It might just be me, but there’s a certain novelty to Christian rap that inclines me to like it regardless of its quality. It’s strange to hear a musical form that is often used to exalt self, used to exalt God. Was it a similar feeling that caused people to like Styper, back in the ’80s?

Anyway, on to Lecrae. This is a man who treats “subtlety” like a curse word. Don’t get Rehab if you’re expecting hip-hop with the light touch of Kanye West. Lecrae does intense, forceful music that has more in common with Tupac. It’s all martial beats, yelling “hype guys” and climactic string sections. The cumulative effect is a little tiring. There’s a reason Kanye West didn’t make a whole album full of “Jesus Walks,” you know. It lessens the impact. “The Good Life” is the one song where Lecrae stretches out a bit, settling into a soulful groove reminiscent of anything off of Jay-Z’s The Blueprint. It left me wishing he’d chill out more often. Rehab is a decent, grimy hip-hop record, but that’s really all it is.

Three out of five stars