Who are Lecrae and Dee-1? All about the Christian Hip-Hop stars praised by Kendrick Lamar in his latest song

Hip-hop icon Kendrick Lamar dropped his brand-new single on Instagram on September 11, 2024, seemingly titled Watch the Party Die. The caption-less post contained the cover of the song, featuring a pair of beat-up, black Air Force 1s from the vintage lineup of Nike.

In the nearly 5-minute-long track, Kendrick Lamar name-dropped several musical artists and collaborators namely acclaimed saxophonist Terrace Martin, Jay Estrada, as well as Christian rappers Lecrae and Dee-1, among others.

“Sometimes I wonder what Lecrae would do/ F*ck these n*ggas up or show 'em just what prayer do/ I want to be empathetic, my heart like Dee-1/ But I would—” raps K-Dot at the beginning of Verse 3.

Here, Kendrick Lamar wonders to himself whether he should continue to publicly call out the likes of Drake or delve into the shoes of Lecrae and simply pray for them. He adds that he would also prefer an empathetic heart like Dee-1.

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All you need to know about Lecrae and Dee-1 amid their mentions in Kendrick Lamar’s latest song

Lecrae

Christian hip-hop star Lecrae Devaughn Moore, who is mononymously known as Lecrae is also a singer, songwriter, record producer/ executive, actor, investor, activist, and entrepreneur. He released his debut solo album Real Talk in 2004 followed by After the Music Stops and Rebel in 2006 and 2008 respectively.

Rebel became the first Christian hip-hop album to chart at the top of Billboard’s Top Gospel Albums list. He also dropped several other studio albums over the years including Rehab (2010), and Gravity (2012) alongside various mixtapes such as Church Clothes and its sequels.

The two-time Grammy winner has collaborated with several musicians over the decades including Tori Kelly for his platinum single I’ll Find You from the 2017 album All Things Work Together, super-producer Zaytoven for his 2018 album Let the Trap Say Amen, and No Church in a While with 1k Phew in 2021.

Lecrae has also partnered with Kendrick Lamar for the music video of his 2012 titular single Church Clothes in which the latter made a cameo. During the 2024 Grammy Awards, he exclusively told Hip Hop DX that he and Kendrick Lamar shared a “mutual respect” which was the reason behind their longtime friendship, and gave him a “shoutout” for being a “voice” for the rap community.

“One of the reasons why Kendrick Lamar is one of my favorites is because early on, he was really transparent and honest and allowed me to just be a voice in his life. And I’ll always be grateful to him for that, and I salute him in everything he does,” Lecrae shared at the time.

Later, Lecrae also shared his opinion on the feud between Kendrick Lamar and Drake during his interview with Jay Hill Network earlier this year. Without taking any sides, the 44-year-old observed:

“Ghostwriters aside, he’s a great rapper… but Drake is a fan of the culture. Kendrick is a product of the culture. It’s a difference.”

Lecrae, who has led the hip-hop group 116 Clique from the front, has also appeared as a performer on several notable TV shows including Good Morning America, Wild ‘n Out, and The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon among others. The multiple-time BET Award winner also released a New York Times-bestselling memoir titled Unashamed in May 2016.

Lecrae is married to Darragh Moore and the couple share three kids. They are currently based in Atlanta, Georgia.

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Dee-1

Dee-1, whose real name is David Arnold Augustine Jr. is a Christian hip-hop icon, educator, activist, business owner, and a keynote speaker from New Orleans, Louisiana. He first gained attention after the release of his single Jay, 50, and Weezy in 2010 which earned over a million views overnight on YouTube.

Since then, the freestyler and mental health activist has released several albums including David and Goliath, God and Girls, Finding Balance, UNO, From the Hood to Harvard, and L.O.A.D.E.D among others. Some of Dee-1’s notable mixtapes include It’s Only Tha Beginning, The Focus Tape, and Slingshot David.

Apart from being a musician, Dee-1 is also a consultant for National Social Emotional Learning, a professor at Tufts University, and a Nasir Jones Hip-Hop Fellow at Harvard University. The emcee who has charted on the top of Billboard, Apple Music, and iTunes lists was also an appointee by the former Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards and served on the Louisiana Council for the Success of Black Men and Boys.

The Emmy nominee has performed alongside the likes the Lil Wayne, Drake, Akon, Lil Boosie, and others during tours and collaborated with Mannie Fresh, Yassin Bey, The Game, and Juvenile. His joint venture Work with Lecrae is also noteworthy.

Dee-1 who has made appearances on talk shows such as The Real and His & Hers also composed the theme song for ESPN’s website The Undefeated titled, We Are The Undefeated.

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Kendrick Lamar’s latest single supposedly titled Watch the Party Die which refers to both Lecrae and Dee-1, was dropped in the wake of K-Dot being announced as the official headliner for the Halftime Show of Super Bowl LIX slated to occur in New Orleans, Louisiana, on February 5, 2025. It is also the Compton rapper’s first music release since his blockbuster single Not Like Us released earlier this year.