If Tim Miller aka DA MINISTA faded into the background behind the shadows of twelve brothers and sisters, people would have understood. Fortunately he did not feel tempted to lay back and let life happen around him, he grabbed hold and made it happen for himself.
If Tim Miller aka DA MINISTA faded into the background behind the shadows of twelve brothers and sisters, people would have understood. Fortunately he did not feel tempted to lay back and let life happen around him, he grabbed hold and made it happen for himself.
Raised in McComb, MS by parents who celebrated fifty-five years happily married before they each passed away, DA MINISTA spent many hours inside the walls of his traditional Baptist church as a junior superintendent, quietly influenced by the faithfulness of his parents and example they set for hard work, integrity, family values and service to community.
It is no surprise then, that DA MINISTA would dedicate his first national CD release (John Miller’s Son… Still Preachin’; Malaco Records) to his father, to honor the man who taught him how to listen to God’s word and will for him when faced with difficult decisions.
In his youthful years, Middle School and High School, DA MINISTA spent his time choreographing Hip Hop routines for his dance group, “The 4 For Love” winning numerous local talent shows. After graduation, he enlisted in the Army. It was then, that his passion for Hip Hop music inspired him to develop his verbal skills into the art of Rap. Congregating with officers from the East Coast, (New York, Philadelphia, Washington, DC) DA MINISTA learned first hand the origins of Rap music and it provided a foundation for writing poignant lyrical content and vocal delivery; Officers from the West Coast, offered an alternative musical base to draw from. Mix in his Southern roots and you have the ingredients for a unique and distinctive style that has won him Free Style Rap battles in clubs and garnered him street credibility.
After his release from the military, it was during a concert at the University of Southern Mississippi that a foreign exchange student from Japan became a dedicated fan of “DA MINISTA” and sent one of his tapes home, urging his contacts there to bring him over. This effort resulted in DA MINISTA traveling to Japan to complete a three-week concert series at a mountain resort.
After his stint in Japan, he began to feel the pull toward the ministry- something that conflicted with his burgeoning secular rap / hip-hop career. His strong background in the church and faith in God claimed his heart and he vacated his career in music while embracing his new career path as a Pastor in the ministry. From that point, there was no looking back. Interesting things began to happen as he preached the Gospel. The Lord kept giving him songs and the message that he should deliver through the very career that he had left behind.
For the last ten years, DA MINISTA who is now happily married and raising three children has been the overseer of his congregation at Candlelight Ministries in McComb, MS. He is the founder and CEO of FTAJ Entertainment (FTAJ is an acronym for his wife and three children and is pronounced F-TAhJ) and has released five singles and three albums independently. In June 2005, Malaco Records inked a deal with DA MINISTA and plans to release “Johns Miller’s Son … Still Preachin’” in August 2005. The project will be distributed nationally through The Malaco Music Group, Malaco Christian Distribution, New Day and Select-O-Hits to both the Christian and secular markets respectively.
When asked what his mission is, DA MINISTA says, “For me, this is not entertainment. Entertainment excites the flesh, Ministry touches the heart.”
DA MINISTA hopes that his music can bridge the gap from Gospel, Christian even Mainstream radio to reach and deliver the message of hope to all walks of life.
