The Deep End With Lecrae

Rickey Smiley sits down with Lecrae for a deeply personal conversation about faith, grief, and the pain hidden behind a lifetime of making people laugh.
Rickey opens up about losing his 32-year-old son, Brandon, and the devastating journey that followed. He shares what it was like learning the news while alone in Dallas, having to lead his family through the tragedy, and why he says he didn't simply lean on God—God carried him.
They also discuss Rickey's upbringing in the Black church, surviving being shot at point-blank range, the golden era of '90s comedy, the importance of therapy, and why Black men need the freedom to cry. Rickey also reveals how friends disappeared and people attacked him publicly during the darkest year of his life.
This is an honest conversation about trusting God when life no longer makes sense, finding gratitude in unimaginable grief, and using your pain to help somebody else survive theirs.

Lecrae sits down with Boyz II Men founding member Shawn Stockman for a conversation that goes far beyond the music. Shawn reflects on the journey from a kid in Southwest Philly to becoming part of one of the biggest groups in the world, and what happened when the industry that celebrated them began to move on.
He opens up about race, the realities behind the music business, the difficult years Boyz II Men faced as a group, and how his understanding of success and purpose changed through fatherhood.
01:04 Introduction
05:06 Shawn Stockman Before Boyz II Men
07:07 Dreaming of Being on Stage
09:11 The Moment His Mom Heard His Voice
12:56 From Classical Training to R&B
14:52 How His Father Changed His Life
17:17 The Audition That Almost Didn't Happen
19:54 The Road to Boyz II Men
25:19 How Shawn Joined the Group
26:50 The Truth Behind Boyz II Men's Clean Cut Image
30:27 Sponsor
32:21 Boyz II Men Had Nothing to Prove
35:35 Surviving Three Record Labels
37:31 When the Music Industry Moves On
40:24 Did Boyz II Men Create the Boy Band Blueprint?
41:47 Race and the Crossover Success of Boyz II Men
44:13 Could Their Success Happen Again?
47:50 Sponsor
50:29 What Really Happens Behind the Music Industry
51:29 Being Taken Advantage of at the Top
55:05 Learning the Business Behind the Money
58:22 What Kept Boyz II Men Together
1:00:04 When Michael McCary Left the Group
1:00:31 Going from Arenas to Empty Clubs
1:02:51 Why Success Couldn't Make Him Happy
1:05:43 Finding Purpose Through Fatherhood
1:08:35 Raising a Son with Autism
1:10:07 Why Shawn and His Wife Started Giving Back
1:12:09 Would Michael McCary Ever Rejoin Boyz II Men?
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Lecrae welcomes Phillip Anthony Mitchell back to The Deep End for an honest conversation about the realities of public ministry. From navigating criticism and protecting his family to staying grounded in Scripture amid cultural pressure, Phillip reflects on the lessons he's learned as his platform has grown and why faithfulness has remained his highest priority. They also discuss the vision behind Access, the importance of prayer, and the heart behind Phillip's new book, Contend.
01:09 Introduction
03:00 Responding to Criticism with Humility
06:22 Navigating Influence Without Pride
08:40 How Public Ministry Affects Family
11:33 Why Pastor Phillip Travels with Security
17:28 The Vision Behind Access
22:42 The Power of Corporate Prayer
24:03 Preaching the Bible in a Divided Culture
29:03 Why He Preaches Through Books of the Bible
30:07 Should Christians Charge for Live Events?
34:51 Fair Criticism vs. Unfair Criticism
36:23 The Cost of Public Obedience
37:35 What Phillip Anthony Mitchell Is Really Like
40:21 Why Christians Need to Stop Slandering Each Other
46:37 Confrontation vs. Public Call Outs
47:55 Encouragement for Faithful Pastors
49:18 The Message of Contend
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This week, Lecrae sits down with bestselling author and Proverbs 31 Ministries president Lysa TerKeurst for an honest conversation about betrayal, emotional abuse, forgiveness, divorce, and learning to trust God when life doesn't go the way you hoped. Together, they unpack difficult questions many Christians wrestle with, including what Scripture actually says about divorce, the difference between forgiveness and reconciliation, and how to recognize emotional abuse without minimizing its impact.
Along the way, Lysa shares personal stories, biblical insight, and practical encouragement for anyone walking through disappointment, grief, or broken relationships.
 
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Lecrae welcomes Dr. Sarita Lyons back to The Deep End for a conversation about healing from relational wounds and navigating difficult conversations with biblical wisdom.
Together, they explore how family brokenness shapes us, the difference between forgiveness and reconciliation, why "protecting your peace" isn't always biblical, and what true healing looks like through the lens of the gospel.
They also dive into women in the Church, navigating church hurt without abandoning Scripture, and why our deepest wounds can never be healed apart from Christ. Whether your relationship with your mother has been life giving, complicated, or somewhere in between, this conversation offers biblical wisdom, practical insight, and a hopeful path toward healing.

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