On his innovative new project Mental, KJ-52 takes his tongue-in-cheek hip hop history and expands into new territory both in his music and his mindset. The innovator explains "It's twofold: people who want to adhere to a biblical worldview are looked at as crazy, out of touch, intolerant. But what we're trying to say is that there's hope to hold onto when the world feels like it is going nuts."

KJ-52 has a long history of defining Christian hip hop and determining what that genre actually looks like. On this new project he collaborated with voices such as Soul Glow Activatur, Propaganda and Lecrae to redefine himself yet again. I had the opportunity to speak with KJ about "Gameface."

Please tell me the personal story behind this song.

The original impetus for the songs is based on thinking about when I used to play high school sports. There was always a pre-game talk from the coach. I'll never forget one time he said "you've done everything you need to do but you need to put your game face on and get your mind ready." That always stuck with me.

I've been focused on my own physical health the last few years. When you are in that workout culture, you hear phrases like "beast mode" and "getting in the zone" and things to put you in a certain mental state. This is a world that seeks to break us down in the game of life. We have to be prepared.

This parallels to our walk with God and what the Bible describes as "the mind of Christ" and "putting on the whole armor of God." Scripture reminds us that this world is a battle and that we don't wrestle against flesh and blood. We have to be prepared for what we'll face. We as believers have to put on our "gameface" through prayer and the word of God. The Bible says physical exercise has some value, but our walk with God has eternal value.

Which Bible verses connect to the message of the song?

Ephesians 6:13-17 (VOICE): And this is why you need to be head-to-toe in the full armor of God: so you can resist during these evil days and be fully prepared to hold your ground. Yes, stand--truth banded around your waist, righteousness as your chest plate, and feet protected in preparation to proclaim the good news of peace. Don't forget to raise the shield of faith above all else, so you will be able to extinguish flaming spears hurled at you from the wicked one. Take also the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.

1 Corinthians 2:16 (NKJV): For "who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?" But we have the mind of Christ.

2 Corinthians 10:2-5 (NIV): I beg you that when I come I may not have to be as bold as I expect to be toward some people who think that we live by the standards of this world. For though we live in the world; we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

What is the takeaway message?

There's a line in the song "I'm feeling like a beast, someone let me out." I was connecting the ideas of an animal let loose from his cage who isn't meant to be caged up. He's meant to be free and who he is created to be.

We are caged in by so many things. We are enslaved by sin and bitterness and guilt and all this junk of the world. We're supposed to go "beast mode." I'm chasing my God. I'll run this race. That's the bottom line. That's such a picture of this world today. People fight just to get out of bed, fight traffic, fight temptation and fight the enemy. If you don't get your gameface on in this, life then you're going to get run over.

The fundamental truth is that we need to be in the Word of God every day. We need to talk with God and be in fellowship with the saints. It's also about serving others. Those things are the fundamentals. If I'm trying to make it through the day and I haven't spent time in God's Word, I'll struggle. I think when your game is off, you go back to square one and the foundation of your faith.

Lyrics:
I'm about to get up in my zone … it's time to get my game face on
And you can try to stay calm … I'm about to get my game face on
I'm on my game face all day ey day all time
I drop these gems up on ya head like an avalanche in a diamond mine
And you chasing at your dollar sign I'm chasing at my God and I'm
Placing my faith up in His grace and I'll run this race that's the bottom line

And I came now to try to find who's down to ride and roll with me
And I'm game face up here tonight cause how You died and who You be
And I'm going in I'm showing them just what You give and done for me
And I know I live I know my sin is gone and I been redeemed and..

I'm feeling like a beast someone let me out
I'm feeling like I'm free someone let me out
If you're feeling just like me and someone let you out
Then get up on your feet its game time let me hear you shout
Going in for the win (game face)
body full of adrenaline (in my game face)
Turnt in my Zone
Going hard like I'm Lebron
Watch me take it home take it home
In my Game face

Turn it up let it bump in the trunk when I'm packing em up and I'm blasting the vocal
Heard enough from the rap and the junk from the cats that are up put the rap in a choke hold
I'm back and I laugh at the fact that you packing a mack and I'm packing a no doze
I'm a break it down shake it down take it down make it sound kinda kinda fast or in slo mo

Ok G we're the A-team that hard work we see action
They try to skip the labor sit them boys in the c-section
We live this no theoretics and we got class don't need credits
Train ourselves in Godliness and it's obvious you know the problem is
Is my clique strong and our win's long
Beastmode don't switch off and our day starts before it hits dawn
We finishing when yall be getting up
I hate the pain when I wait to train 5am i don't like
But I'm a buckle down suffer now so i can be the champ my whole life
Ok G against my team y'all boys won't float like Macy's Day parade on the money they making Or but that money won't save them
See they think that my God's gone break them take em down
They don't really want to wait cause haters clown
They don't really want to play us
Y'all boys better step up Channing Tatum they know

We all face daily spiritual warfare. This song lights a fire in Christians to know and proclaim what you stand for, regardless of what the world tells you. Don't compromise. Don't forsake God or be ashamed of the Gospel. Stand up for what you believe.

There is an infectious urgency to this song. As we live in these last days, it is very important to think about what you would be found doing if the Lord were to return today. KJ's takeaway about the song is to be in the Word of God every day. Live out the words "take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."

I applaud KJ-52 for convicting me that my faith is not just for me and God, but I also need to put on my "gameface" and express outward appreciation for what God has done for me. "Gameface" is an uplifting, catchy and encouraging song. A great challenge in this song is to make these words your personal prayer: "I'm chasing at my God and I'm placing my faith up in His grace and I'll run this race that's the bottom line."

Christians are brand new people on the inside. The Holy Spirit gives us new life, and we are not the same anymore. We are new creations with the "mind of Christ," and we need to live under God's authority from His Word. We are challenged in the song: don't back down, don't give in. Stand up for what you believe, with conviction, and sing along with the words "I'm gameface up here tonight cause how You died and who You be, and I'm going in, I'm showing them just what You give and done for me. And I know I live, I know my sin is gone and I been redeemed." Amen to that!

(Listen to the song here.)