Andy Mineo

Andy Mineo

Andy Mineo performing.
Background information
Birth name Andy Mineo
Also known as C-Lite
Born April 17, 1988
Syracuse, New York
Genres Christian hip hop, hip hop
Occupation(s) Rapper, singer, producer, music video director, minister
Years active 2001–present
Labels Trace, Marshall Street, Reach
Associated acts 116 Clique, Fat Camp
Website andymineo.com

Andy Mineo, former stage name C-Lite, is an American Christian hip hop artist, producer, minister, TV and music video director from New York City. He is currently signed to Reach Records and in addition to his solo work is a member of that label's hip hop collective 116 Clique.

Originally from Syracuse, Mineo worked as a producer in high school at Henninger High School in Upstate New York, and joined the hip-hop group Fat Camp, signed to Syracuse University's Marshall Street Records. After moving to New York City, he realized his weak spiritual condition, re-dedicated his life to Christ and closed down his production studio in order to restart his career. He released his first mixtape Sin is Wack in 2009. After providing hook vocals for the song "Background" by Lecrae from the album Rehab, he collaborated with other rappers. In 2011, he released the single "In My City", featuring Efrain from Doubledge, that also gained him more attention. He appeared on the song "Reverse" by Tedashii from Blacklight. He signed to Reach Records in 2011 and abandoned his stage name "C-Lite" in favor of his legal name. Under this name he released another mixtape, Formerly Known. His full-length studio album, Heroes for Sale, was released on April 16, 2013. On January 28, 2014, he released an EP titled Never Land.

His video and television work includes his creation of "Saturday Morning Car-Tunez", a four-part web series in which Mineo portrayed himself and remixed classic hip-hop songs, and his co-direction of several of his own music videos. As a producer, his work includes tracks from his self-releases "In My City", Formerly Known, Saturday Morning Car-Tunez, and Heroes for Sale. He also produced the single "Destiny" by Sheena Lee, in which he was a featured performer, and, along with rapper Derek Minor, aided DJ Official in producing "Power Trip" by Lecrae, featuring Andy Mineo, Derek Minor, and Sho Baraka, from the album Gravity. Gravity won the Best Gospel Album category in the 2013 Grammy Awards.

Biography

Early life

Mineo was raised in a single-parent home in Syracuse, New York.[1][2] In the summer before entering the 8th grade, Mineo went to a Christian camp at which his sister worked as a counselor and was exposed to the Gospel and converted.[1][2] However, after his conversion, Mineo went into high school with no Christian support, and he soon drifted away from his faith.[1][2] While in high school, Mineo acquired recording equipment and started selling studio time out of his home.[1] He had formed a friendship with Chris "Oxburg" Leonard, and the pair recorded a song together in 2001.[3]

After graduating from The City College of New York (CCNY),[4] Mineo, along with Leonard, joined a rap group called Fat Camp, which subsequently won a song contest for WJPZ-FM and signed to Syracuse University's Marshall Street Records.[3] The group opened up for major acts such as Jadakiss, The Roots and Common, as well as members of the underground scene, such as Immortal Technique and Dead Prez, when said artists performed at the University.[2] In 2006, the group recorded and released a studio album entitled The Food.[3]

In his freshman year of college, Mineo met the producer Alex Medina and through him discovered the urban evangelism project T.R.U.C.E.[1][2] After hearing the song "Price Tag" by Da' T.R.U.T.H., Mineo decided to close his studio and rededicate his life to Christ.[5] He also left Fat Camp, which promptly dissolved.[3]

Sin is Wack and collaborations (2009-2011)

Following the closure of his studio, Mineo went on tour with T.R.U.C.E. He released his first mixtape, Sin is Wack.[1] Mineo explained in an interview that he came up with the concept of the "Sin is Wack" title through his work with T.R.U.C.E.[5] Following this release, Mineo sang on the Lecrae song "Background" from Rehab in 2010 and "Reverse" from Blacklight by Tedashii in 2011.[1][5] Mineo explained to Rapzilla "Background" was his first attempt at singing, and following the success of that song he received subsequent requests.[5] The Christian Manifesto claimed that Mineo's hook for "Background" made Rehab one of the best Christian albums to date, and stated that Mineo became one of the most sought after artists, particularly for singing hooks.[6] When asked about his recognition as a singer instead of an emcee, Mineo stated that "I enjoy making melodies," and said he wasn't too concerned about rapping when he supplied hooks for songs and was content with the opportunity to serve in any capacity.[5] Mineo contributed to "Put On" from Captured by Flame and "The Reunion Cypha" on Stop the Funeral by The Ambassador.[1][5] He released the single "In My City" in 2011 as part of the God in My City Movement prayer walk that Mineo was involved in. The song was reported by Rapzilla to become an "anthem for a lot of people."[5]

