KJ-52

Biography

Jonah Kirsten Sorrentino (born June 26, 1975), better known by his stage name KJ-52, is an American Christian rapper from Tampa, Florida.
Among other songs, he is known for "Do Yo Thang" from the album The Yearbook×The YearbookApril 2007 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 19 tracks1Will You Ever Know?4:132Do Yo Thang4:003You'll Never Take Me Down4:054Do You Got That3:315It Ain't Easy3:036Push Up3:497I Won't Ever Stop3:438Fanmail5:209You Can Still Come Back3:1310Can I Be Honest4:0711Pump That2:46125 Minutes (In the Garden)4:0613Daddy's Girl4:1714Wake Up2:5715Say What Ya Want4:3516Your Gonna Make It3:4717You Hang Up First3:4618Always Here for You4:1419Take Every Part of Me3:57 (2007), which won a GMA Dove Award. His album Five-Two Television×Five-Two Television1 January 2009 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 24 tracks1Five-Two Television (Intro)1:002Adventures of Tweezyman3:213End of My Rope2:344The Chris Carlino Story: Day One (interlude)1:245Headline News at 52:186He Did That3:487Let's Go2:528The Chris Carlino Story: Week Two (interlude)0:569Are You Online?3:1310Calling You3:0211Headline News at 112:1412Picture3:3713Shake It Off2:2714Gonna Be Alright2:5415Help Me Change3:2616Swagged Out With Tags Out4:0017The Chris Carlino Story: Week Four (interlude)1:2118Fuego3:3419Tweezy Dance3:3320Let It Go3:3021Firestarter3:2622Broken People3:2323The Chris Carlino Story: Week Five (interlude)1:2624Dear God4:38 (2009) won Rap/Hip Hop Album of the Year at the 41st GMA Dove Awards.
According to his website, he is a Guinness World Records holder for the longest Team Freestyle (2014) of 12 hours and 2 minutes.
In addition to Christian ministry, KJ-52 continues to produce music and is active on social media.

Stage name

The "KJ" in Sorrentino's name refers to his old rap alias "King J. Mac" (and his initials backwards), a name which he later described in one of his podcasts as "horribly cheesy". The "52" (pronounced "five two" not "fifty-two"), is a reference to the Bible story of Jesus feeding the multitude with five loaves and two fish, which is also sung about in the song "KJ Five Two" from It's Pronounced Five Two (2003) and in his song "Push Up" from The Yearbook (2007).

Career

In 2002, KJ-52 released his second album, Collaborations×Collaborations2 July 2002 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 16 tracks1Leave a Message (intro)0:572Do That3:393The Choice Is Yours3:194Rise Up3:265Dear Slim3:586Nursery Rhymes4:087Sonshine4:118Wait for You3:229Revenge of the Nerds / Mullet Pride9:09105th Element6:0111Industry (Spoken Word interlude)2:0312Why?5:431347 Emcees (interlude)2:2014ABC's and 123's4:5115Where Were You?3:3716Operator (outro) / Coke Fry Cheeseburger4:03. The album's title referred to the numerous contributions made to the album by guest artists, including Pillar, John Reuben and Thousand Foot Krutch. Collaborations also represented his first nomination for a Dove Award, for Rap/Hip Hop/Dance Album of the Year in 2003.
KJ-52 has won four Dove Awards, three in the Rap/Hip Hop Album of the Year category. He took the 2004 award for It's Pronounced Five Two, the 2006 award for Behind the Musik (A Boy Named Jonah), and the 2007 award for Remixed. He received an additional honor in 2007, for "Never Look Away" from Behind the Musik, in the Rap/Hip Hop Recorded Song category. KJ never tried out for American Idol, but suggested such in his song "Fivetweezy".
In October 2008, KJ-52 released The Yearbook: The Missing Pages (a re-release of his album The Yearbook×The YearbookApril 2007 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 19 tracks1Will You Ever Know?4:132Do Yo Thang4:003You'll Never Take Me Down4:054Do You Got That3:315It Ain't Easy3:036Push Up3:497I Won't Ever Stop3:438Fanmail5:209You Can Still Come Back3:1310Can I Be Honest4:0711Pump That2:46125 Minutes (In the Garden)4:0613Daddy's Girl4:1714Wake Up2:5715Say What Ya Want4:3516Your Gonna Make It3:4717You Hang Up First3:4618Always Here for You4:1419Take Every Part of Me3:57). It came with the original record and a slip over cover that has a code to download all 13 songs. He was awarded with the Rap/Hip Hop Song of the Year for "Wake Up" and Rap/Hip-Hop Album of the Year for The Yearbook at the 39th GMA Dove Awards.

