Lecrae (Feat. J.Paul) – Just Like You

Lecrae is an American rapper, currently serving as the President of Reach Records.  He began his career in 2004, about five years after giving his life to Christ.

He released ten albums and one EP, including:

• Real Talk (2004)
• After the Music Stops (2006)
• Rebel (2008)
• Rehab (2010)
• Rehab: The Overdose (2011)
• Gravity (2012)
• Church Clothes (EP, 2012)
• Anomaly (2014)
• All Things Work Together (2017)
• Let the Trap Say Amen (2018)
• Restoration (2020)

Lecrae appeared in several films, wrote two books, Unashamed (2016) and I Am Restored (2020), and has received too many awards for me to list on this page.

Lyrics can be found at https://genius.com/Lecrae-just-like-you-lyrics.

Note to new users: This is a different kind of review site!  Read About the Berean Test and Evaluation Criteria prior to reading this review.

1. What message does the song communicate?

It is Lecrae’s testimony about his past life and current life with Christ.  His father was absent, looking to his uncles and popular media for direction on “good” living.  One uncle was a gangbanger, enlisting Lecrae in the Californian gang Skyline piru.  Although Lecrae is grateful that he learned to rap, he also picked up worldly living full of wealth, sex, drugs, weapons, and violence.  He lived life for himself, replacing God as the ruler of his life.

Though Lecrae doesn’t tell us how this occurred, he came to the understanding that his uncles and the media lied to him.  He had a crisis of faith, not knowing who or what to believe.

Realizing that he’s not fooling God, Lecrae found Jesus, the author and finisher of his faith.  Christ taught Lecrae about Godly living, that leaders lovingly sacrifice for others, shown through washing feet and payment for sins.  He had believed the lies of Satan, but now lives for Christ.  He sacrifices his fleshy, worldly living leads by serving, works like he’s working for God, and avoids stealing.

Intro/Hook/Outro act as the song’s Chorus, repeating in between Verses, including the song’s beginning and end.  It acts as the song’s summary as Lecrae describes his transformation from following man to following God.  This is a great usage of refrains.

Score: 10/10

2. How much of the lyrics line up with Scripture?

This song is consistent with Scripture.

[Intro]

Lines 1-6: Am I the only one who thought about The Jungle Book’s song I Wan’na Be Like You when viewing these lyrics?  It is a statement about discipleship.  Who is Lecrae’s master?  Lecrae unpacks his answer throughout this song, showing that Lecrae was intentionally vague in this section.

[Verse 1]

Line 1: An open letter to Lecrae’s three uncles.

Lines 2-4: Lecrae is writing this to his uncles before the Lord takes him, warning before it’s too late to tell them (Hebrews 9:27).

When Lecrae grew up, these three uncles, Chris, Keith, and Ricky, were his masters.  They were his collective father figure as his earthly dad was not around.

Lines 5-7: Lecrae credits his uncles for inspiring him to write music.

Lines 8 and 9: A father (or father figure) is meant to train up a child in righteousness so that when they are old, they won’t depart (Proverbs 22:6).

Lines 10-17: It’s not surprising that Lecrae’s teenage uncles teach him error.  It’s also expected that Lecrae acts like their earthly masters, which is why Exodus 20:5, Exodus 34:6-7, and Numbers 14:18 talks about visiting the sins of children of third and fourth generations.  Children tend to pick up bad habits of their father figures.  Bad company corrupts good, moral behavior (1 Corinthians 15:33).  Yet, Lecrae had nobody else.

Line 18: This is a large street gang in San Diego, California.  Uncle Chris was responsible for Lecrae’s involvement within it.

Lines 19-21: Gangs are like family.  They die for each other.  They cry with each other, just like the family of Christians do for each other (Romans 12:15).

Line 22: This is the life of a gangster.  They are in constant fear of their lives, sometimes fleeing when nobody is in pursuit (Proverbs 28:1).

Line 23: With a child, Lecrae is seeing things from the other side, that his son wants to be like him.  Lecrae is now the father figure!

Lines 24-27: Lecrae is beginning to realize that being a father is more than just doing what comes naturally and what his uncles taught him.

Lines 28-32: See commentary on lines 10-17.

[Hook]

Lines 1-6: Repeats Intro, lines 1-6.

[Verse 2]

Lines 1-4: Lecrae lived a worldly life, desiring worldly things that lead to sin (James 1:14-15).

Lines 5-7: Lecrae realized that his uncles were not telling the truth.  He believed an old wive’s tale (1 Timothy 4:7).

Lines 8-10: Lecrae is having a crisis of faith, not knowing or what to trust.

Lines 11-16: Children tend to want their father figure’s approval, reinforcing that they are doing the “right” thing.

Lines 17-25: Lecrae further evidences the impressionable minds of youth as influenced by popular media, which helps to shape and mold worldly “moral” behavior.

Lecrae is not blaming his uncles or the media for his corrupt behavior but acknowledges that these sources lied to him.

[Verse 3]

Lines 1-3: Though perhaps not realizing it at the time, Lecrae admits that, although created by God in His image (Genesis 1:26), wanted to be God’s replacement.

Line 4: References the famous Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, with Jack Sparrow who is the captain of his ship and will not bow down to anyone else.

Lines 5-7: References Genesis 3:12, where Adam blamed Eve for eating the forbidden fruit.

Side note: Adam also blames God!  See below, emphasis added:

“The man said, ‘The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me from the tree, and I ate.'”

Lines 8-11: After Adam and Eve sinned, they attempted to cover their shame (their nakedness) with fig leaves (Genesis 3:7).  Arguably better than the clothing line offered by Louis Vuitton, God made clothing for Adam and Eve to cover their nakedness (Genesis 3:21).

