INTERVIEW: Miles Minnick On Christian Slaps, Linking With Lecrae, New Album + More

Summary

---

Podcast Summary: The Breakfast Club — INTERVIEW: Miles Minnick On Christian Slaps, Linking With Lecrae, New Album + More

Released: August 29, 2025
Host(s): DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, Charlamagne Tha God, Lauren LaRosa
Guest: Miles Minnick

---

Episode Overview

In this engaging episode, The Breakfast Club welcomes buzzing Christian hip-hop artist Miles Minnick. The conversation explores his new album "Via Dolorosa," his journey from the streets to faith, misconceptions about Christian rap, his relationship with Lecrae, expanding boundaries for faith-driven music, and staying authentic in both the hip-hop scene and the church. Throughout, Miles emphasizes realness, faith, and musical excellence—delivering what he calls "spiritual slaps" aimed at both believers and skeptics alike.

---

Key Topics & Insights

1. Miles Minnick’s Journey: From the Block to the Pulpit

[02:16 - 06:16]

• Miles shares his upbringing in California, revealing that faith wasn’t central to his family life but that he "fell in love with Jesus" as a teen.
• The pivotal moment came at age 16, during a "smoking session" with his friend Dante, who unexpectedly invited him to church:
  • "I was 16 years old, in the middle of a smoking session... Dante was like, 'bro, we should go to church right now.'...I didn't want to be there...But the youth group was closed, so we went to the main service. I felt something I never felt before. The pastor did an altar call...I was the only one to go to the front, tears in my eyes." – Miles Minnick [04:21]
  • He describes a spiritual awakening: "I literally felt like God took away one high and gave me a new one." [04:54]
• The transition away from his old lifestyle was slow, but he felt his "appetite started to change" over time.

2. Authenticity and Breaking the Christian Rap Mold

[06:16 - 11:39]

• Miles discusses blending traditional Bay Area sound (influences: Mac Dre, E-40) with faith-centric lyrics, intentionally "mixing the medicine with the candy."
• He aims to reach not just churchgoers but those outside the faith:
  • "My main focus right now is reaching folks that don't necessarily believe what I believe...everything...is tailored towards reaching people who don't have the same experiences as me as far as God is concerned, but may have the same, like, street experiences as me." [07:48]
• Panel reflects on stereotypes of what Christian artists "should look or sound like." Miles insists on being unapologetically himself.
• Notable quote: "I grew up in a one parent household. I grew up doing drugs, selling drugs, my brother in jail right now…you get what you get." [08:38]

3. Misconceptions About Christian Rap

[11:39 - 12:16]

• The hosts and Miles break down industry and social stereotypes:
  • That Christian rap can’t match "mainstream" quality or success: "That we not as good as everybody else…that we don't have the same potential and ability to top the charts and sell out shows like everybody else." [11:43]
  • The "box" of being labeled a "Christian rapper": "I'm reluctant of the title because…do I want to put myself in a certain box? But I'm grateful that even though I'm labeled as that we are reaching certain heights. I mean, I'm on a Breakfast Club, bro!" [12:00]

4. Sound, Intent, and Mainstream Success

[13:39 - 15:18]

• Miles doesn’t shy away from sonically competitive music:
  • "If I'm allowed to do it or not, I'm gonna do it...I want it to be able to blend in with everything else...I wanted to feel like something you could play in the club...and I'm saying the name of Jesus on the record, but it's slap." [14:04]
• DJ Head, who broke Miles’ music to wider audiences, never even told others Miles was a Christian artist at first—just that he was "dope."
• Panel debates what makes someone a "Christian rapper"—is it the artist's intent, entire catalog, or something else?
  • Miles: "People can make faith-based songs, but if their catalog doesn't reflect that holistically, then I don't think we could put that label on them." [15:43]

5. Connections, Influence, and Collaborations

[16:41 - 21:43]

• Miles affirms that many iconic Black artists (Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Beyoncé) come from church music roots.
• Dream collab? Kendrick Lamar:
  • "K Dot is low key like Batman...he makes slaps with substance...we can make something special." [21:12]
• On linking with mainstream artists, Miles feels embraced—even by secular crowds—sometimes more than by the church.

6. Reach, Impact, and Staying Grounded

[21:43 - 32:41]

• Miles’ approach isn't to "water down" the message:
  • "Never. You know, it's funny, in a lot of ways, I felt more embraced by the secular than I did by the church initially...I’ve kept it the same…I'm blessed that it could resonate with the church audience and the general market." [21:49]
• His viral "devil wanna run up on me, it's bad / God on my side, God is my dad" [22:29] moment at a Bay Area "gangster rap" event gave him his break.
• On measuring impact: "When people...pop out at the shows...but then hearing the stories...like, man, your music helped me get off of meth...your music helped me get off the bottle...those kind of things really really put it into perspective." [25:29]
• Influences: Lecrae, for pioneering the crossover of Christian rap.

7. Lecrae Relationship & Full Circle Moments

[27:04 - 28:29]

• Miles shares how he met Lecrae:
  • As a teen, he waited at Lecrae’s tour bus (no meet-and-greet money) and prophesied they’d work together:
    • "Lecrae, you don't know who I am, but one day I'm gonna work with you...I'm gonna make the same amount of impact on the world as you, but take it to higher heights." [27:07]
  • Seven years later, Lecrae reached out for music—without knowing their past meeting.

