The gang’s back together again for episode 3! We’re back to our classic format where each host brings one new CHH song, one old CHH song, and one non CHH song to listen to together and discuss. Plus! Meandering songs, twenty one pilots lore, and Tedashii’s most iconic song. Tune in here! 

Just a quick reminder that you can get DINO NUGGETS in your favorite podcast app, which only takes a few seconds. Thanks for listening!

Connect with AlexanderDaniel, and Darius on Instagram, and follow the DINO NUGGETS playlist on Apple Music or Spotify.

 

Background Music: rollin down End Times St in a ride called Revelation by Terror Firma

Tracklist:

Tedashii – DEMISE

Joseph Muniz – Confidence

3RD CZN, Cutright, & B. Meads – Random

Lecrae – Go Hard (feat. Tedashii)

Andy Mineo – AYO!

The Collective – …Avenge

twenty one pilots – Next Semester

Wavedash – Had2Go

Jacob Collier – 100,000 Voices

Welcome to season 3 of DINO NUGGETS! To kick off the new year we’re talking about several CHH-adjacent acts, great new music from January, Zaytoven’s Christian rap collaborations, and more! Check it out on the FiveTwenty Collective Substack!

Just a quick reminder that you can get DINO NUGGETS in your favorite podcast app, which only takes a few seconds. Thanks for listening!

Connect with AlexanderDaniel, and Darius on Instagram, and follow the DINO NUGGETS playlist on Apple Music or Spotify.

 

Background music: The GODlee Barnes Instrumentals by Blu

Tracklist:

Swoope & JohnO – We Go On (feat. Solomon Headen & Ashley Merrell)

1K Phew & Zaytoven – Let Go Let God

KJ-52 – Grow Up Jonah

Lecrae & Zaytoven – Get Back Right

Andy Mineo – I Ain’t Done

116 – Cash or Christ / Fanatics (feat. Lecrae & Trip Lee)

Henrik – Half of Forever

Dillon Francis & Good Times Ahead – Listen (feat. Fatman Scoop)

Isaac Mather – Too Late

Welcome to the March episode of DINO NUGGETS, FiveTwenty’s music discovery show! Half podcast, half radio show, on DINO NUGGETS each host brings

  • One new CHH release
  • One old CHH release
  • One non CHH release

to listen to and discuss. And this month they’re joined by guest co-host Eric Boston to talk about the vinyl resurgence, favorite Andy Mineo albums, the best way to listen to house music, NF’s latest video, and more. Listen to it on the FiveTwenty Mixcloud now!

Connect with Alexander, Daniel, Darius, and Eric, and follow the DINO NUGGETS playlist on Apple Music or Spotify.

The November episode of DINO NUGGETS, FiveTwenty’s music discovery show, is out now! Half podcast, half radio show, on DINO NUGGETS each host brings

  • One new CHH release
  • One old CHH release
  • One non CHH release

to listen to and discuss. This month: Church Clothes 4, DJ Mykael V, and even some Christmas music, all while Darius and Alexander are battling the flu! Check it out on the FiveTwenty Mixcloud now!

Connect with Alexander and Darius on Instagram, and follow the DINO NUGGETS playlist on Apple Music or Spotify.

The newest episode of FiveTwenty’s newest show, DINO NUGGETS, is out now! Half podcast, half radio show, on DINO NUGGETS each host brings

  • One new CHH release
  • One old CHH release
  • One non CHH release

to listen to and discuss. This month: Misfits, Mineo, Marlowe, misinformation, and more! Check it out on the FiveTwenty Mixcloud now.

DIVE Series: Andy Mineo & Lecrae, "Been About It"

Hello, my name is DJ Expander, and welcome to today’s edition of The DIVE Series*. I hope you are having a wonderful day!

In the last edition of this series, we dove into Andy Mineo’s Coming In Hot single featuring Lecrae. As mentioned in the previous edition, we will dive into Andy Mineo’s follow-up Been About It single today.

“Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.” – Romans 13:8


About the Single

As mentioned previously, Been About It is the follow-up to Andy Mineo’s Coming in Hot, which I reviewed in the last edition. SAK PASE (the producer for Coming In Hot) and Andy Mineo co-produced the track. The song’s title directly references a slang expression, “Be about it,” which demonstrates taking a particular endeavor seriously and making a prudent effort to carry out that endeavor (in this case, following God over everything else).

