Did you know: the 52 part of
KJ’s moniker is a
reference to when Jesus
fed the multitude with only
five loaves and two fish.
MUSIC
REVIEW
C
areer rapper KJ-52 is back with his
latest effort Mental, a 9 track EP.
Similar to his previous releases,
KJ-52 has penned songs that are relevant
to issues that reign in todays world. They
will undoubtedly resonate with many of his
listeners.
Artist:
KJ-52
Album:
MENTAL
Rating:
Genre:
Rap, Hip Hop
For Fans Of:
Derek Minor, Lecrae,
George Moss
Label:
Paradigm Collective
Band Website:
www.KJ52.com
Reviewed by:
Leah St John
46 > CHRISTIAN REVIEW
The songs on Mental contain lyrics that
remind us that we are fearfully and
wonderfully made (“Fight Music”), that we
are loved by God no matter who we are
(“Island of the Misfit Toys”), and that it’s
OK to be different (“Mental”). KJ-52 also
raps/sings about starting over, with God at
the helm and not looking back to your past
(“Brand New Day”, “Tonight”, “Fresh
Kicks”), and encourages listeners to let
their faith shine for others to see in a world
gone mental (“Gameface", “It’s Going
Down”).
Mental contains some really good,
memorable jams, both musically as well as
lyrically, although not all of the songs on
the album are new - there are some
remixes of previously released tracks. This
is a little disappointing, considering we
haven’t had a full-length release from KJ-52
since Dangerous in 2012. But as a whole,
the album contains some of KJ-52’s best
work.
This release is a pretty straight up Hip Hop
album that contains notable stadium
anthems and electronic dance, Hip Hop
jams. And though KJ-52 did incorporate
new elements into his music, I think that
one of the defining factors of Mental is the
inclusion of a good amount of guest
vocalists.
Many notable vocalists/artists make
appearances on the album, including KB,
Soul Glo Activatur, FLAME, Lecrae,
Tedashi, Canton Jones, SPZRKT, and
Propaganda. The guest vocalists lend their
pipes to the one or more tracks, as almost
every song features a number of the
aforementioned artists. They also bring
their unique influences to their respective
tracks, making the songs on Mental that
much more diverse and unique.
A noteworthy release from KJ-52, Mental is
the next step in the evolution of his
mainstay Hip Hop/rap sound. The wholly
relevant and well written lyrics in
combination with the incorporation of
some new musical elements, and the
presence of guest vocalists adds a new
depth to KJ-52’s ever popular sound.
Check out our KJ-52 feature article