Ronnie Lillard pka Reconcile was born bound within the gritty landscape of chalked lines. In the middle of his childhood, he suffered his first loss when he was abandoned by his mother and left to be raised by his father in Fort Myers better known as “Little Pakistan.” Despair and poverty were bedfellows and gun shots were more frequent than thunderstorms. Prior to becoming a teen, the message was resoundingly clear. The soundtrack to his life then was “murder rap”, Ronnie survived the culture. Unshaken by the harsh realities, of which he inherited, he succumbed to his surroundings: depleted resources, constant trauma, family disfunction, incarceration, violence, dreads, gold teeth, drugs and firearms. South Florida.
Seventeen years his senior, Ronnie’s dad believed that the only outlet to overcome poverty was for his son to pursue football. This was plan A thru Z. Fueled by his own curriculum of delinquency this behavior was in direct conflict with his father’s wish to stay focused and see the dream to its end. Unwilling to concede, at 15, fistfights ensued, and Ronnie found himself homeless in the middle of the night. Now free from his father’s roof and expectations, he used his freedom to catapult himself into the nightmare his father tried to avoid. Inasmuch as his grandfather tried to provide him guidance, he let his inner voids guide him and soon found himself truly by himself. The death of his grandfather began the process of his awakening. Like most who lose someone they love, in the immediacy of pain he had immature words with God. Although the loss gave him pause, an unexpected encounter with Jesus had the greatest impact upon his life.
Having been court ordered community service while on probation, he sought for an opportunity to fulfill his obligation. At a church in his neighborhood, where he had frequented during the late hours of the night to play basketball on a double rim with half of a backboard. It was there that he met Pastor David Estrada. Estrada was willing to give him the hours that he needed for the exchange of attending bible study and doing odd jobs around the church. Which proved to be just an opportunity for Estrada to impart on Ronnie mentorship and guidance. In the time shared, Ronnie was most struck by the cross of Jesus Christ. It inspired him to want to change his lifestyle and develop a deeper connection spiritually. Although he felt an immediate need for a change, his surroundings had not. The process to redirect his energy into getting out of his circumstances was not met without struggle.
He faced his demons, reflected upon his wrongs, and began to do what was right. His renewed sense of focus and determination got him an athletic scholarship to Rice University. There he played football and began his entrance into hip hop as a DJ doing events at Texas Southern and University of Houston. Although he managed to turn his life around, by overcoming the trappings of an ingrained mindset, he understands the importance of helping others who are just as lost as he was. Despite being removed from Fort Myers he identified with the poverty and hopelessness that he saw first-hand in Houston as well as his own life. Unlike those who attain success and remove themselves from the depths of which they came, he did the opposite. Compelled to do something, he moved into the 3rd Ward and began working with juveniles in Harris County as a mentor. He immersed himself in the daily struggle of the youth.
Encouraged by his passion for his people and the love of music, under the moniker of Reconcile he began crafting a message for his generation. Digging into the recesses of a hardened heart and calloused hands he projected his pain with honesty and energy. Truth resonated and the images that he captured of his hood while telling his story over a frenetic beat caught fire. Reconcile represents a void for hip hop. Raw. Unapologetic. Meaningful music. Reconcile’s words champion the forgotten and serves as the rhythm hidden in the pulse of those getting by on hope. Despite how heavy the cross to bear, Reconcile is willing to carry the weight until minds are set free. One soul at a time. Reconcile states “As I began seeking a real relationship with the Lord my life changed and the value of everything else in my life began to decrease as my desire and passion to know Jesus intimately and follow him grew. The gospel of Christ brought perspective and hope out of the pain I had endured. I wanted to go and tell people about the one who has redeemed me, I wanted to share this hope with those who are from broken homes, trailer parks, and the projects… that Jesus can save them too.”
Reconcile, now holds a Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies, Philosophy, and Sociology from Rice University as well as a Masters in Public Administration from Barry University. Reconcile is a husband and father and he has committed his time to community renewal, social justice and youth mentoring in South Florida.
Rap/Hip-Hop
Reconcile released a free project entitled Abandoned Hope, on March 23, 2012 while Reconcile was still a senior in college. The project received over 45K downloads and garnered the attention of producer Street Symphony. On May 20, 2014 Reconcile released his first album entitled Sacrifice. Sacrifice charted #3 on iTunes Hip Hop and debuted on the Billboard charts, landing placement on the Top Rap Albums at No. 20.
Reconcile’s EP Catchin’ Bodies debuted #30 on the Billboard Christian charts. The Miami native challenges our views on faith, community and race in America. Reconcile delivers a piercing yet hopeful view of the ongoing inner-city epidemic, with sobering and honest lyrics that point towards a consistent theme of a dependence of Jesus, and hope in the midst of pain, social injustice and personal failures and successes. The mixtape series’ final installment “Streets Don’t Love You 3” debuted #5 on iTunes Hip-Hop Charts.
Social Justice
Reconcile began dedicating his time and efforts towards struggling youth and incarnated men as far back as 2009. Reconcile began conducting outreach events with the juvenile gang unit led by Dan Hicks in Houston in 2009. Post-collegiate football, he turned his focus over to making hip hop music that challenged the urban core as well as forming a non-profit (Live Frontline Inc.) that helped to mentor at-risk teens on probation in inner-city Houston, TX. The non-profit served as a program for probation officers to refer low-risk or recently released youth, the program was conducted at the Forge for Families in 3rd Ward Houston, TX. While rapping Reconcile served as a juvenile court case manager for Harris County and currently is the Director of Juvenile Justice Ministry in Miami. Reconcile advocates for juvenile rights and resources as well as the rights and resources for communities of color. In 2020 Reconcile presented the Mayor of Miami with an agenda to improve black life in the city of Miami. Reconcile advocates for the abolishment of the 13th Amendment, juvenile justice reform, prison reform, major changes to public housing as well as education reform. In 2016, Reconcile accepted a position that brought him back home to south Florida to work at Greater Miami Youth for Christ. Reconcile is the Director of Juvenile Justice at GMYFC and has had the privilege to develop services for youth as well as coordinate initiatives for the Department of Juvenile Justice in Miami-Dade County. In 2020, upon the murder of personal friend George Floyd, Reconcile the opportunity to work with Miami’s Mayor Francis Suarez and State attorney Katherine Rundle on initiatives pertaining to improving black life and police/community relations in the city of Miami. Today Reconcile sits on the State Attorney’s committee for continuing justice reform.