Trip Lee facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Trip Lee
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| Birth name | William Lee Barefield III |
| Born | December 17, 1987 Dallas, Texas, U.S. |
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| Years active | 2005–present |
| Labels | Reach |
| Associated acts | 116 Clique |
| Children | 2 |
William Lee Barefield III (born December 17, 1987), known as Trip Lee, is an American Christian rapper and singer. He is part of Reach Records and has released music on his own and with the group 116 Clique. Trip Lee is from Dallas, Texas. He also worked as a pastor at Concord Church until 2021. His album, Between Two Worlds (2010), won the Stellar Award for Best Hip Hop Album in 2011.
Contents
About Trip Lee
His Early Life and Faith
William Lee Barefield III was born on December 17, 1987, in Dallas, Texas. When he was a young boy, Trip Lee dreamed of becoming a professional athlete or a famous rapper. He started working on his rapping skills at age 12. At first, he rapped about everyday things.
But when he was 14, his life changed. He decided to follow Christ. After that, his focus shifted from fame and money to sharing his faith. He realized his whole life should be about Christ. He decided to only make Christian hip hop music. Rappers like Ambassador and Da' T.R.U.T.H. showed him how to do this.
Trip Lee also wanted to learn and teach about God's Word. He became a leader in his youth group. He gave his first sermon when he was 17 years old.
In 2004, Lee met another rapper named Lecrae at a concert. They talked and became friends. Lecrae helped guide him in his faith. While still in high school, Trip Lee wrote some devotionals for the Reach Records website. These writings showed how much he understood about his faith.
Lee went to Cairn University and Boyce College. This college is part of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky.
His Music Career
Trip Lee signed with Reach Records. His first album, If They Only Knew, came out just a few days after he finished high school. This album showed hip-hop fans his unique Southern sound and lyrics focused on the Gospel. In the same year, he was featured on the album Jesus Muzik with Lecrae.
His second album, 20/20, was released in 2008. It was very successful. It made it onto the Billboard Top 200 chart. It also reached No. 11 on the Billboard Christian albums chart and No. 4 on the Gospel chart.
His third album, Between Two Worlds, came out next. In this album, Lee shares his thoughts on living in a world with problems. He hopes his songs connect with listeners. He also wants them to point to Jesus as a hero.
Since his first album, Trip Lee has traveled the world. He has performed concerts for thousands of people. He has also toured nationally and internationally with other artists from Reach Records. His Christian hip-hop message has also given him chances to preach and teach at churches and events.
On March 29, 2011, Lee released two new songs: "Brag on My Lord" and "King Like Mine." The song "King Like Mine" featured Alex Medina.
Trip Lee released his fourth album, The Good Life, on April 9, 2012. This album included many well-known Christian artists. Some of these were Sho Baraka, JR., Lecrae, and KB. As a follow-up to the album, Lee also wrote a book called The Good Life. It was released on October 1, 2012.
On October 9, 2012, Lee announced he would be taking a break from touring. He said the Unashamed 2012 tour would be his last big tour. He wanted to focus on being an author and a pastor. He later explained that he would still make music, but he would not tour as much. He is now training to be a pastor at his church. He still continues to do public ministry.
On October 27, 2014, Trip Lee released his fifth album, Rise. On January 27, 2015, he released his second book. It was called Rise: Get Up and Live in God's Great Story. This book went along with the album. He was also part of the Winter Jam Tour in 2016. He toured with KB and Tedashii in the central and eastern United States.
On December 9, 2016, Trip Lee released a mixtape called "The Waiting Room." The name came from a line in his song "Take Me There." He said the album shows that as a Christian, his life is like waiting for what God has planned.
On March 4, 2022, Trip Lee released his sixth album, "The End." This was his first project in six years. The album included three singles: "Supernatural," "Stone," and "Right Out The Gate." It also featured artists like WHATUPRG and KB.
On October 27, 2023, Trip Lee released his seventh album, "The Epilogue." This album included collaborations with Kirk Franklin, Hulvey, Lecrae, and KB.
His Ministry Work
In early 2011, Trip Lee completed a pastoral internship. This was at Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, D.C.
In 2014, he became a pastoral assistant at the same church.
In 2015, he became a pastor at Cornerstone Church West End in Atlanta.
In 2019, he became a young adult pastor at Concord Church in Dallas, Texas. He stepped down from this role in 2021. He said this was because he was dealing with chronic fatigue syndrome.
His Family Life
Trip Lee married Jessica Barefield in 2009. They have three children together.
Music Albums
- 2006: If They Only Knew
- 2008: 20/20
- 2010: Between Two Worlds
- 2012: The Good Life
- 2014: Rise
- 2022: The End
- 2023: The Epilogue
Books He Has Written
- The Good Life (2012)
- Rise: Get Up and Live in God's Great Story (2015)
Awards and Nominations
| Year | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Rap/Hip-Hop Album of the Year (Between Two Worlds) | Nominated |
| Short Form Music Video of the Year ("Invasion (Hero)") | Nominated | |
| 2013 | Rap / Hip Hop Song of the Year ("I'm Good" featuring Lecrae) | Nominated |
| Rap / Hip Hop Album of the Year (The Good Life) | Nominated | |
| 2017 | Rap / Hip Hop Album of the Year (The Waiting Room) | Won |
- Stellar Awards
| Year | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Best Hip Hop Album (Between Two Worlds) | Won |
