album, but did not chart. However, a music video was made for the song.
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
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1. | "Can You Feel It" | Nathan Currin, Derek Mount, Jacob Olds, Josh Olds, Solomon Olds | 2:45 |
2. | "Paycheck" | Nathan Currin, Derek Mount, Jacob Olds, Josh Olds, Solomon Olds | 3:33 |
3. | "Wobble" | Nathan Currin, Derek Mount, Jacob Olds, Josh Olds, Solomon Olds | 3:42 |
4. | "You Got It" | Nathan Currin, Jamie Houston, Derek Mount, Jacob Olds, Josh Olds, Solomon Olds | 3:20 |
5. | "Mamacita" | Nathan Currin, Derek Mount, Jacob Olds, Josh Olds, Solomon Olds | 3:09 |
6. | "Tank Top" | Les Baxter, Nathan Currin, Derek Mount, Jacob Olds, Josh Olds, Solomon Olds | 3:20 |
7. | "Not Alone" | Nathan Currin, Jamie Houston, Derek Mount, Jacob Olds, Josh Olds, Solomon Olds | 3:51 |
8. | "Dang Girl" | Nathan Currin, Derek Mount, Jacob Olds, Josh Olds, Solomon Olds | 2:48 |
9. | "Love Gone Wrong" | Nathan Currin, Dave Lichens, Derek Mount, Jacob Olds, Josh Olds, Solomon Olds | 2:42 |
10. | "Get On Outta Here" | Nathan Currin, Derek Mount, Jacob Olds, Josh Olds, Solomon Olds | 3:01 |
11. | "Superhero" | Nathan Currin, Derek Mount, Jacob Olds, Josh Olds, Solomon Olds, Lauren Olds | 3:15 |
Total length: | 32:11 |
On October 21, the band announced on Facebook [3] that they would release III.V (pronounced "3.5"), which would include brand new recordings such as [4] "Zombie" and "Cray Button".[ citation needed ] On March 31, Family Force 5 announced via Twitter and Facebook that III.V was set to be released May 8, 2012.[ citation needed ]
The EP was released digitally on May 8, 2012, but was not released on iTunes until May 23, 2012.
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
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1. | "Zombie" | Solomon Olds, Jacob Olds, Joshua Olds, Nathan Currin, Derek Mount, Riley Friresen | 3:10 |
2. | "Cray Button" | Solomon Olds, Jacob Olds, Joshua Olds, Nathan Currin, Derek Mount, Riley Friresen | 3:00 |
3. | "Love Addict (Backwoodz Acoustic Remix)" | Nathan Currin, Jacob Olds, Soloman Olds | 2:56 |
4. | "Kountry Gentlemen (Gatorbait Acoustic Remix)" | Jacob Olds, Soloman Olds | 3:31 |
5. | "Fever (Booyah Acoustic Remix)" | 3:27 | |
6. | "Superhero (Acoustic Remix)" | Solomon Olds, Jacob Olds, Joshua Olds, Nathan Currin, Derek Mount, Lauren Olds | 3:23 |
Total length: | 19:27 |
After the release of the EP, a fan uploaded a photo to Instagram that changed the "Cray button" from the song of the same name to "Lecrae button." [5] The band re-tweeted the edited photo, which in turn sparked calls by fans for the band to do a remix of the song with Lecrae. On August 2, 2012, Lecrae agreed to do a collaboration with the band. [5] On September 24, 2012, a music video for "Cray Button" premiered on Rapzilla. [6] It featured a verse by Lecrae as well as an appearance by YouTube celebrity Meekakitty, who previously used the song "Zombie" in one of her videos. [7] The following day, the remix version with Lecrae was released as a single on iTunes, and the music video was premiered outside of Rapzilla. [7]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
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1. | "Cray Button" (featuring Lecrae) | Solomon Olds, Jacob Olds, Joshua Olds, Nathan Currin, Derek Mount, Riley Friresen, Lecrae Moore | 3:30 |
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Allmusic | [8] |
AbsolutePunk | 48% [9] |
Jesus Freak Hideout | [10] [10] |
Critical reception for the album was mixed.
Stephen Thomas Erlewine from Allmusic gave the album three out of five stars saying, "As the group bounces from pop to reggae to rap, they sometimes run the risk of seeming condescending, particularly on their hip-hop cuts, which often run the risk of being parody, but the group is saved by their way with melody: they may not arrive there naturally, but they do know how to hammer their hooks home."
AbsolutePunk gave the album a 48% saying "As a long-time fan of Family Force 5, it is disappointing to watch what was once such an enjoyable and energetic beast relegate itself to a trend-follower. FF5's audio identity, consequently, is all but gone. This has, unfortunately, resulted in the band losing what made them so enjoyable to listen to back when they first began: fun."
