Trip Lee

“If you look at pop culture as the main picture you see of black men, all these kind of threatening pictures and - I think those of us who are artists and who are in media have to think carefully about what those pictures are.”

“There are different pastors that are good at different things, but one of the things I love is everything I do as a pastor is centered around helping people to understand what God has said in his word, so I don't have to come up with a bunch of new stuff to say.”

“I've loved hip-hop all of my life, but there came a time in my life when my entire life had a shift: where, before, I was just kind of going to church every now and then; then, there was an actual change, where I actually understood who Jesus was, actually understood the message of the Gospel, and my entire life changed.”

“I would like the secular world to know that the Scriptures are about the things that we wrestle with every day. The Scriptures are not ignorant. Life is really hard. We know that things don't always go well and that our hearts don't naturally obey God.”

“For me, as a believer, I found myself in between two worlds because I live in this world, this fallen world, and I want to glorify God here, and I want to point to Jesus here, I want to work here and live with my wife here, but I also look forward to the recreation of this world when the Lord Jesus comes back and makes all things new.”

“As a black man who doesn't know another black man who hasn't had strange run-ins with police officers, it's impossible for us not to think about whether that could have been us - based on our country, based on our culture, based on our past experiences.”

“The gospel is the power of God for salvation for all who believe, not just old, black grandmothers or not just old, white Republican guys.”

“I think about the very truth that changed my life. I want to put good things in my music.”

“I know, when I was growing up, a lot of the views I was listening to, it was a worldview that was not helpful. The world even sold me a false idea of what the good life was, and I wish that people would have helped me to think better about how to interact with that worldview.”

“I'm very good at watching basketball and wearing basketball shoes.”

“I just never want to do anything that's going to compromise what I do. It would have to be a song where there would be honest discussion about something.”

“I know that everyone has their own ideas about what the good life is, and hip hop has especially strong ideas about it. It's been the same old thing for years and years: a bunch of females around you, nice cars and money. I wanted people to know what the good life actually is and challenge a lot of the lies that we're told.”

“I wanted to write a book specifically aimed toward young people. I wanted to write a book that anybody can read and enjoy, but I did want to aim it at young people and, even more specifically, urban young people.”

“We were made to be mirrors perfectly reflecting God's goodness, but with sin that mirror fractured and the reflection is distorted.”

“Let me continue to try to set the record straight: I never retired.”

“I never want to give people something I've already given them; I wanna give them something new, you know? So the people who've been enjoying my music for years, I hope they continue to enjoy.”

“I always assumed I'd marry a black woman.”

“The industry is starting to be more open to what we do. I just don't want us to be boxed in whatever people assume Christian rap should be. We're dudes who love hip hop, and we love Jesus, and that's going to be apparent in our music.”

“There was a time when I was in my sins and I was God's enemy, but now I have been purchased in Christ, and God is for me. He is not going to do anything or command anything that is not ultimately for my good and for His glory.”

“It was always very clear to me that God was sovereign in salvation.”