Prison Fellowship

  • DONATE
    • One-Time
    • Monthly
    • Angel Tree
    • Other Ways to Give
  • GET INVOLVED
    • Volunteer
    • Subscribe
    • Angel Tree Christmas
    • Start a Fundraiser
    • Pray With Us
    • Justice Action Center
    • Share on Social
  • STORIES
    • Stories
    • Blog
    • Videos
    • The Restoration Series [Videos]
  • WHAT WE DO
    • Why Help Prisoners?
    • What We Do
    • In-Prison
      • Prison Fellowship Academy
      • In-Prison Programs
      • Hope Events
      • Inside Journal
      • Women’s Ministry
      • Create: New Beginnings
    • Angel Tree
      • Register your church or group for Angel Tree
      • Prison Fellowship Angel Tree
      • Angel Tree Christmas
      • Angel Tree Camping
      • Angel Tree Sports Camps
    • Justice Reform
      • Justice Reform
      • Second Chance Month
      • Sign the Justice Declaration
      • Get a Copy of Outrageous Justice
    • Warden Exchange
    • Church Partners
    • Corporate Partnerships
    • Preparing Prisoners for Reentry
  • RESOURCES
    • Subscribe to Our Email
    • Support for Friends and Family of Prisoners
      • Resources for Friends and Family of Prisoners
      • Coping with Incarceration
      • Resources for Prisoners
      • Resources for Children of Prisoners
      • Supporting Successful Prisoner Reentry
    • Resources for Churches and Volunteers
      • Resources for Churches and Volunteers
      • In-Prison Ministry
      • Reentry Ministry
      • Family Ministry
      • Justice Reform
      • Mentoring Ministry
    • Resources for Angel Tree Coordinators
    • Resources for Chaplains
    • Resources for D.O.C.
    • Justice Reform Resources
    • Share on Social
    • For Media Outlets
  • ABOUT US
    • Leadership
    • Chuck Colson
      • About Chuck Colson
      • The Charles Colson Hope Awards
    • Our Beliefs
    • Financials
      • Financials
      • 2022 Annual Report
    • Employment
    • Contact Us
    • In The News

Connecting as Brothers: Lecrae and the 116 Clique Go to Prison with Prison Fellowship

May 1, 2019 by Emily Andrews

lecrae goes to prison

Grammy-winning hip hop artist Lecrae admits there's "some weird, warped thing" about how he feels walking into a prison. "It's hard to describe, but I feel at home. It's like a weird connectivity. … It gives me life."

Lecrae grew up visiting his father and uncles behind bars. For a time, those visits felt like a strange rite of passage, he says. He would later volunteer in juvenile halfway houses and other correctional facilities. These experiences, and his growing Christian faith, developed within Lecrae a zeal for prison ministry. It's one reason why this spring found Lecrae and members of the 116 Clique behind bars for an unpublicized tour stop with Prison Fellowship® at the Carol S. Vance Unit in Texas.

"Why wouldn't we come?" he said. "I'd want somebody to come see me."

"Why wouldn't we come? I'd want somebody to come see me."

CONNECTING AS BROTHERS

For a prison, the Carol Vance Unit is as nondescript as they come—beige cinderblock, drab linoleum, barred windows—but ever since the Prison Fellowship Academy® debuted here in 1997, this facility has developed a reputation that stands apart from many others.

The Academy is a holistic life transformation program anchored in biblical, evidence-based curriculum, for incarcerated men and women across the country. Darryl Brooks, the current program director at Carol Vance who escorted Lecrae's crew, graduated the program at this site years ago after a long battle with cocaine addiction.

From the cell block to the yard, Lecrae and his crew were greeted by many men with stories like Darryl's. They ate with the incarcerated men in the chow hall and swapped jokes like old friends— "You know, cars fly now," Lecrae teased.

In more serious moments, Carol Vance residents shared their hopes and fears for life outside. This wasn't a publicity stunt—rappers shaking hands with nobodies. This was about men created in the image of God, connecting as brothers.

"God doesn't waste pain. He doesn't waste the experiences. We all struggle with stuff, but the experiences reveal what God is trying to work out in you."

RECLAIMING SUCCESS

Lecrae's fans have valued his transparent, self-effacing lyrics for years. In a culture of social media noise, he maintains a reverent yet unwavering presence, undeterred from sharing honest, biblical truth with millions of followers. Lecrae doesn't front. And if there's one place where false pretense won't get you far, it's prison.

Sitting across from Academy students at desks, eye to eye, Lecrae asked the hard questions: What's the biggest lesson you've learned in prison? Do you have plans for when you get out? Are you ready to face the reality of life in the free world? The prisoners answered him earnestly.

They also had questions for Lecrae. One invited him to share how past experiences can affect present and future success.

