ATLANTA — The title of Atlanta hip-hop artist Lecrae’s recently released 10th album, Reconstruction, serves as more than inspiration—it is a reminder that anyone can overcome adversity and be reconstructed, no matter what.
“God is not done with you yet,” Lecrae said. “Everybody is a piece. No matter what happened to you, or how you’ve been broken deep down. He is not done writing your story. You can be reconstructed. I don’t care what you’ve gone through or experienced.”
On Aug. 13, Lecrae was joined by friends and fellow Atlanta hip-hop icons T.I. and Killer Mike to film the music video for the single “Headphones.” The music video was released on Thursday and carries a special narrative element.
Lecrae describes the single as, “us talking about our own grief of dealing with loss. Hip-hop has taken so many losses, so it’s like a collective grieving process.”
They all reflected on hip-hop’s birthday on Aug. 11 and what the genre means to them.
“Hip-hop is a surrogate parent for me. I was raised by it,” Lecrae said.
He expressed gratitude for having T.I. and Killer Mike collaborate on the track.
“TIP and Killer Mike are the epitome of hip-hop,” he said. “They represent the foundation to the Atlanta hip-hop scene. They’re two of the best lyricists, two of the most thought-provoking individuals, and they’re courageous.”
A collective group of cast and crew worked tirelessly to film the music video at Crates ATL, a popular vinyl shop in downtown Atlanta. Lecrae was happy to film the video in his hometown.
“Atlanta is home, Atlanta is the city that shaped me, raised my children, transformed me and taken care of me. To be able to give back to the city and create music here is very special,” he said.
Popular music video director Roger Alexander also shared his perspective.
“We had the chance to pay homage to some of the fallen artists and influential people in the lives of three legends: Lecrae, Killer Mike, and T.I.,” Alexander said. “They shared a connection of showing an appreciation for the people who helped influence them. Positive message, dope song, dope energy all the way around.”
“I dedicated my verse to my grandmothers, my grandfathers, my uncle, and family,” Killer Mike said. He added it’s always fun to connect with T.I. and Lecrae, and that they have more projects in the works for the future.
Killer Mike called hip-hop a ‘guiding force’ in his life and said he’s pleased with the direction it is heading with prominent hip-hop historian NuFace.
“Finding his way as a historian has probably been one of the best decisions made by anybody in hip-hop because our stories need to be told by us, chronicled by us,” he said.
The prominent hip-hop icon, community leader and entrepreneur says he is working on the sequel to his Grammy Award-winning album MICHAEL. He took home three awards at the 2024 Grammy Awards, including for best rap album, best rap song for “Scientists and Engineers," and best rap track for the same song.
T.I. reflected on the personal aspect of the song.
“It is a song talking about the people who we love who are no longer with us in the physical presence and physical sense if they can listen to us in heaven with headphones on,” he said.
T.I. said he recorded the song during a painful time in his life following the death of close friend Clay Evans. He also reflected on other significant losses, including his father and sister.
“All of the special people in my life who are no longer here, I feel an abundance of presence. I feel they’re with me,” T.I. continued. “No matter how lonely I feel like I am, that presence always comforts me.”
T.I. also reflected on the birthday of hip-hop and the 22-year anniversary of his sophomore album Trap Muzik, saying, “it’s a blessing to be able to live to see it.”
“The things that inspired Trap Muzik and hip-hop come from a desolate place. It comes from having nothing and being so tired of having nothing that you have to say something and happen to say it over a beat. To start from that and get to all this affluence and prosperity is God. There’s a saying: what the devil made for bad, God uses for good. I feel like hip-hop, and Trap Muzik are an example of it.”
Lecrae shared his vision for Reconstruction.
“I pray it will challenge the listeners in the industry of real hip hop, timeless, authentic, meaningful music is still necessary,” he concluded.
To watch the music video, click here; To listen to the Reconstruction album, click the link here: https://link.lecrae.com/reconstruction.OPR.