Joseph Velez has a passion for helping others that he one day hopes leads to a career in ministry. For the last decade, however, he has helped share the love of God as a Christian hip hop artist.
Velez, 33, took his first steps into the Christian hip hip world more than a decade ago after being introduced to the group 116 Clique.
“It’s something my brothers and I really got into probably in 2010 or 2011, after I gave my life to Christ and got saved,” Velez said. “I knew the other type of music I listened to growing up, hip hop, was very, very bad and just wasn’t helping. Running across a group like that, I was sold on it, loved it and eventually I started stepping out and doing music with my brothers.”
For eight years, the Velez brothers performed together as 4.G.G. (Four God’s Glory).
“Back in 2010 and 2011 we started doing our own music,” Velez said “I remember recording my first song and we called it ‘Every Day’s A Battle. We found an instrumental beat and put lyrics to it that we wrote. I just didn’t know I had that gift. I was always the shy one, but get me behind a mic and after that point I was sold and wanted to continue doing this.”
For the past three years, Velez has performed as a solo artist, under the name Ncrease, thanks to encouragement from his wife, Meg.
“For eight years as 4.G.G we were pushing music out here to the local area and putting it on YouTube,” Velez said. “Three years ago my wife encouraged me to go ahead and do my own music. Two of my brothers are married now and another one travels a lot and right now is in Salt Lake City, so it’s challenging to get us all together to do music now. I gave it a shot and recorded my first song ‘You Don’t Want It’ in 2021. That really encouraged me and from then to now I’ve released six songs and I just love it.”
Velez enjoys the opportunities his musical talents have presented him to spread the word of God.
“The next generation, the younger audience – my age at least and down – love the music I make, and my kids are ready to listen to any song of mine that I make,” Velez said. “I have a desire to eventually do tours and make it something where I can reach more than Brownwood and reach other places like Abilene or Dallas. I’m just trying to be patient and wait for the opportunity.”
Velez also hopes to one day delve fully into ministry.
“Career wise I would like to enter full-time ministry,” Velez said. “Helping the poor, feeding the homeless, basically just helping the community out however that may look. Full-time ministry and sharing the love of God to me would be my career goal. Serving the community and my music is truly my heart’s desire.”
Velez and his wife Meg have two children, ages 6 and 4, and they’re members of Heartland Church. The children are home-schooled under the C.O.F.F.E program – Christians Offering Fellowship to Family Educators.
“We do our best to serve in whatever way is needed,” Velez said. “We try to make our time available. We’ve been going to Heartland Church for three years now. We started going before COVID and a lot has happened, but God brought us to Heartland Church and it’s a beautiful church. I love the family there. It’s a church I always desired to be a part of but never thought a place like that existed.”