What Is 116 Clique?
116 Clique — now going by just “The 116” — is the Christian hip-hop collective signed to Reach Records, the label Lecrae co-founded. It started in Dallas, Texas back in 2005 and now runs out of Atlanta. The lineup has always been a rotating group of Reach artists rather than a fixed band, and that’s exactly the point — it’s less a “group” in the traditional sense and more a mission with a changing cast.
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If you’ve ever wondered why so many Christian rap songs feature five or six different voices trading verses, this is why. That’s the 116 formula, and it’s been running for two decades.
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116 Clique Meaning
The name comes from Romans 1:16: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God unto salvation.” That’s not a loose inspiration — it’s the literal mission statement.
Lecrae 116 Meaning
For Lecrae, “116” is bigger than the group he co-founded — it’s the thesis of his whole career: don’t get embarrassed about your faith once mainstream success starts rolling in. That tension connects his early Reach Records days to 2025’s Reconstruction.
What Is 116 In Christian Rap Songs
The clearest example is “Gospel Music,” the 2007 track off 13 Letters that quotes Romans 1:16 in the hook. That album’s 13 songs are each built around one of Paul’s epistles — “Justified” covers Galatians, “To Live is Christ” covers Philippians.
What Is 116 In Christian Rap Lyrics
When “116” shows up in a verse, it’s a direct callback to the Bible verse — the way secular rappers reference a block or a crew name, except the allegiance here is to a verse.
116 Unashamed Meaning
“Unashamed” is the group’s shorthand for their mission. The 2012 Unashamed Tour was built around it, and it’s still the phrase most associated with 116.
116 Members
Current: Lecrae, Tedashii, Trip Lee, 1K Phew, WHATUPRG, Anike, Hulvey, Limoblaze, Jackie Hill Perry. Founding 2005 lineup: Lecrae, Tedashii, Trip Lee, Json, Thi’sl, Sho Baraka. Also passed through: Andy Mineo, KB, Gawvi, Derek Minor, DJ Official, Aha Gazelle.
116 Songs
The Compilation Album (2005), 13 Letters (2007), Amped EP (2007), Man Up (2011), “Light Work” (2018), The Gift: A Christmas Compilation (2018), Sin Vergüenza (2020).
116 Rap Group
More of a label roster with a shared mission than a traditional group — that’s why it survived lineup changes and members leaving Reach entirely.
What Is The Number One Christian Rap Song?
No dedicated Billboard chart exists for “Christian rap” specifically — it folds into Hot Christian/Gospel Songs. Rapzilla’s most-streamed CHH rankings are the closest ongoing answer, and Lecrae’s catalog sits at the top.
Who Is The #1 Christian Rapper?
Lecrae, per Rapzilla’s 2026 most-streamed list — driven by Reconstruction and his podcast growth.
The 116 Detail Most Sites Skip: Leaving Doesn’t Mean Leaving
Sho Baraka is a founding 116 member — right there with Lecrae, Tedashii, and Trip Lee at Reach Records’ start in 2005 — but he split from the label in 2011, and the split wasn’t smooth at first. What most write-ups leave out: he came back into the fold anyway. Lecrae featured on Sho’s 2016 track “Here (2016),” and Sho later said DJ Official was the one who helped reconcile the group. The real lesson is that leaving Reach doesn’t erase someone’s 116 legacy — the group treats founding members as founding members for life, even after a messy business split.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 116 Clique still active?
Yes — after a gap post-Man Up, they returned with “Light Work” (2018) and Sin Vergüenza (2020).
Who founded 116 Clique?
Lecrae, Tedashii, Trip Lee, Json, Thi’sl, and Sho Baraka in 2005.
What was 116 Clique’s first album?
The Compilation Album, December 27, 2005.
Is Lecrae still part of 116?
Yes — one of three original members still active (with Tedashii, Trip Lee)
Is 116 Clique the same as Reach Records?
No — Reach is the label, 116 is the artist collective signed to it.
What genre is 116 Clique?
Christian hip-hop, spanning Southern hip-hop, chopped and screwed, trap, and Latin hip-hop
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