'Just Love...in Spite of It All: Lecrae Stands for Truth by Raising Race

Hip-hop artist Lecrae recently saw his Instagram following climb to a million people. That social media milestone follows more than a million followers on Twitter and two million on Facebook. Lecrae routinely uses those platforms to share his Christian faith and his heart.

Just days ago, following the deadly shootings in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Charlotte, North Carolina, Lecrae took to Twitter to express his heartbreak at the latest lives lost at the hands of police: Terence Crutcher and Keith Lamont Scott.

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Lecrae tweeted a BBC story on Crutcher's death Monday with a personal thought: "We weren't made to become hashtags," before hashtagging #TerenceCrutcher.

We weren't made to become hashtags. #TerenceCrutcher https://t.co/HypZTFkNw5

— Lecrae (@lecrae) September 19, 2016

He also tweeted, "Take a knee...people riot. Take a bullet...people quiet," an obvious reference the loud cries against San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick's national anthem protest.

Take a knee...people riot.

Take a bullet...people quiet.

— Lecrae (@lecrae) September 20, 2016

This is not the first time Lecrae has raised the issue of race on social media. He faced harsh criticism from a number of Christians when he posted a poignant photograph on the Fourth of July holiday, reminding people of the tragedy of slavery endured by the ancestors of African Americans.

The criticism won't silence the artist, whose Anomaly album recently earned Gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America.

Lecrae shared with Studio 5, his response to his Christian critics is to "just love people in spite of it all. To show people what a picture of unity can look like, a picture of human dignity and love and peace can look like, despite all of that."

Lecrae spoke with Studio 5 on a recent stop to perform at festival in South Dakota.

He added, "I think whenever you stand up for what's right, whenever you stand up for what you firmly believe in, you're going to take some shots. That's the nature of it. Our savior was crucified for standing up for truth, and for laying his life down for others."