INTERVIEW: Lecrae Talks New Album 'Reconstruction,' KDot Mention, Young Thug Comments, J.Cole, Faith +More

Summary

The Breakfast Club Podcast Summary
Episode: INTERVIEW: Lecrae Talks New Album 'Reconstruction,' KDot Mention, Young Thug Comments, J.Cole, Faith + More
Release Date: July 31, 2025
Host/Authors: DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, and Charlamagne Tha God
Guest: Lecrae
Duration: Approximately 44 minutes

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Introduction and Welcome [00:34 - 01:10]

The episode kicks off with Charlamagne Tha God and DJ Envy welcoming their guest, acclaimed artist Lecrae. Charlamagne exclaims, “We got the good brother Lecrae,” setting an enthusiastic tone for the interview.

---

Discussing 'Reconstruction' Album [01:10 - 05:37]

Album Production and Intentions

DJ Envy initiates the conversation by delving into Lecrae's latest project, Reconstruction. He remarks on the album's depth, noting, “to the beat selection. And it sounds like a movie” ([02:14]). Lecrae explains the meticulous process behind the album, emphasizing quality over speed:

“People rush music these days, man. They just make disposable music. And I just felt like it's time out for all that.” ([02:14])

Breaking Stereotypes in Rap

Charlamagne addresses Lecrae's identity as a Christian rapper, expressing,

“I would appreciate if they listen. You call me what you want to call me. You a hip hop artist, like, but listen, you're a rapper.” ([02:24])

Lecrae defends his artistry against preconceived notions, underscoring the album's candid expression of his journey.

---

Faith Journey and Religious Trauma [05:37 - 19:01]

Deconstructing and Reconstructing Faith

Lecrae shares his struggles with the Evangelical church, particularly when advocating for social issues, which led him to question his faith:

“Maybe this whole thing is wrong. So I was ready to throw it all away.” ([05:37])

Charlamagne elaborates on his own faith journey, highlighting the influence of his trip to Egypt and his desire to rebuild his understanding of Christianity:

“I had to tear down these like American ideas of what God is, what church is, and reconstruct from the perspective that the Bible really gives it,” ([07:11])

Church Hurt and Personal Experiences

The discussion shifts to the concept of "church hurt," where individuals feel let down by religious institutions:

“Church hurt is, you know, when the people that you expect to serve you well, the people that you expect to become your family and love you well let you down.” ([07:30])

Charlamagne recounts witnessing his father's struggles with addiction and the lack of supportive reactions from the religious community, emphasizing the need for a more compassionate approach:

“See, that's not a God hurt, that's a people hurt. People let you down.” ([07:30])

---

Personal Anecdotes and Interactions [19:01 - 27:15]

Encounter with J. Cole

Charlamagne shares an awkward encounter with J. Cole at a Super Bowl party, where his eagerness to share his faith led to an uncomfortable situation:

“Hey, bro, do you believe in Jesus? And it was just like, not, hello, not, what's up, bro?” ([12:43])

This moment highlights Charlamagne's initial struggle to balance his identity with his faith in social settings.

Lecrae's Story with Prince

Lecrae recounts his respectful and positive interaction with Prince, contrasting it with Charlamagne's experience:

“He was nice as hell. I said I grew up Jehovah Witness too.” ([15:08])

Both anecdotes underscore the complexities of expressing faith within the music industry.

---

Faith and Hip Hop Culture [20:10 - 32:44]

Maintaining Faith Amidst Hip Hop's Challenges

Charlamagne discusses the tension between personal faith and the often trauma-centric narratives in hip hop:

“It's trauma porn, you know what I'm saying.” ([20:10])

He criticizes the industry's tendency to capitalize on artists' struggles rather than fostering genuine healing, advocating for a more authentic and constructive approach.

Reconstructing Church Dynamics

The conversation shifts to redefining the church experience, moving away from rigid structures to embrace community and genuine relationships:

“But what church is, is a gathering of God's people who come together to, you know, as a community to live out, to celebrate God, to navigate their lifestyle.” ([25:28])

Lecrae and Charlamagne emphasize the importance of authenticity and vulnerability in religious dialogues, aiming to bridge gaps between traditional faith structures and contemporary expressions.

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Collaborations and Influences [32:44 - 43:07]

Responding to Young Thug and Kendrick Lamar

Charlamagne addresses Lecrae's response to Young Thug's remarks about gospel rap, emphasizing the positive transformation that faith can bring:

“They was like, how dare you collaborate with this, like, worldly artist? It made him feel a way about Christians...” ([31:04])

Lecrae praises Charlamagne's ability to showcase vulnerability and authenticity in his music, highlighting their mutual respect and influence:

“Have you met Cole since then?... That was tough. You right. Dot will throw you a. He'll throw you a layup.” ([26:02])

Promoting New Artists and Building Community

Charlamagne expresses his commitment to uplifting emerging artists, fostering a supportive environment:

“I keep young hitters with me all the time because I want them to see learn, grow, build...” ([40:08])

Lecrae commends Charlamagne's efforts to create inclusive conversations within the faith and hip hop communities, recognizing the impact of meeting people where they are:

“That are meeting people where they are facts, you know, that's going to really give, give, give. Gonna reintroduce hope.” ([41:36])

---

Album Highlights and Messages [43:07 - 43:33]

Playing a Track from 'Reconstruction'

The hosts invite Lecrae to play a track from his album, highlighting its significance and anticipation:

“Let's play headphones.” ([43:16])

Lecrae emphasizes the album's themes of grief, healing, and reconstruction, aiming to resonate deeply with listeners:

“That's a record about grief... I hope you got headphones and heaven.” ([31:14])

---

Closing Remarks and Takeaways [43:33 - 44:01]

Charlamagne and DJ Envy wrap up the interview by reiterating Lecrae's album release date and expressing gratitude for his participation:

“We appreciate you for joining us. The album comes out on the 22nd of August,” ([43:34])

The episode concludes with the trio signing off, maintaining the show's signature energy:

“Good morning. The Breakfast Club.” ([43:55])

---

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Charlamagne Tha God:

  “I would appreciate if they listen. You call me what you want to call me. You a hip hop artist, like, but listen, you're a rapper.” ([02:24])

• Lecrae:

  “People rush music these days, man. They just make disposable music. And I just felt like it's time out for all that.” ([02:14])

• Charlamagne Tha God:

  “Church hurt is, you know, when the people that you expect to serve you well, the people that you expect to become your family and love you well let you down.” ([07:30])

• Lecrae:

  “I had some phases where I highlighted a lot of stuff. I got notes in that joint.” ([36:15])

• Charlamagne Tha God:

  “It's trauma porn, you know what I'm saying.” ([20:10])

• Lecrae:

  “That are meeting people where they are facts, you know, that's going to really give, give, give. Gonna reintroduce hope.” ([41:36])

---

Key Insights and Conclusions

1. Authenticity in Art and Faith: Lecrae and Charlamagne emphasize the importance of genuine self-expression, both in music and faith, resisting the industry's tendency to commodify personal struggles.

