Flame (rapper)

Marcus Tyrone Gray (born September 16, 1981), known as Flame (often stylized in all caps), is an American Christian hip hop rapper with Clear Sight Music. He has released nine albums including: the self-titled Flame, Rewind, Our World: Fallen, Our World: Redeemed, Captured, The 6th, Royal Flush, Forward, and God Knows. Flame has been nominated for several Dove and Stellar Awards throughout his music career and Our World: Redeemed was nominated for a Grammy Award.

"FLAME" redirects here. For other uses, see Flame (disambiguation).

Flame
Red Carpet Premiere, Hollywood
Background information
Birth nameMarcus Tyrone Gray
Born (1981-09-16) September 16, 1981
OriginSt. Louis, Missouri U.S.
GenresChristian hip hop
Occupation(s)Rapper, actor, music executive
InstrumentsVocals
Years active2003–present
LabelsClear Sight Music
Associated acts
Websiteclearsightmusic.com

Biography

During his personal time, Flame initially wrote raps as devotionals to God. After converting his devotionals to songs, Cross Movement Records took an interest in supporting Flame in publishing his gospel work through rap music. In 2004, Flame released his debut album with Cross Movement Records. Since then, Flame released three more albums and launched his own record label, Clear Sight Music.

His self-titled debut album, Flame, was released in October 2004. In December 2005, Flame released his second album titled, Rewind. On April 17, 2007, Flame released his third album entitled Our World: Fallen, which is the first part of a two part series. On August 7, 2007, the sequel, Our World: Redeemed was scheduled to release, but the date was pushed back to March 4, 2008.

Flame has been featured on radio shows in the United States such as Way of the Master, and in local newspapers such as The Pathway (the Missouri Baptist Convention statewide newspaper), and World.

Flame has sold over 350,000 albums, and one of his interludes from his first album is played on Busch Stadium's loudspeakers every other time Albert Pujols comes to bat.[1]

On February 20, 2007, it was announced that Flame's track, "Gotta Notice", from the album Rewind was nominated for the 38th Annual GMA Dove Awards in the category Rap/Hip Hop Recorded Song of the Year.[2] In mid-2007, Flame joined the rest of Cross Movement for their final tour.[3] Our World Redeemed was nominated for a Stellar Award, Dove Award, and Grammy Award. In 2009, Flame was a special guest on Reach Records 116 Clique's tour Don't Waste Your Life.[4]

In 2010, Flame announced that he was starting his own record label, Clear Sight Records,[5] and a new album titled Captured.[6][7]

In 2014 Flame, along with three other musicians, filed a lawsuit against Katy Perry for alleged copyright infringement. In the suit, Perry was accused of stealing production elements from Flame's Gospel track, "Joyful Noise", in her song "Dark Horse". Flame and the other plaintiffs involved in the suit claim that, not only did Perry appropriate elements of the song, but that the video tarnished their production by using imagery associated with black magic and witchcraft; ideologies that Flame strongly opposes. It was originally reported that the matter had been settled out of court; however, as of late 2018, the case was set to go to trial.[8][9][10] On July 29, 2019, a jury sided with Flame, leaving Perry to pay $550,000 and her label to pay the remaining $2.78 million.[11][12]