Lecrae follows this practice of wearing clothes today, not just physically, but in the figurative sense that the fig leaves represent: a poorly constructed covering for lawbreaking.  God sees his wicked heart (1 Samuel 16:7, Proverbs 21:2, and Jeremiah 17:9).

Lines 12 and 13: Lecrae bought the lies of the devil (John 8:44) and became devoured by worldly living (1 Peter 5:8).

Lines 14-16: Although men were created to lead due to Adam’s creation before Eve (Genesis 2:7 and Genesis 2:21-22), Eve sinning before man (Genesis 3:6 and 1 Timothy 2:12-14), and the punishment that husbands will rule over their wives (Genesis 3:16), we also must look to God as our leader.  We become nothing when we do otherwise (John 15:5).

Lines 17-19: Jesus is not a mere mortal teacher.  He is our Savior who purchased our redemption through His sacrifice on the cross (Isaiah 53:1-12, Matthew 20:28, Mark 10:45, John 1:29, John 3:16, John 19:30, Acts 4:12, Acts 20:28, Romans 5:6-10, Romans 6:23, 1 Corinthians 1:30, 1 Corinthians 6:20, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Galatians 1:3-4, Galatians 3:13, Ephesians 1:7, Colossians 2:14, 1 Timothy 2:6, Titus 2:14, Hebrews 9:12, Hebrews 9:15, Hebrews 9:22, Hebrews 9:26, 1 Peter 1:17-21, 1 Peter 2:24, 1 Peter 1:18-19, 1 John 1:7, 1 John 2:1-2, and Revelation 5:9).

Line 20: Jesus taught that the greatest is one who serves (Matthew 20:26, Mark 9:35, and Mark 10:43).  He left an example by washing his disciples’ feet (John 13:1-17).

Line 21: That is, a worker is worthy of his wages (Matthew 10:10 and Luke 10:7).  Also, see Leviticus 19:13 and 1 Timothy 5:18.

Line 22: That is, Jesus reaffirms the commandment in Exodus 20:15 and Deuteronomy 5:19 in Matthew 19:18 and Mark 10:19.

Lines 23-25: By obeying the greatest commandments of Jesus, to love God and our neighbor as ourselves (Matthew 22:34-40 and Luke 10:25–37) and His new command to love one another (John 13:34-35), we show sacrificial love to our spouses just like Christ did for the church (Ephesians 5:25).

This love that Christ offers is not because we’re worthy but despite our sins (Romans 5:6-8).

Lines 26 and 27: The “you” that Lecrae wishes to emulate shifts from his uncles and the media to Christ.  He knows that He must put to death his flesh (Romans 8:13 and Galatians 5:24).

Lines 28-31: Though unworthy of God’s favor (Psalm 14:1-3, Psalm 53:1-3, Job 15:14, Ecclesiastes 7:20, Jeremiah 17:9, Romans 3:10, Romans 3:23, and 1 John 1:8-10), Lecrae desires obey, recognizing that he must be like God and not God replacement (Leviticus 11:44-45, Leviticus 19:2, Leviticus 20:7, Romans 6:1-14, Ephesians 4:1, Colossians 1:10-14, 1 Peter 1:13-16, and 1 Peter 2:16).

Lines 32 and 33: Not just the physically lame (Matthew 15:30), but the spiritually inept (Matthew 9:12, Mark 2:17, and Luke 5:31).  Lecrae’s admission of the lamest is similar to Pauls’ “chief of sinners” in 1 Timothy 1:15.

Lines 34 and 35: Lecrae repents and puts his trust in Jesus (Matthew 3:2, Matthew 4:17, Mark 1:15, Luke 24:47, Acts 2:36-38, Acts 3:19-21, Acts 20:21, and 2 Timothy 2:25-26).

Lines 36 and 37: Repeats lines 32 and 33.

Lines 38 and 39: Essentially repeats lines 34 and 35.

[Outro]

Lines 1-5: Essentially repeats the message of Intro, lines 1-6.  The ambiguity at the song’s beginning is now clear: Lecrae wishes to be like God, not like his earthy uncles or the media’s portrayal of a “good” life.

Score: 10/10

3. How would an outsider interpret the song?

Pop culture references notwithstanding, unbelievers should easily see this song as Lecrae’s story, that he was a gangster who wanted to be like the world, now a Christ-follower wishing to emulate Christ.  Lecrae uses everyday language such that even I, a non-rap listener, could easily comprehend it.  Those outside Christianity should have no trouble interpreting it.

Score: 10/10

4. What does this song glorify?

It glorifies God that Lecrae left his old life of sin and decided to commit his life to follow Jesus, emulating His behavior.

Score: 10/10

Closing Comments

Lecrae’s Just Like You is a wonderful song.  Lecrae presents his testimony, that he grew up without a father, was negatively influenced by his teenage uncles and the media, is grateful for rap music that came out of it, discovered that they lied to him, and found the truth in Jesus.  He learned about the kindness, compassion, and love of Christ, forsaking his old life as a gangbanger, seeking to honor, glorify, and behave like Jesus.

Those who do not yet know Jesus will see the stark contrast between his old and new life.  I hope that Lecrae’s song will act as a catalyst for unbelievers to enter into a personal relationship with Jesus, with their sins forgiven and washed by His blood.

This song is highly inspirational, but not appropriate for corporate worship.

Final Score: 10/10

Artist Info

Track: Just Like You (listen to the song)

Artist: Lecrae (Feat. J.Paul)

Album: Rehab

Genre: Hip Hop/Rap

Release Year: 2010

Duration: 5:16

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