2. Reconstructing Faith: Both hosts and Lecrae advocate for a rebuilt understanding of faith that prioritizes relationships over rigid structures, aiming to heal past wounds and foster inclusive communities.

3. Bridging Communities: The conversation highlights the potential for dialogue between faith-based and secular communities, encouraging mutual respect and understanding.

4. Supporting Emerging Talent: Charlamagne's commitment to uplifting new artists demonstrates a dedication to nurturing the next generation within the hip hop and faith communities.

5. Navigating Personal Trauma: The discussion delves into personal experiences with trauma, showcasing resilience and the pursuit of healing through faith and creative expression.

---

Final Thoughts:
This episode of The Breakfast Club offers an in-depth exploration of Lecrae's latest musical endeavor, Reconstruction, intertwined with personal narratives on faith, healing, and the evolving landscape of hip hop. Through candid conversations and relatable anecdotes, Lecrae and the hosts shed light on the challenges and triumphs of maintaining authenticity in both artistry and spirituality.

Transcript

[Podcast Host]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[Carlos Miller]

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[Charlamagne Tha God]

Every day I wake up. Wake your ass up. The Breakfast Club. Y' all finished or y' all done?

[DJ Envy]

Morning, everybody. It's DJ Envy. Jess, Hilarious Charlamagne, the guy we are the Breakfast Club. Lola Rose is here as well.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

We got a special guest in the building.

[Lecrae]

Yes, indeed.

[DJ Envy]

We got the good brother Lecrae. What's up, brother?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

What's happening? What's happening, man?

[DJ Envy]

How you feeling, man?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I'm good, man. It's good to be here with y'. All.

[Lecrae]

Good to see you, brother. I was listening to Reconstruction, man, and I told them earlier, I said if, if Lecrae wasn't a quote, unquote, Christian rapper.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah.

[Lecrae]

They would have to put this in rap Album of the year category.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Wow, that's big.

[Lecrae]

I, I, I truly believe that.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

That's big.

[Lecrae]

This is a phenomenal body of work.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I appreciate that, man. Like, yeah, man. I mean, you know, you, you, you live what you live with you, you, you know, however how they meet you is how they see you. So it's like they met me in the four walls of the church, so, you know, that's the box. But I'm a product of hip hop, so, so, you know what I'm saying? It's all love, but I appreciate that. It means a lot, bro.

[Lecrae]

Absolutely.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah.

[DJ Envy]

Well, I wanna start off with diving into the album. First of all, how long did it take you to do this album? Cause this album is. You could tell you took a lot into doing this album.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah.

[DJ Envy]

I mean, even to the beat selection. And it sounds like a movie.

[Lecrae]

Cause you ain't dropped in a few years.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah, I ain't put out an album album in a minute. Yeah, it took me a while. I just, you know, we pieced it together. You know what I'm saying? We pieced it together. I was real meticulous and just like, you know what I mean? Let me, let me really, like, push the boundaries and stretch stuff out. I was giving S1 a headache, you know what I'm saying? Like, hey, can you add a little bit? Can you tweak this? Can you do this? You know what I'm saying? So, yeah, it took me a little while, but it was worth it, man. People rush music these days, man. They just make disposable music. And I just felt like it's time out for all that.

[DJ Envy]

Are you tired of being put in that box that you're. I don't wanna say. People don't take you serious, but they look at you a certain way where they should just look at you as an artist, a hip hop artist.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I would appreciate it. I would appreciate if they listen. You call me what you want to call me. You a hip hop artist, like, but listen, you're a rapper. Yeah, just listen to the music. I don't care what you. If you want to call me whatever, gospel rapper, Christian rapper, listen, that's it. Because I think there's a misnomer. People get it twisted and they think that the music going to sound like this or. You know what I'm saying? I'm still scarred from like. I went to an NBA practice and like, handed a. Back when I did my first church clothes mixtape and I handed a player my joint and he was like, I don't listen to no gospel rap. I was like, bruh, you know what I'm saying?

[DJ Envy]

He probably had a horrible season that season.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Listen, I'm not gonna mention no, nothing.

[Lecrae]

It's like when somebody give you a Jesus pamphlet in the street and you look at it, you can't throw that out. You can't throw that away.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You gotta give it to somebody else. You can't throw it out. Yeah, man. So I don't like that. I don't like that. People say it's corny. I'm like, bro, you got. I don't know where you even got this. Like, when's the last time you just sat and listened to a body of work to even create this idea of. So, you know. But long as you listen, I don't care.

[Podcast Host]

When I listened to it, it was my first time listening to one of your full projects. I definitely expected something different. Because of the name Reconstruction.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Oh, yeah.

[Podcast Host]

Especially because I think of you as a gospel rap artist.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Damn.

[DJ Envy]

He just said it wouldn't be that.

[Podcast Host]

I mean, I'm just saying, like, it just happens naturally. So I thought Reconstruction, gospel rap artist. I thought it was gonna be very like, kind of like rap, but Altar Call ish. It wasn't that. It was more about your story. Right. Why the name Reconstruction?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

A lot of different reasons. So reconstruction is like. It's a theme, it's thematic for my life and what I've experienced. But it's also just the era we living in. We dispose people, we throw them away. So, like, you see what happened at the Coldplay concert with HR CEO. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? And it was like social media was excited to destroy them, like, tear them down. They was wrong for a lot of reasons. First of all, anyway, I'm not even gonna get into why they was wrong, but.

