I was surprised and grateful when I saw the latest video clip from Passion Life Ministries on Jan. 9. The video teaser is described as “A conversation with Lecrae, John Piper, and John Ensor on the story behind Good, Bad, Ugly, the remorse of abortion, and the healing of the gospel of Christ.”
In the video, Lecrae shares the meaning behind the lyrics of his song “Good, Bad and Ugly,” which shares his personal experience with abortion. Live Action wrote about this song when it was first released. Lecrae goes even deeper in this new video clip, sharing details of the pain he suffered years after the abortion of his child. Lecrae tells of the time he found a picture of his ex-girlfriend, the mother of his aborted child.
In a conversation with his wife, he realized that it was hard to throw the picture away. Thinking about throwing the picture out triggered hidden feelings of guilt, shame, and remorse related to the abortion. Lecrae said that moment was the beginning of the healing process for him.
I’m a big fan of Lecrae. I’m inspired by his convictions, amazed by his creativity, and impressed by his skill as a rapper. Beyond all of that, I’m challenged by his love for Christ and proclamation of the gospel. Lecrae has a song on his new album Anomaly titled “Nuthin.” The song calls out rappers who make money releasing songs that lack meaningful significance. An excerpt from the lyrics:
Don’t talk about the laws, taking kids away from mommas
Don’t talk about your homie in the trauma cause he shot up
Or what about your young boy messing up the product
They don’t talk about the bond money that they ain’t have
And everybody snitch on everybody in the jam
They don’t talk about the pain, they don’t talk about the struggle
How they turn to the Lord when they ran into trouble
I’m a talk about it
I love the song because it expresses who Lecrae is as an artist. Lecrae is not ashamed to talk about things that matter. He’s not just trying to sell albums and get famous. He’s not rapping about “nuthin’,”; rather, he’s using his platform as an artist to uplift others. Lecrae wants to reach people with truth. His willingness to talk about abortion is further evidence that he’s committed to discussing important things.
Abortion is the #1 cause of death for African-Americans. As a black woman, I am thrilled to see Lecrae use rap music to address this issue. How many men can relate to taking their girlfriends to an abortion clinic? Countless thousands, if not millions. Out of the thousands that share that experience with Lecrae, how many are willing to admit that it hurt them? I’m sure the number is much smaller.
Abortion is too often labeled a women’s issue. Men are ridiculed or condemned for speaking out against it. The reality is that abortion affects everyone. As the post-abortive support group Silent No More says, “Men Regret Lost Fatherhood.” Men have feelings and emotions related to abortion. Sadly, they don’t always feel safe to express their grief, for fear of being ridiculed or having their pain dismissed. This is why Lecrae’s interview is so important.
Lecrae is seen by millions as a relevant leader with a voice worth listening to. John Piper and John Ensor are powerful leaders as well. Both Christian ministers have faithfully spoken out against abortion for years. I pray this interview will lead other men to be open about their abortion pain and receive healing. I pray it will reach men considering abortion, helping them to see it’s a choice that has lasting consequences. Thank you, Lecrae, for talking about something.
