KJ-52: Interview with BEC recording artist KJ-52

We met up with KJ-52 at the 2005 GMA Week activities in Nashville. We talked about everything from his most recent CD release to what's on his iPod ...

MQ: On your latest album ("Behind the Musik - a boy named Jonah"), what would you say some themes are...lyrically?

KJ: I think the main theme is just my life - really ... honestly. The theme that runs through is my mom and my dad talking about various little things that you might not have known about me. I called the record, "A Boy Named Jonah". So, just with that title alone, it's about revealing the other side - 'behind the music' I guess you could say. But there are also other themes in there. We're discussing everything from life after death, to addressing stuff towards women, sexual abuse...you name it. It really runs the gamet. But at the same time, there's a fun element in there as well.

MQ: I was real impressed by the messages in your music. What do you see the role of music in our society? Some people will say, "Oh, it's just entertainment." Other people talk about the responsibility that the artists have. What do you think?

KJ: I definitely feel artists have a responsibility with what they say. I think it's sort of a cop-out to say, "Oh, I'm not a role model...I don't have influence" - but you do! As a believer, I really try to embrace that. "Follow me as I follow Christ" as Paul said. But, it's not to say that things can't be for entertainment value either. I see the importance of that too. To me, it's all about balance - to just really have a balance in what you do. That's as important as anything.

MQ: Is there anyone you'd consider a mentor - whether on the music side or personal, spiritual?

KJ-52

KJ: Yeah, there have been a lot of people that have kind of mentored me over the years - pastoral people, even artists, other groups. It's really been a collective thing. Honestly, I've just really tried to be a student of everything.

MQ: Is there any feedback you've gotten that made you realize that this is what you should be doing with your life? Any positive stories?

KJ: Oh yeah...tons of stuff. It happens all the time. Really, where I've gotten to the point now in my music is just saying that I'd rather make songs that change lives rather than to have people say, "Oh, that's a neat song." I get letters all the time - emails...stuff on the message board - and all of those things are little road signs along the way that say, "Hey! Keep going on. Keep doing what you're doing."

MQ: You seem to use humor to get kids interested, and then you hit them square-on with the Gospel. How effective has that been?

KJ: It's been very effective. I sort of carried that over from when I used to be youth pastor. I was an innercity youth pastor, so all of my kids were very 'in-churched'. So, for me to get them to listen - you know - I had to do some fun, silly, stuff or whatever. But, that stuff really helped setup what I was trying to do. So, I found that it applies the same with my music. And that's just really a reflection of who I am. There's a very serious side of me... there's a very funny side of me.

MQ: Do you feel that with your background (being a youth pastor) that it helps you prepare for what you're doing now - as far as the people you're trying to reach?

KJ: Totally! Those couple of years that I was doing that really taught me what it meant to serve. It tought me that ministry isn't just on a stage with a two-point sermon, know what I mean? Ministry is relational. That's part of it, but just one part of it. Honestly, I look back ... 'cause I didn't feel called to be a youth pastor, I felt called to be there for that time. I look back and realize that's what God was doing. He was using that to prepare me for what I do now.

MQ: 'Genuine' seems to be the word that comes to mind when folks listen to you. You seem to avoid the whole 'Christian star' spotlight mentality.

KJ-52

KJ: Well, honestly, what helps me to be - at least what I strive to be in regards to humility, is the fact that it was a very hard, long process to get here. It makes you really appreciate what God has done - not what I did! It was never an overnight thing. It was struggling, struggling, struggling and seeing a little bit of success ... and struggling and seeing a little bit more. So, honestly I have to sit there and go, "God you did it, not me!" I have to try to make sure that that's communicated in what I say. You know, at the end of the day - maybe I'm just getting too old - I don't want to fool around any more! Honestly, in the sense of my music being real - I'm tired of the fluff. Fluff doesn't change lives. Christ changes lives.

MQ: I heard Mase on TV talking about how the world doesn't need another clever message, it needs the annointing. Shifting gears here...How do you see technology affecting music - whether it production, distribution...

KJ: You're talking my langauge...

MQ: Yeah - whether it's from sampling, or using ProTools...that's sort of a vague question. Just take it wherever! (laugh)

KJ: I am a techno geek! I'm very proud of it. I recorded my entire new album - or almost the entire new record - on my laptop. I basically did a lot of the production on 'Reason' - which is a production software. I did a majority of the performing on 'Digital Performer' and then the great thing is that I can take that, mix it down, and drop it right to my iPod and do the set just like that. If I needed to change anything, I could immediately change it. I never once mailed any files. We literally did the entire record through the internet.

MQ: Cool.

KJ: I would do something, drop the file down, put it on someones iDisk - you could pick it up. It was just the ease...and honestly I think that's why the record was much better. I had more tools. I could record anytime I wanted.

MQ: Going back to the iPod...who are you listening to?

KJ: On my iPod? (laughing)

MQ: Yeah - celebrity playlist! (laugh)

KJ-52

KJ: This is going to sound really korny but I've been listening to a lot of production I've been doing...(laugh)

MQ: That's cool.

KJ: Listening to myself - that's kind of sad! Uhh, I just got the new John Legend record. I've been checking that out. I picked up an old school album - it's called 'Third Base' - a hip hop group I used to listen to. Umm, I think Switchfoot's newest record (The Beautiful Letdown) - of course, it's not very new now - but I think that record is really, really great. I love Mat Kearney's album. Mat Kearney's got a great record. Ummm....that's a few. I have a lot of demos on there! (laughing)