Flame (rapper)

Marcus Tyrone Gray (born September 16, 1981), known as Flame (often stylized in all caps), is an American Lutheran 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", "God Knows", "Extra Nos" and "DayBreak". 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 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.
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. In mid-2007, Flame joined the rest of Cross Movement for their final tour. "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. 
In 2010, Flame announced that he was starting his own record label, Clear Sight Records, and a new album titled "Captured".
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. 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. On March 17, 2020, Judge Christina A. Snyder overturned the jury award, citing numerous factors, including that the musical theme was both simple and common, and that the evidence given did not support the jury's award. Snyder vacated the jury's verdict and denied motions for a new trial, but stated that should the case be heard on appeal at the Ninth Circuit, that a new jury trial would be required. Flame filed a notice of appeal at the Ninth Circuit on April 13, 2020.
In March 2020, Flame left the Reformed tradition and was received into the Lutheran Church. His EP "Christ for You" focuses on the Lutheran belief in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, citing the Church Fathers such as Justin Martyr, Augustine of Hippo, Irenaeus, Cyril and Thomas Aquinas (cf. "Eucharist in Lutheranism"). Reflecting on his Lutheran Christian faith, Flame rejoiced: "It wasn’t until I stumbled upon Lutheran thought that I discovered the treasure found in the liturgical and sacramental side of things." He praised the Lutheran tradition for its "ancient truths that will comfort contemporary consciences" and said that those "Truths that will bring people out of their heads and lift their heads from navel-gazing onto the sweet means of grace that God has provided outside of us." Flame named his album "Christ for You" as he wants his fans to "to experience the joy and freedom that I’ve found in the sacraments." (cf. "Lutheran sacraments")
Education.
Marcus Gray earned his Master of Arts degree from Concordia Seminary in Systematic Theology, with minors in Church History, as well as Counseling.