With Reach Records (2011-present)

On July 28, 2011, at Legacy Conference 2011, Reach Records announced that Mineo had signed with the label.[7] Upon signing with the label, Mineo abandoned the stage name C-Lite, stating that he "never really liked the name" and that his signing marked a good time to transition to his legal name.[8] He released his debut mixtape on Reach Records, Formerly Known, on September 29, 2011.

In May 2012, Mineo launched a 4-episode web series entitled Saturday Morning Car-Tunez which featured him remixing classic hip-hop songs.[9] The remixed songs were released as a free download.[10] On July 17, Mineo performed alongside Lecrae at the Apple Store in SoHo, New York to promote Lecrae's 6th studio album, Gravity.[11] In August, Mineo performed in the 2012 God Belongs in My City Concert tour with Anthony Shepherd & The Roar and Sheena Lee.[12] He also headlined the 2012 Kingdom Choice Awards along with Swoope and Bizzle.[13] From the month of October through November, Mineo toured as a member of the 116 Clique on the Unashamed 2012: Come Alive tour.[14] On December 7–8, Mineo was a featured performer at the Kings Dream Conference, a launching of the Kings Dream label by the hip-hop group theBREAX.[15]

On January 8, 2013, Mineo announced the release date for Heroes for Sale, April 16, 2013, and released the cover.[16]

On January 1, 2014, Mineo announced season two of Saturday Morning Car-Tunez, which showed the making of Mineo's EP, Never Land, which he released on January 28, 2014.[17] Never Land includes You Can't Stop Me", "Never Land" and "Paisanos Wylin'".[17]

Discography

Production discography

Sin Is Wack - 2009

01. "Night of the Living Dead" (featuring Ravi Zacharias)
02. "New Creation"
06. "Who's Watching?"

"In My City" - 2010


Formerly Known - 2011


Saturday Morning Car-Tunez - 2012

  1. "Hands High" remix of "Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See" by Busta Rhymes - (produced by Courtland Urbano)[10][18]
  2. "Shut 'Em Down" (featuring Co Campbell) remix of "Ruff Ryders' Anthem" by DMX - (produced by Alex Medina)[10][19]
  3. "Next Episode" (featuring Sheena Lee) remix of "The Next Episode" by Dr. Dre featuring Snoop Dogg, Kurupt, and Nate Dogg - (produced by James Gabriel)[10][20]
  4. "Benjamins" (featuring Rich Perez & Izz) remix of "It's All About the Benjamins(remix)" by Sean Combs featuring Lil' Kim, The Notorious B.I.G., and The LOX - (produced by Tyshane)[10][21]

Heroes for Sale - 2013

06. "Caught Dreaming" (featuring For King & Country) - with Jeremey S. H. Griffith and J.R. for So Hot Productions[22]
08. "Shallow" (featuring Swoope) - 808 & Elite with additional production by Joseph Prielozny and Andy Mineo[22]
11. "Uno Uno Seis (featuring Lecrae) - Alex Medina with additional production by Andy Mineo[22]
14. "Still Bleeding" (featuring Co Campbell) - With Chris Morgan and additional production by Joseph Prielozny[22]

Lecrae

Gravity - 2012

11. "Power Trip" (featuring PRo, Sho Baraka and Andy Mineo) - (DJ Official with additional production from PRo and Andy Mineo)

Anomaly - 2014

3. "Say I Won't" (featuring Andy Mineo) - (808xElite and Gawvi with post-production by Andy Mineo)

Sheena Lee

Project Destiny - 2012

Tedashii

Below Paradise - 2014

06. "Paradise" (featuring Tauren Wells - With Dre "The Giant" Garcia for Odd Soul Creative