Discography

Studio albums
Year Album
2004 Flame
  • First studio album
  • Sold over 98,000
  • Released: October 12, 2004
2005 Rewind
  • Second studio album
  • Sold over 74,000
  • GMA Dove Award Nominee for Best Rap/Hip Hop Recorded Song of the Year for "Gotta Notice"
  • Released: December 6, 2005
2007 Our World: Fallen
  • Third studio album
  • Released: April 17, 2007
  • First album in a two-album series.
  • "The album is a passionate, but basic, explanation of God's pursuit for His created people," Flame says. "It's very simple, but it's a very informative appeal for people to run to Christ."[13]
2008 Our World: Redeemed
  • Released: March 4, 2008
  • Fourth studio album
  • Second album in a two-album series
  • Stellar Award Nominee for Rap Album of the Year
  • GMA Dove Award Nominee for Best Rap/Hip Hop Recorded Song of the Year for "Joyful Noise"
  • Nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rock or Rap Gospel Album.
  • The last of Flame's albums released with Cross Movement Records.
2010 Captured
  • Fifth studio album
  • Released: December 28, 2010
  • Stellar Award Nominee for Rap Album of the Year
  • GMA Dove Award Nominee for Best Rap/Hip Hop Album of the Year and Best Urban Recorded Song for "All I Need"
  • No. 1 on Billboard Gospel (January 2011)
  • No. 5 on Billboard Christian (January 2011)
  • No. 17 on Billboard Rap (January 2011)
  • No. 152 on Billboard 200 (January 2011)
  • No. 11 on Billboard Independent (January 2011)
2012 The 6th[14]
  • Sixth studio album
  • Release Date: March 6, 2012
  • Stellar Award Nominee for Rap Album of the Year
  • No. 1 on Billboard Gospel
  • No. 2 on Billboard Christian
  • No. 8 on Billboard Rap
  • No. 67 on Billboard Top 200
  • No. 8 on Billboard Independent
  • No. 1 on iTunes Rap (March 2012)
  • No. 8 on iTunes Top Albums (March 2012)
2013 Royal Flush
  • Seventh studio album
  • Release Date: October 1, 2013
  • Dove Award Nomination for Rap Album of the Year
2015 Forward
  • Eighth studio album
  • Release Date: July 17, 2015
  • Stellar Award Nomination for Rap Album of the Year
  • Dove Award Nomination for Rap Album of the Year
2018 God Knows
  • Ninth studio album
  • Release Date: March 2, 2018
  • Stellar Award Rap Album Of The Year[15][16]
2020 Extra Nos
  • Tenth studio project
  • First EP project
  • First project as a Lutheran[17]
  • Release Date: January 24, 2020
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References
  1. Ben Westhoff (September 14, 2005). "St. Louis - News - Rap vs. Rapture". Riverfronttimes.com. Retrieved September 21, 2011.
  2. "38th Annual GMA Dove Awards - Recipients". Archived from the original on April 4, 2007.
  3. "HIStory Summer Tour Details - Cross Movement Records (CMR) .:: A Trusted Name In Christian Hip-Hop". Cross Movement Records. April 11, 1997. Retrieved September 21, 2011.
  4. Don't Waste Your Life Tour Commercial + Dates Archived March 2, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  5. "Clear Sight Music // V.Rose - New Album Droppin' 8-16-11". Clearsightmusic.com. Retrieved September 21, 2011.
  6. "FLAME to drop 'Captured' December 28th (cover revealed)". Rapzilla. November 4, 2010. Retrieved September 21, 2011.
  7. "Flame Talks New Label & New Album Details". Rapzilla. August 11, 2010. Retrieved September 21, 2011.
  8. "Update on Flame Lawsuit Against Katy Perry Over 'Dark Horse'". Rapzilla. August 30, 2018. Retrieved February 23, 2019.
  9. "FLAME & Lecrae Sue Katy Perry Over Dark Horse". Rapzilla. July 2, 2014. Retrieved April 8, 2019.
  10. Jr, Martin Macias (August 14, 2018). "Katy Perry Copyright Suit Heading to Trial". Retrieved April 8, 2019.
  11. "Katy Perry's hit Dark Horse copied a Christian rap song, jury finds". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Associated Press. July 29, 2019. Retrieved July 29, 2019.
  12. "Katy Perry among those ordered to pay a total of $2.78M in song copying lawsuit". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Associated Press. August 1, 2019. Retrieved August 1, 2019.
  13. "Flame: Man On Fire". CCMmagazine.com. Archived from the original on October 7, 2008. Retrieved September 21, 2011.
  14. "Flame Releases New Album March 6th". Archived from the original on July 15, 2012. Retrieved January 18, 2012.
  15. "The Stellar Award Winners Are..... | Sherry Mackey | 100.3 Hallelujah FM". Sherry Mackey. Retrieved April 8, 2019.
  16. "Watch Flame new music video Silver & Gold ft. Melinda Watts on Rapzilla.com". Rapzilla. April 2, 2019. Retrieved April 8, 2019.
  17. Cranach (February 3, 2020). "The Rapper Flame Becomes a Lutheran". Cranach. Retrieved March 9, 2020.
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