Billboard-charting artist, producer, and speaker Adriel Cruz returns with one of his most personal releases to date in "I Don't Know About You," arriving August 7 via Rapzilla.com. Blending melodic hip-hop with infectious pop influences, the Chicago-based artist opens up about rejection, broken relationships, and the quiet struggle of carrying hidden pain behind a smile.
Anchored by the vulnerable confession, "I'm not alright," the song ultimately points listeners to the only lasting source of identity and hope-Jesus Christ. Known for more than two decades of creative ministry and as the CEO of World Renegade Music, Cruz continues to challenge listeners with music that is both deeply honest and unapologetically faith-filled.
To pre-save the single, click here.
Q: For readers who may be discovering you for the first time, who is Adriel Cruz, and what has your journey in music and ministry been like over the past 16 years?
I've had the privilege of communicating hope and entertaining people for more than 22 years. Throughout that journey, different people have come to know me in different ways. Some know me as a rapper, singer, producer, speaker, comedian, live performer, social media personality, fashion designer, creative director, or simply a personality. I've never felt confined to one lane because creativity has always been the language God gave me to connect with people.
Whether I'm on a stage performing, producing music in the studio, designing a clothing collection, making people laugh, hosting a live show, or having a meaningful conversation, I'm chasing the same goal: to create moments that leave people with more hope than they had before.
God has opened doors I never could have orchestrated-from Billboard-charting music to songs featured on Netflix and speaking at conferences across the country. Every opportunity has reminded me that He's the One behind every moment.
At the end of the day, I don't want to be known simply for what I've created. I want my life to point people to the Creator who made it all possible.
Q: Your new single, "I Don't Know About You," is both catchy and deeply vulnerable. What inspired you to write this song, and what personal experiences shaped its message?
This song came from a season where God was showing me that even good things can quietly become substitutes for Him. We all have a tendency to look to people, success, relationships, or certainty for the peace that only Christ can provide.
When some of those things were stripped away, I was left with a simple question: Where am I really placing my purpose, my heart, and my hope?
That's where "I Don't Know About You" was born.
It's a song about reaching the end of yourself and realizing that Jesus isn't just part of the answer-He's the answer. My prayer is that listeners don't just hear my story; they recognize pieces of their own. We all have moments where life humbles us and reminds us that our deepest need isn't another solution or another person-it's the presence of God.
Q: One of the song's most striking moments is the honest confession, "I'm not alright." Why do you think it's so important for Christians to be open about pain rather than pretending they have everything together?
I believe honesty is where healing begins, and I believe it means way more than a polished speech or a position of perceived perfection.
So many people can unintentionally create a false culture of perfection because of the burden or demands of being a leader worth following. There's a sense of having to appear strong and perfect all the time, and this is a detriment to both the person and the people in front of them. Scripture paints a different picture. David lamented. Elijah became exhausted. Paul spoke openly about weakness. Even Jesus suffered.
Saying, "I'm not alright," isn't a confession of defeat or soaking in sorrow, as easy as that can be. It's an invitation for God to meet you where you actually are.
Faith isn't pretending everything is okay. It's believing something that may not be actualized yet. Faith is trusting God to bring an end to whatever heartache or pain you may be experiencing.
If this song gives someone permission to stop performing and start being honest with themselves and God, I'm thankful.
Q: The song explores finding your identity beyond rejection and the opinions of others. How has your faith helped you navigate seasons of disappointment, broken friendships, and learning where your true worth comes from?
I've learned that deep disappointment has a way of exposing where you've been looking for your identity.
When relationships change, when people misunderstand you, or when life doesn't unfold the way you'd hoped, it's natural to start questioning your worth, and it can be crippling.
One of the deepest lessons God has been teaching me is the tension between influence and identity. He's called me to love people, champion and serve people-and that comes with deep impact-but never to build my identity on how someone responds to that, positively or negatively.
That's been the wrestle.
Some people can matter deeply, but they were never meant to carry the weight of telling me who I am or how much I'm worth. The presence of people can be a gift, but it can't be the foundation of my identity. God has been patiently reminding me that my identity doesn't begin with the people who stay or end with the people who leave. It begins and ends with Him.
The more I've rooted myself in that truth, the freer I am slowly becoming-not from loving people less, but from needing them to define my worth.
The cross settled my value long before anyone applauded or broke me.
That doesn't mean disappointment stops hurting-it absolutely does. But now those moments don't get the final word. God does. He's been reminding me over and over that my worth isn't something I have to earn, chase, or protect. It's something I receive because I'm His. And I don't know about you, but I need Him.
Q: You've experienced Billboard success, led World Renegade Music, and served as a national conference speaker. Looking back, what lessons has God taught you about balancing influence, success, and staying grounded in your calling?
One thing I've realized is that I don't naturally measure my life by accomplishments. Billboard, speaking opportunities, and different milestones-I'm grateful for them, but they honestly don't define me. If anything, I tend to move on from those moments pretty quickly.
What God keeps reminding me is that He's the thread woven through every opportunity. None of it exists apart from Him.
Ironically, I think my bigger challenge has been recognizing the influence He's already entrusted to me. Sometimes my own thoughts about myself can become smaller than what God sees, and He has to remind me that people are being impacted in ways I don't always recognize. A conversation, a song, a message, even a simple moment of encouragement can stay with someone far longer than I realize.
So I'm learning to honor those moments instead of minimizing them or flippantly partaking in them. Not because I think highly of myself, but because I want to think rightly about what God is doing. If He's chosen to use my life to encourage people, then I want to steward that faithfully and never take it for granted.
Q: As "I Don't Know About You" introduces this new chapter, what's next for you? Can fans expect more music, collaborations, or other projects in the months ahead?
Definitely. This song feels like the beginning of something, not the end. Stylistically, I will be evolving into a sound I've been working on for the past decade.
I've been writing from a much deeper place than I ever have before, which is also new to me. These songs I've had in the archives aren't just ideas-they're things God has been walking me through personally over recent years. My hope is to continue releasing music that's both creatively contagious, thought-provoking, honest, and audibly excellent.
I'm also excited about future creations, as I am open to collaborations, getting back on stage, speaking opportunities, and continuing to create content that helps people hope more, smile more, believe more, dance more, or laugh more.
