MUSIC: Marvin Sapp Releases New Single – Yes You Can

Marvin Sapp is out with a powerful new single filled with inspiration and motivation “Yes You Can”, to remind you From the singer, author and Pastor’s forthcoming 10th solo album “You Shall Live”, coming from the stables of RCA Inspiration.

To download on iTunes, click HERE.

Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir To Release 29th Album “PRAY”

Brooklyn, USA — The six-time Grammy Award winning Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir returns to their musical roots with their 29th album, PRAY. This live album is a return to a familiar sound – a sound that many have come to know as the “BTC sound.” While the concept is reminiscent of their first live album, Live: A Celebration of Worship and Praise, it is an album for the church of today. The album’s title track, “Pray,” is a soul-stirring reminder of what Jesus said: “If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” (Matthew 21:22)

Pray takes the listener on a musical journey with 14 new songs that are sure to captivate and rouse the soul. The first few songs take us to church with praise and worship that ushers the listener into a place of communion with Him. From the hand clapping, up-tempo, “Jesus Is,” to the beautifully orchestrated “He Loved Me” — a reminder of when we first accepted His love, Pray takes the listener through a melodic voyage with the final destination, “Come to Jesus,” constituting a sweet beckon to run to the arms of Christ.

“With so many tragic events happening in the world today, PRAY serves as a reminder of the importance of having a relationship with Jesus, because communion is what He longs for His people to have with Him,” says Carol Cymbala, Founder and Choir Director of The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir. “My hope is that the songs on this album will draw believers and non-believers to worship and believe in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

PRAY will be available at www.brooklyntabernacle.org and on iTunes on February 10, 2015. Suggested retail price for PRAY is $12.99.

About The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir

Carol Cymbala founded the nearly 300-voice Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir — a blend of ethnic and economic backgrounds, with members ranging from lawyers and doctors to former drug addicts — in 1973. Over the years, the choir has sung at hallowed venues such as Radio City Music Hall, Madison Square Garden, and Carnegie Hall. They’ve appeared on Good Morning America and other national television programs. Their amazing legacy includes six Grammy Awards, seven Dove Awards, two #1 Billboard charting CDs and over four million albums sold. The choir performed “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” at the 2013 Presidential Inauguration, which had a worldwide viewing audience of over a billion people. Its previous CD, Love Lead the Way, debuted at #1 on iTunes Christian/Gospel Albums chart in 2014.

Source: PWR

“Why I Left The GRAMMYs” – Natalie Grant

Image: Billboard.com

Natalie Grant left the just concluded GRAMMYs Awards Ceremony last Sunday night early, after which she shared some of her thoughts via Twitter, which followed quite a number of criticism from some mainstream media, accusing her being a poor sport, intolerance to same sex marriage, and a lot more.

Natalie Grant        ✔ @NatalieGrant

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(1 of 2) We left the Grammy's early. I've many thoughts, most of which are probably better left inside my head. But I'll say this:

5:24 AM - 27 Jan 2014

Natalie Grant        ✔ @NatalieGrant

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I've never been more honored to sing about Jesus and for Jesus. And I've never been more sure of the path I've chosen.

5:25 AM - 27 Jan 2014

The award-winnig Christian artiste later took to Facebook in a response to her critics, as to why she left the ceremony early;

Natalie Grant        ✔ @NatalieGrant

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My response... https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10152204029350421&id=8292970420&__user=100005297078542 …

12:42 AM - 28 Jan 2014

I NEVER said I left during any particular performance. I only said I left early.

I never pointed out any one particular performance, I only said I had many thought about the entire show, which were best left inside my head and that is where they will stay. So those who say I condemned one performance but then condoned others clearly did not read the post.

What I DID say is this: I am honored to be a part of the Christian music community. I’ve had many people throughout my career ask why I never tried to go in to mainstream music and last night was a beautiful reminder that I love singing about Jesus and FOR Jesus.

