{"title":"Derek Minor","description":"Derek Minor is a Nashville-based Christian hip-hop artist known for crafting lyrically dense, introspective rap that blends personal faith with sharp social commentary. His album \u003cem\u003eReflection\u003c\/em\u003e stands as a fan favorite for its candid exploration of identity and purpose, while \u003cem\u003eEmpire\u003c\/em\u003e showcases his growth as both a songwriter and independent artist. Minor has built a devoted following through his authentic storytelling and his commitment to pushing the boundaries of faith-based hip-hop.","products":[{"product_id":"derek-minor-minorville-cd","title":"Minorville CD","description":"Derek Minor had a vision for his new album. The Nashville rapper was inspired by the 1998 film Pleasantville to create a place with an idyllic exterior, but with layers of riveting subject matter underneath. His creation evolved into his dynamic new album, \u003cem\u003eMinorville\u003c\/em\u003e. \"Minorville is about this place where on the outside if you look at it, it looks really, really great,\" Derek Minor says.  \"It looks like a cool place to go visit. But just like any city, when you get there, you soon realize that it has many different dynamics to it. You've got the cool area, the rich and famous area, the place in the hood, the place in the suburbs that's moralistic and you've got the place where there aren't any morals. Every part of the city has its own problems. I just want to give people a tour of my mind, my world, my city.\"   An accomplished rap veteran formerly known as Pro, Derek Minor takes listeners through a series of story-driven songs throughout \u003cem\u003eMinorville\u003c\/em\u003e. One of the LP's standout selections is Homecoming, an extraordinary tale of a homecoming queen from an affluent background whose poor decisions lead her down a spiral of chaos. \"When a lot of people look at urban areas, they think that all the problems in the world exist there and that the area outside of that is normal, that people don't have struggles there,\" Derek Minor says.  \"A lot of times, we talk about the struggles of the hood, being in an urban world, a world where systematic racism and all these things exist. But what I wanted to do was highlight a different story and say, ‘We're all in this together.' That even goes for the people in the hood who are like, ‘If I could only get out the hood, I'd be fine.' It's like, ‘Nah. Not necessarily.' I wanted to start a dialog that there's issues everywhere, anywhere that you go.\"  Dear Mr. Christian takes a similarly stark stance, as Derek Minor raps from the perspective of a young woman who has been sexually abused on the song, while collaborator Dee-1 delivers a powerful verse about a kid who grew up without role models and feels as though his life is full of struggle and trouble. Lecrae finishes the song with a stinging rap about hypocrites who are quick to judge others while overlooking their own shortcomings. Then there's the driving, hard-hitting IGWT. Short for In God We Trust, this collaboration with Thi'sl features the rappers discussing the devastating impact drugs, violence and pride have in our communities. Derek Minor shows another side of Minorville with We Are, Hot Air Balloon and We Gone Make It, three inspiring selections about overcoming adversity. \"There's people out here hurting,\" Derek Minor says.  \"There's people out there who, whether or not they'll admit it, don't know what's next for them. They don't know if they're going to have food tomorrow, if they'll get harassed by the cops tomorrow. In this climate, we need something to put on when people are going through their struggles. If you think your life isn't worth living, I want you to throw on that Derek Minor record and say, ‘You know what, I'm finna step it up.  Life is worth living and I've got something to live for.'\"  Yet Derek Minor is mindful of what he's living for. The organ-driven Gimmie, for instance, discusses the danger of making money and materialism key components of our lives.  \"How much is enough?\" he says.  \"When are we going to sit back and look back and be like, ‘Maybe money isn't the answer. Maybe more isn't the answer.' I'm trying to shine a light on how crazy that is. I don't think there's anything wrong with having things, but if you let those things drive you in life, you really don't even live life at all.\" - Reach Records\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCD Details\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRelease Date: September 10, 2013\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRecord Label: Reach Records\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUPC: 829569831920\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNumber of Discs: 1\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Derek Minor","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":23772501569,"sku":"Derek Minor (1)","price":13.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1398\/5745\/products\/600x600bb_790d55ed-00a5-4f34-b255-e6cca24ecf34.jpg?v=1471616632"},{"product_id":"derek-minor-empire","title":"Empire CD","description":"Rapper, producer, and CEO Derek Minor has prepared what some are calling his best album yet. \u003cem\u003eReflection\u003c\/em\u003e is currently creating crazy buzz in the music, sports and social media realms.  \u003cem\u003eReflection\u003c\/em\u003e features neo soul, hip-hop artist, BJ the Chicago Kid, where he lends his harmonic vocal riffs that compliment Derek's emotion-filled rhymes on the track, \"Until I'm Gone\". The album also features R\u0026amp;B songstress, Chrisette Michele on the up-tempo track \"Let's Go\" with it's electric beat. With \u003cem\u003eReflection\u003c\/em\u003e, Derek is excited to give everyone a glimpse into his world. It is safe to say that we are all waiting with earnestness and eager expectations to what Reflection is going to bring us.\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCD Details\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRelease Date: January 27, 2015\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRecord Label: Reflection Music Group\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUPC: 099923946120\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNumber of Discs: 1\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Derek Minor","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":23772620545,"sku":"Derek Minor (2)","price":18.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1398\/5745\/products\/600x600bb_641b7623-fb6e-4546-af8e-62bc619d228f.jpg?v=1471616791"},{"product_id":"minor-derek-reflection-cd","title":"Reflection CD","description":"Rapper, producer, and CEO Derek Minor has prepared what some are calling his best album yet. Reflection is currently creating crazy buzz in the music, sports and social media realms. As a prelude to Reflection, Derek's summer release of his 1014 EP, named after the street date for the album, gave listeners a prelude of what to expect on his newest album. Reflection features neo soul, hip-hop artist, BJ the Chicago Kid, where he lends his harmonic vocal riffs that compliment Derek's emotion-filled rhymes on the track, \"Until I'm Gone\". The album also features R\u0026amp;B songstress, Chrisette Michele on the up-tempo track \"Let's Go\" with it's electric beat. With Reflection, Derek is excited to give everyone a glimpse into his world. It is safe to say that we are all waiting with earnestness and eager expectations to what Reflection is going to bring us. \u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCD Details\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRelease Date: October 14, 2016\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRecord Label: E1 Entertainment\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUPC: 099923600824\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNumber of Discs: 1\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Derek Minor","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":26716782017,"sku":"Derek Minor (3)","price":13.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1398\/5745\/files\/Derek_Minor_Reflection_CD.jpg?v=1767454298"}],"url":"https:\/\/colliderecords.live\/collections\/derek-minor.oembed","provider":"Collide Records","version":"1.0","type":"link"}