[Lecrae]

No, go ahead, get.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I mean, first of all, bro, what is you doing? Why you got wrapped up at the car? I mean, you was wrong for cheating on your wife, but you really wrong. You wild for, like, being booed up, hugged up like that in public. You a whole CEO, Are you. You. You tripping? Yeah, but the way social media was excited to destroy them was. Is like, that's what we get excited about. And my homie Mike D, he was tearing apart a. A tree house in his backyard. And he was doing it piece by piece. Like, let me be careful. Cause he didn't want to just demolish it because he wants to reuse that wood. And that's what I feel like reconstruction is about. Is like, God don't just want to destroy people. He wants to reconstruct them, reuse them. I work in prisons all the time. I was in a prison not too long ago, and there was a dude in there, and I don't condone none of the stuff he did. You know, he did some heinous things. They whooped him. They beat him up when he first got there. But over the course of his years there, like, he's been influential. He's changed people's lives. He's done. And how long do we got to, like, be looked at as this terrible human being before? It's like something different can happen with them. So that's kind of why I did reconstruction. The second reason why is because, you know, the Reconstruction era in. In American history is a. Is a time period where, you know, disenfranchised people were able to come up from the rubble and make a difference in society. So it's like both. Both pieces.

[Lecrae]

You know, I've heard you also speak about deconstructing your. Your faith before. So what did you discover about God? I guess, when you stripped away religion, that made you want to do a reconstruction?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Reconstruction. I caught a lot of flack from the Evangelical church when. When. When black bodies were being laid in the street. And I was very open about it. And, and you know, people was like really hated that I was standing up for social issues. And it gave me a lot of tension with the church, with, you know, the broader church, American church. And so I was like, well, maybe this whole thing is wrong. So I was ready to throw it all away. I went to Egypt and I got to see like some of the Christians over there and it was different. You know, I got to read about Ethiopia and see how Christianity was not started in America. It's not this white man's religion. It's something that existed outside of the European narrative and you know, shout out to my white brothers and sisters. But I'm just saying they don't, they. It's a lot of things have been co opted. It's not like this, this European religion. So I had to tear down these like American ideas of what God is, what church is, and reconstruct from the perspective that the Bible really gives it, you know what I'm saying? So it's kind of like eating mom's spaghetti. Like if you got the recipe from two, 25 years ago and now you leaving out stuff that ain't the same recipe. And I feel like the faith, so much stuff has been left out. So I just wanted to rebuild on the foundation. Jesus is my foundation and let's rebuild this thing in a healthier way. And that's what, what reconstruction looks like, man.

[Lecrae]

You know, in the, in the first track you talk about being church hurt. And it's so interesting because I was just having a conversation with my good sister Debbie Brown yesterday and she was talking about religious trauma. The trauma people have experienced. Yeah, being in the church. Right. Like, what does church hurt to you?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Church hurt is, you know, when the people that you expect to serve you well, the people that you expect to become your family and love you well let you down. But it happens everywhere, right? It's not just in the church. It could be, you know, I remember when the game was crying cause he thought hip hop was gonna be something that it wasn't, you know what I'm saying? And it's like he was hip hop hurt, you know what I mean? People have expectations and the expectations ain't met. And I think the problem is we blame God and it ain't. That's not a God hurt, that's a people hurt. People let you down. God didn't. You know what I'm saying? So I think people turn their back on church because of that. And I, you know, for me, man, I love, you know, I ain't getting Sponsored by Chipotle. But I love Chipotle. They good but certain. Chipotle's, they don't be seasoning that food. Right. It don't make me say, I hate Chipotle. I'll never go to Chipotle again. I may not go to that one. Or, I mean, I go and buddy working behind. But I still love Chipotle. So I think that's what people do with God and with church. Like, oh, they had a terrible experience. I'm done with God. My mom, you know, she grew up in a very religious world like that. She was done. She didn't raise me in church because she was like, they burnt me too bad. So, you know, we had to work through that trauma with her. So I get it. Yeah.

[DJ Envy]

For people that don't know, you know, you said your mom didn't raise you in church, so how did you become. And you've talked about a million one times, but how did you become the way that you become if you weren't raised in church? Because people would automatically assume, oh, he must have been born in church. He was on church on Tuesdays or Wednesdays, he did this, and Thursday he did Bible study. Like, so to break that down, I.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Was a straight hippie. My mom was a hippie. She had a Buddha in the room. She was blazing like. No real thoughts of who God it was, the universe, everything. She was just a wild hippie. So that's how I grew up. And then I just was searching. I studied Rastafarianism because I like to smoke. I studied Islam. I studied. I studied a lot of things. And I was really curious. I was seeking. I was kind of like, Gen Z. Gen Z is very spiritual. They like, well, I don't know what's up? That's kind of how I was. And I didn't want to mess with Christianity because I felt like it was rigid and it was like suits and ties. But then I went to this conference in Atlanta, and I'm like, 19, and I see dudes with cornrows. I see this group from Philly named Cross Movement. And they was baggy jeans and they was on the block. And I was like, they had that, like, 5% of energy, but they was Christians. And I was like, oh, this is crazy. I didn't know this existed. So that intrigued me. And it made me say, well, wait a minute, if these dudes are Christians, maybe there's something to this. And then I listened and I had an, you know, an existential experience with God where, you know, my heart Got changed, literally. You know what I'm saying? And I trusted in Jesus. And then I was like, now what do I do? You know what I mean? I rap. I like to rap. So the first album I listened to that, to me was like gospel. I didn't listen to gospel. Was a miseducation. Lauryn Hill. So I said, I want to do what she doing. And that was kind of like the impetus of me moving forward.

[Lecrae]

Did you stop smoking weed or you still enjoy the Burning Bush from time to time?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Initially I stopped. Then years down the line, I picked it back up and then I stopped again.

[Lecrae]

It's medical now.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

So, I mean, it ain't that for me. It's a lot of other things, but it ain't that for me. It's not. I mean, you know, first of all, whether I thought it was okay or not okay, the way my anxiety is set up, I don't need to ever touch nobody's weight.

[Lecrae]

That's why you do indigo. See, I. See, I deal with anxiety.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Okay.

[Lecrae]

Like, I had really bad anxiety, but. Yeah, sativa would always make me have the worst panic attacks in the world.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah.

[Lecrae]

But the indiga does the opposite. So you can get it to. You can get. It's so medical now. You can get it to where you. It'll take out the paranoia.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah.