I’ve judged no one. I hate no one. And I believe that every person has been created in the image of God. I will never stand on a street corner and wave a sign, I won’t use my platform to engage in political arguments that will only divide and not unite. I will continue to pray that my life will be my message. I do have my own personal convictions that I live by, and I will continue to work out my own salvation with fear and trembling before the Lord. (Philippians 2:12)

I was honored to be nominated for 2 Grammy awards last night. I’m so grateful that NARAS and The Grammys continue to recognize the contribution that gospel and Christian music make to the world. And I’m so thrilled for those who won in my categories. And I can say that with all sincerity.

My last thought: “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus for it is the power of God who brings salvation to ALL who believe.” Romans 1:16

Lecrae announces The Anomaly Tour, Pt. 2 tour schedule.

On the evening after Lecrae won his second Grammy Award, he announced the schedule for part two of The Anomaly Tour.

Round one of The Anomaly Tour included 31 cities. Lecrae, Andy Mineo and DJ Promote will stop at 17 cities on round two.

4/9 - New York, NY
4/10 - Charlotte, NC
4/11 - Greenville, SC
4/12 - Columbus, OH
4/15 - Highland Heights, KY
4/16 - Athens, GA
4/17 - Norfolk, VA
4/18 - Bel Air, MD
4/19 - Pittsburgh, PA
4/22 - Moncton, NB Canada
4/23 - Portland, ME
4/24 - Boston, MA
4/25 - Toronto, ON Canada
4/29 - Springfield, MO
4/30 - Saint Louis, MO
5/2 - Memphis, TN
5/3 - Knoxville, TN

Source: Rapzila

The GRAMMY Awards 2015: Winners in The Gospel Categories.

The 57th edition of the annual GRAMMY Awards took place on February 8, 2015 and we have the list of winners in the Gospel and Christian music categories.

Gospel Performance/Song.

WINNER: “No Greater Love,” Smokie Norful; Aaron W. Lindsey & Smokie Norful

NOMINEES

• “Help,” Erica Campbell Featuring Lecrae; Erica Campbell, Warryn Campbell, Hasben Jones, Harold Lilly, Lecrae Moore & Aaron Sledge
• “Sunday A.M. [Live],” Karen Clark Sheard; Rudy Currence & Donald Lawrence
• “I Believe,” Mali Music; Kortney J. Pollard
• “No Greater Love,” Smokie Norful; Aaron W. Lindsey & Smokie Norful
• “Love On The Radio,” The Walls Group; Kirk Franklin

Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song

Lecrae receiving his new GRAMMY award.

WINNER: “Messengers,” Lecrae Featuring For King & Country; Torrance Esmond, Ran Jackson, Ricky Jackson, Kenneth Chris Mackey, Lecrae Moore, Joseph Prielozny, Joel Smallbone & Luke Smallbone

NOMINEES

• “Write Your Story,” Francesca Battistelli; Francesca Battistelli, David Arthur Garcia & Ben Glover
• “Come As You Are,” Crowder
• “Shake,” MercyMe; Nathan Cochran, David Arthur Garcia, Ben Glover, Barry Graul, Bart Millard, Soli Olds, Mike Scheuchzer & Robby Shaffer
• “Messengers,” Lecrae Featuring For King & Country; Torrance Esmond, Ran Jackson, Ricky Jackson, Kenneth Chris Mackey, Lecrae Moore, Joseph Prielozny, Joel Smallbone & Luke Smallbone
• “Multiplied,” Needtobreathe; Bear Rinehart & Bo Rinehart

Gospel Album

Erica Campbell receiving her GRAMMY.