8. Christianity, Street Culture, and Judgement

[29:00 - 34:34]

• Miles doesn’t consider himself a "pastor with a beat," but a "man of God with slapping beats." [29:11]
• Discusses the tension between church and "mainstream" language—he avoids calling hip-hop "secular music" unless with a Christian audience, preferring "mainstream" or "general market" to avoid othering artists.
  • "Secular means without God, and a lot of these artists aren't without God. They just have a different art form, expression." [30:22]
• About reaching the "streets": "My music takes the church to the block with the intention of bringing the block to the church...it's reaching them, but with the intention for them to get closer to God." [33:41]
• On being non-judgmental: "Jesus said, love God and love people. He didn't say, love God and judge people...I'm not pointing fingers at people...I let them live while I'm planting my own seeds." [24:44]

9. Industry Milestones and Moving Forward

[32:41 - 35:40]

• First Christian act officially booked at Rolling Loud (Los Angeles, March): "That thing went crazy." [32:44]
• Discusses the title and meaning of "Via Dolorosa" ("the sorrowful road; the pathway Jesus walked carrying his cross"). [34:49, 34:57]
• Ethnic identity: Miles clarifies he’s "half Black, half White; not Mexican" despite the album’s title. [35:08]

---

Memorable Quotes

• "I literally felt like God took away one high and gave me a new one." – Miles Minnick [04:54]
• "Mix the medicine in with the candy...People don’t know it’s Christian until like the third or fourth listen." – Miles [06:28]
• "That we not as good as everybody else…that we don't have the same potential and ability to top the charts and sell out shows like everybody else." – Miles [11:43]
• "If I'm allowed to do it or not, I'm gonna do it...I want it to be able to blend in with everything else. I wanted to feel like something you could play in the club..." – Miles [14:04]
• "People can make faith-based songs, but if their catalog doesn’t reflect that holistically, then I don’t think we could put that label on them." – Miles [15:43]
• "I felt more embraced by the secular than I did by the church initially…" – Miles [21:49]
• "Jesus said, love God and love people. He didn't say, love God and judge people." – Miles [24:44]
• "My music takes the church to the block with the intention of bringing the block to the church." – Miles [33:41]

---

Important Timestamps

• [02:16] – Interview begins, Miles introduced
• [03:17] – The moment Miles was introduced to faith in church after a smoking session
• [06:16] – On balancing bold faith and making music that "slaps"
• [11:39] – Misconceptions and limitations about Christian rap
• [14:04] – Blending faith and club-ready music
• [21:12] – Dream collaboration with Kendrick Lamar
• [22:29] – Going viral at a Bay Area rap event with overtly Christian lyrics
• [24:44] – Christian voice in the mainstream and message of love over judgment
• [25:29] – How Miles measures his impact
• [27:07] – First meeting and manifestation with Lecrae
• [29:11] – “Pastor with a beat” vs. “artist who just happens to preach”
• [32:44] – First Christian act with a full set at Rolling Loud
• [33:41] – Purpose: bringing church to the block, and block to the church
• [34:49, 34:57] – Album title meaning and ethnic background

---

Tone and Takeaway

Miles delivers his message in a relaxed, down-to-earth, West Coast style. He’s honest about his background and challenges stereotypes about faith-driven hip-hop, insisting on musical and lyrical excellence without compromise. The interview highlights the possibility—and reality—of reaching broader audiences with authenticity and spirituality, while refusing to limit faith-based artists to a box, both musically and culturally.

---

For listeners looking to sample Miles’s work, the episode closes with the track “Method Man” featuring E-40 and Lecrae from the album Via Dolorosa, out now.

Transcript

[Morgan Wood]

This is an iHeart podcast.

It's Morgan Wood from the Black Information Network. Many in this world are pushing lies, fostering hate, and dividing our children. Others in this world refuse to let that stand. Meet four of the others. Pastor Dumasani Washington, Dr. Brandy Shuvatinsky, artist Tamir Peretz, and black Israeli Arab student activist Tamer Masouddin. Four voices of truth, loudly crushing propaganda. Join them and me, because truth matters.

[Miles Minick]

Hi, my name is Enya Umanzor.

[Drew Phillips]

And I'm Drew Phillips.

[Miles Minick]

And we run a podcast called Emergency Intercom.

[Drew Phillips]

If you're a crime junkie and you love crimes, we're not the podcast for you. But if you have unmedicated adhd.

[Miles Minick]

Oh, my God, perfect.

[Drew Phillips]

And want to hear people with mental illness psychobabble.

[Miles Minick]

Yes, yes, yes.

[Drew Phillips]

Then Emergency Intercom's the podcast for you. Open your free iHeartradio app, search emergency Intercom, and listen.

[Miles Minick]

Now, what would you do if one bad decision forced you to choose between a maximum security prison or the most brutal boot camp designed to be hell on earth? Unfortunately for Mark Lombardo, this was the choice he faced.

[Enya Umanzor]

He said, you are a number, a New York state number, and we own you.

[Miles Minick]

Listen to shock incarceration on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Dr. Lea Tritate]

If you're looking for another heavy podcast about trauma, this ain't it. This is for the ones who had to survive and still show up as brilliant, loud, soft, and whole. The Unwanted Sorority is where black women, femmes, and gender expansive survivors of sexual violence rewrite the rules on healing, support, and what happens after. And I'm your host and co president of this organization, Dr. Lea Tritate. Listen to the Unwanted Sorority. New episodes every Thursday on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Miles Minick]

Hold up.

[Enya Umanzor]

Every day I wake up. Wake your ass up. The Breakfast Club.

[Miles Minick]

Y' all finished or y' all done?

[DJ Envy]

Morning, everybody. It's DJ Envy. Just hilarious. Charlamagne tha God. We are the breakfast club. Lauren LaRosa is here.

[Enya Umanzor]

Yes, indeed.

[DJ Envy]

We got a special guest in the building. We have Miles Minick.

[Enya Umanzor]

Welcome.

[DJ Envy]

Did I say your last name right?

[Miles Minick]

You did. You did. Yes, sir. What's good, man? Oh, I'm blessed and highly flavored, man. Man, it's a blessing to be here for sure.

[Enya Umanzor]

Happy to have you, man. You got an album coming out called today. Well, August 29th, called V. How you pronounce it?

[Miles Minick]

Via De la Rosa.

[Enya Umanzor]

I was listening to it. The best way to describe it is a bunch of Spiritual slaps?

[Miles Minick]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Or like slaps for the song, you know?

[Enya Umanzor]

Do you think there's a ceiling on how well a Christian based artist can do in mainstream.

[Miles Minick]

No.

[Enya Umanzor]

Okay.

[Miles Minick]

No, I don't. I think. I think we could take it as far as anybody else could take it, because at the end of the day is it's us talking about our real life experiences, you know what I'm saying? And rap is all about being authentic to yourself. And so for me, I'm being true to me. Like, I'm a kid from Cali. I'm a kid that fell in love with Jesus, you know what I'm saying? And so I mix all of that into the music.