[Lecrae]

Take out the, you know, anxiety inducing effects. Like, you can get it damn near custom made the way you want.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I'm gonna just. I'm gonna just meditate, you know, saying I would just sit and meditate and enjoy this, the sea breeze. But hey, man, you know what I'm saying? I don't want to. I don't want to dabble. I don't want to play with that one. You know, I didn't have some bad panic attacks before, bro. I wouldn't even want to. I. We want to go back.

[Podcast Host]

I mean, you talk about a lot of your life stuff in the album, so I know some of the background. But like, church wise, like, because you talk so different than a lot of the church leaders or people that are in faith. Do you get anxiety from that? Like when you put out interviews, I watched one you were talking to. I forget, his name is Mike. Y' all were talking about, like, church denominations and that not being a real thing anymore.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Oh, yeah.

[Podcast Host]

And I was like, I could never watch this with my grandma.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Nah. I mean, I. You just got to know who rock with you. You know what I'm saying? I'm not afraid to just tell the truth after you being in this Game. Been in this game for so long, you realize, like, there's always gonna be a critic. There's always gonna be somebody. And if you don't stand for what you believe in, somebody's gonna knock you off your pivot. I played the game too long, if that makes sense. Like, I danced. I remember my first time coming here. I was so nervous. I was like, all right, what I gotta say? Let me not mess this up. And you start feeling like, I gotta represent the Christians. I gotta represent the hip hop community. I gotta. You know. And then after a while, you just like, bro, I'm. I'm just. I gonna be who God called me to be. And I don't really got time to wrestle with all these weird things. I remember being so, like, torn. And how do I navigate? Like, my first time meeting J. Cole was such an embarrassing moment. Cause I. I felt like you saw me tell. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? It was like, how do I. What was the story, bro? So we was at a Super bowl party years back, and now I was tipsy. I was. You know what I'm saying? I was indulging a little too much. And I no longer drink, by the way. So in case anybody. It ain't a religious thing. It's a sobriety thing. But I approached J. Cole, and then I'm like, okay, what do I do? What do I say? That's J. Cole. I don't. And then what comes out my mouth is, hey, bro, do you believe in Jesus? And it was just like, not, hello, not, what's up, bro? My name's like. It was just like, who is it?

[Podcast Host]

Listen to the altar real quick.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Oh, my God.

[Lecrae]

You said it. Like, what's that you claim?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah, that's how I really. I pressed him, like, for the kingdom. It was like. I was like, you know what I'm saying? Like, I really pressed him. So he was like, I mean, I grew up in church, but I'm processing what I believe. And you know what I'm saying? And I was like, all right. I was like, well, take my number down. He took my number down. And then I was like. He walked away. And I said, hey, man, you didn't even put my number in your. My name in your phone. How you gonna call me back? You don't know my name. I really. Crashing out like an idiot.

[Lecrae]

So you didn't know who you was?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I said that to him, and he was like, I know who you are, nigga. You know what I'm saying? I was like, oh, I Felt stupid. But it was that era, you know, this is like 10 years ago. But it was that crazy. I stupid it like just nervous, not knowing who to be, not knowing how to walk in my own identity, not knowing how to be who God called me to be. And just. And I think it just took time for me to get comfortable in my own skin. So I don't really. Like you was saying, I don't trip no more. When I was like, the religious community may be mad at me, the non religious community may be mad at me, but I'm.

[Lecrae]

Have you met Cole since then?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I ain't, but I.

[Lecrae]

Cause to me, if I was, I'm not gonna front. If I was Cole, I'd be like, yo, Lecrae fake. And I really not say that. Cause I met you. You drunk as hell.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah. He couldn't tell though, if you talking like that. Maybe I think it was giving a little.

[Lecrae]

He ran up on the avoid.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I believe in Jesus maybe, like, I deserve that one.

[Lecrae]

And y' all haven't spoke at all?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Nah.

[Lecrae]

I wonder what he thinks of you.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I. I don't know, bro. I don't know. It was bad. Crazy. It was bad, bro. It was bad. And. But I mean. But I own it. It's like. I own it. You know what I'm saying? I own my story. It's like that's kind of what you did to Prince.

[DJ Envy]

Same thing.

[Lecrae]

That's not what I did.

[DJ Envy]

Yes, it is. What's the first thing you said to Prince?

[Lecrae]

First of all, it is Prince, right? He one morning, he was up here at the radio station, like five in the morning. Somebody was like, yo, Princess. Him like, Prince. Why would Prince be here? Yeah, and he. We went. We put this station on auto. When we went, he was walking down the hall with two old white women. And he was nice as hell. He came up to us, spoke not nice as hell. I'm sorry. He was nice as heaven. And he came up to us.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

What's the first thing you said?

[Lecrae]

I said I grew up Jehovah Witness too.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Didn't even say hello. That's what I did. No, it's the same story. That's what you did. You said it was awkward and I got. You didn't even say hello.

[Podcast Host]

It's just in the moment. You kind of just.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah, six o' clock in the morning.

[Lecrae]

I mean, that's.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

That's religious trauma. No, no. That's some Prince. What are you talking about, man?

[Podcast Host]

Come on, let's take a minute there. Can we talk about that for a Minute.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

That's such religious trauma. That's like, yeah, my brother, that's cool. Oh yeah, that's, that's cult action. And I know the Jehovah's Witness is going to come at me for that, but that's a, that's a whole cult now.

[Lecrae]

I don't think it's a cult. I have to say that because my mom is still.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I mean, you don't mean it as cultish, I got to say, cuz my mom is still there.

[Lecrae]

Somebody's going to send this to her. I don't think it's a cult, but I, I understand what you're saying because like, man, when you a kid and you growing up and everybody else celebrating holidays and you and you ringing doorbells.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Religion, Religion is the term religion. I mean, biblically, religion is, is like, it's a practice, right? But what we mean in our society is like, it is rules without relationship in a lot of ways. It's like religion to me is if you love your wife, you come home with flowers and you say, here's what I'm supposed to give you, sweetheart. That's religious relationship is. I was thinking about you all day, baby. I got you some flowers and I just wanted to show you some love. That's relationship. So to me, it's like I came out the womb and I can't have birthday parties and I gotta do all these things and button up this. I don't even know if I got a relationship with God. Like, why would I want to be connected to a God who don't want to.

