TheMinister

Las Vegas, NV, USA

Joe Amaro (The Minister) was born on February 19, 1981 to Cuban immigrants who fled the Castro regime on the Mariel boat lift. The term "Marielito" became synonymous with criminals, prisoners and the mentally ill. In an attempt to flee the drug wars in Miami the family decided to settle in Las Vegas, Nevada. The conditions were further strained during the crack epidemic resulting his mother dying of AIDS and his father being convicted of murder over a drug deal. At the age of 13 he was separated from his two younger sisters and placed in foster care. He spent most of his adolescences in institutions and eventually landing in the Nevada Department of Corrections. Then in 2011 shortly after a prison bid he walked into a church and answered a altar call. His music described as "Ghetto Gospel" with harmonizing melodies, unpredictable flows and clever lyrics which speak of the streets that lead to the salvation of God.