Interestingly enough, Been About It was unintentionally dropped on Lecrae’s SoundCloud nearly a month before ‘Neverland II’ (the album that features the track). Unfortunately, this incident delayed the release of the album because Lecrae’s verse used lyrics from the Beastie Boys’ track from 1986’s ‘Paul Revere’, which was not cleared at the time by the co-producer of ‘Paul Revere’ (Rick Rubin) by the original Been About It release date of September 24th, 2021.

Once Rick Rubin cleared the lyrics, Andy Mineo worked hard to drop Been About It on October 1, 2021, officially. The official Been About It music video dropped two weeks later, on October 14th, 2021.

As mentioned in the previous article, SAK PASE has worked with artists such as Kanye West and JAY-Z. So this track had a significant chance of being playlisted and used in many ways. This track is on the official Reach Record’s Spotify Summer Eighteen playlist.


Interpretation of the Single

In the official Been About It music video Lecrae and Andy Mineo primarily pay homage to Hip Hop culture by recreating the cover arts of many very influential Hip Hop albums. In order, the following are the albums they paid tribute to:

  • The Chronic by Dr. Dre
  • Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) by the Wu-Tang Clan
  • Madvillainy by Madvillain (Madlib and MF DOOM)
  • 3 Feet High and Rising by De La Soul
  • The College Dropout by Kanye West
  • The Score by the Fugees
  • Capital Punishment by Big Pun
  • The Eminem Show by Eminem
  • The Black Album by JAY-Z
  • It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back by Public Enemy
  • King of Rock by Run-D.M.C.
  • Stankonia by OutKast
  • All Eyez on Me by 2Pac
  • It’s Dark and Hell is Hot by DMX
  • Straight Outta Compton by N.W.A.
  • Tha Carter IV by Lil Wayne
  • Get Rich or Die Tryin’ by 50 Cent

In the ending credits, Andy Mineo and Lecrae state, “Special thanks to the image makers and designers who have contributed to the rich history of Hip-Hop art that continues to inspire generations of artists.”

While I will not go over every line by Andy and Lecrae, I will go over the most meaningful lyrics of the track regarding what the track as a whole is conveying.

In the first verse, Andy states:

“Baby, why would I cheat? You my cheat day. You a treat, you a snack, uh. Fightin’ with your jeans ’cause you got it like that.”

This quote emphasizes that he will always remain faithful to his wife by comparing his wife to a snack that he would eat on his cheat days. As popularized here by Andy, it is important to stay loyal and faithful to your spouse if you are married. (See Romans 13:8).

In the chorus, he continues to hit us with unique bars saying, “In the gym, gettin’ brolic, hm.”

“Brolic” is a slang word for very muscular people. Andy conveys his hard work ethic in the gym to promote healthy lifestyle habits for mental and physical health, similar to his song from Neverland II, “You Know The Drill”. In this track, he says, “I’m in tip-top shape. They in TikTok shape. I’m a fix my plate.” He references making healthy lifestyle choices throughout the album, but this is just one of many.

The final bar I will dive into is where Andy and Lecrae partially interpolate lyrics from the song by Slick Rick called “La Di Da Di” by saying, “At the party, we don’t bother anybody like.”

This line is one of the multiple lines in which Andy and Lecrae partially interpolate lyrics from highly-influential Hip Hop artists in this song as an act of paying homage to their art and how it has influenced generations of rappers in the past.


Conclusion

Been About It by Andy Mineo, featuring Lecrae, and produced by SAK PASE, is a song with over 5 million streams on Spotify. While this track did not receive nearly as much attention or streams as Coming In Hot overall, Andy Mineo and Lecrae still have done a fantastic job of conveying the primary purpose of this song:

Pay homage to some of the most culturally relevant and influential Hip Hop albums and artists.

One thing that Hip Hop fans can take away from this is that this generation, and future generations, of Hip Hop artists are, like it or not, influenced by many of history’s most influential Hip Hop artists. This notion is evident in Christian Hip Hop today. There would be no “CHH” and glorifying Jesus through Rap without Hip Hop.


*About The DIVE Series

In this series, I DIVE into the clear and potential meaning of Christian Hip Hop singles, albums, and EPs.

In Special Edition installments of the series, I interview the artist(s) involved to get an exact idea of the true meaning of their art.

Thanks for checking out today’s edition of FiveTwenty Collective’s DIVE series! I drop a new installment of this series on the 5th and 20th of every month (except on Sundays).

God Bless,

DJ Expander

**See the full Been About It music video at the end of the article!**

Want more content on Andy Mineo? Check out my previous article now!