[Podcast Host]

How do you raise kids in religion then? Because I think a lot of people would say that there's like, I mean, you don't have that right because you said your mom didn't really.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah, but I got three kids, but.

[Podcast Host]

Okay, so are you raising your kids in religion and how do you do it?

[Lecrae]

You raise them through. In a relationship with God?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah, yeah, that's how. I mean, I, I don't like, hey, kids, I'm bringing, we're going to church because I feel like this is the healthiest place for you. Because I've met God. My daughter's the only one of my kids who's gotten baptized. Because I'm like, I don't want to force nothing on y'. All. Y' all gonna have to make this decision for yourself. This was her decision that she made and we celebrate that. I've had hard convos with my oldest son who's like, I don't know if I believe this would I be a Muslim if I didn't live in this house. And we have those dialogues, and I love those. Like, yeah, let's go there. Let's have these conversations so that he can. But I want him to see the consistency of my life. He's like, nah, dad. Like, he talks about the fruit of the spirit. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, self control. But then he lives it. He apologizes when he mess up. Cause I done spazzed. But then I come back and like, he sees that I have a relationship with God. And for him, he's made that decision on his own as well. But it's like, I'm not saying you better. I'm saying this is what I feel like is the healthiest way.

[Lecrae]

That's why I don't like the whole disfellowshipping at the. At the. At the Kingdom Hall. You know, that's actually what turned me off to it, whether I. Whether I realized that or not. But as I got older, I realized the reason I was turned off to it is when watching my father get disfellowshipped. My father needed help in that moment. He was dealing with substance abuse issues. And like, you don't just fellowship a man for that. And then, then they make you come to the Kingdom hall, but nobody speaks to you. And they announced to the whole congregation, such and such has been disfellowshipped from the Kingdom. I'm like, God, so your pops is.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

In there and they just cancel them.

[Lecrae]

Right then in front of everybody. Nobody talks. Like, they don't talk to you when.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You'Re dispelled and how you supposed to heal, right? Like, see, I'm saying, like, crazy. That's what I'm saying. Like, I, like, I don't get that. I was just. When I was walking down the street yesterday, a dude on the block passed me the flyer, and he was a. Like a street preacher. And he ended up being a dope one. But a lot of times my issue with street preachers too, is it's like, bro, you yelling at people, you condemning people. Like you don't even know they names. I got one dude ran up on me as I was leaving a Wu Tang concert. And he was like, le cry, what are you doing here? I was, like, enjoying some music, you know what I'm saying? Like, you know, but then he was blasting me and blasting people around him. So I walked up to this table and I'm like, bro, he was in an argument with another dude. And I said, yo, my man, what's Your name. And the dude he was arguing with told me his name. I said, where you from? He told me where he's from. I said, word, man. You want to get together sometime, maybe get coffee and talk about what you believe? He's like, I'm down. I said, how about you try that, my guy? Instead of yelling at him and telling him he's going to hell.

[Lecrae]

Wow.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You know what I mean? But it's like, that's the stuff I don't. I can't fool with. Like, it's like there ain't no relationship in that.

[Lecrae]

How do you maintain faith in a culture like hip hop that often monetizes your trauma but resists your healing?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Ooh, that's a deep one right there, bro. I think. I think there's irresponsibility. I get it. You a young dude off the block. This is an opportunity for you to get a check. The industry, the powers that be, say, hey, tell that story five more times and you gonna get more checks. And you don't know enough about who you are, your own identity, your value, your self worth to even understand. Like, I'm being like, you know, used. But I don't think that's how hip hop started. That wasn't how it initiated. It was us as grids in the community telling what was going on around us, not trying to capitalize off our. It's trauma porn, you know what I'm saying? So I don't like that. And so that's why I do bring the healing side. That's why even when I collaborate with other artists, like, you know, I did a song with Waka back in the day, and I was like, let's talk about the other side of the game. Everybody talks about selling drugs, but no one talks about the like, I done sold drugs. You done sold drugs.

[Jess Hilarious]

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[Charlamagne Tha God]

Talks about the trauma that come with that. What's it like sitting behind a cell? What's it like seeing your mom? My dad was a crack addict for years and just to see that reality and live under that. You know what I'm saying? So it's like, let's talk about the trauma of that. And then the healing aspect of it is I'm walking and breathing as a healed individual. I think people want me to be perfect so many times without understanding what I came from, what I came through. And it's like, well be perfect. And I'm like, look, I'm not as bad as you think I am, but I'm not as good as you think I am either. I'm a human being in the middle trying to. Trying to walk this thing out as best I can.

[Lecrae]

Absolutely.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

Dang. That was. Yeah. People in church don't talk like that. I like what you and Tim Ross do.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Podcast Host]

A whole lot because of that. But I. I guess one of my questions and maybe I'll stop asking you faith based questions. It's all love is at what point when. So you grew up in this household where your mom is not pressing you to do any. Right. And then you find God through your own journey. At what point do you. Cuz you've said you hate the church. You said it on his album.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I said I hated, hated, hated, hated. Yes.

[Podcast Host]

So what makes you bring people. Because when people find God, they go find a physical church and a lot of times they can't separate the two.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Right.

[Podcast Host]

What makes you bring people to a physical church to expose them to what might become a church? Hate if.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah, I love the church. I love the church. The big C. The people who love God all around the world. It's global, it's not American. The models that we see for church are generally like sometimes it's an industrial complex, sometimes it's a system. The work still get done. Like sometimes it's a. Like I get it. It's like it's an infrastructure, it's a system. There's lights and there's cameras and there's these things. Like it's a oratorical speech being given in music. It's A Broadway production. I get it. That's not what church is. That is a expression from the. From the people who love God. But what church is, is a gathering of God's people who come together to, you know, as a community to live out, to celebrate God, to navigate their lifestyle. So some of the other things that get built up that we call church, you know, shout out to my guy, Carl lynch, and salute to call. Yeah, you know, he was a part of that complex, you know what I'm saying? And it's like they're made. The pastors are made out to be gurus. None of them are gurus. They giraffes on ice skates. They don't got it. They don't got it figured out, you know? But everyone sees them as gurus, so when they fall or slip, they should be responsible. But they've been propped up to be these gurus, and it's like, bro, they fooling themselves, thinking they got it all together. So I don't hate the church. I love the church. The expressions we see a lot of times in America, I think are silly, you know what I'm saying? But I navigate them and I deal with them because that's where we are as a culture, you know what I'm saying? It's like hip hop. It's like, I know what hip hop used to look like. I know what it looks like now. I think some stuff is silly. I think having to make a TikTok go viral for people to enjoy your song is silly. But it's where we are. So I'm not just downing it. I'm not like, that's stupid. Y' all dumb. Y' all lame. It's like, it's where we are.

