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, Minorville. "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 Minorville. 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
CD Details
- Release Date: September 10, 2013
- Record Label: Reach Records
- UPC: 829569831920
- Number of Discs: 1
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