DIVE: Andy Mineo & Lecrae "Coming In Hot"

Hello, and welcome to today’s DIVE edition with DJ Expander*.

This month I will be diving into two different songs by Andy Mineo that compliment each other in multiple ways. Keep FiveTwenty Collective’s website saved for the 20th of this month, when I will go over the second song!

Today, I will DIVE into a song from 2018 called Coming In Hot by Andy Mineo featuring Lecrae.

“And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all His work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all His work that he had done in creation.” – Genesis 2:2-3


About the Single

On October 1st, 2021, Reach Records recording artists Andy Mineo and Lecrae dropped Coming In Hot.

Being produced by SAK PASE, who has worked with artists such as Kanye West and JAY-Z, this song had a significant chance of being playlisted and used in many ways. As if having Andy Mineo and Lecrae on it wasn’t enough!

This song is currently on multiple platforms and the official Reach Records’ Summer Eighteen playlist.

The Coming In Hot music video dropped on September 13th, 2019. Footage includes Lecrae, Andy Mineo, Wordsplayed, and the dance crew known as Kinjaz.


Interpretation of the Single

In Coming In Hot, Lecrae and Andy Mineo amazingly rap about multiple topics.

Being a follower of Jesus, American politics, and the Reach Record’s 2018 “Better Late Than Never Tour”. While I won’t go over every line, I will go over the seemingly most essential bars based on the primary topics of the song.

In the song, Andy states, “I testify, don’t need a subpoena.” Here, he is using court lingo to likely reference that he is unashamed about willingly testifying and witnessing to people about his faith in Jesus (See Romans 1:16).

In the subsequent line, he hits us with a banger bar saying, “They want my soul, better go to Korea.

Andy uses play-on-words with “soul” and “Korea.” He puts a double meaning on the word “soul” by also talking about the capital of South Korea, “Seoul.” Artists who sell their souls for notoriety and wealth, while at the same time ditching their morals, are typically called “sellouts.” “Sellout” is commonly used for Christian artists who sacrifice their morals for the world. Biblically, being a “sellout” in this particular sense is not good (see Mark 8:36).

Lecrae comes into the song in Verse 2 and kills it.

Yeah, I know I know I’m rachet, but I’m really saved.

Lecrae is known for mixing his Christian beliefs with the culture of Hip Hop. In his 2017 interview with 97.9 The Box, he explains how he is “rachet” and “saved” by the grace of Jesus.

The final few bars in the single I would like to speak about is when Lecrae says, “Even Trump gotta take a knee. When the horn blow, y’all gon’ see. Make the wall fall down like, ‘Yee’!

Regardless of our opinions on these few bars, let’s look at this objectively to avoid taking sides on the issue. Lecrae is referencing former President Donald Trump’s views regarding former NFL player Colin Kaepernick. Colin is known for kneeling during the national anthem in NFL games. His goal was to bring attention to racism in America toward African Americans. Trump has spoken about Colin kneeling for the anthem by saying he shouldn’t disrespect America, the American flag, or the US Anthem.

Lecrae attempts to convey that Trump may not take a knee, but everyone in the world (including Trump) will “bow and confess that Jesus is Lord” when “the trumpet sounds” for Christ’s return. (See Philippians 2:10-11). In the last bar I mentioned, he notes Trump’s border wall proposition by directing his audience to Joshua 6 and nods to the Wall of Jericho. The Wall of Jericho fell. Lecrae uses this imagery to convey what might’ve happened to Trump’s wall after its construction.

Looking at this objectively from a Biblical point of view, Lecrae is correct to demonstrate that there is racism in America that we should address. He also accurately emphasizes that everyone will bow before Jesus when He returns, even those who don’t believe.

However, I think there is something to be said about people’s differing opinions on the subject.

Some people believe Colin was disrespectful to Americans by kneeling for the anthem and flag; some say he was respectful to the black community by raising awareness of racism; some even think somewhere in the middle. Regardless of your opinion on the subject, it’s safe to say that objectively racism, unfortunately, exists in America and that every knee will bow when Jesus returns.


Conclusion

Coming In Hot by Andy Mineo and Lecrae, produced by SAK PASE, is a song with over 91 million streams on Spotify. It was certified Gold by RIAA on August 19th, 2021.

In this single, Andy Mineo and Lecrae use similies, metaphors, and the like to emphasize their Reach Records tour, their political sentiments on racism in America, and, most importantly, Biblical references to their faith in God.