[DJ Envy]

I want to know when that happened. Was it. Was it already in you as a kid growing up, or did something happen that says, nah, I'm going to shift my for this?

[Miles Minick]

No, it was definitely. It was not in me when I was a kid. Like, church was never like a mandatory thing in my household, you know what I'm saying? Like, the. The most that we would ever do when it came to God was like, pray for our food. You know what I'm saying? So for me, I'll never Forget. I was 16 years old, in the middle of a smoking session. I was a huge pothead. My friend Dante was like, hey, bro.

[Enya Umanzor]

Nothing wrong with that burning bush.

[Miles Minick]

No, it's from the earth, man.

[Enya Umanzor]

God made it to you and me, Miles.

[Miles Minick]

Hey, I feel. Yeah. But it had a stronghold on me back then. So, like, I'll never forget, my friend Dante was like, bro, we should go to church right now. When y' all were high, mid smoking.

[DJ Envy]

Session, you went there like, we. That sounded like a hot door.

[Morgan Wood]

Please talk us through this.

[Miles Minick]

Yeah, yeah. He said we should go right now. I'm like, like, for what? He's like, nah, you don't understand.

[DJ Envy]

Was it on a Sunday?

[Miles Minick]

It was a Wednesday night, so it.

[Morgan Wood]

Was me doing Bible study.

[Miles Minick]

Yeah, yeah, for the youth group. He's like, yo, it's all the high school girls is there. You know what I'm saying? It'd be lit. Like, trust me, let's go. And so they talked me into it.

[Enya Umanzor]

First of all, how old were you when you 16?

[Miles Minick]

I was 16. I was 16.

[Enya Umanzor]

All the high school. I just want to make sure. Now I know why you in the Jesus.

[Miles Minick]

And so we got there, but the youth group was closed that night. So we went into the main service with the adults and me being the main one who didn't want to be there. I'm like, on the edge of my seat, like, actually, like, listening and like, tapped in. And I had no, like, prior experience to church, so I don't know the rules of it or nothing, but I know, like, I felt some I never felt before. And then the pastor did an altar call at the end out of this packed church. I was the only one to go to the front. Tears in my eyes. I don't even know why I'm crying. And then he prayed for me. And I literally felt like God took away one high and gave me a new one. And then I started to investigate what that feeling was. And that led me here now.

[DJ Envy]

Wow.

[Enya Umanzor]

Got to thank the weed, God. That's God, man. The weed is from the earth. You and your man got high and he got a calling and. And he led you right where you needed to be.

[Miles Minick]

He said, you got to thank the weed.

[Enya Umanzor]

He led you right where you need to be.

[Miles Minick]

Dang. Hey, God could use whatever he want to use. You know what I'm saying? You know what I'm saying?

[Morgan Wood]

You said he gave you a new eye. So what did you start seeing with the new eye?

[Miles Minick]

Well, a new high.

[Morgan Wood]

Oh, new high.

[Miles Minick]

A new high. New eyes too, for sure. But like, like, to wrap it to the old eyes.

[Morgan Wood]

Yeah, no, I'm just wondering, cuz I know, like, a lot of times people say, like, when people get baptized, for instance, or at least in black churches, when you get baptized, it's supposed to be like, okay, now I'm like, I can start fresh and I've repented and all the things. So I was wondering if you had that feeling of, like, instantly, here's some things I'm gonna let go or like, what was the renewed feeling?

[Miles Minick]

Yeah. Yeah. So it was definitely a process for me to, like, let go of the old ways, you know what I'm saying? Cause I was like the party dude. Like, I would gather all my friends from the school, like, let's go to this function, let's go to the UOP or whatever. And so I would try to be on that same road, but I'll never forget. Like, I'll have like 30 people with me walking to a party. And then I'm. I'll walk slower and slower and just like, like go home.

[Enya Umanzor]

Yep.

[Miles Minick]

Like, you know what I'm saying? And I try to stay out of the streets. Cause I had, like, my appetite slowly but surely started to change after that day, for sure.

[Enya Umanzor]

You know, your music is so unapologetically, you know, about God and Christ in it. How do you balance staying Bold about your faith but, you know, while still making them slaps.

[Miles Minick]

I mean, it's just, it's both is authentically who I am. I grew up on, on Mac Dre, E40, you know what I'm saying? Like, and all the Southern California music as well. So it's like I lean into the sound as a part of my DNA and I just. I just tell my story, bro. And, and really I like to. What they say is mix the medicine in with the candy. Cuz like when you first hear it, a lot of people say they don't know it's Christian until like the third or fourth listen. Like, oh, son, he talking about God, you know what I'm saying? So that's how we run it.

[Enya Umanzor]

What's the difference between a Christian based artist and a gospel artist?

[Miles Minick]

I guess it depends, like, if you want to get into like, like the, the worship, like, like singing type of music. I would say the gospel genre versus the Christian or ccm, which is a contemporary Christian. Gospel is more so like black church and CCM is more like, you know, evangelical, the white church. You know what I mean? So like Kirk Franklin is like gospel elevation. Worship is like ccm, you know what I mean?

[Morgan Wood]

And your music, are you trying to. Because not even your visuals as well. I saw the, the video you put up. We were doing hyphae forgot.

[Miles Minick]

Oh yeah.

[Morgan Wood]

Are you trying to like, do you. Do you want to reach people who are already Christians, already believers, or do you use. You mix the medicine with the candy to bring in people that, that you want to deliver and bring to the word. Like, what's your focus?

[Miles Minick]

Yeah, yeah. So definitely, like, I definitely want to reach people that believe what I believe. But I would say my main focus right now is reaching folks that don't necessarily believe what I believe. You know what I mean? And that's why like everything that on my Instagram right now is tailored towards reaching people who don't have the same experiences as me as far as God is concerned, but may have the same like, street experiences as me or like fan of him. Yeah, yeah, for sure.

[Morgan Wood]

And I felt so bad feeling like this, but when I went to your Instagram, I was like, he doesn't give what people would think when they hear Christian artists or gospel based artists. But I have, in my church, I got homies in my church that are like, they Jordans and sneaker lovers and all that stuff. You know what I mean? But I think people have this idea of what a young Christian leader or whatever should be like. But you Were complete opposite aesthetic, everything.

