In this period James developed as a keyboardist and burgeoning songwriter. He was also learning first-hand the business of music. He attended Michigan State University for two years, but the desire to write and perform was too strong, and he left to seek a career in music.
Musical career
Upon his return to Detroit, Moss signed with a small local Christian label Aviday Records[1] and released two albums to little fanfare. Yet, during this time he became acquainted with Paul Allen and Walter Kearney. The three began working together as PAJAM. Moss spent the mid-90s touring with The Clark Sisters and was signed, along with Karen Clark-Sheard, his cousin, to Island Records in 1996 to record a solo album.[1] While a proper release never materialized for Moss before Island Black Music shut its doors,[2] Clark's became a smash and introduced the Gospel world to the production powerhouse of PAJAM.
Over the next seven years, the PAJAM team became Gospel music's most prolific hitmakers. However, Moss' desire to perform never went away, and in 2003 he and Allen began writing songs for what would ultimately become The J. Moss Project, released in September 2004 on GospoCentric Records.
Though PAJAM's work has been seen as a revolutionary blend of gospel and hip-hop style, The J. Moss Project is a surprisingly traditional affair. The set largely relies on familiar arrangements, and keeps its focus on Moss's clear tenor voice and strong backing choir vocals. The album made a grand entry with the upbeat lead single "I Wanna Be".
The disc includes a number of upbeat gospel numbers such as "Don't Pray and Worry" and "Psalm 150". J. Moss' lithe falsetto at times draws comparison to the likes of Prince and Tonéx on "Livin' 4". There are also several gentle ballads such as "Give You More" and the album's anthemic single "We Must Praise" that display J. Moss' range as a vocalist and songwriter.
V2... The J Moss Project
Finally, on April 3, 2007, J Moss released his second album V2... The J Moss Project through GospoCentric Records. Appearances made by contemporary Gospel group 21:03, Moss's cousin Kierra "Kiki" Sheard, Kirk Franklin, his cousin Karen Clark-Sheard, Marvin Winans of the famed Winans family, Byron Cage, and American comedian Steve Harvey. Three bonus tracks were originally thought to be regular album tracks. The bonus tracks are "Florida", "73 Degress", and "Everybody Ain't Got a Word". Of the album tracks on this release, an instant standout is the track "Dance", featuring Kirk Franklin, which riffs off of an infectious sample of Morris Day & The Time's early 1980s smash "777-9311".
Nobody
J Moss Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I was looking in the mirror last night but I don?t like what I see
Looking at the reflection but I don?t like what?s looking at me
Too light or too dark or too big or too small
Or always pulling out the measurement stick and forever coming up short
Don?t be ashamed for God has arranged you
Worth more than a billionaire exclusively engineered
Nobody is a nobody God doesn?t make mistakes
Nobody ever takes a place that doesn?t exist in grace
We all may fall (we all may fall) some may stall
But all in all God doesn?t make mistakes
All in all God doesn?t make mistakes
[Verse 2]
I was looking at the TV last night and everyone?s better than me
Big car, big house, big dreams are things my life won?t see
Too shy or too bold or too nice or too cold
Or always looking at a half empty glass and always coming up last...
Don?t be ashamed God has arranged you
Worth more than a billionaire exclusively engineered (Nobody is..)
[Chorus]
[Hook]
Spread your wings (Don't let nobody tell you the battle is lost, it belongs to God)
Lift your head and pray (And don't forget to pray) You will win(look to the hills and get your strength over and over again)
Believe you will get it, get it. (Yes you will cause' God Doesn'make mistakes)
[Hook]
[Chorus 2x]
The song, Nobody by J Moss, talks about self-doubt and feeling inferior, especially when comparing oneself to others. The first verse describes looking in the mirror and not liking what they see because they are too light or too dark, too big or too small. The comparison to others leads to constantly measuring oneself and coming up short. However, J Moss reassures the listener that they should not be ashamed of themselves because God has arranged them and they are worth more than a billionaire, exclusively engineered. The chorus emphasizes that nobody is a nobody because God doesn't make mistakes. Even if we fall or stall, we all have a place in grace.
In the second verse, the artist talks about looking at the TV and seeing everyone doing better than them. They compare themselves and feel as though their life won't see big cars, houses, and dreams. They may be too shy, bold, nice or cold, or always looking at a half-empty glass and coming up last. But again, J Moss reminds the listener that they shouldn't be ashamed because they are worth more than a billionaire, exclusively engineered by God. The chorus repeats the message of the first verse that nobody is a nobody and God doesn't make mistakes.
The song's message is clear - no matter what we look like or what we've accomplished, we all have a place in grace. God has arranged us and we are all valuable. We shouldn't compare ourselves to others or measure ourselves against impossible standards. Instead, we should embrace who we are and recognize our worth.
Line by Line Meaning
I was looking in the mirror last night but I don?t like what I see
I looked at myself in the mirror, but I don't like what I see.
Looking at the reflection but I don?t like what?s looking at me
I see a reflection of myself, but I am not happy with what I see.
Too light or too dark or too big or too small
I feel like I am either too light, too dark, too big, or too small.
Or always pulling out the measurement stick and forever coming up short
I constantly compare myself to others and feel like I am not measuring up.
Don?t be ashamed for God has arranged you
Don't feel ashamed because God has created you uniquely.
Worth more than a billionaire exclusively engineered
You are incredibly valuable, more than a billionaire, because you were created intentionally by God.
Nobody is a nobody God doesn?t make mistakes
No one is unimportant because God doesn't make mistakes in creating people.
Nobody ever takes a place that doesn?t exist in grace
Everyone has a place in God's grace and no one is left out.
We all may fall (we all may fall) some may stall
We all make mistakes, and some of us may struggle more than others.
But all in all God doesn?t make mistakes
Despite our faults, God's creation of us is flawless.
I was looking at the TV last night and everyone?s better than me
I was comparing myself to others on TV and felt inferior.
Big car, big house, big dreams are things my life won?t see
I feel like I will never achieve the big things others have, like a big car, house, or dreams.
Too shy or too bold or too nice or too cold
I fear that I am either too shy, too bold, too nice, or too cold for others to accept me.
Or always looking at a half empty glass and always coming up last...
I tend to have a negative outlook on life and feel like I am not successful.
Spread your wings (Don't let nobody tell you the battle is lost, it belongs to God)
Be confident and don't let others tell you that you are a failure because God has ultimate control.
Lift your head and pray (And don't forget to pray) You will win(look to the hills and get your strength over and over again)
Look up to God and pray for strength because you will eventually succeed with His help.
Believe you will get it, get it. (Yes you will cause' God Doesn'make mistakes)
Believe that you will achieve your goals, because God created you perfectly and has a plan for your life.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ozimede Feyikemi Ayodeji
on Good & Bad
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