Reviewed by Steve Hayes

A major hit in both USA's CCM and Gospel charts, this is a fine showcase for the Atlanta-based rapper's winning ways with rhymes and his ability to integrate them with radio-friendly hooks. Already a followup, 'Rehab: The Overdose', is out Stateside. But what of this set? First off, one must acknowledge that 'Rehab' is utterly God-focused and intentioned with Lecrae delivering a powerful call to submit to God. In the outstanding "Killa" we find Lecrae sharing with us in the battle against sin and lust, with evil trying to enslave people, "covered in her lace of lies" with us all needing someone to save us. Lecrae reminds we need the Word because without it and God we're killing ourselves and conceiving death. So what is the answer? God and his "Divine Intervention" with interjections from J R as Lecrae worships God with an R&B rap fusion ("...you spoke the earth into existence, no autotune."). The album is intensely personal as well, as evidenced in the moving "Just Like You" with J Paul guesting, and the powerful "Background" and "Release Date" with the rapper sharing his heart and struggles as a "star". There's a spread of accessible and catchy hip-hop like "Gotta Know", the crunk'n'b of "Walking On Water" and the contemporary grooved autotuned "God Is Enough". There's a guitar anthemic vibe in "Children Of The Light" through to acoustic guitar-based hip-hop in "Boasting" where Lecrae will only boast in Christ and the Cross. Add to this there's dirty south aplenty, in testimonials like "Used To Do It Too" and the double-timing trickery on "New Shalom" featuring Pro. All in all, one of the best Christian hip-hop albums of last year. or indeed of any year.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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Lecrae releases his brand new studio album Rehab. From the southside of Houston to a leader in the movement of urban reform, a rocky road provides a window into the grace Lecrae experienced throughout his life, with every situation moulding him into the artist and leader that he is today.

“Now I’m a little older and a little wiser. I can see the mistakes people will make before they make them. I can see not only the fruit of their mistakes, but also the root of their mistakes. Many times we want to attack the behaviours or the external problems in our lives and never realize the cause of those problems are internal and spiritual. Anger, depression, addiction, discontentment are all ills that plague us. Many times, we not only try to fix the effects of these things instead of tackling the cause, but we also don’t think God and His Word have any hope or solutions for them. Out of a burden to help and also confess my own struggles in the area I am releasing Rehab.”