Four primary takeaways we, as believers, can take from this song are:

  • to be unashamed of the Gospel at all times
  • to not sacrifice our Biblical and Godly morality for fame or fortune
  • that racism, unfortunately, exists in America (and across the world)
  • that every knee will bow when Jesus returns.

For everyone—even those who are not believers—one takeaway from this song is that Andy Mineo and Lecrae care deeply about justice and their relationship with God.


*About the DIVE Series

In this series, I DIVE into the clear and potential meaning of Christian Hip Hop singles, albums, and EPs.

In Special Edition installments of the series, I interview the artist(s) involved to get an exact idea of the true meaning of their art.

Thanks for checking out today’s edition of FiveTwenty Collective’s DIVE series! I drop a new installment of this series on the 5th and 20th of every month (except on Sundays).

Check out the previous installment here!

God Bless,

DJ Expander

**See the full Coming In Hot music video at the end of the article!**


The Gospel Music Association has announced its award nominations for 2021.

The 52nd annual awards show is scheduled to be held on October 19th. Until then, there is exciting news for the independent CHH community.

While hip hop and the larger Christian music space have, let’s say, a somewhat rocky relationship, it is safe to say that the bigger name in the hip hop circle usually gets recognized. It’s understandable. The broader Christian audience may have some level of familiarity with the likes of artists like Lecrae, Andy Mineo, and Aaron Cole. However, a group of artists we are quite familiar with have a reason to hold their heads a bit higher.

JIMMY ROCK’s single Worth It (featuring DJ Mykael V, J. Crum, and Rockstar JT) caught the attention of the GMA’s in 2021.

 

While Worth It faces some stiff competition (you may notice a guy named Kanye is also on the ballot), the nomination itself feels like a big step for the sub-genre.

Give these guys their flowers!

Landing a nomination is huge! Now it’s up to the voters for this year’s awards to see how it plays out. Can the underdogs come up big? We’ll find out on October 19, 2021, as the Dove Awards are held in Nashville, TN.

Past winners of the Rap/Hip Hop Recorded Song of the Year include:

  • Gawvi “Fight for Me” (2019)
  • Social Club Misfits “War Cry (ft. Tauren Wells)” (2018)
  • NF “Oh Lord” (2017)
  • Andy Mineo “Uncomfortable” (2016)

If you were given a vote by the GMAs, what would be your pick for Rap/Hip Hop Recorded Song of the Year? Let us know in the comments!

 

Oh, it’s that time of year again?

In 2020 CHH saw several of its notable up-and-comers take shots at each other. From Mitch Darrell to Thomas Iannucci, what turned out to be a bit of fun struck a nerve with some of the genre’s leaders.

After what we can call a “cooling off period”, it looks like we’re back at it. But is it all fun and games this time around?

It turns out the artist in question was YP aka Young Paul.

On his new track, released on YouTube, “Duck Duck” featuring Selah the Corner, YP takes shots at Indie Tribe and others. Let’s start with this question, “is YP taking shots or simply clapping back?”

Indie Tribe scored big with their reloaded roster and the release of the new project Upperhand. On the track “Tribal Council”, DJ Mykael V delivers a strongly worded outro (although it is not clear if it was directed at any artists in particular or general hype). You can determine for yourself how you interpret the lyrics (courtesy of Genius):

It’s safe to say that YP aka Young Paul took at least a level of exception to what was said.

“Tell these CHH rappers boasting in they records or making competitive statements in their songs and [they think] no one will feel like challenging them…lol” -YP

“Duck Duck”

YP and Selah the Corner teamed up on “Duck Duck” and set the CHH Twitterverse ablaze. 

People have called it corny; some have called it needed; others have remained unphased. While group chats and timelines have been filled with debates of the song’s relevance and quality, very few appear interested in finding out what was really behind the release.

YP gave this statement to FiveTwenty, “I threw a jab expecting a punch back. Then we elevate the bars in Round 2.”

Young Paul has spent his #NewMusicFriday working his Twitter fingers as everyone seems to have something to say. Selah seemed to be ducking (no pun intended) the majority of the backlash, at least until The Crew brought the entire God Over Money roster into the conversation:

Yep, things get wild in these CHH streets I guess. Need examples? The best I can do is point you to YP’s Twitter feed.

Regardless of how you feel, it appears that this is where we’re at.

CHH continues to thrive off its drama. The question is, what’s next?

Check out “Duck Duck” and sound off with your view of the situation in the comments below!