KJ-52 has spent much of his career playing with the assumption that faith and hip-hop make an unusual pair. On his new album, Mental, the veteran rapper turns that tension into the central idea.
The nine-track project explores what it means to maintain hope and conviction while the surrounding culture appears increasingly disoriented. KJ-52, whose real name is Jonah Sorrentino, said the title works in two directions: Belief can look irrational to outsiders, while much of what society has accepted as normal can appear plenty irrational on its own.
“People who want to adhere to a biblical worldview are looked at as crazy, out of touch, intolerant,” KJ-52 said. “But what we’re trying to say is that there’s hope to hold onto when the world feels like it is going nuts.”
Mental follows 2012’s Dangerous and finds KJ-52 continuing to experiment with the edges of his sound. The album moves between aggressive rap, electronic production, reggae touches and the kind of oversized sports-arena energy built to make folding chairs feel temporarily inadequate.
That last category is represented by “Gameface,” which features KB and Soul Glo Activatur. The song uses the language of locker-room speeches and competition to describe the daily work of resisting temptation, enduring setbacks and remaining active in one’s faith.
“I love sports and that speech coaches give about going into battle and getting your game face on,” KJ-52 said. “If you don’t get your game face on in this life, then you’re going to get run over.”
The title track features Tedashii and Soul Glo Activatur over production that moves with all the stability implied by the word “mental.” Pitch changes, arcade-like sounds and a restless beat follow KJ-52 as he argues that cultural confusion does not require personal surrender.
“Tonight” offers one of the album’s larger departures. Instead of relying entirely on rap, KJ-52 sings over an electronic dance track about leaving old patterns behind and choosing a different direction.
“One definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results,” he said. “It’s been cool with Mental, and especially ‘Tonight,’ to try something unexpected and get the attention of people who may not have heard me before.”
Elsewhere, “Fresh Kicks” uses sneaker culture as an extended metaphor for starting over, while “Misfit Toys” addresses listeners who feel pushed outside the categories that are supposed to contain them. The latter reaches out to skaters, emos, gay kids, outsiders and anyone else accustomed to being treated like a defective item in somebody else’s toy box.
That inclusiveness is one of the more interesting parts of Mental. KJ-52 remains direct about his beliefs, but the album’s invitation is aimed beyond people who already agree with him. Its larger concern is what happens to people searching for identity, relief or belonging in a culture with no shortage of temporary answers.
KJ-52 entered 2014 with another unusual credential. In January, he and a team of rappers completed a 12-hour, two-minute freestyle session in Tampa, Florida, earning a Guinness World Records title for the longest freestyle rap by a team. Apparently, running out of words has never been the primary concern.
The album also includes “Fight Music,” a remix of “They Like Me” featuring Lecrae. Additional guests across the project include Propaganda and Flame.
Mental will be released Oct. 21.