[Miles Minick]

Yeah, yeah, for sure, for sure. I mean, I don't want to be something I'm not, you know what I'm saying? I want to be unapologetically who God made me to be, you know what I'm saying? I grew up in a one parent household. I grew up doing drugs, selling drugs, my brother in jail right now. You know what I mean? It's like the, the culture I grew up in is. It's hard to extract that from my DNA. So it's just. You get what you get, you know what I mean?

[Morgan Wood]

I was gonna ask what's your family dynamic like? Because you said you didn't grow up with God in the house as much.

[Miles Minick]

Correct.

[Morgan Wood]

So are they.

[Miles Minick]

Big shout outs? Shout out to Pops, man. Yeah, the og. Jeff Minick Senior, West Pittsburgh, California. He. He's my biggest fan, for sure. He doesn't necessarily live the life that I live. He's still the OG out there. He about 60 right now, but still like going to them clubs. Yeah. All in a club. And for my brother Jeffrey, I think he'll be out in a couple weeks actually.

[Enya Umanzor]

How long you been down?

[Miles Minick]

He been down for a few years. Oh, wow. Years. Yeah. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? So, yeah, God has been working on him too, in himself. So. Looking forward to that.

[Enya Umanzor]

You know, it's so interesting. And I was thinking about this the other day and you made me think about it just having this conversation. When I look at somebody like Lecrae with that new reconstruction album, I look, you know, your project. What I'm realizing is I had a perception of what I thought Christian rappers are supposed to sound like, you know what I mean? And honestly, I don't even know what that is.

[Miles Minick]

Yeah. You know what I'm saying?

[Enya Umanzor]

I'm just like, I just thought that they're supposed to sound this way and they, they're not supposed to rap over these kind of records. And they might not supposed to be, you know, rapping the way you rap or the way Lecrae rap, but it's like where that came from. Where did I even get that perception from?

[Morgan Wood]

That's how I felt when I looked at your Instagram and I was like, why do I feel like people should look a certain way? Because you in the church. Like I be at church.

[Miles Minick]

Right, right. You know what I'm saying? Like, I mean, we seen.

[Enya Umanzor]

By the way, we've seen drunk aunties in the church all the time.

[Miles Minick]

Drunk aunties.

[Enya Umanzor]

You're not new to the church. We've seen your type. Church drunk ay. With a couple of guys, you know what I mean?

[Morgan Wood]

Didn't Jesus drink wine?

[Miles Minick]

Jesus turned water into wine.

[Morgan Wood]

Okay, so whatever.

[Enya Umanzor]

Didn't Jesus drink wine?

[Morgan Wood]

First of all, I'm not drinking. I'm not on any substances of any sort. I'm actually doing a fast right now. It's interesting that you're here.

[Enya Umanzor]

Why is that though? Why do we have that mindset? I don't know.

[Miles Minick]

I think, I think, you know, a lot of us, you know, grew up in church and, and for, for many of us, church wasn't a place that we wanted to go to. You know, I wasn't heavy in church as a kid, but I remember going to Easter service with my grandma and that's the last thing I wanted to do. I didn't enjoy it. I had to endure it. And so a lot of people have that same experience. And so when they think of Christian rap or gospel rap, it's like, oh man, I ain't trying to hear that. It's probably. They probably got a three piece suit on, some alligator shoes that's too big for them, you know what I'm saying? Like, I ain't trying to. I ain't trying to hear that. But if you just tap into it, you may be surprised of what you get.

[Enya Umanzor]

What else do you think is still misunderstood about the Christian rap, John?

[Miles Minick]

That we not as good as everybody else. Word, you know, saying that we don't have the same potential and ability to top the charts and sell our shows like everybody else.

[Enya Umanzor]

I told the Cray that when he was here last time. I said, man, if you weren't a Christian artist, people would hear Reconstruction and they would just say, yo, this should be in the rap album of the year.

[Miles Minick]

Clearly, clearly, clearly. And that's why, you know, I mean, folks would call me what they want to call me, but I'm reluctant of the title because of that fact. Like, do I want to put myself in a certain box? You know what I mean? But I'm grateful that even though I'm labeled as that we are reaching certain heights. I mean, I'm on a Breakfast Club, bro. Like, what are you talking about?

[Enya Umanzor]

And you've been mentioned here before you even got here.

[Miles Minick]

I seen that. Yeah, I seen that. Shout out to John Keefe, Dark Child, man, that was crazy.

[DJ Envy]

I wanted to ask you, so what, what got you into rapping? What made you say this is what I want to do?

[Miles Minick]

Yeah, yeah.

[DJ Envy]

Was it the same high day or was it what?

[Miles Minick]

Like what? Similar time, similar Similar time in my life, for sure. So I grew up in a musical family. Shout out to Uncle Mo. He turned my grandma's garage into a studio, you know, saying. So all my cousins, my brother and them was just in a lab every single summer, just locked in. And I was an introverted kid, just soaking it all in. But when I turned 15, I just started freestyling every day, just going, going. All my friends, like, Miles, bro, you trash. Just stop, bro. Just stop. But I kept a bunch of friends, like, Charlemagne. Go ahead. Yeah. Hey, look. Yeah, trolling me. But then. But When I was 16, though, we started a rap group in high school. It was a squad. Like, active squad back in the Bay. Like, Get Active was like the movement back then. And so did a talent show. Won the whole talent show when I was 16, went solo. And, you know, it's crazy. When I went solo that year for the talent show, all the judges was Christian rap artists. Like, on a low. They was all Christian artists. But I only knew that because I was a part of the Black Student Union. And so I said, yo, if I'm a. If I'm a win this talent show, let me do a Christian rap song. And that low key was a part of my transformation as well. Like, first dabbling into that joint. And we won that joint, too.

[Enya Umanzor]

Oh, yeah. I guess I also think about it because, you know, you always hear Christians and gospel artists talk about sex. Secular music, secular music. So in my mind, I know what secular music sounds like. So I guess when I hear your joint, I'm like, this sound like secular music, but it's not. Like, it sounds like it, but it's not.

