The debut of rap artist KJ-52, representing a posse he calls the "Sons of Intellect," introduces a new face to Christian hip-hop. On the crisp musical foundation of Gotee Bros.’ producer Todd Collins, KJ-52 stakes a claim and does so with guest vocal stints from Knowdaverbs, Bonafide (of Grits), Phanatik and Deuce (of Cross Movement) and Amani. An East Coast rhyme scheme dominates, but 7th Avenue features a high level of versatility. KJ-52 and crew flip the beats for a little dancehall reggae style, some old school beat box banter and enough R&B soul singing to connect with those who aren’t hip to straight talk rap.

Crisp, punchy rhythms provide the structure for the record’s fast-talking rhyming, with "Do What I Do" as the prime example of skills that thrill. A trippy rap version of dc Talk’s "The Hardway" works, but "Keep Ya Head Up" and "This Is Love," with Amani on the sung chorus go a couple steps further, connecting the rap verses to sweet melodic tracks. "We Rock the Mic," a tongue-in-cheek old school salute, borrows the riff from "Jam on It" as KJ-52 tells his testimony.

Up-front ministry concerns drive the rhymes, and there’s even a running street witness that speaks of Christ as the Greatest MC, which concludes the disc with an altar call. In all, KJ-52 offers up significant talent and a heart for communicating the gospel message in a way that it can be heard at street level.