The Christian Post gave the album a positive review saying "Family Force 5's new album III is a fantastic journey through the innovative musical minds of crunk rock pioneers that paved the way for artists like LMFAO and 3OH!3" [11]
Jesus Freak Hideout gave the album two reviews, one by Roger Gelwicks, who gave the album a mixed review, saying, "As mentioned, some parts of III are better than the whole and are worth the attention of listeners, and one would be wise to solely invest in these aspects. However, as an entire product, III is far more a disappointment than a joy in the end." The other reviewer, Ryan Barbee, gave the album a negative review saying "It's going to be about having a good time and knowing how to party. But with this album, it feels like an awkward step backward. For this listener… the third time is not a charm." Barbee also criticized the lyrical themes of the music, saying "Yes, they are known for their raucous party music, which is always enjoyable, but this go-around, it's almost all about the same content: girls, girls, girls."
Chart (2011) | Peak position |
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US Billboard 200 [12] | 61 |
US Top Alternative Albums (Billboard) [13] | 13 |
US Christian Albums (Billboard) [14] | 3 |
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard) [15] | 17 |
Lecrae Devaughn Moore, mononymously known as Lecrae, is an American Christian rapper, singer, songwriter, record and film producer, record executive, actor, and entrepreneur.
FF5 was an American Christian rock band from Atlanta, Georgia. The band formed in 2005 by brothers Solomon "Soul Glow Activatur" Olds, Joshua "Fatty" Olds, and Jacob "Crouton" Olds along with their two friends, Nathan "Nadaddy" Currin and Brad "20 Cent" Allen, who was later replaced by Derek "Chapstique" Mount. The group has released five studio albums, nine EPs, and two remix albums. They are often noted for their raucous, party-centric personae and eclectic mix of genres, ranging from rap metal to dance-pop.
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.
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.
The discography of Lecrae, an American Christian hip hop artist, consists of 10 studio albums, one of which was collaborative; four mixtapes, one of which was collaborative; two extended plays, one of which was collaborative; 100 singles, including 54 as a featured performer; 59 music videos, including 27 as a featured performer; and 85 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.
Rehab: The Overdose is the fifth studio album by Christian hip hop artist Lecrae. It was released on January 11, 2011 on Reach Records. The album is intended to be a direct follow up to Rehab, as Rehab is conceptually about the defeat of addiction while Rehab: The Overdose is about finding "grace, love, peace and hope" in Jesus. Some fans even consider it to be a part of Rehab.
The Good Life is the fourth studio album from Christian rap artist Trip Lee. The album was released in 2012, through Reach Records. The album includes features from Lecrae, Andy Mineo, KB, and Jimmy Needham, among others. Four singles were released for the album, "One Sixteen ", "I'm Good ", "Fallin' ", and "Robot". Three promotional music videos were released for the album for three of the four singles, "I'm Good", "Fallin", and "One Sixteen". It was released to critical acclaim, with critics praising Trip's flow, pop-style hooks, high-quality beats, moody electronics, and lyricism.
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.
Kevin Elijah Burgess, better known by his stage name KB, is an American Christian hip hop artist and music executive from St. Petersburg, Florida. He is the leader of the hip-hop group HGA. He signed a solo artist contract to Reach Records in 2010. The label has released the Who Is KB? mixtape in 2011, Weight & Glory, on July 17, 2012, the 100 EP on March 4, 2014, Tomorrow We Live on April 21, 2015, and Today We Rebel on October 20, 2017. He is also a member of the label's collective 116 Clique. He left Reach in 2020 and signed with Essential Sound, releasing his fourth studio album, His Glory Alone.
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.
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.
Derek Johnson, Jr., better known by his stage name Derek Minor and former stage name PRo, is an American Christian hip hop artist, 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.
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 Andy Mineo, Tedashii, Trip Lee, Gawvi, 1K Phew, WHATUPRG, Wande, and Hulvey. The hip-hop collective 116 operates under the label and consists primarily of the label's solo acts. The artists Aha Gazelle, Derek Minor, KB and Sho Baraka were formerly signed to the label, and DJ Official was under the label until his death.
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.
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. Discovered by the underground hip hop collective Tunnel Rats, Petty made his debut in 2002 on Speak Life by Sev Statik. On April 8, 2003, he released his solo debut album, Out of Knowhere, with UpRok Records, and recorded as part of the Tunnel Rats on Underground Rise, Volume 1: Sunrise/Sunset. He then recorded with the Tunnel Rats for the collective's 2004 self-titled album. In 2006 he released the I Am Not Them EP with Tunnel Rat Music and recorded Live This as part of the Tunnel Rats-affiliated group Footsoldiers. Footsoldiers also collaborated with KRS-One on his album Life, with Petty appearing on the song "I Ain't Leaving", and DJ Tony Touch released a mixtape featuring the group. Petty released a second solo EP, The Sketchbook: A Small Collection of Unreleased Material, independently in 2008, and his second album, Listen Watch Focus, also came out in 2008 through End of Earth Records. Petty's next three albums were all released through the Portland-based Humble Beast Records. The first, entitled Art Ambidextrous, was recorded in collaboration with Odd Thomas, and came out in 2011. Petty's third solo album, Excellent, came out in 2012, and charted at No. 7 on the Billboard Top Gospel chart. Petty's fourth solo album, Crimson Cord came out on April 29, 2014, and charted at No. 5 on the Billboard Top Christian chart, No. 2 on the Top Gospel, and No. 8 on the Top Rap chart.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.