[Miles Minick]

Yeah.

[Enya Umanzor]

So I'm like, is it the sound, too? Can you. Are you allowed to make these slaps, Miles?

[Miles Minick]

Am I allowed to make the slaps? Hey, if I'm allowed to do it or not, I'm gonna do it. You understand what I'm saying? But that's the intention. Like, I want it to be able to blend in with everything else. I want to be on them playlists with everybody else. I don't want you to hear it and be, yo, what is this? This church music? Like, I wanted to feel like something you could play in the club so they could play it in the club, so they could play it on the radio and shout out to all the radio stations playing our song, witty 40 and the crave. Man, we are number 31 on rhythmic radio all over America right now. And I'm saying the name of Jesus on the record, but it's Slap. It's slap. And so we gonna keep going in this lane for sure, man.

[Enya Umanzor]

Head has been talking to me about you for so long. DJ Head.

[Miles Minick]

Salute to dj. Yeah, man.

[Enya Umanzor]

And it's funny because I'm thinking you just another new dope rapper from the West. And he never told me you was a Christian artist. He wanted me to hear the music. He was like, yo, you need to listen to this dude, Miles. And he just sent me a bunch of music and I'm just listening. Like, yeah, he tough. And then I'm like, he's like, yo, you know, he a Christian rapper. I'm like a Christian rapper. I went to go listen again. I just thought you was on the spiritual. Talking to, being spiritual, like, that's not new. Like you, you know, we have the DMXs and everybody, so that's not new. I just, I was like, damn.

[Miles Minick]

Exactly, exactly. I'm just talking about my faith, man. I'm talking about what's important to me. But you still finna get that base. You still finna get them hooks.

[DJ Envy]

I wanna ask, like, you mentioned dmx, right? So what makes a Christian rapper a Christian rapper? Was DMX a Christian rapper? Cause he shoots you on one record.

[Miles Minick]

And he pray for you know what.

[Morgan Wood]

I mean, at the end of the album.

[DJ Envy]

He prayed at the end of the album, you know what I mean?

[Miles Minick]

Yo, yo. Must let a dmx, man. Long live. Long live. So I think, I think what classifies somebody as a Christian rapper is when their whole catalog is. Is aimed in that direction.

[Enya Umanzor]

Gotcha.

[Miles Minick]

You know what I'm saying? People can make faith based songs, but if their catalog doesn't reflect that holistically, then I don't think we could put that label on them.

[DJ Envy]

Got you.

[Miles Minick]

You know what I'm saying? Except I don't chance a rapper Loki, really. I mean, but. But that's a hot take though. I'll get Flame for saying that. But like a lot of, A lot of his music is faith based. Especially like Coloring Book. Like he had worship songs on that.

[DJ Envy]

Absolutely.

[Miles Minick]

You know what I'm saying? And even on this one, like he got real Christian based songs on that joint.

[Enya Umanzor]

Shout out to the Life of Pablo album that we on our Ultra Light Beans.

[Miles Minick]

This is a God dream.

[Enya Umanzor]

This is. To me, that was that.

[Miles Minick]

That was a Christian song.

[Morgan Wood]

A lot of music artists will always say, or like happen to like, like you said, grow up in church or go to church of some sort where, like, that's your experience in music young. And then you bring that in because they're using choirs and all the instruments so it feels like especially Baptist church.

[Miles Minick]

Oh for sure, for sure. They say a lot of the the most iconic musicians actually come out of the church. You know like Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston. I think even Beyonce grew up in church too. So like that at a young age. It shapes you emoji for sure.

[Morgan Wood]

Are there artists that you like are looking forward to working with that you haven't yet? That might not be in the Christian.

[Miles Minick]

Rap lane for sure.

[Morgan Wood]

Who like who's taught, who's like go to number one.

[DJ Envy]

There's something special about folks who come through without being asked. Like your coworker surprising you with your favorite coffee just because or your friend handing you the aux cord the moment you get into the car. No debate, no fight, just positive vibes. That kind of love. It just hits different and that's exactly the energy. AT&T is on with their new guarantee. If there's ever a network interruption, AT&T will proactively credit you for a full day of service. No calls, no emails, no jumping through hoops. It's just handled. It's like the universe saying I got you. Except this time it's not the stars aligning, it's your network. And let's be real, that connection is everything. Whether you're holding down the group chat, checking in on your parents, scrolling TikTok, your network's gotta come through. And if there's a problem, AT&T is on the case. No stress, no drama, just real backup when it counts. Credit for Fiber downtime lasting 20 minutes or more or wireless downtime lasting 60 minutes or more caused by a single incident impacting 10 or more towers. Restrictions and exclusions apply. See att.com guaranty for full details. AT&T connecting changes everything.

[Morgan Wood]

It's Morgan Wood from the Black Information Network. Many in this world are pushing lies, fostering hate and dividing our children. Others in this world refuse to let that stand. Meet four of the others. Pastor Dumasani Washington, Dr. Brandy Shuvatinsky, artist Tamir Peretz and black Israeli Arab student activist Tamer Masoudin. Four Voices of Truth Loudly crushing propaganda. Join them and me, because truth matters.

[Hunter]

I'm Hunter, host of Hunting for Answers on the Black Effect Podcast Network. Join me every weekday as I share bite sized stories of missing and murdered black women and girls in America. There are several ways we can all do better at protecting black women. My contribution is shining a light on our missing sisters and amplifying their disregarded strong stories. Stories like Tameka Anderson as she drove Toward Galvez. She was in contact with several people talking on the phone as she made her way to what should have been a routine transaction. But Tameka never bought the car, and she never returned home that day. One podcast, one mission. Save our girls. Join the search as we explore the chilling cases of missing and murdered black women and girls. Listen to Hunting for Answers every weekday on the Black Effect Podcast Network, iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

[Dr. Joy Hardin Bradford]

I'm Dr. Joy Hardin Bradford, and in session 421 of Therapy for Black Girls, I sit down with Dr. Afia and Billy Shaka to explore how our hair connects to our identity, mental health and the ways we heal.