Videography

2010
2011
2011
2013

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 "Andy Mineo's Biography" (WEB). Reach Records Website. Reach Records. Retrieved December 5, 2012.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 I Am UNYC (May 2, 2012). "I AM UNYC - Andy Mineo (@iamunyc @AndyMineo @reachrecords @AP_Films)" (WEB/VIDEO). I Am UNYC. YouTube.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Bialczak, Mark (November 5, 2007). "Syracuse rapper Oxburg takes his time to get 'Premonition' just right". The Post-Standard. Advance Publications. Retrieved January 12, 2015.
  4. ↑ Hauptman, Amy (June 25, 2012). "Andy Mineo: Minister & Rapper" (WEB). Intervarsity Christian Fellowship USA.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 Rapzilla (October 5, 2011). "Andy Mineo - Introduction (@andymineo @reachrecords @rapzilla)" (WEB/VIDEO). Rapzilla. YouTube. Retrieved December 10, 2012.
  6. ↑ Wildes, Michael (October 12, 2011). "Formerly Known" (WEB). The Christian Manifesto. Retrieved December 12, 2012.
  7. ↑ DaSouth.com (July 28, 2011). "Reach Records announces signing of Andy "C-Lite" Mineo at Legacy Conference" (WEB). DaSouth. Retrieved December 5, 2012.
  8. ↑ Rapzilla (July 29, 2011). "Andy Mineo fka C-Lite Signs To Reach Records (@andymineo @reachrecords @rapzilla)" (WEB). Rapzilla. YouTube. Retrieved December 5, 2012.
  9. ↑ JoshIVM (April 17, 2012). "Andy Mineo To Start Web Series" (WEB). Indie Vision Music. Retrieved December 12, 2012.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 "Andy Mineo 'Saturday Morning Car-Tunez'" (WEB). Rapzilla. June 28, 2012. Retrieved December 12, 2012.
  11. ↑ Menzie, Nicola (July 18, 2012). "Photos: Lecrae, Andy Mineo Perform Live at the Apple Store in NYC" (WEB). The Christian Post. The Christian Post Company. Retrieved December 11, 2012.
  12. ↑ The Bellamy Group (August 11, 2012). "Andy Mineo, Anthony Shepherd & The Roar, and Sheena Lee Headline 'God Belongs in My City' concert Tour August 16-18 in Jacksonville, Miami and Orlando, Florida" (WEB). BREATHEcast. Retrieved December 11, 2012.
  13. ↑ DJ Wade-O (August 13, 2012). "Swoope, Andy Mineo & Bizzle Headline 2012 Kingdom Choice Award Nominees" (WEB). Wade-O Radio.
  14. ↑ Wolfe, Roman (July 24, 2012). "Lecrae Announces Release Date For "Gravity," Launches 30-City Tour In Support Of Album" (WEB). AllHipHop. AHH Holdings. Retrieved December 11, 2012.
  15. ↑ Hrabkovska, Silvia (November 6, 2012). "Kings Dream Entertainment Launches Inaugural 'Kings Dream Conference'" (WEB). BREATHEcast. Retrieved December 11, 2012.
  16. ↑ Solis, Steven (January 8, 2013). "Andy Mineo Debut Album 'Heroes For Sale' Announced with Cover & Release Date". Rapzilla. Philip Rood and Chad Horton. Retrieved January 15, 2013.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 Lassiter, Chris (26 April 2014). "Andy Mineo Responds To "Never Land" Debuting At #2 On iTunes". HipHop dx. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
  18. ↑ JoshIVM (May 5, 2012). "Andy Mineo Saturday Car-Tunez Episode #1" (WEB). Indie Vision Music. Retrieved December 12, 2012.
  19. ↑ JoshIVM (May 12, 2012). "Andy Mineo Saturday Car-Tunez Episode #2" (WEB). Indie Vision Music. Retrieved December 12, 2012.
  20. ↑ JoshIVM (May 19, 2012). "Andy Mineo Saturday Car-Tunez Episode #3" (WEB). Indie Vision Music. Retrieved December 12, 2012.
  21. ↑ JoshIVM (May 19, 2012). "Andy Mineo Saturday Car-Tunez Episode #4" (WEB). Indie Vision Music. Retrieved March 9, 2013.
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 22.3 "Andy Mineo 'Heroes For Sale' Production Credits".
  23. ↑ "Sheena Lee "Destiny" ft. Andy Mineo" (WEB). Rapzilla. July 8, 2012. Retrieved December 5, 2012.

External links