CHICAGO, IL (July 6, 2016) – Christian hip-hop artist Lecrae drew intense reaction to a tweet he posted on July 4 that the Declaration of Independence had not led to freedom for everyone.

Lecrae, who has performed at the two most recent CHIC youth events, tweeted a photograph of adult and child slaves picking cotton on a plantation with the caption, “My family on July 4th 1776.”

Many fans, most of whom were white according to various news outlets, said they were done buying his albums. They called his tweet unpatriotic and divisive.

Covenanters such as Jose Humphreys, pastor of New Hope Church in New York City, lamented on Facebook the negative reaction.

 

The response also highlighted an ongoing difference among Christians on whether Christian artists should speak out on social issues, especially race. One respondent commented, “Done supporting you bro. You make everything a race [issue] lately instead of a gospel issue. You promote guilt instead of love.”

On his Facebook account, Dominique Gilliard, who is on staff at New Hope Covenant Church in Oakland, California, pointed to an article in the Washington Post that focused on the issue and which was published three days before Lecrae’s tweet.