Rappers rap about their realities.

What comes to mind when you think about rap? Cuss words, violence, sex, drugs, alcohol, love, money -- rap is known for being ‘inappropriate,’ but some would say that it is a misunderstood art form.

Hip hop culture has been largely defined by the young urban community. Young people who grew up in urban areas began to express their realities through hip hop and rap.

Because of the content, rap is often regarded as having a negative reputation. But there are rappers who are using the art form in an unexpected way.

Lecrae is a Grammy-award winning rapper who has made the cover of The Huffington Post Magazine and has been featured in The New York Times, Rolling Stone, The Atlantic, Billboard Magazine and more. He even performed on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. His music can be heard at pro sporting events across the nation.

But what’s so unique about Lecrae?

Well, he raps about Jesus.

Lecrae Moore was always captivated by hip hop and rap. However, he grew up without a father and says that he “struggled with significance.” In an interview with I am Second, Lecrae said, “The people I looked up to were gangsters.” By the age of 16, Lecrae was immersed in drugs, alcohol, and criminal activity. He says he remembers being taken to church but feeling that it wasn’t for him.

It wasn’t until he was invited to a Christian conference by a friend that Lecrae encountered people who he says were like him. He said, “I [saw] guys who were shot from being in gangs...girls who were extremely promiscuous in the past...rappers...dancers...singers… I [saw] people who came from the same background I came from...but they were all in love with Jesus. And I’d never seen that before.”

At that conference, Lecrae heard the message of salvation through Jesus Christ preached. That experience had such an impact on him that he began to seek out a relationship with Christ. He says his life began to transform in incredible ways.

Lecrae later began to volunteer at a juvenile detention center. He says he would share songs he had written with the youth. The songs were about the dark times in his life when he had cried out to God. Young people at the center found hope in Lecrae’s lyrics and Lecrae was inspired to use rap as a way to impact people in a positive way.

Today, Lecrae owns a record label that he founded called Reach Records. The inspiration behind his label is Romans 1:16, “For I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.”

Lecrae has signed several artists to his label: Andy Mineo, KB, Trip Lee, Gawvi, and Tedashii. The artists on his label are quickly gaining recognition, topping charts across the country. Andy Mineo’s debut album reached #11 on the Billboard Top 200 and his follow-up EP hit #1 on iTunes.

Some call it Christian rap, others consider it Christian hip hop. Billboard Magazine called it “the gospel-rap movement.” Whatever you want to call it, a lot of people consider it really good hip hop with an inspiring message. iTunes states that Lecrae’s “blend of street-smart wisdom and God-centered testimony has earned him popularity beyond the confines of CCM (Christ Community Music Magazine).”

There are many emerging artists out there like Lecrae. These are rappers and hip hop artists who express their faith through a genre of music that isn’t considered typical for their message. They sing and rap about what’s real to them: a hope that’s impacted them. Many of these artists just want to use their music to encourage and inspire young people who love hip hop just as much as they do.

In an interview with Beliefnet, Lecrae said, “There is definitely a coalition brewing of different artists that want to infiltrate the [hip hop] industry and infiltrate the world and be a light… That’s encouraging to me.”

So if you’re interested in listening to some really good hip hop, regardless of your religious views, I highly recommend taking a listen to an artist like Lecrae.

You might just be inspired by his reality.