[Morgan Wood]

Because I think hair is a complex language system, right, in terms of it can tell how old you are, your marital status, where you're from, your spiritual belief. But I think with social media, there's like a hyper fixation and observation of our hair, right? That this is sometimes the first thing someone sees when we make a post or a reel. It's how our hair is styled.

[Dr. Joy Hardin Bradford]

We talk about the important role hairstylists play in our community, the pressure to always look put together, and how breaking up with perfection can actually free us. Plus, if you're someone who gets anxious about flying, don't miss session 418 with Dr. Angela Neal Barnett, where we dive into managing flight anxiety. Listen to therapy for black Girls on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever.

[Morgan Wood]

You get your podcast.

[Miles Minick]

Kanjik Loma.

[Morgan Wood]

I could see that. Yeah, I could see that very easily.

[Enya Umanzor]

Easy.

[Miles Minick]

For sure. For sure.

[Morgan Wood]

I'm surprised there's been no connection there.

[Miles Minick]

I mean, I mean, listen, I'm one person away, you know, DJ Head is like, you know what I mean? And. And even we part of the same circles in a lot of ways. And so, I don't know. I think, you know, you know, you.

[Enya Umanzor]

Got something in mind.

[Miles Minick]

K Dot is low key. Like Batman, he be watching from the shadows, like. And then. And then striking, like when it's time, something to mind for sure. Like. Like a slap for the soul, you know what I'm saying? What he does is not far off. It's not, you know what I'm saying? It's not far off. Like, he makes slaps with substance. If you think about it, like. Like even not like us is a slap with substance to it. That third verse, he's schooling you, giving you game and information, and so I think we can make something special.

[Enya Umanzor]

Was there ever a moment where you felt pressure to water down your Message for, like, broader acceptance. No, never.

[Miles Minick]

No, never, Never. You know, it's funny, in a lot of ways, I felt more embraced by the secular than I did by the church initially. Like, a lot of the shows I was doing was like, in the hoods, at the clubs, still doing this kind of music. But they'll be like, turn it on. Like, the energy would be crazy, you know? So I just. My entire career up to this point, I've kept it the same, and I'm blessed that it could resonate with the church audience and the general market.

[DJ Envy]

Was it difficult at first, though? Coming out, coming from going, doing the hood clubs and the hood recorders, was that difficult at first. But people like, I don't know about it, but did they show a lot of love from the beginning?

[Miles Minick]

No, Loki. From the beginning. Like, I did an award ceremony in the bay. It was called Nine Quarter Awards. It was really like a gangster rap award ceremony. And I was the only Christian rapper booked there. I did Christian rap music and all of that. And I'll never forget, the music got cut off because of a difficulty or whatever. And when the music cut off, I did a freestyle. I was like, devil wanna run upon me, it's bad. God on my side, God is my dad. If the devil wanna run upon me, it's bad. The whole theater went stupid crazy. Somebody recorded it. It went viral on Facebook, and that gave me, like, my Christian rap career. Because of me being in an environment like that, that is embraced, you know, authenticity, man.

[Enya Umanzor]

When it comes to rappers from the Bay, what comes first? The beat or y' all voice? Cause your voice sound like the beat. It's bouncing like the beat. Like, damn. Like. Like what comes. Like, what comes first? Even when I listen to 40, I'm like, yeah, they sound just like the beat you walked in. I thought you sound like 40.

[Morgan Wood]

I thought you was about to. Your energy is just like that too. And naturally.

[Miles Minick]

Oh, yeah, yeah, naturally. I say. I say the beat. The beat makes our voice do that, like, you know what I'm saying? Gives you, like, grudging, like, shout out, keep the sneak, you know what I'm saying? It just. It just comes out, you know what I'm saying? Shout out to bay, man. It's no place like home, man.

[Enya Umanzor]

When you did the method, did you tell 40 what to do or you just sent the record?

[Miles Minick]

40 ain't new. That is he true. It is like he knew exactly how to fulfill the assignment. And so I just said, go crazy. And he went crazy. But now the only. The only bar that people try to target me about in regards to what he said is like, every day is communion because I drink my own wine. You know what I'm saying? Like, people is like, every day is communion. You're promoting drinking every day. Oh, my God. His own wine. What do you mean? I'm like, if y' all are gonna be cool, he got his own wine brand. Like, let him. Let him push his wine brand. The Bible talk about wine, you know what I'm saying? He talk about taking communion. Like, be happy with that.

[Morgan Wood]

Here's the E40.

[Enya Umanzor]

That. That be the biggest issue with all religion. Like, it's like, especially Christianity, because it's like, it says, thou shalt not judge, but it feel like you're always judging. Like, why can't you just let people live and figure it out on their own?

[Miles Minick]

Track 8 on my album talks about that. It's called not my job. You know, Jesus said, love God and love people. He didn't say, love God and judge people. And so that's really what I stand on. And I think that's large in part why we're being so embraced by. By the mainstream. It's like, I'm not pointing fingers at people. You know what I'm saying? I'm not trying to condemn people. I'm welcoming the people. I want to hear your perspective, hear your heart. You know what I'm saying? And I let people. I let people just. I let them live while I'm planting my own seeds at the same time. But, yeah, is what it is.

[Enya Umanzor]

How do you measure the impact of your art? Would it be through sales streams, testimonies, or young people running up on you saying, yo, your music changed my life. Like, what. What is a combination of it all?

[Miles Minick]

I think it becomes real to me when people actually pop out at the shows at our festivals. I got a festival called glowfest in the Bay. Each and every single year, that thing just. We break fire code in that joint, and it's that. But then hearing the stories, like, during the meet and greets, like, man, your music helped me get off of meth. Your music helped me get off the bottle. You know what I'm saying? Like, if it wasn't for your music, I would have, like, off myself. Like, those kind of things really, really put it into perspective. Like, what we're doing has more impact than just turning somebody up. It turns them up to look at the higher things. You know what I mean?

[DJ Envy]

Who was your influences coming out as a. As a Christian rapper? Who was somebody? Like, I like the way he does it.

[Miles Minick]

Lecrae. Lecrae was for sure, for sure. And I mean, like, he was the pioneer of this whole lane and even taking it to the mainstream, like, winning four Grammys, being the first one of us from our lane to be on Breakfast Club to have a number one album in 2015, like, what we talking about? So to see, like, the music is incredible, for sure. But even, like, the branding, the movement, him having a label, him putting on other artists, and it was an easy example to follow for sure.

