KJ-52

 

 June 26, 1975

KJ-52, born Jonah Sorrentino, shares his birthday with Nicole C. Mullen and Kim Jones, your Guide to Christian Music.

Quote From KJ-52:

From Mfyi.com "Because I'm in the spotlight now and a lot of kids are looking up to me, I have to make sure that I'm living a life "above reproach" and that I'm practicing what I'm preaching. Also because I'm on the road quite a bit and don't get to go to church as much as I'd like to.. I have to make sure that I stay prayed up and in the word and accountable to my pastor."

KJ-52's Early Years:

Raised in Ybor City, the ghetto area of Tampa, FL, KJ-52, whose real name is Jonah Sorrentino, was the son of two ex-hippie artists. When his parents divorced, he moved to the suburbs with his mother but found that he still didn't fit in. "I went from being the only white kid in an all black and Cuban neighborhood, to a suburban neighborhood where I was still just as poor," he said in his bio. Things got even worse and running away twice didn't help matters. Drinking, drugs and girls weren't the answer either. At 15 a family member challenged him to take up Christ and his answer suddenly became clear.

KJ went to work for a youth ministry at a Florida inner-city church and he released a few demo CDs. They didn't get much notice but he didn't let that kill the dream. KJ met a young, likeminded rapper named Golden Child and the two of them formed Sons of Intellect. They performed all over Florida and KJ got a real taste of how much his music could change lives. When Sons broke up, KJ didn't give up. In fact, in the summer of 1998 he stepped down from his youth minister position to pursue his Christian rap dream full-time.

KJ-52 Gets Signed:

A relationship KJ had with Gotee Records' Todd Collins led to him getting signed by Essential. His full-length debut album released in April of 2000.

KJ-52 Trivia:

• KJ-52 has been writing rap songs since he was 12 years old.
• "KJ" is an abbreviation of his old rap name (King J Mack), but "52" (pronounced "five-two") represents the miracle of the five loaves and two fish.
• He once worked as a flower delivery person.
• KJ-52's music is featured in the Christian video game Dance Praise on Dance Praise Expansion Pack Volume 2: Rap/Hip-Hop.
• An excerpt from the song "Thank You" was played after the fourth commercial break of the now famous episode of Live! with Regis and Kelly that featured Clay Aiken as the co-host