Lecrae is making history as the youngest person to receive an honorary doctorate degree from Canada Christian College.
The 36-year-old Christian rapper was presented an honorary doctorate of music degree from Canada Christian College on March 14. Canada Christian College President Dr. Charles McVety considers Lecrae’s feat nothing short of amazing with the artist’s testimony that includes overcoming a broken home and life of crime to earn a Grammy for being a rapper.
“His talents are amazing, as are his achievements. But even more important is his outreach to troubled youth,” McVety said, according to Toronto Sun reports. “Over the college’s 50-year history, it has bestowed honorary degrees to notable leaders such as the Hon. Jim Flaherty, lieutenant-governor David Onley, Rev. Franklin Graham and now Lecrae, who will be the youngest recipient of such a degree.”
McVety didn’t stop honoring Lecrae there. He wrote a letter to the Toronto Mayor John Tory and police Chief Mark Saunders about the testimony of the rapper whose name is now officially Dr. Lecrae Devaughn Moore.
“Lecrae was raised by a single mother and he never met his father. He was lost in the inner city of Houston taking drugs and reportedly dealing heroin,” McVety’s letter states. “God dramatically turned his life around from the ghetto to the pinnacle of success. Now Lecrae wants the same for others as he is taking his message of hope and fatherhood to inner city youth.”
The rapper is currently on his “Higher Learning” tour, which stopped at Canada Christian College, where he received his honorary degree. The tour is traveling to 30 college campuses around the U.S. and Canada, giving the rapper an opportunity to inspire young minds.
“This tour allows me to be involved and inspire some of the most impactful and influential leaders of tomorrow,” said Lecrae in a statement. “College is where many of the world-changing thoughts and ideas are birthed. I want my music and my message to help inspire those ideas.”
While he still plans to release his first album in two years before 2016 is over, the musician has yet another project in the works before he divulges more information about an official studio release. Lecrae is releasing his first book on May 3 called Unashamed.
The memoir will give people a glimpse into the life of Lecrae’s tumultuous journey into faith.
“Two-time Grammy winning rap artist, Lecrae, learned this lesson through more than his share of adversity —childhood abuse, drugs and alcoholism, a stint in rehab, an abortion, and an unsuccessful suicide attempt,” a description of the book states. “The rap artist holds nothing back as he divulges the most sensitive details of his life, answers his critics, shares intimate handwritten journal entries, and powerfully models how to be Christian in a secular age.”
The rapper previously spoke about his inspiration for the book in a statement shared with The Christian Post last year.
“I am writing Unashamed for all those who don’t know who they are, who feel confined by the labels given to them,” said Lecrae. “As an artist my ambition is to make honest music, and I feel the same way about writing this book.”
