We decided around 2014, because we had a No. Why, since you were doing well without a major before 2014, did you reach out to Columbia in the first place? Was it ever a good relationship? People want to consume that in times of desperation and joy. There is an expectation of hope and sobriety in our music. Does the audience react quickly to your releases? Your label drops sacred and secular product. Sometimes, it takes a single months on TikTok to go anywhere. Often in the majors, they don’t figure things out so fast, and if it doesn’t work, oh well, they move on to the next. Initially, that wasn’t our plan, but he wanted it out. We have an artist, Gawvi, who wanted to put out music during the pandemic. I understand the pressure and the desire. What happens when one of your artists wants to release a record on the same day as yours? You don’t have to wait in line to make them see the value of who you are as an artist… Also I don’t have to wait to approved to do a feature or be a guest on somebody else’s record, where (with a major), by the time I get all the department heads to say yes, the moment is gone. When you are an independent, you are your own priority. If I’m being 100% candid, when you have that many artists, there are simply other priorities that are not you. Or you can’t talk to the label president because they are dealing with another artist’s situation. When you’re part of a major, there are decisions such as having to release another artist’s single on the same day. We would be better suited (than Columbia) to move at the speed we need to move. Since this new record (“Restoration”) was pretty much done, I didn’t see that there was much heavy lifting that my label couldn’t do on its own. I had nine other artists on the label and didn’t want to take away from their ability to produce.
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1 album independently, so it wasn’t as if I didn’t believe in myself and my crew. When you find yourself in a position where you are chained due to the vision of a major label and you can’t move with nimbleness, you realize that you’ve got to do something different. I’m connected to issues of substance in society. Historically, my music has been an expression of that. There were pivots that needed to be made, responses that I wanted to execute toward things in society - like the homeless community and the prison community - and things I wanted to be involved in. When you’re responsible for hundreds of artists, like Columbia, you cannot pivot quickly - especially during a crisis. When you’re an independent artist, there’s a fluidity that you have, a nimbleness that allows you to react and respond quickly in the midst of chaotic circumstances.
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Here we are two months later, discussing your return, in full, to your Reach label. At the end of March, Columbia was sending out press releases about your new single. But whether the coronavirus happened or not, we should be taking better care of the earth. Is it possible that God is saying that we better take better care of the earth? Sure. Obviously, I think there is something going on behind the scenes that is ultimately for our good. All things work together for our good, if we know Him and trust Him.
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I totally believe that when things are out of control, God is in control. During this time, some spiritually minded artists have claimed that COVID-19 was God’s way of saying we need to realign the planet. Plus, I’ve cooked more than I have, ever, during my lifetime. It’s been challenging and yet refreshing.
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Then it moved into embracing whatever new normal there was, finding a new rhythm. LECRAE: The initial phase was anxiety, bewilderment and discombobulation. VARIETY: How has the quarantine been for you? It looks as if it’s been a busy one. Variety caught up with Lecrae after Memorial Day to discuss his own personal independence day, as well as the responsibility of having an independent label at times of crisis and joy.