Anomaly is a landmark album for Lecrae, Reach Records, and maybe the “Christian Hip-Hop” “community”. Aptly titled ‘Anomaly’, it debuted at the top of the billboard Top 200 charts is Lecrae’s 7th solo studio album and the first album and second project (think Church Clothes 2) he’s released since he won that Grammy Award.
Anomaly begins with the track (‘Outsiders’) which sets the pace and tone for the entire album. The soothing voice of Novel (he is not credited on the track list) sings “I won’t stay here another night/If I gotta sacrifice/Who I am on the inside/I’d rather be an outsider/And you can stay if you like/I’ll see you on the other side/I wanna live the free life/I’d rather be an outsider.” He’s an anomaly in the pop music culture and he knows this, and “there’s plenty people like me” and he’s not unashamed to be who he’s supposed to be”. Very smooth track for an album opener.
‘Welcome To America’ is one of my favorite tracks on this album, social commentary on the great land of the free. Lecrae delivers verses from his perspective, the perspective of a soldier who went to war for America, and the third verse from someone who’s obviously not an American but has/had big dreams about America and all that it has to offer. In the end he got kicked out of America.
“Why y’all scared to be different?”, ‘Say I Won’t’; Lecrae and Andy Mineo’s collaboration. Definitely not my favorite track on the album. ‘Nuthin’ the first single released off the album nominated at the BET 2014 Hip-Hop Awards for Impact Track (It didn’t win); Lecrae talks about the trend in pop culture for the rappers to keep talking ‘bout nuthin. Regurgitating the same old topics, not talking about the insecurity and the real struggles they face, they’d rather talk about money that they don’t have and other vanities.
On ‘Fear’ addresses his insecurities and fears honestly. Very good track sequencing between Nuthin and Fear. “How I fear an eternity/Will I hear well done when he turn to me?” People will always have an opinion, don’t take it to heart. Be encouraged.
‘Anomaly’; shares the same title with the album. Lecrae once again addresses his not fitting in the music industry. He clearly defines what he means on this track. He addresses all the Fakin’ in the industry with lines like “All this killin’ but where the bodies at/all this money where the bugattis at/But dig a lil deeper/And you’ll find another insecure man sittin’ in a 2 seater”. And just when I was starting to enjoy the beat, the track faded out.
‘Timepiece’, ‘Dirty Water’ and ‘Wish’ address various issues from the dilution of the pure word of God, to being so busy pursuing the wrong things and neglecting the things that really matter to smell the roses. Buying Audemars which are quite expensive, but losing time in the process. I heard the Saviour’s coming back in no time.
On ‘Runners’, the message is basically don’t lust after them, it’s not worth it, he’s been there before. The skits at the beginning and end of the track make more “solid”. Am I the only one that nods his head and moves a bit to the chorus.
‘All I Need Is You’, basically he professes his love for his wife, but some lines do work as double entendre’s (two different or not so different meaning) and they can be interpreted as him referring to his relationship with God (he even points upward at a certain point in the video).
‘Give In’ – featuring Crystal Nicole. The message is about surrendering all, giving in to God; at least that’s what the chorus is about. Lecrae talks about going in, telling the world about his faith and not minding the mockers and distractions because he’s focused on God.
On ‘Good, Bad, Ugly’, Lecrae bares it all; the good, the bad and the ugly. This is a very personal song, he talks about the struggle between his soul and body after getting saved, the abortion of a child he had with his girlfriend back in college and being molested in the first grade. He’s imperfect just like everyone else, he shares his story. In the end; “We are not defined by our past/The future look bright/I see the light on.”
‘Broken’ – featuring Kari Jobe; we are all broken, all born sinners in need of a Savior. He drops bars like
“Broken pieces actin’ like we ain’t cracked/Man we all messed up and cain’t no one escape that”
“Regardless of our money, we all broke together/And if we don’t swallow our pride we gon’ choke together/Tryna hold onto our lives with these clumsy hands”.
“In the end, we all need grace much more.” – Propaganda. That pretty much sums up the whole track.
The last track; ‘Messengers’ features the Duo ‘For King & Country’. This is clarion call to the messengers of the gospel to preach the good news of the gospel. Who are the messengers? If you have been saved, you are one. Mark 16:15 (KJV); “And he said unto them, Go you into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.”
This is certainly not my favorite album or project from Lecrae, but it is still a good project nonetheless. If you are looking to listen to “lyrical theology”, you certainly won’t find it here, what you would hear is some good, honest music from a saved man charting new territory.
More Grace be unto him and his team.
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“What are your favorite tracks? Any peculiar revelations?
Have you listened to Anomaly? Which do you prefer; Gravity or Anomaly?”
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Review written by: Timi
Buy ‘Anomaly – The Album’ on iTunes: CLICK HERE
Favorite Tracks; All I Need Is You, Welcome To America & Runners.
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Twitter: @tee_Abraham
Email: lifegiva2@yahoo.com
Well written review. Listen to Anomaly. You sure would love God in a new light of how much God loves you.
I’m not a big fan of Lecrae but with your analysis I’m considering downloading the songs a soon as I get the chance. Nice one Tolu