Is Lecrae's New Album "Reconstruction" Really An Album Of the Year Contender?

The above quote was said by legendary DJ, radio host, and TV personality Charlemagne tha God at the very beginning of Lecrae’s interview on The Breakfast Club about his brand-new 2025 album Reconstruction.

If you’re reading that and thinking it’s a bold claim, you’re right. Charlemagne is a legend in the hip-hop world, having interviewed nearly everyone who matters. So when he singles out Lecrae — someone who could easily be dismissed as a “gospel rapper” — the praise carries weight. That interview dropped three weeks ago, well into Lecrae’s album rollout but before the full project was released. Hearing Charlemagne’s words raised my anticipation, and now that the album has been out for two days, I’ve been able to sit with it and form some first impressions.

A few caveats: I don’t think I have ultimate authority on deciding the quality of art. I also haven’t sat with this record long enough to fully grasp it — so consider this more of a “first impressions” piece. I’m a songwriter, have listened to Lecrae for years, and like to think I have a decent ear. But I’m also a white college student in Nashville with little experience making hip hop myself. Do what you will with that. And finally — as always on The New Wave — my opinion is not the only right one. Take what I say, wrestle with it, and come to your own conclusions.

With that out of the way, let’s look at what worked, what didn’t, and whether Reconstruction deserves the Album of the Year conversation.

What Worked

Production

This is the album’s greatest strength: it just sounds huge. The beats are abrasive, intentional, and creative. The aggressive energy matches Lecrae’s “standing-on-business” posture in recent years. There are countless beat switches, stank-face moments, and production choices that keep you engaged.

World-Building

From the rollout to the visuals, Lecrae made Reconstruction feel like an event. The photos, promo videos, and overall energy made it seem like his most important work yet. In an era when albums often feel disposable, this one felt like a moment — and that matters.

Standing on Business

One of the reasons I continue to cover Lecrae is his refusal to soften truth for the sake of comfort. On this album, there are several lines that will make some listeners uncomfortable — and I applaud him for saying them anyway.

Personal Storytelling

Lecrae’s last decade has been marked by highs and lows: backlash for speaking on racism, deconstruction, substance abuse, and ultimately redemption. He could have hidden those struggles to maintain a safe audience, but instead he keeps telling the messy truth. Reconstruction continues that vulnerability.

An Invitation to Healing

Ultimately, Lecrae is up right now — and he’s showing that healing is possible. In “My Story” he names giants of the faith who helped him forward. In “Erase Me,” he points to the beauty of Eastern Christianity. And in “Still Here,” he ends with God’s consistency and grace. The thread is clear: if healing was possible for him, it can be possible for anyone.

What Didn’t

“Youth Group” Lyrics

Despite the strong rollout, the lyrics often played it safe. Beyond a few standouts, much of the writing felt filled with clichés and surface-level ideas — what I call “youth group rap.” These are songs that feel safe enough for middle schoolers but don’t dig deep into real struggle or truth.

Random Tracklist

Great albums — especially in rap — usually have intentional sequencing. They reward you for listening straight through. Reconstruction often felt like a playlist: the subjects jumped around, tempos shifted without clear purpose, and the overall arc was hard to find.

Repetitive Choruses

Several tracks overstayed their welcome thanks to long, repetitive hooks. Songs like “Brick for Brick” and “Headphones” were especially tough to get through after a few minutes.

Nothing New

The biggest issue isn’t a technical one, but the project’s necessity. Restoration (and the book of the same name) felt groundbreaking and vulnerable. Church Clothes 4 continued that story. Reconstruction doesn’t add much that we haven’t already heard from Lecrae. His story is important, but I’m not sure this project gave us anything new.

Album of the Year Contender?

So — is Reconstruction truly Album of the Year material?

In my opinion: no. It’s a solid project, fun to listen to, and honest in moments, but not groundbreaking. I’ll save a handful of songs (Reconstruction, LIFE, H2O, Erase Me especially), but the album as a whole isn’t one I’ll be returning to often.

That said, this review isn’t meant to settle the question for you. Instead, I hope it invites you to engage with Lecrae’s music — and Christian artistry as a whole — with more nuance. Some people will dismiss this album outright because of biases against Christian rap. Others will love everything about it without critique. I want to stand in the middle: loving Jesus, loving music, and thinking deeply about both.

And in the end, I think Lecrae would want the same: for us to examine what Christianity has taught us, deconstruct unhealthy habits, and rebuild ways of living truly in line with God’s call.