[Lecrae]

I love Carl for the same reason I love a lot of your music is because y' all are not afraid to show people that you made mistakes. Y' all not afraid to show people that you flawed. Y' all not afraid to show people that you still wrestle with the same things we all wrestle with the insecurities. Like, I love on Die for the Party, when you started off, you said I was wrestling. Like, I write a verse. The culture got enough clout chasing vultures out here trying to prove they were. If they need attention, they can't imagine me not trying to make myself look bigger off of this Kendrick mention. Like, when you hear you rap that I can hear you wrestling with, man. Should I even write, man? You know what I mean? Like, but he did shout me out. I mean, I can't just let this go by.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

See, man, that was tough. You right. Dot will throw you a. He'll throw you a layup. And it's like, do I dunk this or not? Cause I don't. Especially for him. Cause he got so many clout chasers. He got so many. Just. So for me, for Kendrick, for. Not to mention me in a song. And say, I wonder what Lecrae would do. First of all, he's paying homage to my lifestyle, my processing. It's not like he's a good. Lecrae's a good rapper. He's saying, I wonder what Lecrae would do in this.

[Podcast Host]

He's a good person.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah. This circumstance. And for me, it's like, I didn't want to say nothing. My homie at. He was like, you need to respond. I said, nah, bro, I ain't. That's lame. Like, ah, it's nasty. It just feels nasty. And he was like, bro, the world is watching. The world is listening. The man said, your name.

[Lecrae]

Asked you a question.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

He did ask me a question. And so I was like, ah, try. And I really didn't even like it when I was writing it. And then fire. I didn't even like it. And then it just, you know. So I sent Dot the whole album, and I said, pick a song, man. I'm waiting. I ain't heard nothing back.

[Lecrae]

So I love the last line on there. You said, love is patient. So I'm trusting in the narrative. And Christ ain't watched the party die.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

He died instead of it.

[Lecrae]

What does that mean?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Basically, like, you know, on the song, he was saying on his song, you know, watch the party die. It's kind of like. It's like, man, y', all. He sees the dysfunction, and he's like, ugh. You know what I mean? And we all see the dysfunction, and we all like, ugh. But if we really want to end all the evil that exists out there, that means we gonna die too, you know? Cause there's evil that exists in here. So you gotta be also mad at yourself. And Jesus didn't sit back and say, yeah, y' all are disgusting. He said, I'm gonna take that disgust on myself. You know what I'm saying? I'm gonna lay my life down and let y' all walk across my back to cleanliness and to wholeness. Instead of condemning y', all, I'm gonna reach my hand out to save y'. All. So that was the picture I was painting instead of just being condemning. Cause when you see something that you hate, you're like, ugh. But then you gotta look in the mirror sometimes and be like, ugh. And if I want it all to go, I gotta go with it. So Jesus is like, yeah, it's whack, but I'll take your ugliness on me. You know what I mean?

[Podcast Host]

Cause Kendrick said f these n words up are showing what prayer do, so you showing them what prayer do, right? Empathy. That's how I got it. I said that earlier and you was like, I ain't hear that. That wasn't right.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

What? When Kendrick said what you said.

[Podcast Host]

That is what I said. I said what I said was from what I took from your verse, you decided or you self reflected and you said, I can't watch the party die because if the party had died, I would have died too. Because I was a. That is what I said. I said because you felt like you were part of what people are saying is disgusting. At one point you had to find your mission.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah, for sure.

[Podcast Host]

That's literally what I said. And you said, I didn't hear that.

[Lecrae]

She ain't say that. She heard you say that eloquently.

[DJ Envy]

All day long he be trying to.

[Podcast Host]

Make it seem like basically I that's what I took from it. He said something else, but we going to let him ride.

[DJ Envy]

But I do have a question. So you know, record with Killer Mike.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

And ti Crazy headphones.

[DJ Envy]

Do you get people when you ask people for, like you send your album to Kate out or you send songs to other artists, do you. A lot of times do artists not want to do it because they put you in that box? Do they question themselves because you.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

They won't say that. They've never said it overtly. I'm sure that's an issue for people. I've never heard it. When people get to know me, there's a level of respect. So like me and Mike go years back. Like Killer Mike and I are good friends. You know what I'm saying? That's my dog. But I mean, we've had some, some conversations. You know, obviously we don't agree on everything, but he respects me and I respect him. And so it's like this mutual respect where it's like, I see where you at and I'mma come on your playing field and rock with you there. There might be some other people who like, now why would we do something now why would I fool with him? They ain't never said it to me, but I be feeling like in my experience, people, people closet, they faith and they look for outlets to express It. And then I give them that outlet. A lot of times, like, they, like, I wanna. Like, I remember when. I mean, I don't know about Faith Wise, But I know 21 Savage has said somewhere along the line, like, he wished he didn't have to rap about the stuff he rap about all the time. And it's like, that's what people expect of him. And I'm like, I think there's a lot of people who feel like that in the faith world. And it's like, yes, this gave me a chance to say, well, what I really wanted to say. You know what I mean? So. But yeah, I don't know, man. If they. If they. If that's how they feel, that's how they feel.

[Lecrae]

I think people like that have never listened to your music because when I listen to headphones, that's not a gospel record. That's not a faith based record. That's a record about grief.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah.

[Lecrae]

And there's three brothers that are dealing with various levels of grief and different people that they're grieving. And they're just expressing that. And even that saying what you said, I hope you got headphones and heaven.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Heaven, yeah.

