He’s from the Bay Area, and his music is straight out of The Word. Christian Hip-Hop rap artist Miles Minnick has much to celebrate this year. Recently, he made history as the first-ever Christian Hip-Hop artist to be nominated in the “Best New Artist” category at the 2026 BET Awards. He also achieved the XXL Freshman selection, this summer’s BET Amplified recognition, BET Awards nomination, and Dove Award nomination.
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In an interview with Baller Alert, Minnick said he is on a mission to create “a new mainstream,” where faith-based music is embraced rather than tolerated.“It means the world to me because we get to hold the door open for more folks coming behind us as well,” he said.
He reflected on a time in the past when he was not Miles the Christian, let alone the Christian rapper we know now. Minnick did not grow up in church. He attended parties, clubs, and partook in the “stuff our generation is doing today,” he explained.
But now, renewed and restored by God, the Bay Area creative is divinely sent back into secular spaces to “show people that you don’t have to be ‘holier than thou’ or ‘churchy’ to live a life of purpose, to live a life for God. You can still have your personality and your culture just in a Christ-like way.”
Minnick is a representation of being able to collaborate with legendary, yet secular, artists. The fruit, or result, of it is reaching an entirely new demographic of listeners “that wouldn’t otherwise be exposed to the message of Christ that we carry in the music.”
The mission has not subsided, and this faith-based rapper is far from finished.
Baller Alert was the first to hear Minnick’s newest single, “UHH,” featuring Lecrae and Nobigdyl. Riddled with a playful, confident, and Bay Area vibe, “UHH” reaches back “to the infectious rhythms, drums, and call-and-response energy of an earlier era of Hip Hop, filtered through Miles’ distinctly West Coast perspective,” according to official reports.
Each artist brings forth their own personality. The record and the music video drop on September 18. They both present a nostalgic flair, so much so that Minnick said the beat reminds him of the “Ninja Turtle movies from the early ’90s and the ’80s. Like real vibey with that era of style and sound.”
In the music video, the artists are seen decked out in university gear on a track field. It’s a clever segue to Minnick’s latest endeavors.
Christlike University, the album, drops November 6. Though Minnick is entering a new chapter in his career, he said the album continues to school cultural spaces on how to make “slaps for the soul.”
Miles told Baller Alert the album’s theme was initially branded with a collegiate theme.
“We were going to call the producers professors, call all the features faculty,” but he’s taking it beyond the music.
“How about we actually do something to pour into Christian creatives or people who believe in a higher power,” he said, “who want to adjust their work to fulfill a higher purpose. What if we put something on and do it for real?”
Earlier this month, Miles and the Christlike Collection opened applications for the Fall 2026 founding class of Christlike University, a creative first of its kind community designed to connect and develop artists, producers, designers, managers, mentors, fans and other creatives.
Minnick exclusively told Baller Alert that students will be flown to California to attend in-person classes at Cal State East Bay in Hayward and the state’s top Christian University, Azusa Pacific in Los Angeles.
“We’re bringing in celebrity professors and guests to really pour into these people on a practical level, and also a spiritual level.”
Minnick’s team has received 5,000 applications, but only 300 scholars will be accepted. You can still apply. Minnick said you have to first “You got to make sure you pre-save the album,” then he handed over to christlikeuniversity.com for more details.
Baller Alert was the first to hear Minnick’s newest single, “UHH,” featuring Lecrae and Nobigdyl. Riddled with a playful, confident, and Bay Area vibe, “UHH” reaches back “to the infectious rhythms, drums, and call-and-response energy of an earlier era of Hip Hop, filtered through Miles’ distinctly West Coast perspective,” according to official reports.
Each artist brings forth their own personality. The record and the music video dropped on September 18. They both present a nostalgic flair, so much so that Minnick said the beat reminds him of the “Ninja Turtle movies from the early ’90s and the ’80s. Like real vibey with that era of style and sound.”
In the music video, the artists are seen decked out in university gear on a track field. It’s a clever segue to Minnick’s latest endeavors.
Christlike University, the album, drops November 6. Though Minnick is entering a new chapter in his career, he said the album continues to school cultural spaces on how to make “slaps for the soul.”
Miles told Baller Alert the album’s theme was initially branded with a collegiate theme.
“We were going to call the producers professors, call all the features faculty,” but he’s taking it beyond the music.
“How about we actually do something to pour into Christian creatives or people who believe in a higher power,” he said, “who want to adjust their work to fulfill a higher purpose. What if we put something on and do it for real?”
Earlier this month, Miles and the Christlike Collection opened applications for the Fall 2026 founding class of Christlike University, a creative first of its kind community designed to connect and develop artists, producers, designers, managers, mentors, fans and other creatives.
Minnick exclusively told Baller Alert that students will be flown to California to attend in-person classes at Cal State East Bay in Hayward and the state’s top Christian University, Azusa Pacific in Los Angeles.
“We’re bringing in celebrity professors and guests to really pour into these people on a practical level, and also a spiritual level.”
Minnick’s team has received 5,000 applications, but only 300 scholars will be accepted. You can still apply. Minnick said you have to first “You got to make sure you pre-save the album,” then he handed over to christlikeuniversity.com for more details.
