Flame (rapper)

Flame

Red Carpet Premiere, Hollywood
Background information
Birth name Marcus Tyrone Gray
Born (1981-09-16) September 16, 1981
Origin St. Louis, Missouri U.S.
Genres Christian hip hop
Occupation(s) Rapper, actor, music executive
Instruments Vocals
Years active 2003–present
Labels Clear Sight Music
Associated acts
Website clearsightmusic.com

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

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 3 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 (Magazine).

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]

Discography

Albums

Solo
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."[8]
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[9]
  • 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

References

  1. ↑ Ben Westhoff (2005-09-14). "St. Louis - News - Rap vs. Rapture". Riverfronttimes.com. Retrieved 2011-09-21.
  2. ↑ 38th Annual GMA Dove Awards - Recipients Archived April 4, 2007, at the Wayback Machine.
  3. ↑ "HIStory Summer Tour Details - Cross Movement Records (CMR) .:: A Trusted Name In Christian Hip-Hop ::". Cross Movement Records. 1997-04-11. Retrieved 2011-09-21.
  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 2011-09-21.
  6. ↑ "FLAME to drop 'Captured' December 28th (cover revealed)". Rapzilla. 2010-11-04. Retrieved 2011-09-21.
  7. ↑ "Flame Talks New Label & New Album Details". Rapzilla. 2010-08-11. Retrieved 2011-09-21.
  8. ↑ "Flame: Man On Fire". CCMmagazine.com. Retrieved 2011-09-21.
  9. ↑ "Flame Releases New Album March 6th". Retrieved 2012-01-18.
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