Award winning Hip-Hop artist, Derek Minor, is enjoying success at CCM radio with his new single, “Change the World,” going No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot AC/CHR chart. The tune features guest artist, Hollyn, and is from Minor’s current album Reflection that released on his Refection Music Group (RMG) label, in partnership with Entertainment One. The project has been streamed on Spotify over 2.6 million times. At the same time, the music video for “Change the World” premiered on NewReleaseToday last Friday and can be viewed below:
“Change the World” is partly inspired by Minor’s first visit to Haiti in 2015 with the non-profit organization Hands & Feet Project that provides family-style housing and sustainable solutions for orphans in Haiti. Upon landing in Port-au-Prince, Minor was immediately overwhelmed by the country’s economic crisis and was moved to use his voice to make a difference.
“I just wrote this song as an anthem, hopefully for people to create change,” Minor explains. “I think in today’s climate around the world, we have forgotten that our differences are beautiful. That God made each of us unique and that makes our world a better place. I think ‘Change the World’ speaks to that yearning inside for all of us to be heard and accepted with love.”
Minor recently received an award for Urban/Rap Album of the Year (Reflection) from the 5th Annual We Love Christian Music Awards, presented by NewReleaseToday. Minor was a presenter for the first live awards event that was a joint effort between NewReleaseToday and JUCE TV, where winners and nominees were spotlighted. Besides the album win, Minor was also nominated for Male Artist of the Year. “It’s very humbling to be honored among my peers and I’m super thankful,” he added.
Fans of Minor will soon get to see live performances of his music on the 9th Annual Rock & Worship Roadshow, which launches Feb. 24 in Cape Girardeau, Mo. and concludes April 2 in Baltimore, Md.The 23-city tour features such major artists as Steven Curtis Chapman, Francesca Battistelli, Rend Collective, Passion, Family Force 5, Jordan Feliz and Urban Rescue. To keep updated with information about Minor visit the following links:
Award-winning Derek Minor is enjoying chart-topping success with his new single “Change the World,” that reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot AC/CHR chart Feb. 6th. The song is from Minor’s current project Reflection, that was No. 1 on Billboard’s Rap Album chart and debuted No. 7 on Billboard’s Christian Album chart. Minor grew up in Middle, Tenn. and received a bachelor’s degree in Recording Industry Management from Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) in 2006. He began his music career in 2007, through a record deal with an independent label that quickly folded. Minor quickly became a member of a small, elite class of Hip Hop artists who are adept at MCing, producing, and running their own companies. Two of his previous albums won Stellar Awards, Empire (2015) and Minorville (2013), along with Dove and Grammy nominations. Minor’s wordplay and relatable lyrics have made him an in-demand collaborator who has worked with the likes of Lecrae, Andy Mineo, and Colton Dixon. As a producer, Minor received a 2015 Dove Award for his production contributions to Lecrae’s Anomaly album. Minor’s Reflection Music Group roster includes celebrated acts Canon, Tony Tillman, and Deraj.
ArtSoul Radio is a 24/7, online Christian Radio Station and Entertainment news site promoting new and diverse sounds in Christian music! We highlight both indie and mainstream artists in Contemporary Gospel, Pop, Soul, Hip-Hop, Alternative, and Spoken Word Poetry.
After a three-city string of private listening events and insightful new interview with Sway In The Morning, Miami’s own Aklesso unveils his deeply personal album Still Lonely, released via Rodney Jerkins’ Alienz Alive. A follow-up to his praised 2024 album Lonely, the project solidifies him as one of Hip-Hop’s most honest storytellers.
Produced by Okay.Benny, William Soolua, and GLEECE, Still Lonely is a vulnerable, atmospheric exploration of fatherhood, faith, abandonment, and generational healing. The album expands the emotional universe introduced through his recent singles, including the Lecrae-collaborated single “Lonely” and the Darrel Jones–directed “Range!” featuring 1K Phew.
