He was awarded the Rap/Hip Hop Recorded Song of the Year for "Never Look Away" and Rap/Hip Hop Album of the Year at the GMA Dove Awards of 2007. KJ-52 also has four Dove awards to add to his 'collection.'
KJ-52's song "You're Gonna Make it" was played at the end of Cold Case Season 5 Episode 8 "It Takes a village." He rapped in the Newsboys version of Jesus Freak alongside, and had a part in TobyMac's remix of One World.
He has been rapping since 1993 (age 18), and his current label is BEC.
That Was My Life
KJ-52 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That ain't just what I'm living for
I ain't that person anymore oh no oh no
That was my life
Potential sex addict Just living for the thrill
Creating wounds that I thought for sure would never heal
I got a hole in my soul this world could never fill
And yet and still I'm knowing this is not your will
Following my way, living like you wasn't real
But see I knew the truth yeah I had tasted proof
But knowing God is something that I kept concealed
See the world is pushing, yeah the world was lying
Selling fairy tales yep yep I was buying
But my soul was crying Friends thought I was flying
Cause outside I'm a lion But inside I'm dying
I had some bad habits potential drug addict
Cause when it come to messing up yeah I was good at it
And When it came to giving love I never could have it
I'm close to giving up I'm crushed battered so shattered
Nothing good mattered I'm staying up at night
I'm staring at the ceiling wish my skin just wasn't white
I'm feeling lost in life I'm feeling nothings right
I'm feeling tossed aside stop the thoughts that cross my mind
And I could not decide I'm running out of time
these spoken lies lust and pride went and caught my eyes
I'm almost broke inside I'm living broke but high
I'm crying out who saves me now from this broken life
That was when you came Jesus that is your name
Freedom just when I changed freed up from all the chains
Freed up from sin and pain I seen potential gain
My life begins again and deep within I feel a change
You took the sin and blame so I am not ashamed
I was not okay but now I'm standing wide awake
My Debts are gone and paid my help is on its way
That life has gone away and this is why I'm free to say
In KJ-52's song "That Was My Life," the artist reflects on his past struggles with addiction, lust, and spirituality. He acknowledges that he used to live for the thrill and pleasure of sex and drugs, creating wounds that felt impossible to heal. Despite feeling like his soul had a hole that the world could never fill, he kept lying in lust, knowing that it was not in alignment with God's will. However, he also knew the truth of God's love and power, but kept it concealed while the world pushed him to believe in fairy tales. He felt like a lion on the outside, but inside he was dying.
The artist accepts responsibility for his bad habits and the potential for addiction. He felt like nothing good mattered and was close to giving up on life. He was crushed, shattered, and lost, unable to find peace in his thoughts no matter how hard he tried. Eventually, he reached a breaking point and cried out for help. That's when Jesus came into his life and freed him from his chains of sin, pain, and shame. He's not ashamed to admit that he was not okay before, but now he's standing wide awake, feeling a change within, and free to declare that his past life is gone.
Overall, "That Was My Life" is a powerful song that speaks to the journey of transformation and redemption that many people can relate to. It's a testament to the fact that while life can be full of struggles and pain, it's never too late to turn things around and find hope in something bigger than ourselves.
Line by Line Meaning
I ain't that person anymore
I have changed my ways and am no longer the person I used to be
That ain't just what I'm living for
I have new priorities in life
I ain't that person anymore oh no oh no
I am emphasizing the fact that I have truly changed
That was my life
The person I used to be and the things I used to do are no longer a part of my life
Potential sex addict Just living for the thrill
I was headed down a path of addiction, seeking pleasure in all the wrong places
Creating wounds that I thought for sure would never heal
My lifestyle was causing emotional pain that I thought would never go away
I got a hole in my soul this world could never fill
I was empty inside and nothing in this world could satisfy me
But yet and still, I lie in lust like it will
Despite knowing better, I still gave in to my sinful desires
And yet and still I'm knowing this is not your will
I knew that my actions were not aligned with God's plan for my life
Following my way, living like you wasn't real
I was living as if God didn't exist, and doing whatever I wanted
But see I knew the truth yeah I had tasted proof
I had experienced God's love before and knew that it was real
But knowing God is something that I kept concealed
I kept my faith hidden, and didn't want others to know about it
See the world is pushing, yeah the world was lying
The world tries to make us believe that temporary pleasures will fulfill us, but that's a lie
Selling fairy tales yep yep I was buying
I fell for the world's lies and believed that temporary pleasures would bring me happiness
But my soul was crying Friends thought I was flying
Despite appearing to have it all together, I was actually deeply troubled on the inside
Cause outside I'm a lion But inside I'm dying
I may have appeared strong on the outside, but on the inside I was struggling and hurting
I had some bad habits potential drug addict
I was going down a dangerous path and could have easily become addicted to drugs
Cause when it come to messing up yeah I was good at it
I had a pattern of making mistakes and poor decisions
And When it came to giving love I never could have it
I struggled to give love to others, and may have sabotaged my relationships
I'm close to giving up I'm crushed battered so shattered
I was feeling hopeless, beaten down, and broken inside
Nothing good mattered I'm staying up at night
I couldn't find joy in anything, and was losing sleep over my problems
I'm staring at the ceiling wish my skin just wasn't white
I may have struggled with my identity and wished that I could be someone else
I'm feeling lost in life I'm feeling nothings right
I felt completely lost and like everything was going wrong
I'm feeling tossed aside stop the thoughts that cross my mind
I felt rejected and unwanted, and struggled to control my negative thoughts
And I could not decide I'm running out of time
I was feeling overwhelmed and unsure of what to do, and felt like time was running out
these spoken lies lust and pride went and caught my eyes
I was tempted by lustful desires and prideful thoughts
I'm almost broke inside I'm living broke but high
I was barely hanging on emotionally, but may have been using drugs or other methods to numb the pain
I'm crying out who saves me now from this broken life
I was crying out to God for help, feeling helpless and broken
That was when you came Jesus that is your name
Jesus came into my life and helped me turn things around
Freedom just when I changed freed up from all the chains
Jesus helped set me free from all of my struggles and addictions
Freed up from sin and pain I seen potential gain
I was freed from the sins and pain of my past, and saw the potential for a better life
My life begins again and deep within I feel a change
I started a new chapter in life and felt a significant change in my heart and soul
You took the sin and blame so I am not ashamed
Jesus took responsibility for my sins and gave me a sense of freedom and relief
I was not okay but now I'm standing wide awake
I was struggling before, but now I feel awakened to a new life of hope and peace
My Debts are gone and paid my help is on its way
Jesus paid the price for my sins and has given me hope for the future
That life has gone away and this is why I'm free to say
My old way of living is gone, and I am now free to speak about my new life in Christ
Lyrics © CAPITOL CHRISTIAN MUSIC GROUP, Capitol CMG Publishing, ARPOM PUBLISHING, LLC
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Dustyn Jordan
If only music like this was heard on the radio :(
Danny Lugo Jr
They this music in Orlando FL. Hot 95.9
Chris Bell
agreed xo
Brittany Anthony
gosh this song is amazing!!!!!!!!!!
Rennie180HD
I agree And I am Sure listening to Someone Before KJ Was Your Life
Brittany Anthony
yup :)
Brittany Anthony
cool I am 14
Brittany Anthony
how old are ya?
Brittany Anthony
thank you very much :)
Brittany Gaskill
KJ keeps it real every album, every song, and every video! Love him! He knows where he stands!