Christian rapper Andy Mineo has been making his mark in music with his popularity among Christian fans and his recent exposure to mainstream media. However, the New York native's first spotlight interview on RapFix Live raised eyebrows among fans for calling Christian rap "corny."
"I hope people listen to the music," Mineo said during the interview. "Don't write it off because there is a Christian doing it and it's been labeled that way, because if I'm honest with you, Christian rap for the most part has been corny." The comments brought backlash from fans who were offended of his labeling of Christian rap and of the other rappers within the genre.
Mineo took to his social media page to apologize to fans of the genre and anyone who was outraged. "Those interviews are so tough," Mineo wrote on his Facebook. "I definitely could have chosen my words more carefully to consider my audience better in this interview. I'm learning. My apologies go out to anyone who may be offended by some of my statements on air."
"Corny" is far from what Mineo thinks of the genre as it would seem, due to his beliefs of sharing his faith and view of God in all his works. Mineo encourages that Christian and secular music to be blended in order to break barriers that prevent reaching lost souls.
"I feel that we should be able to mingle, enjoy each other's company and trade ideas," said Mineo on the subject. "I want to encourage people that are Christians and agree with what I agree with, but I want to be mixing it up with people that don't, so we can trade ideas and we can be of influence there too."
Mineo is currently signed to the independent record label Reach Records, which was formed by fellow Christian rapper Lecrae. He released his debut, full-length album, Heroes For Sale was released on April 2013. The album debuted on the Billboard 200 charts at #11, selling a respectable 28,000 copies on its first week of release.
Aside from his solo work, Mineo is notably apart of the 116 Clique with fellow label mates including Lecrae, KB, Trip Lee, Derek Minor, Tedashii, Sho Baraka and DJ Official. The group is named after the Bible verse from Romans 1:16 ("For I am not ashamed of the gospel: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believes"). Formed since 2005, the group has released a series of compilation albums and have embarked on nationwide tours, including the famously "Unashamed Tour."
Mineo's talents to rap and embark on a music career is what fuels his fire to continue to spread the love of God into a secular world of music. "I feel like God's given me a gift that I want to steward and share with the world." He will be releasing another EP titled Never Land on January 28.
