Lecrae tends to live in the past. But before you judge him for taking numerous trips down memory lane, there's a method to his madness. The Atlanta-based rapper only does so long enough to get a grip on history so he can understand how it's shaping the world around him.

"Right now we're in a tumultuous season, a lot of pain, a lot of anguish going on everywhere," Lecrae tells The Boombox. "A lot of people choosing sides; you got Ferguson, you got Iraq, you got Israel, Palestine. No one ever tries to look at the historical background of it all and just like where some of that pain may come from, where some of that systemic oppression is coming from, where some of that angst is coming from. They think we just pulling it out of thin air."

The 35-year-old looks at tragic events like the death of slain Ferguson teenager Mike Brown or the war overseas when crafting his thought-provoking rhymes -- whether calculated or off the top. The 'Dirty Water' lyrics he delivers for '16 Bars' challenges listeners to take a look at historical atrocities like slavery and lynching to better grasp what's going on in today's society.

"I think if we can look at our history we can affect our future and our present a whole lot more and not be mad at each other but just realize like, there's some stuff that was set up historically that jacks us up," the 'Anomaly' creator shares. "When I'm spitting, I'm just really just coming from that angle like there's reason for this angst. You know I blame myself as well. I'm part of the problem as I'm trying to be part of the solution."

Addressing such poignant topics in his music is a step in the right direction. Watch the MC demonstrate his lyrical prowess by serving you rhymes with substance above.