[Lecrae]

Oh, man. Honestly, it just gave me chills. Like, damn. Like, yeah, that's a dope way of saying, y', all. I hope that D can hear me.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yep. That's exactly what it is. That's exactly what it is. I try to find common ground. That's what I try to do. Like, where's our common ground? Because, like, the reconstruction album is not just like, reconstructing your faith. Reconstruct your marriage, reconstruct your life, reconstruct your finances. Like, there's common ground. I may have a different angle on, but I'm still living the same life you living. Like, I'm still out here experiencing it. Like, I'mma lose people. You gonna lose people. I'mma deal with family issues. You gonna deal with family issues. So I'm like, let's talk about it in song. And, you know, I catch a lot of flack. Like, man, I love my dude, Big Crip, man. When we did a feature years ago, they BL my Christian, the religious folks, the religious fans blasted him so bad, it made him feel they was blasting me, saying, how dare you collaborate with this, like, worldly artist? It made him feel a way about Christians because they was on my head. And he was like, am I this filthy, ugly, nasty person? Like, dang. And I'm like, man, why would you not want to welcome somebody into the conversation about these Things why you want to shun them and push them away instead of welcoming them in to have conversations. So I want to reconstruct that. I want to reconstruct that type of dynamic in relationship and redefine people's experience with Christians, because I think it's a weird dynamic. You know what I'm saying? It's really weird in America.

[Podcast Host]

Has that worked for you? I saw your response to Young Thug when he tweeted, if you're a rapper and you're a rat, you got to just go, gospel twin. And you tried to reach out and kind of give him that, like, hey, it's good over here. It's not a graveyard. It's a garden. Have y' all spoke?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Nah, but I'm down, like, thug, holla at me. I mean, it's not a graveyard. It's a garden. We thriving. We growing. I got health. I got. My life is. Is. Comes with the same hardships anybody else's life. You won't get wisdom without suffering, so you gonna suffer. But I don't be worried about no, you know, warrants, you know what I'm saying? I go home to my wife on a regular basis. I'm raising my kids. We have great relationship dynamic. I got accolades. I got awards. That's not what I do it for. I pay my bills on time. I'm fine. I'm not in a graveyard. And I guess to me, I'm like, why do rats have to go to gospel? Like, what is it? To me, it sound like that's a lame place for lame. The lame. We send the lames over there. And I'm like, okay. I mean, in a sense, you're right, because Jesus makes the lame walk.

[Lecrae]

You know, they used to do that, too. Whenever. Like, an artist would get in trouble. Like, an artist would get in trouble, they'd be like, all right, he gotta.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Make the gospel, right?

[Lecrae]

You know what I'm saying?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah. I mean, yeah, I've seen that in my own. I've seen artists get in trouble, and my phone be ringing. Hey, we need to make a song.

[Lecrae]

No, man, cut it out.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I'm dead serious. I ain't naming no names. I ain't naming no names.

[Lecrae]

I love the Brick by Brick record, too. Cause when I saw it, I'm like, all right. What Lecray about to do with this one, you know what I mean? What was the mindset with that?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Brick by Brick, you know what I'm saying, is really just a song about building, man. If you gonna reconstruct something, you do it brick by brick, you know what I'm saying?

[Lecrae]

But you played it out like it might have been dope.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I mean, yes, but you know what I'm saying? It's a play on words. It's a double entendre. It's also tapping into my, you know, old ways. But then it's like it's a different types of brick, you know what I'm saying, that I'm moving these days. And then I got this young spit of Mizo, you know what I'm saying? She out of Houston and she fi. And I was like, yo, that's another thing. It's a whole young crop of, you know, young crop of artists who killing it. And it's like, man, I'm just trying to shine some light as an OG now. I'm like, let me shine some light back on these young artists and let them do their thing. Cause when I first came up, it was just me. And I was like, man, it's just me out here. You know, I'm doing a bet cipher. Yeah, them jokers put me in an international cipher. They didn't even know what category to put me in, you know what I'm saying? So I'm like, man, I don't know what. So now it's like, nah, I'm not rolling solo no more. I'm opening doors for everybody.

[Lecrae]

You was in the street selling dope, and I know you probably used to pray then, but can God really bless the trap he did?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Okay, I don't know if you heard my Bible story, bro. Literally, I was making a run. I'm trespassing on school property. I was wilding. I was at a high school on school property. The. They say, call the police. I thought I looked like a high school student, so. But I clearly didn't. I was. They called the police. The police came. I'm. I'm ditching. I'm running about the school. I get back to my car. As soon as I get to my car with work in my car, the police snatched me up. I didn't have a lot, and I wasn't no keys. I wasn't no. You know, I wasn't Jay Z out here. You know what I'm saying? But I'm not trying to put his business out here. I'm just saying I wasn't pushing. But the police come and they snatched me up. Now, the crazy part about it was I had a Bible in my car that my grandmother had given me. And I was. At this point, I'm a. I'm a Christian, but I'm just wilding. I'm just on a downward trajectory. But I was reading my Bible a lot, and I. And I had some phases where I highlighted a lot of stuff. I got notes in that joint. I got it on a dash. The police officer comes in my. He. I'm sitting in the back of the car. He come. He searched my car, and he come back. He said, that's your Bible? I said, yeah, that's my Bible. He said, you've been reading that, huh? I said, yes, sir. I need to read it more. He said, I want you to stay in that Bible. Get out of my car. And I was like, okay. I go back to my car. Work gone. Work is gone. Wow. I don't know if that was an angel or a real police officer. I don't know what's. I don't ask no questions. I'm here, though. Wow. You know what I'm saying?

[Lecrae]

Wow, wow, wow.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

So, wow.

[Lecrae]

When you're writing, how do you discern between what's meant for, like, I guess, the booth and what's meant for, like, the prayer closet?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

For me, if it exposes somebody else's business, I try not to rap about it unless I get they approval, you know? Cause I tell a lot of stories, and I got a lot of people involved in different stuff. And, you know, if it's too personal, if they like, hey, you telling my story now, bro? Then I'm like, you right? I respect that. So then I try to respect that myself. I don't mind being transparent, you know what I'm saying? And shout out to my man, Jason Wilson. I see y' all had him on the podcast.

[Lecrae]

Love Jason Wilson.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Jason, he my dude. He said, man, he said, stop saying, be vulnerable. Be transparent. You know what I'm saying? I was like, that's good. So, you know, I don't want to put myself in a position where I'm. My hands is up and you can do whatever you want to do to me, but I want to be open and transparent so that you can relate. You can see my scars. Because if you see my scars, then you know your wounds can heal. So I don't mind sharing some of the stuff that I got, but I just try to keep other people's business out of it. I take that to the prayer closet, you know what I mean?

