The Deep End With Lecrae

What does it really take to survive marriage, ministry, fame, mental health battles, and faith... all at the same time? In this episode of The Deep End, Lecrae sits down with gospel icons, actors, and comedians David Mann and Tamela Mann for one of the most raw and honest conversations we've ever had. They open up about their nearly 40-year marriage, childhood trauma, poverty, blended family challenges, public scrutiny, depression, suicidal thoughts, and the faith that held them together when everything else was falling apart. From dumpster-diving as teenagers to standing ovations with Tyler Perry, from silent suffering to healing through therapy and prayer. This is survival, grace, repentance, forgiveness, and love that refuses to quit.

If you've ever wondered:

– How strong marriages are actually built

– What faith looks like in depression, not just success

– How to support a spouse who is drowning silently

– Why therapy and prayer are not enemies

– Or how God redeems the most painful chapters


This conversation is for you.

 
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Chapter Markers
00:00 – When success hides silent suffering
 
01:25 – Introducing David & Tamela Mann
 
03:59 – Authentic faith vs. church perfection
 
05:25 – How their friendship turned into marriage
 
07:58 – Singing together before fame
 
10:27 – Realizing adulthood and responsibility
 
14:23 – Falling in love through friendship
 
16:31 – Childhood trauma and broken homes
 
17:50 – Dumpster diving and survival
 
18:53 – Witnessing abuse and learning anger
 
21:03 – Choosing marriage when divorce felt easier
 
23:13 – The night the lights were shut off
 
26:24 – "The knock at the door" — discovering another child
 
30:02 – Choosing unity over jealousy
 
33:39 – Feeling alone inside marriage
 
37:08 – From Kirk Franklin to Tyler Perry
 
42:36 – When the worst career moment became the best
 
46:26 – Fame, generosity, and trauma behind the scenes
 
49:16 – Working together as husband and wife
 
55:03 – Depression, shame, and suicidal thoughts
 
58:11 – "Thousands watched me drown"
 
59:00 – A wife realizing she missed the warning signs
 
01:01:37 – Therapy, boundaries, and healing
 
01:04:29 – Faith that carries you through the night
 
01:06:19 – Music, success, and staying grounded
 
01:10:48 – Marriage as shared light, not competition
 
01:14:09 – What's next for David & Tamela
 
01:16:21 – Final words of hope and grace
 
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📱Connect with Lecrae - https://linktr.ee/Lecrae

 
📮 Join the conversation… Exclusive previews, discounts, bonus content, and more:
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In this special episode of The Deep End, Lecrae sits down with two of his closest friends and longtime collaborators — Trip Lee and Tedashii — for an honest, funny, and deeply reflective conversation about faith, friendship, calling, and the wild journey that brought them here.
They rewind the tape on the early days of 116, talk about what it was really like building something that would later shape an entire movement, and reflect on what they didn't understand at the time — about leadership, influence, pressure, and God's timing.
Along the way, they unpack:
How none of this was part of a master plan — and why that matters
The tension between calling and control
What leadership looks like when you don't actually want to be "the leader"
How God used imperfect people, imperfect theology, and imperfect moments to do something lasting
Why the impact often becomes clear only in the rearview mirror
There are serious moments. There are nostalgic moments. There are hilarious stories (including tour chaos, bad pranks, and arguments that started because everyone was tired and hungry). But underneath it all is a deeper question:
What does it look like to stay faithful over decades — not just seasons?
This episode isn't just about music. It's about friendship that lasts, calling that matures, and a faith that grows deeper as it gets tested by real life.
Whether you've followed these guys since the early 116 days or you're meeting them for the first time, this conversation is a reminder that God rarely writes straight lines — but He does write meaningful stories.
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📱Follow our new instagram! - https://www.instagram.com/deependlecrae/?locale=en_US%2Cen_US
📱Connect with Lecrae - https://linktr.ee/Lecrae
📮 Join the conversation… Exclusive previews, discounts, bonus content, and more: https://deependwithlecrae.com/
Stream the Album https://music.apple.com/us/album/reconstruction/1828052699
👕 Shop Lecrae Merch: https://lecrae.store/
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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_
DC Young Fly opens up like never before.
In this conversation, he speaks honestly about losing his wife, navigating grief, and what it means to stay obedient to God when life doesn't make sense. This isn't about fame, comedy, or success—it's about weakness, discipline, faith, and learning how to respond when everything changes.
DC shares why he leans on God, how obedience has kept him from crashing out, and why mastering your response matters more than trying to control the outcome.
This is a raw, vulnerable look at loss, love, and faith in the middle of pain.
Let's go to the Deep End!
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Get Lecrae's New Book: https://a.co/d/bU3yXin
📱Follow our new instagram! - https://www.instagram.com/deependlecrae/?locale=en_US%2Cen_US
📱Connect with Lecrae - https://linktr.ee/Lecrae
📮 Join the conversation… Exclusive previews, discounts, bonus content, and more: https://deependwithlecrae.com/
Pre Save the album: https://music.apple.com/us/album/reconstruction/1828052699
👕 Shop Lecrae Merch: https://lecrae.store/
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Protect your family with term life insurance. Go to https://meetfabric.com/LECRAE and apply today, risk-free.


Exclusive $35 off Carver Mat at https://on.auraframes.com/LECRAE . Promo Code LECRAE


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I'm sure you've never heard a story like this. Brenda Palmer doesn't do "church talk." She does honesty.
In this episode of The Deep End, Lecrae sits down with Brenda Palmer for a deep conversation on what it actually looks like to follow Jesus.
We talk about:
When her pastor had a affair… (with her boyfriend)
Singleness as "undivided" devotion—without treating marriage like the finish line
Staying pure
The Greek life / "denouncing" conversation, deliverance language, and where conviction ends and fear-mongeing begins
What Brenda's building next


🚨 LECRAE IS ON TOUR 🚨
GET YOUR TICKETS HERE: https://lecrae.com/tour
📱Follow our new instagram! - https://www.instagram.com/deependlecr...
📱Connect with Lecrae - https://linktr.ee/Lecrae
📮 Join the conversation… Exclusive previews, discounts, bonus content, and more: https://deependwithlecrae.com/
Stream the Album: https://music.apple.com/us/album/reconstruction/1828052699
👕 Shop Lecrae Merch: https://lecrae.store/
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Lecrae goes fully unfiltered in this episode—breaking down the AI-Christian music debate, the motives behind viral posts, political fatigue, Christian persecution, racialized narratives, and the cost of actually following Jesus when culture co-opts faith for its own agenda.
From Forrest Frank's comments… to AI artists… to Epstein files… to Nigeria… to Chicago crime narratives… to why Christianity keeps getting used as a weapon… to Kai Cenat publicly praising Jesus—Lecrae processes it all in real time. No script. No PR filter. Just raw, honest reflection on a chaotic week online.
If you've ever wondered "How should a Christian think about all this?"—this episode goes there.
Let's go to the Deep End!
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🚨 LECRAE IS ON HIS LAST TOUR 🚨
GET YOUR TICKETS HERE:
https://lecrae.com/tour
📱Follow our new instagram! - https://www.instagram.com/deependlecrae/?hl=en
📱Connect with Lecrae - https://linktr.ee/Lecrae
📮 Join the conversation… Exclusive previews, discounts, bonus content, and more: https://deependwithlecrae.com/
Stream the Album: https://music.apple.com/us/album/reconstruction/1828052699
👕 Shop Lecrae Merch: https://lecrae.store/
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.