[Enya Umanzor]

Y' all going on tour together, right?

[Miles Minick]

Yes, sir.

[Enya Umanzor]

It's a global tour, I think I heard.

[Miles Minick]

Yes, sir.

[Enya Umanzor]

Wow.

[Miles Minick]

Well, he's actually starting the global run right now. He going to Europe, Australia, Africa. I'm just doing the North American run. Yeah, we're doing 30 plus cities in America, for sure. October 1st. Wow.

[DJ Envy]

How did y' all meet? How do you look? Right?

[Miles Minick]

Super crazy story. And so I. Back in 2014, 2015, he was doing his Anomaly tour. He came to the Bay Area, and I was determined to meet him, but I didn't have meet and greet money, and so I snuck by his tour bus and I waited by his tour bus for hours to meet him after he came out. And when he came out, I shook his hand. I was like, lecrae, you don't know who I am, but one day I'm gonna work with you. I'm gonna travel the world with you. I'm gonna learn from you, and I'm gonna make the same amount of impact on the world as you, but take it to higher heights.

[DJ Envy]

He yells security.

[Miles Minick]

No. He was like, I believe with you, young brother. And then seven years after that, he reached out to me to do music, not even knowing I was me that did that that day. Did he remember after I talked? Yeah. At the end of our video shoot for our first song, I'm like, remember that kid back in the Bay who, like, yeah, that was me. He like, you lying. That was you? Oh, my God. And then, like, all his wheels started turning. But that's. That's a God story, bro. You can't make that up, man.

[Enya Umanzor]

You said you. You want to do something with Kendrick. When you heard Kendrick shout out Lecrae and D1, did that feel like you was getting for sure?

[Miles Minick]

For sure.

[Morgan Wood]

Like, six degrees of separation. We almost there.

[Miles Minick]

Like, he definitely watch. I'm like, if you know D1 and Craze, I know you heard one of my songs. K down. I know it. And then me and Craig dropped the collab project. I'm like, oh, yeah, like, it's. It's a matter of time. Matter of time.

[Enya Umanzor]

Your grandmother baptized you?

[Miles Minick]

No.

[Enya Umanzor]

Oh, okay. I thought you had a lyric. You said, granny took me to the ocean, put me underneath the tire Cray.

[Miles Minick]

That was Cray Cray Cray's grandma baptized him. Got you on a beach in San Diego. Yeah.

[Enya Umanzor]

But all this off this. He said this on the Collab album.

[Miles Minick]

Yeah. On the Method.

[Enya Umanzor]

Got you, got you, got you, got you, got you. That was LeCray, man. I like to read my own questions.

[Miles Minick]

Yeah, yeah.

[Enya Umanzor]

Now, do you see yourself as more of a pastor with a beat or an artist who just happens to preach? Oh, that was my question.

[Miles Minick]

Oh, yeah. I don't. I don't consider myself a pastor with a beat. A pastor is a heavy title. A pastor is somebody like you shepherd a flock, like you're there, like. Like checking in on people and walking them through, you know, life, which I. I do. I guess I pastor a few people on my team. Right. But pastoring Glow Nation, that's. That's a lot. That's a lot to do. So I consider myself a man of God with. With slapping beats, you know, saying, telling my story and reaching the world.

[Morgan Wood]

For sure, it's crazy because I consider. Not. I don't consider you a pastor, but I feel like when artists make music that is in the gospel realm, you are. You have followers the same way a pastor would. It's just a different type of church.

[Miles Minick]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, for sure, for sure. You know, it's crazy. Before this, I was actually a youth pastor in the Bay Area, and so I really, really started to get into, like, this kind of music when I was in a church, just trying to turn the youth up, you know what I mean? But now I just do it just for the rest of the world. But I'm doing the same thing I was doing before, just on a larger scale. So in a way, you're definitely correct.

[Enya Umanzor]

So do you call other hip hop secular music?

[Miles Minick]

No.

[Enya Umanzor]

Okay. What do you call it?

[Miles Minick]

I don't. I mean, when I'm talking to, like, my Christian audience, I do, because that's what they understand. But typically I say mainstream or general market artists. I don't want to, like, alienate and put that title on them, like, because secular means without God, and a lot of these artists aren't without God. They have them. They just have a different art form, expression.

[Enya Umanzor]

So how do you draw from mainstream hip hop and culture while still turning it into something that's, like, holy and redemptive?

[Miles Minick]

I mean, I'M with. I'm within it. You know, I'm saying I'm within the mainstream culture now, and I'm also within the church. And so when I'm making music, you get the best of both worlds without me compromising either, you know what I'm saying? Like, when you hear my music, it's on that level that you hear on the radio. And it's also something that the church could appreciate and slap. Like, I'm not breaking, I guess, the rules of the church or disrespecting the Bible. I'm honoring the Bible and making stuff good enough to hear on a global level.

[DJ Envy]

You feel pressure at all, you know, because a lot of people, I'm sure, follow you, listen to you, because they feel like your story is closer to theirs.

[Miles Minick]

Right?

[DJ Envy]

They came from a certain place, they did a certain thing, and, you know, people make mistakes. But then when people look at the church, sometimes they feel like a pastor acts like they're holier than thou and what they should do. And then, you know, when they pull the curtain back, it's like, this pastor just cheated on this one, or this pastor just did this. This pastor did that. So does that give you any way of, like, any pressure with what you do in life outside of the music, personal, the way you walk, etc?

[Miles Minick]

I mean, with, with, with platform comes pressure for sure. And I definitely don't want to be the next person to temper somebody's faith by a certain mistake that I could fall into. But, I mean, you know, we all have temptations, and I got the same amount of temperation as any anybody else with a platform or anybody else, period. But what keeps me, what keeps me grounded with the right perspective is having the right ones around me with safeguards. Like, my tour manager has my hotel key. Every member of my team has the passwords to my phone. Like, my team has my social media logins. Like, they know what's happening. They know what's up, because I don't want to fall into that. So there is pressure, but I think it's healthy pressure.

