It seems everything Christian hip-hop artist Andy Mineo touches turns to gold, especially after his latest “Never Land EP” release Jan. 28 through Reach Records.
Mineo is one of the fastest rising Christian artists since his debut album “Heroes for Sale,” which peaked at No. 11 on the Billboard 200, No. 4 on the Top Rap Albums chart and No. 1 on the Top Christian Albums chart. “Heroes for Sale” was released April 16, 2013.
“Never Land” is an EP that feels like an album. The songs are well-produced and sound crisp.
For this EP, Mineo said he wanted to take a darker approach than what “Heroes for Sale” was about.
He does take this approach, but it seems like he is talking more about his personal life on some songs. This is the case in “You Can’t Stop Me.”
I found “You Can’t Stop Me” constantly playing in my head, whether I was listening to it or thinking about the song. It has one of those beats that make me want to get up and find the nearest basketball court to get active.
The sixth song on the EP is “Paganini.” Mineo got the song name, “Paganini” from an Italian violin player of the same name, who many people say is the best violin player ever.
The hook of “Paganini” is about how Mineo feels he is one of the best rappers because of the words he uses in his songs and because he is doing it for God.
This song features fellow Christian rappers KB and Canon, and has a catchy instrumental and the hardest beat on the EP.
The other track that stood out to me was “Rewind.” It talks about how he was able to meet and get on a song with his favorite rapper, Ambassador.
“Rewind” is probably the most laid back track on the EP, and has a strong message for people who want to achieve their dreams.
This EP is something I haven’t quit listening to since I got it. Every song has something unique to offer and one can take a message from all his songs.
Much like other Christian hip-hop artists, Mineo uses his music not only to reach Christians, but those who don’t consider themselves Christians or want to learn more about Christianity without Mineo shoving his beliefs down their throats.
If one, whether Christian or non-Christian, is into hip-hop or wants to find something new, this is worth a listen.
“Never Land” has seven songs and is available on Google Play for $6.93 and iTunes for $6.99.
