Who is Trip Lee? Trip Lee, born William Lee Barefield III, is an American Christian rapper and pastor born in 1987 in Dallas. A founding member of the 116 Clique at Reach Records alongside Lecrae, he has released several albums that reached number one on American gospel charts since his debut in 2006.
As a teenager, Trip Lee first dreamed of becoming a basketball player or a rapper before converting to Christianity at fourteen, a turning point that redirected all his ambition toward sharing the gospel through music. In Dallas, he met Lecrae in 2004 at a concert: Lecrae became his spiritual mentor and introduced him to the emerging world of Reach Records. Trip Lee released his first album, If They Only Knew, in 2006, right out of high school, and became one of the founding members of the 116 Clique, alongside Lecrae, Tedashii, and other Christian rappers.
His career gained momentum with Between Two Worlds in 2010, which won the Stellar Award for best hip hop album and earned him two Dove Award nominations, then with The Good Life in 2012 and Rise in 2014, three albums that reached number one on Billboard's Top Gospel Albums chart. Alongside music, Trip Lee pursued theology studies and became, in 2019, a young adults pastor at Concord Church in Dallas, a role he held until 2021 before returning to music with the albums The End in 2022 and The Epilogue in 2023.
- Origin
- Dallas, Texas, USA
- Style
- Christian rap (Christian hip hop)
- Active since
- 2006
- Good to know
- Founding member of the 116 Clique at Reach Records; served as young adults pastor at Concord Church from 2019 to 2021
How did Trip Lee get started?
Born William Lee Barefield III in 1987 in Dallas, Trip Lee started writing lyrics at age twelve, driven by the dream of becoming a rapper or a professional athlete. His conversion to Christianity at fourteen changed the direction of his art: he now wanted to put his pen to work for his faith rather than for fame.
Meeting Lecrae in 2004 was decisive: the young rapper became his mentor and brought him into the orbit of Reach Records, the label he had just co-founded. Trip Lee released his first album there, If They Only Knew, in 2006, the year he graduated high school, before becoming one of the founding members of the 116 Clique, alongside Lecrae, Tedashii, Sho Baraka, and other artists from the label.
What makes Trip Lee unique?
What sets Trip Lee apart in the Christian rap landscape is his dual calling as artist and pastor. After studying theology at Cairn University and then at Boyce College, affiliated with the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, he became, in 2019, a young adults pastor at Concord Church in Dallas, a commitment he carried alongside his music career until 2021, before moving to Atlanta to help plant a new church. His lyrics, dense with theological vocabulary, reflect that training and aim less for effect than for doctrinal clarity, including when he speaks about his struggle with chronic fatigue syndrome.
Where should you start with Trip Lee?
Between Two Worlds (2010) and Rise (2014) remain the most representative albums of his classic period, while The Epilogue (2023), recorded with Kirk Franklin, Hulvey, and Lecrae, shows the recent evolution of his style. The song Mercy, a duet with Kirk Franklin, is a great entry point to discover the blend of gospel and rap that defines his latest era.
songs
Lay Down (Safe & Sound)
an official song available on Trip Lee's verified YouTube channel, representative of his style blending rap and melody.
Mercy
a duet with Kirk Franklin from The Epilogue (2023), mixing his laid back flow with his guest's gospel energy.
Runnin
a feature from his mentor Lecrae, a song that shows the bonds forged within the 116 Clique.
Discography
- 2023The Epilogue
- 2022The End
- 2014Rise
- 2012The Good Life
- 2010Between Two Worlds
- 200820/20
- 2006If They Only Knew
Read also
Frequently asked questions
Who is Trip Lee?
Trip Lee, born William Lee Barefield III, is an American Christian rapper and pastor born in 1987 in Dallas. A founding member of the 116 Clique at Reach Records, he has released eight albums since 2006, including several that reached number one on Billboard's gospel chart.
Is Trip Lee a Christian?
Yes. Trip Lee converted to Christianity at fourteen and has built his entire music career and pastoral ministry on that faith, which he lays out in detail in his lyrics and his books.
Is Trip Lee a pastor?
Yes. After studying theology, he served as young adults pastor at Concord Church in Dallas from 2019 to 2021, before moving to Atlanta to help plant a new church.
What is Trip Lee's best known song?
Among his most popular songs are Mercy, a duet with Kirk Franklin, as well as Manolo and collaborations with Lecrae like Runnin, which showcase his style blending rap with a message of hope.
Is Trip Lee part of a group?
He is one of the founding members of the 116 Clique, a collective of Reach Records artists born from the 116 Clique crew, which also includes Lecrae, his longtime mentor and friend.
Where can you listen to Trip Lee?
His discography is available on streaming platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, and Deezer, as well as on his official YouTube channel and the Reach Records artist page.