In 2009, he released Five-Two Television, an album covering a variety of themes and rap styles. It is his first album in which auto-tune is used, a controversial step among his fans. The album includes a fictitious story of Chris Carlino, a man who has ruined his life through a series of interludes. The album includes songs with a strong Christian message and songs intended to entertain.
KJ-52 rapped in the Newsboys cover of "Jesus Freak". He also rapped in the tobyMac remix of the song "One World" on the album Hip-Hope, which also includes the KJ-52 remixed×KJ-52 Remixed2 May 2006 · Album · RemixSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 18 tracks1Fivetweezy (Disco Mania remix)3:492Revenge of the Nerds (Horns a Plenty remix)5:223Dear Slim, Part 2 (True Story remix)4:52447 Emcees (Plus 18 More)4:385I Can Call on You (Piano Love remix)3:556Are You Real (Oregon Train remix)4:017Jesus (Reggaeton remix)3:428Plain White Rapper (Kalimba remix)3:319Rock With It (Eat to the Beat Lunch mix remix)3:3610Mullet Pride (Country Krunk remix)3:2511For the Ladies (Soulvibe remix)4:1412Things I Like (Timbojones remix)3:2313Washed Up (Dbl. Time remix)3:1314Run for Cover3:2215Napoleon Dynamite2:5216[silence]1:0117[contest info]0:3718Things I Like (instrumental)3:24 song "What You Want".
KJ-52 released Dangerous on April 3, 2012. It mixes hip-hop with synth and some pop-electric. The first released single, "Dangerous×Dangerous3 April 2012 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1It's Going Down2:582They Like Me4:153Superhero4:054Dangerous3:475Facemelt2:476Shake 'em Up4:447Do the Bill Cosby3:448So Far Apart4:229Brand New Day3:5610Speed That Light3:4811That Was My Life4:0212Go4:54", is light rock-pop. The second single is called "Shake Em Up", commonly spelled "Shakem Up". It features guest artists such as Canton Jones on "It's Goin Down", Lecrae on "They Like Me", Thi'sl on "Shake Em Up", George Moss on "Do the Bill Cosby", and more. His final track, "Go", is a remake of the Hillsong United song with the same name.
In 2017, KJ-52 released his first independent album Jonah×Jonah2017 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracks1Hold on (feat. Curt Anderson)4:082Get Down Get Down3:273Best Day Ever (feat. Chris August & Talkbox)3:394More of You Less of Me (feat. Whosoever South)3:425Nah Bruh (feat. Canon & B. Cooper)4:266Day Job (feat. Sean Johnson)4:147Lock Down (feat. B. Reith)3:058Know About It (feat. Derek Minor)3:44. The project was over 200% funded through PledgeMusic. Following the release of the album, he began working on an independent documentary about his life with filmmaker Denver Bailey. The film went on to raise 125% of the goal via Kickstarter. The film was released along with KJ-52's second independent album Jonah Pt. 2 on February 15, 2018.
In 2019, KJ-52 released What Happened Was, a joint album with CHH producer and 2019 Rapzilla Freshman, PoetiCS. The album features Xay Hill, Jodie Jermaine, Mitch Darrell, V. Rose, Dre Murray and Dru Bex. The project was coupled with KJ's first book, also titled What Happened Was. Both the album and the book were over 170% funded via Kickstarter.
In November 2019, KJ-52 announced that he would be retiring from music after the release of his next album. However, he continues to promote his music on social media.
In 2020, he joined the pastoral staff of Christian Life Fellowship in Cape Coral, Florida.

Eminem and "Dear Slim"

Christian sources often compared KJ-52 to Eminem, with many calling him a "Christian counterpart". One of the most notable mainstream reactions to the Christian hip-hop scene was to KJ-52 and his single "Dear Slim", which was written to Eminem in an attempt to reach him with the message of the gospel. The song became famous and controversial among Eminem fans when it was featured on the hit show Total Request Live. KJ-52 began to receive hate mail (including death threats) from Eminem's fans, though KJ-52 claimed that the song was not being disrespectful. The artist addressed it in a follow-up song titled "Dear Slim Pt. 2".

Additional projects and releases

Peace of Mind's self-titled album (2003) BEC Recordings
Soul Purpose with T.C. (Todd Collins) (2004) BEC Recordings
KJ-52 Remixed (2006) BEC Recordings
The Office Prequel Mixtape (2009)
"Jesus Freak" (guest rap on DC Talk cover) for the Newsboys album Born Again (2010)

Guest appearances

Jeremiah Dirt – Plague – "Good Medison" (1998)
Urban D. – The Missin' Element – "The Spittin' Spot" (1999)
Urban D. – The Tranzlation – "We Go Together Like" (2001)
Pillar – Fireproof – "Stay Up" (2002)
Bobby Bishop – Government Name – "Change the Game" (2005)
ZOEgirl – With All Of My Heart – Mix of Life (2007)
TobyMac – Hip Hope Hits 2009 – "One World (Liquid Remix)" (2009)
R-Swift – Anthem – "Flava of Forever" (2009)
Newsboys – Born Again – "Jesus Freak (DC Talk cover)" (2010)
Sean Slaughter – The Prototype – "I'm Gone" (2010)
big AL – The Balancing Act – "Lookin' @ Us" (2011)
muzeONE – Cold War – "Lights On" (2011)
Research – Cerca Trova – "The Struggle" (2011)
Jai – Culture Shock – "Incredible (Remix)" (2011)
The Ambassador – Stop the Funeral – "Your Love" (2011)
Canton Jones – The Live Experience – "I Am (Live)" (2012)
E Tizz – What I Gotta Say – "I'm Tellin' 'Em All" (2012)
Rawsrvnt – Love Deluxe – "Jesus Jam" (2012)
Emcee One – Introducing Again for the First Time – "Introducing Again for the First Time" (2012)
Viktory – R4 (Relentless 4ever) – "God Is Amazing" (2012)
George Moss – It's Time – "Ridin' Windows Up" (2012)
Lincoln Brewster – Joy to the World (A Christmas Collection) – "Little Drummer Boy×Little Drummer Boy25 November 2012 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Little Drummer Boy2:55" (2012)
For a Season – Lion Hearted – EP – "Let It Out" (2013)
V. Rose – Electro-Pop (Deluxe) – "Turn Up Your Light" (2013)
Turnaround – Anxious – "Ghost Town" (2018)