Listen to Still Lonely in its entirety below and watch his intimate conversation with Darkchild below:
“Aklesso’s story, his culture, and his sound all carry a weight that this generation needs to hear. From Miami to Haiti to the global stage, he’s not just making records, he’s making an impact. At Alienz Alive, we’re about building legacy, and Aklesso embodies that. I couldn’t be more excited to walk this journey with him.”
The Haitian lyricist, Aklesso, shares:
“This is the most honest project I’ve ever made. It’s not about perfect answers, it’s about presence. It’s about realizing God was with me even in the moments I felt the most alone.”
Be sure to stream and purchase this latest release – Now Available everywhere where music is sold.
Aklesso and Jon Keith — both artists signed to legendary producer Rodney Jerkins’ label Alienz Alive — have released fresh visuals for their collaborative single, “Freedom.” The record blends hard-hitting Hip Hop energy with smooth, melodic vocals, creating a sound that feels emotionally raw while remaining sonically intentional.
While both artists are often categorized as Hip Hop, Freedom exists beyond strict genre lines. The collaboration reflects a layered musical identity — Hip Hop at its core, but shaped by vulnerability, reflection, and a willingness to confront real-life struggles head-on.
At the heart of Freedom is a conversation many artists — and listeners — are quietly having: how do you break generational cycles without becoming consumed by them?
Aklesso’s verses pull listeners into an unfiltered space, addressing trauma, fear, and mental health battles that often go unspoken. Lines wrestling with destiny, survival, and internal conflict give the song its emotional weight, while the repeated declaration — “Promise you, promise God, I will never repeat the trauma” — stands as both a confession and a commitment. It’s not framed as perfection, but as responsibility.
Jon Keith’s chorus offers balance and resolve, reframing freedom as something that requires intention and partnership. “There’s freedom if we try… if we fight” positions healing as an active process — one that involves effort, faith, and community rather than isolation. The repeated refrain, “It’s you and I,” underscores the idea that freedom isn’t achieved alone.
The visuals echo that same tension between struggle and hope. Clean, focused imagery allows the message to lead, reinforcing the song’s core theme: freedom is not just personal — it’s generational. Choosing healing today shapes what gets passed on tomorrow.
In a cultural moment where conversations around mental health, faith, and generational healing are becoming more urgent, “Freedom” lands as more than a collaboration. It’s a statement — one rooted in honesty, faith, and the courage to choose a different path forward.
WATCH THE VIDEO HERE:
WATCH: ArtSoul Radio’s Exclusive Interview with Aklesso & Jon Keith on “Freedom”
Chicago was the backdrop for a moment you couldn’t script any better: GRAMMY®, Dove, and Stellar Award-winning powerhouse Jonathan McReynolds linking arms with American Idol Season 23 winner Jamal Roberts to deliver a live ballad that hits straight to the soul. Their new single, “Still,” isn’t just another worship record—it’s a reminder that God’s love is the one thing that doesn’t shift when life does.
Recorded live in McReynolds’ hometown, the song is lifted from his forthcoming project Closer—an album already carrying heavy anticipation. What unfolds in “Still” is classic Jonathan: heartfelt storytelling, layered with rich theology, now elevated by Roberts’ fresh, unshaken voice.
Jonathan McReynolds has carved out a lane few can touch—an artist who makes Gospel feel as real as your group chat confessions. His catalog has always balanced honesty and worship, bringing Sunday morning depth into everyday playlists.
Enter Jamal Roberts: the new voice America fell in love with on American Idol. His win wasn’t just about vocal ability—it was about heart, authenticity, and the kind of presence that feels rare. Pairing him with McReynolds doesn’t just make sense; it feels prophetic. It’s the kind of intergenerational link-up that keeps Gospel fresh while honoring its roots.
The Vibe
With “Still,” Jonathan McReynolds and Jamal Roberts don’t just give us another Gospel single—they give us a soundtrack for resilience. It’s raw, it’s soulful, and it’s proof that the future of faith-based music is in good hands. Expect this one to be on repeat long after the Stellars.