[Lecrae]

So what does it mean to be in the world? Right. But not of it. But your job as an emcee is to move crowds in the world.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah. I mean, you be in it. You know what I'm saying I was of it for a season. I had my season. I talk about it on my. You know, I had. I've been, like, sober, like, eight years. I've been. You know, it's. People don't understand. This industry will get you. Like, they don't get it. Like, fame is fake. It's a drug. It's not real. But, boy, when you. You know, 10 years ago, I had the number one album in the country. Like, over everybody. Everybody called on my phone, all my favorite artists. You get gassed, you start like, oh, man, I'm somebody. And you forget you was already somebody. God knew you before any of these other people did. So I was in my. You know, I got absorbed. And what ended up happening for me is I was not in the world, and I was of it, but I was trying to fight it, and I was trying to play tug of war. It wasn't like I just gave up. It was like I had moments. I dip in, dip out. So you can't play tug of war by yourself. You know what I'm saying? So now I'm out here, I'm more confident in who I am. I keep people with me, and I want to relate, you know what I'm saying? I'm also not tempted by the same stuff. I think a lot of times people will be like, why are you over there? I'm like, bro, that sold 10 years ago. Like, I ain't. That don't do nothing for me. You know what I'm saying? Like, I am not tempted by half of the things that used to be a temptation. Like, I'm just. I'm past that phase in life. I'm sure you are. If you was to blaze up right now, I wouldn't be like, oh, God, what do I do? What do I do? Do I take it or not? I just be like, I'm not smoking. You know what I'm saying?

[Podcast Host]

So when you say you keep people with you.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

Is it because sometimes, too, when people get into, like, the spiritual realm of, like, having this relationship with God, they separate from anybody that doesn't is not at the same place in the journey. So who are the people that you're keeping with you?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I keep two types of people, really three types of people with me. I keep people who are a half a step ahead of me, people are walking alongside of me, and people are half a step behind me. You know what I'm saying? So if you were half a step ahead of me, I could learn something from you. You know, I Feel like Jason Wilson half a step ahead of me. I'm like, man, I can learn something from Jason.

[Lecrae]

Bought three or four from me.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You know what I'm saying? So I keep people like that around me. People who are half a step who walk in alongside of me, like, yeah, we on the same page on the same mission. And people half a step I got, I keep young hitters with me all the time because I want them to see learn, grow, build, you know what I'm saying? And you gotta know you can learn from anybody as well. So that's what I try to expose them to, is like, I want the youngins to see I'm not, like, starstruck. I want the people who next to me to get exposed as well. Cause I'm like, I'm sitting here with entrepreneur, podcast guru. It's like, I can sit and learn from them, and I want my peers to have access to that and be able to take knowledge as well. You know what I mean?

[Lecrae]

So, yeah, I love what you're doing, man, because I feel like there's a lot of people turning away from, like, traditional faith structures, and they're looking for God and, and other things. And I think it's the artists in the pastors, because I give Pastor Torre and, you know, Pastor Sarah J. Robert so much credit. It's the pastors like that.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah.

[Lecrae]

That are meeting people where they are facts, you know, that's going to really give, give, give. Gonna reintroduce hope.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah.

[Lecrae]

To a generation.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I, I, I'm 100 with it. And I mean, you know, some, some are gonna be non traditional, some are gonna be traditional. You just gotta run in your lane, you know, I run in my lane. I love different people who got different applications. And it's not me against anybody else, you know, it's me. I ain't trying to compete with you. I'm trying to eat with you. You know what I mean? So who. I want to see the church thrive. I want to see people find God and really be consistent. And I got to be consistent, number one. But then two, I know what I needed. I needed a group of dudes from Philly with baggy pants and cornrows to say, I love the Lord. And I was like, word. I needed that. You know what I'm saying? You would have never got me with the traditional, you know, come on in, son, and meet the Lord. I would have never came. So I just try to be what I needed.

[Lecrae]

What did Kendrick say when he heard Dot for the party?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I don't Know, honestly, I ain't talked to Dot, like, one on one in a minute. We got some of the same friends, so the last thing I heard was, yo, they rocking with it. And they was. He was in the middle of doing super bowl stuff, so you know what I'm saying? So it was like one of them type of situations. But I did send him the whole project, and I was, you know, I'll put a yay on him and, like, redo the album if he send that verse in, like, you know what I'm saying?

[Lecrae]

What song did you want him on?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I don't care. Just pick one. But die for the party would be hard because, yeah, it be hard. So, yeah, I'm with it.

[DJ Envy]

But let's get into it.

[Lecrae]

H2O. He'd have been hard on H2O.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

H2O. I feel you. Okay. All right, all right. Sh. You tapped in.

[Lecrae]

He'd have been hard on h2O.

[DJ Envy]

Let's get into a joint off the album. What you want to hear?

[Lecrae]

I want to play the joint with TI let's play headphones.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Let's play headphones.

[DJ Envy]

Let's get into that. We appreciate you for joining us. The album comes out out on the 22nd of August, am I right?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yes.

[DJ Envy]

August 22nd.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah.

[DJ Envy]

Reconstruction.

[Lecrae]

I would love to have you at the Mental Welf Expo, man. You know, I do this thing every year called the Mental Welfare Expo. And, you know, I think a religious trauma panel would be really important, man.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Bruh. Say less. I'm there. It's easy. It's light work. Yeah. Say less.

[DJ Envy]

All right. Well, it's Lecrae. It's the Breakfast Club. Good morning.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Every day I wake up. Wake your ass up.

[Lecrae]

The Breakfast Club.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You all finished or y' all done?

[Jess Hilarious]

Taking control of your career is empowering. Just don't tell my boss I said that. Just kidding. I am the boss. This is Carlos Miller from the 85 South Show. And building a career isn't just about a job. It's about creating a path that impacts our community and future generations. Whether you're starting out or even making big moves, State Farm is here to support you with resources to help protect what you're working hard to achieve. They've got your back every step of the way. Because like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. Find out more@state farm.com.

[Podcast Host]

This is an iHeart podcast.