[Enya Umanzor]

Were you the first Christian actor to be booked at Rolling Loud?

[Miles Minick]

For sure, for sure. So let me, Let me, Let me give the context to it. So there was a Christian rap set in Miami before my set. But. But that set was more like Sunday Morning dj. I don't know why I'm drawing a blank. He's the official diesel. Everyone allowed shout out to you, bro. He booked like eight Christian rappers to come out during his set. So that happened. But as official, like, I'm going rolling Loud. I'm going to book a Christian artist for a full set. Yes. In Los Angeles, California in March. And that thing went crazy.

[Morgan Wood]

Is it DJ 5 Venom.

[Miles Minick]

5 Venoms. 5 Venoms. What up, 5 Venoms. Yeah. Shout out to 5 Venoms, man.

[Enya Umanzor]

What role do you think Christian rap plays? This is my last question. What role do you think Christian rap plays in bringing, I guess, the church to the streets?

[Miles Minick]

Are.

[Enya Umanzor]

Are you trying to bring the streets to the church? Like, what? I don't want to say all of Christian rap, just your music in.

[Miles Minick]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. By. I think my music takes the church to the block with the intention of bringing the block to the church. Yeah, for sure. Like. Like, when you hear my music, man, I be. I be driving around through la, through the bay. I be hearing my stuff through every neighborhood, bro. Like, slapping in the trunk. Paul, Paul, Paul. Compton, Stockton, Richmond, Oakland. Like, it's reaching them, but with the intention for them to get closer to God. You know what I'm saying? So that's what it is for us.

[Enya Umanzor]

Yeah. I mean, it's almost impossible for you to be judgmental because. Because of how you.

[DJ Envy]

That's right.

[Enya Umanzor]

Got bought to God.

[Miles Minick]

Yeah.

[Enya Umanzor]

Smoking that weed, you know what I mean?

[Miles Minick]

For sure. Like, I get it. Like, I understand people's struggles, people's stories. Like, I lived it, and a lot of my family is still living it. You know, I'm still in it in a lot of ways. And so I love God and love people, not just people.

[DJ Envy]

Well, Miles, we appreciate you for joining us. What you want to play off the album?

[Enya Umanzor]

Play the Method Man.

[Miles Minick]

All right, let's play the Method man featuring E40 and LaCrae man from the west of the world. Let's get it.

[Enya Umanzor]

And the album is out today. The album is out right now.

[Miles Minick]

Right now.

[DJ Envy]

Say the name of the album.

[Miles Minick]

Oh, Via Dolosa.

[DJ Envy]

They say I'm Latino, but I'm not. That's right. It's Miles Minick. It's the best.

[Enya Umanzor]

What does that. What does that mean anyway?

[Miles Minick]

Yeah, via dosa, it translates to the pathway or the sorrowful road. It's literally the road that Jesus walked on when he's carrying his cross.

[Enya Umanzor]

Are you Mexican?

[Miles Minick]

I. I am ethnically ambiguous, you know, saying shout out to my Mexicans, but I'm not Mexican. I'm half black, half white.

[Enya Umanzor]

Why you don't ever say Jesus Christ? Just because.

[Miles Minick]

Jesus Christo. Jesus Christo. I do. I do.

[Enya Umanzor]

Okay.

[Miles Minick]

Yeah, yeah, we got. We got Jesus Christo hats and all of that popping off. But Yeah, I seen that.

[Enya Umanzor]

I just realized that's Jesus testimony with the new.

[DJ Envy]

You see that?

[Enya Umanzor]

You see that?

[Miles Minick]

I just realize it's Jesus on the cross.

[Enya Umanzor]

New York.

[Miles Minick]

That's all. Look, I'm. Look, Give me your mailing address. I'm gonna send you a pack.

[Morgan Wood]

Those for sale somewhere people can get them.

[Miles Minick]

Christlikecollection.com and we got a pop up today in San Francisco. Let's get it. All right.

[DJ Envy]

Miles Minick, it's the Breakfast Club. Good morning.

[Enya Umanzor]

Yay.

[Miles Minick]

Hold up.

[Enya Umanzor]

Every day I wake up. Wake your ass up. The Breakfast Club.

[Miles Minick]

Y' all finished or y' all done?

[Morgan Wood]

It's Morgan Wood from the Black Information Network urging you to seek truth. Find it in art that speaks in ways words can't. The 8 project from Tamir Peretz raises awareness of the plight of hostages still held in Gaza. It tells truths propaganda cannot erase. It fosters healing despite the hate Tomer continues to create. See the work at the Eight Project on Instagram [e-mail] because truth matters. Hi, my name is Enya Umanzor.

[Drew Phillips]

And I'm Drew Phillips.

[Miles Minick]

And we run a podcast called Emergency Intercom.

[Drew Phillips]

If you're a crime junkie and you love crimes, we're not the podcast for you. But if you have unmedicated adhd.

[Miles Minick]

Oh, my God, Perfect.

[Drew Phillips]

And want to hear people with mental illness psychobabble.

[Miles Minick]

Yes, yes.

[Drew Phillips]

Then Emergency enter comes the podcast for you. Open your free I Heart radio app, search Emergency Intercom and listen.

[Morgan Wood]

Now, every case that is a cold case that has DNA right now in a backlog will be identified in our.

[Miles Minick]

Lifetime on the new podcast, America's Crime Lab. Every case has a story to tell, and the DNA holds the truth.

[DJ Envy]

He never thought he was going to get caught. And I just looked at my computer screen, I was just like, ah, gotcha.

[Enya Umanzor]

This technology's already solving so many cases.

[Miles Minick]

Listen to America's Crime Lab on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I just normally do straight stand up, but this is a bit different.

[Morgan Wood]

What do you get when a true.

[Miles Minick]

Crime producer walks into a comedy club? A new podcast called Wisecrack, where a.

[Morgan Wood]

Comedian finds himself at the center of.

[Miles Minick]

A chilling true crime story.

[DJ Envy]

Does anyone know what show they've come to see? It's a story.

[Miles Minick]

It's about the scariest night of my life. This is Wisecrack, available now. Listen to Wisecrack on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Morgan Wood]

This is an iHeart podcast.