Hardway
KJ-52 · 7th Avenue [2000]
Some people gotta learn the hard way
I guess I'm the kinda guy who has to find out for myself
I had to learn the hardway Father
I'm on my knees and I'm crying for Your help
VERSE 1 (KJ-52):
The warning signs like falres in the night
I proceed with my greed indeed but now in spite
of the fire I knows to burn I never learn
as the world turns on its axis I'm like Saul
on the road to Damascus I'm like broken fragments
of broken glasses can't see the facts is
from the fiction God's voice now speaking
but i never listened got me wishing I never
took the hard way 'cause every day is a hard day
turn my heart away God be feeling like
He's far away Jesus take the scars away
'cause life be mad hard today
trying hard not to sway
selfish way finally catching up to me
but if I fall you's catching me
I know You's catching me
CHORUS
VERSE TWO:
Been high and low but the stories told
my eyes can show that I walked the hard ways road
when it's my time to go I'll stand toe to toe
to one who grips my soul whose never letting go
life's so cold but so many times
I shed so many tears from so many eyes spoke so many
lies
I was the maker of my own demise
my own face I couldn't recognize woke up one day
and realized my compromised lifestyle
since the birth canal to a juvenile yo this kid was wild
sometimes it hurts to smile but Jesus made it worth my
while
keeping it versatilelike I was writing in Spanish backwards
in a cursive style so meanwhile to the mean time
I leave the blind to lead the blind
so with every step I climb
leave the past way far behind out of sight and out of mind
Hardway - KJ-52
Released in 2000 on the album 7th Avenue, "Hardway" stands as a defining track in the evolution of English hip-hop. KJ-52, a prominent figure in the UK underground scene, crafted this recording with a gritty, rhythmic flow that became a staple of the genre during the early 2000s. The song exemplifies the raw energy and lyrical precision characteristic of his discography, contributing significantly to the sound of the era. As part of his broader body of work, "Hardway" remains a notable example of the artist's ability to blend complex rhyme schemes with a driving beat, influencing subsequent generations of rappers who sought to push the boundaries of traditional hip-hop structures. Its enduring presence in the catalogue highlights its impact on the development of modern English rap.