Christian Rapper Andy Mineo gets
his audience out of their comfort zone.
Mineo came out with his sophomore album, Uncomfortable, this
month. Some of you are already hesitant to listen to him with the label of “Christian”
rapper. But wait! This guy talks about much more than Wednesday night bible
study and the pastor’s Sunday sermon. He gets real with his listeners.
He came out swinging in his first track Uncomfortable by discussing topics like, homosexuality, racism and
classism, all the while calling out American culture’s need for instant
gratification. He doesn’t hide his feeling on government corruption either in Vendetta. He boldly voices that “Pac did a lot more for
me than Barack,” expressing his frustration with the system but also
acknowledging the power that many artists have to make real change. It's safe to
say this isn’t your mother’s Christian Rap.
He has a bone to pick with the entertainment industry too. In Rat Race featuring Jon Bellion, he calls out art critics who put labels on his music. His
response to them comes in Desperados featuring
Mali Music, which is my favorite of
the entire album. Mineo tells his listeners the lesson he learned: “The only
way you get acceptance, is when you know you don’t need it,” a wise word for
anyone striving for acceptance by others.
But it isn’t all politics and fame with the New York native. He
dives into his personal life with tracks like Uptown, a tribute to his hometown of Washington Heights. This track
fuses an old school beat with new school content, as Mineo brings up current
issues that are facing the city he knows and loves. In Hear My Heart, an ode to his big sister Grace who was born deaf, he
unveils their strained connection. He admits that he never learned to sign,
and asks her for forgiveness because he put little effort into their
relationship while growing up.
On his website Mineo says “My other
albums have sounded like playlists. This is more of a focused full-body of
music”. Uncomfortable in particular unpacks Andy’s mind and life. If you want
to get to know the man behind the music, this is the album to listen to. It’s the perfect combination of faith, family,
and wit; a combination that anyone can relate to, regardless of what you
believe.
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