When an artist gives listeners a detailed window into their troubled past, or when they can soulfully and honestly articulate the emotions that were associated with their plights, it creates a special bond between artist and fan. In the case of Houston native Lecrae, he does both of these on his new mixtape, Church Clothes 2. His message is a salient one.

Having lived the prototypical hip-hop lifestyle in his younger years — which entailed drug and alcohol abuse and violence and promiscuity — Lecrae Moore eventually turned to religion to fill a certain void that the previous things weren’t fulfilling. Lecrae has been in the industry for years and has won a multitude of awards for his take on Christian hip-hop heavily influenced by gospel music.

Lecrae may be a veteran in the music realm, but in recent years he tried to break into the mainstream hip-hop scene with the release of Church Clothes, a mixtape hosted by one of the biggest DJs in hip-hop, Don Cannon. This time around, Lecrae enlists the help of some big names in the game, including Cannon.

The foundation of Lecrae’s lyrics may be embedded in religion, but he does not pontificate on how he is better than everyone else as a result. He speaks as someone who has shared some of the struggles of other artists in the game, yet he now finds solace in things such as his family and does not need to be under the influence to be happy.

There is not profane language on the mixtape. This element, along with the big name features (of Paul Wall and B.o.B.), make Church Clothes 2 a standout in a sea of repetitive themes, beats and lyrical content currently floating around the hip-hop scene.

This mixtape is unique because it runs parallel with certain hip-hop traditions, yet differentiates itself in other realms. From hints of gospel to R&B to your standard hard-hitting hip-hop beats, Lecrae runs the gamut of beat selection. And the clean lyrical content, certainly not traditional, is refreshing.

What sticks out profoundly are Lecrae’s messages. On “Devil in Disguise,” he shares his struggle with addiction, but discusses how he’s found faith and no longer needs any type of substance to give him satisfaction. “Was It Worth It” paints a vivid picture of Lecrae’s father abandoning him, the long-term implications of this abandonment and how he would never do that to his son.

Rather than simply sharing his success story or telling listeners about his struggles and how he is now rich from it, Lecrae takes the stage he is given and uses it to spread universal messages applicable to everyone. He went through struggles and has had pain in his life, but he has made it through it all and is still strong and happy at the end of the day.

Church Clothes 2 is his way of telling listeners they can do the same.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFVV5SXqqrA