"I know how messed up my life has been because of the generational cycles in my family," Lecrae told them. "… God doesn't waste pain. He doesn't waste the experiences. We all struggle with stuff, but the experiences reveal what God is trying to work out in you."

Real success, artist and prisoners agreed, isn't just found on stage. Sometimes, it can be reclaimed in a prison cell.

stories from behind bars

THE STORY IS NOT OVER

In the day room, they met current prisoner and recent Academy graduate Eddie. He doesn't look a day over 30. With clasped hands he recounts the seven years he's paid the Texas prison system. The v-neck of his white state-issued uniform revealed a spread of tattoos. One word stood out in bold ink: "Jesus."

Eddie is one of the 134,000 people in prison in Texas—just a sample of the 2.2 million people behind bars in the U.S. today—and in the Academy, he unearthed the roots of his criminal behavior, discovered new identity in Christ, and joined a community of believers.

In mere days, he would be going home.

"I just got my release date, and my mom already posted to Facebook," Eddie laughed. "I'm ready to go home. I'm so ready."

In the chapel, Eddie and some classmates performed an original rap, followed by a surprise freestyle session by Lecrae's squad. Words of hope filled the room. The place erupted in cheers.

"A lot of times when people commit shameful acts, we throw them away, and God never does that," said Lecrae. "We do it, but God never does that. If God threw away people who commit shameful acts, David wouldn't be here. Moses wouldn't be here … The list goes on and on. I wouldn't be here."

He added, "We're [visiting] like a little bookmark saying, 'Hey, your story's not over.'"

THE PRISON FELLOWSHIP ACADEMY

Lecrae has released a video of his experience at the Carol S. Vance Unit on YouTube, which you can view here. For additional behind-the-scenes footage of the visit, including an exclusive interview with Lecrae, please sign up with Prison Fellowship.

The prisoners who met with Lecrae and the 116 Clique are students of the Prison Fellowship Academy®, the cornerstone program of Prison Fellowship®. To learn more about the Academy and how you can get involved in changing lives behind bars, check out "The History of the Prison Fellowship Academy."


OTHER STORIES YOU MIGHT LIKE

LAUREN DAIGLE JOINS PRISON FELLOWSHIP FOR A DAY OF HOPE AT FOLSOM PRISON

INSIDE VIRGINIA’S FIRST PRISON FELLOWSHIP ACADEMY GRADUATION

DID YOU ENJOY THIS ARTICLE?

Make sure you don' t miss out on any of our helpful articles and incredible transformation stories! Sign up to receive our weekly newsletter, and you' ll get great content delivered directly to your inbox.

Your privacy is safe with us. We will never sell, trade, or share your personal information.

Filed Under: Prison & Prisoners, Prison Fellowship Academy, Prison Fellowship News & Updates Tagged With: #GoesToPrison, Carol S. Vance Unit, Lecrae, Texas

SELECT A TOPIC

  • Advocacy & Reentry
  • Angel Tree
  • Families of Prisoners
  • Feature Stories
  • From the CEO
  • Hope Events
  • Inside Journal
  • Press Releases
  • Prison & Prisoners
  • Prison Fellowship Academy
  • Prison Fellowship International
  • Prison Fellowship News & Updates
  • Reentry
  • Second Chance Month
  • Uncategorized
  • Video
  • Warden Exchange

MOST POPULAR

Prison Fellowship Responds to Inaction on Crack Cocaine Sentencing at Close of the 117th Congress

December 20, 2022

Criminal Justice Reform Achievements

December 16, 2022

Prison Fellowship Applauds Congressional Lawmakers for Passage of Law Enforcement De-escalation Training Act

December 15, 2022

LATEST VIDEOS

WATCH ALL VIDEOS

JOIN OUR ONLINE COMMUNITY

FACEBOOK
TWITTER
INSTAGRAM
YOUTUBE
LINKEDIN
PF®
PFM®

RECOMMENDED LINKS

  • Ways to Donate
  • Inspirational Stories
  • Angel Tree Program
  • Prison Fellowship Academy
  • Justice Reform

RESOURCES

  • For Families & Friends of Prisoners
  • For Churches & Angel Tree Volunteers
  • For Media Outlets
  • Warden Exchange

JOIN RESTORATION PARTNERS AND WITNESS GOD RESTORE LIVES

Restoration Partners give monthly to bring life-changing prison ministry programs to incarcerated men and women across the country.

 

JOIN NOW
  • CONTACT US
  • EMPLOYMENT
  • PRIVACY
  • FINANCIALS
© 2023 PRISON FELLOWSHIP®

Angel Tree®, Angel Tree Camping®, Angel Tree Sports ClinicTM, Angel Tree Sports CampsTM, and Warden Exchange® are programs of Prison Fellowship®.