On Monday, Grammy Award-winning Christian hip hop artist Lecrae told his Instagram followers that he is discontinuing the “I can quote Cardi B and Corinthians” shirt that was featured in new apparel line, titled “Righteous & Ratchet,” after being questioned by fans and Christian rapper Dee-1.
The mild spat started after Dee-1 posted a video saying, “The Bible doesn’t make room for ratchetness and righteousness.”
When used as a slang word to describe a person, the word “ratchet” is used to describe someone who is dysfunctional, unruly, or low class.
Dee-1 told Hardly Initiated hosts Tysean Jackson and Ryan Catchings that “the Bible does not make room for ratchetness and righteousness. But Black culture does and hip hop culture does. It makes room to be ratchet and righteous.”
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“I saw Christians posting about that stuff. ‘I’m righteous and ratchet.’ Man,” he said, “Well, forget y’all. We ain’t on the same team because I’m real, righteous, and relevant. I’m not righteous and ratchet…What are y’all talking about?”
“I’m not pro-Black more than I’m pro-God—and I don’t care what Black people think. Am I Black? Am I proud to be Black? Yes,” Dee-1 added. “But I’m not pro-Black more than I’m pro-God, man, because being pro-Black will allow for a bunch of foolish ratcheted behavior that in the name of Blackness we all celebrate.”
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Following Dee-1’s comments, Lecrae shared a video for his new t-shirts and posted the comment, “🔥 Embrace Your Authenticity 🔥.”
“Slang is more than just words; it’s a powerful expression of our unique culture,” Lecrae said, explaining that when he and his friends use the word “ratchet,” they are “embracing aspects of our identity that may seem unconventional or frowned upon.”
“Whether you come from a small town or a background that others might judge, remember this,” he added. “Being true to who you were made to be is what truly matters. Being raised in and around hood culture and as a product of hip hop, I’ve faced criticism that made me question my worth. I was told that braids and gold teeth didn’t align with God’s kingdom.”
Lecrae concluded, “But here’s the truth: God works through all of us, regardless of our backgrounds.”