WINNER: “Help,” Erica Campbell

NOMINEES

• “Help,” Erica Campbell
• “Amazing [Live],” Ricky Dillard & New G
• “Withholding Nothing [Live],” William McDowell
• “Forever Yours,” Smokie Norful
• “Vintage Worship,” Anita Wilson

Contemporary Christian Music Album

WINNER: “Run Wild. Live Free. Love Strong.” For King & Country


NOMINEES

• “If We’re Honest,” Francesca Battistelli
• “Run Wild. Live Free. Love Strong.” For King & Country
• “Hurricane,” Natalie Grant
• “Welcome To The New,” MercyMe
• “Royal Tailor,” Royal Tailor

Roots Gospel Album
WINNER: “Shine For All The People,” Mike Farris


NOMINEES

• “Forever Changed,” T. Graham Brown
• “Shine For All The People,” Mike Farris
• “Hymns,” Gaither Vocal Band
• “A Cappella,” The Martins
• “His Way Of Loving Me,” Tim Menzies

Mali Music was nominated in the Best Urban Contemporary Album category alongside Beyonce, Chris Brown, Pharrell Williams and Jhene Aiko, while Lecrae was also nominated in the Best Rap Performance Category alongside Eminem, Drake, Kendrick Lamar and Childish Gambino.

Lecrae wins 2015 Grammy Award for ‘Messengers’

Notch a second Grammy Award in the win-column for Lecrae. 

On Sunday at the 2015 Grammys, the Reach Records rapper won the trophy for Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song for “Messengers,” track No. 15 of his seventh studio album Anomaly. Click here to watch Lecrae's acceptance speech.

Artists sharing in Lecrae’s victory include for KING & COUNTRY, which featured on the song, as well as Dirty Rice, Joseph Prielozny and Street Symphony, who produced it. The competitors he edged for the honor were Francesca Battistelli for her song “Write Your Story,” Crowder for “Come As You Are,” MercyMe for “Shake” and Needtobreathe for “Multiplied.”

After the release of Anomaly, “Messengers” had received significant radio play on contemporary Christian music stations K-Love and Air1. Lecrae’s first Grammy triumph came in 2013 when he won Best Gospel Album for his previous album Gravity. He lost his first Grammy nomination of the day for his feature on Erica Campbell's song "Help."

Source: Rapzila

Mali Music’s Musical Movie “Revival! The Experience” Coming Spring 2015

Another captivating movie, just in time for Easter!

“Revival! The Experience”, a musical motion picture event, is “The Gospel of Apostle John… As You’ve Never Seen It Before” and it stars GRAMMY nominated singer/songwriter Mali Music as Jesus and Harry Lennix (“The Blacklist”, “Man of Steel”) as Pontius Pilate.

Led by Mali and Harry, REVIVAL! is brought to life by a stellar cast that also includes Michelle Williams, Chaka Khan (playing Herodias, a woman of the Herodian Dynasty and singer of the 1983 hit “Ain’t Nobody.”), Noel Gugliemi, Dawnn Lewis, T’Keyah Crystal Keymáh, Brely Evans, Wendy Raquel Robinson and Obba Babatunde.

The synopsis, from IMDb:

REVIVAL is hybrid of every film idiom: Broadway musical, Hollywood musical, animation, green screen technology, and sound stage.

In its meta-theatrical stylized bridging of the theater and the audience’s everyday experiences, REVIVAL is a mixed media virtual experience of the gospel according to John the Apostle.

The presentation of this timeless story is told by dramatizing supremely constructed gospel music that helps recount the mission, ministry and miracles of Jesus.

REVIVAL is a concert film. Nothing close since JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR… and served up with a splash of THE WIZ.

It is a gospel/funk fantasia that speaks to all throughout the world; either as a film or as a live-action musical. Every element is designed to deliver a clear, comprehensive, and compelling entertainment experience – from the vibrant wardrobe to the irresistible music; from the craft of acting and the gift of song and dance.

An amazing an uniquely modern and authentic approach to the Christian narrative.

REVIVAL! THE EXPERIENCE, Coming Spring 2015.Watch The Trailer Below:

Mali Music’s album, ‘Mali Is’ has been nominated for two Grammy awards in the ‘Best Urban Contemporary Album’ and ‘Best Gospel Performance / Song’ categories. We wish him the best, come February 8th!

Visit http://www.malimusicofficial.com/ for more updates.