Category Archives: God & Technology

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Lecrae Releases ‘The Road To Restoration’ Three-Part Video on YouTube…

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With his 9th studio album, Restoration, dropping on August 21st and the follow up to his New York Times bestselling book, I Am Restored: How I Lost My Religion, But Found My Faith, releasing on October 13th, Lecrae is giving fans a behind the scenes view of his life in The Road To Restoration, a three-part video narrative posted on his YouTube channel.

“Restoration is taking something broken and making it whole again,” explains Lecrae. “Through restoration we take something that has been stripped of its value and bring back its worth, meaning, and purpose. I want people to journey with me on The Road To Restoration. The journey begins with this three-part video experience, then there’s the album, Set.Live virtual concert, and book! Collectively they’re all pieces of a puzzle and each piece helps you to understand the next. When all the pieces come together, you’ll get the full picture.”

The YouTube video series begins with The Road To Restoration: The Dreamer (Part 1) opening with a 14-year-old Lecrae sharing his dream of growing up to become a rapper, family man, and businessman! The irony of watching the young 8th grader, is not only did he become a rapper, but he would become a multi Grammy Award-winning platinum selling artist who made history as the first artist to debut in the #1 spot on Billboard’s Top 200 and Gospel Album Chart in the same week! Now also husband and father of three, Lecrae adds New York Times bestselling author, entrepreneur, speaker, thought leader, philanthropist, and Co-Owner/President of Reach Records to his achievements.

While on the surface, it appeared that Lecrae was living his dream, secretly his life was spinning out of control. Ready to walk away from everything—his career, marriage, and family – Lecrae decided to finally face the traumas he had experienced, and deal with it, step by step. The Road To Restoration is a window into my journey towards restoration. “It’s easy to think that life gets easier the more successful you get. But, the more successful I became, the more I had to fight for something I couldn’t maintain. It broke me, but it also opened the door for me to be restored.”

The second step of The Road to Restoration: Closing The Gap (Part 2) includes Lecrae meeting his father. “For the first time in my life I got to sit down and talk to my father face to face and I went through so many emotions seeing him but I’m thankful that I finally got to ask him all the questions I never got to ask. It was healing and now he texts me almost every day!”

The Road to Restoration: This Is Not The End (Part 3) shows how Lecrae is restoring his own family and the steps he’s taken to prioritize them. “I used to be a creative who was taking time for the family but now I’m a family man who is fighting to stay creative,” shares Lecrae. “Just being a young black man who was fatherless, lived in a disenfranchised community, I’ve been restored to understanding that my worth, my value is not predicated by where I came from, or what’s happened to me. I’ve been made whole through spiritual restoration, through my faith in God, through therapy and and recognize that I have infinite purpose and worth.”

“Restoration is ongoing… an endless pursuit towards accepting what God has for you and trusting Him to lead you to what’s ahead,” shares Lecrae. “It is the key essential for life. As painful as the things I’ve gone through, as painful as the things you’ve gone through, none of it is beyond restoration.” The Road To Restoration video series also features appearances from: NBA All Star player Steph Curry, former NBA player Jeremy Lin, music industry executive & “Silence The Shame” mental health advocate, Shanti Das, Reach Records artists Tedashii, Grammy-award winning songwriter Natalie Lauren Sims and more.

Please continue on the journey and watch Lecrae’s the three- part video series, The Road To Restoration below and pre-order the album Restoration and book I Am Restored: How I Lost My Religion But Found My Faith” today! The album features artists across all genres including John Legend, Kirk Franklin, YK Osiris, Jozzy, Dani Leigh, Marc E. Bassy, BJ The Chicago Kid and more. The first single Set Me Free, features YK Osiris (produced by GAWVI) and was followed up by Deep End, (produced by Anthony Gardner), Drown ft. John Legend (producers Danny Majic, DJ Frank E, and Ace Harris) and Zombie.

For everything Lecrae, visit https://linkinprofile.com/lecrae and follow him on all socials @Lecrae!

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BET ‘Sunday Best’ Announces S10 Finalists – JADA SPIGHT & STEPHANIE SUMMERS!

SEASON 10 FINALE EPISODE SET TO FEATURE PERFORMANCES BY THE CLARK SISTERS, ERICA CAMPBELL, JONATHAN MCREYNOLDS, KIERRA SHEARD & SEASON 9 WINNER MELVIN CRISPELL III

Hello World,

America’s most inspirational singing competition on BET, “Sunday Best,” has announced it’s season 10 finalists – Jada Spight (Buffalo, NY) and Stephanie Summers (Colorado Springs, NY). The season 10 finale of “Sunday Best” airs Sunday, August 23rd at 8PM ET/PT and voting is now open to the public at BET.com/SundayBestVote.

Kicking off in “Sunday Best” fashion, the series returned in week one with 20 hopeful contestants, a live audience and band from Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta. GRAMMY®-winning music legend Kirk Franklin served as host; and GRAMMY® winning songstress & host of “Get Up Mornings,” Erica Campbell, GRAMMY® nominated artist & star of BET’s “American Soul” Kelly Price and GRAMMY® nominated & multiple Stellar award-winning artist Jonathan McReynolds returned as judges. Season 10 auditions were previously held earlier this year in Atlanta, GA at The House of Hope. The season 10 winner will receive a recording contract with RCA Inspiration, a cash prize of $50,000 and the title “Sunday Best.”

In light of the of COVID-19 pandemic and in an effort to keep the shows judges, contestants and crew safe – new and innovative technology, techniques and artist-generated content were used to complete production of episodes four through eight of season 10 – allowing the audience to join in on weekly praise & worship during the time when America needs it most.

ABOUT THE SEASON 10 FINALISTS:

Jada Spight, The youngest of 5 children, Jada Spight comes from a musical family. Her sister, Alexis was second runner up on season 3 of Sunday Best. She is currently a full-time student at Fisk university majoring in Musical Education with a concentration in Vocal Performance. She contemplated suicide after being alone for the first time in her life while at college shortly after her parents’ divorce. She says prayer and music saved her life. God told her that if she could get through that moment amazing things would happen in her life, and soon after that she got the call from Sunday Best.

Stephanie Summers, A veteran in the gospel music scene, Stephanie has opened up for legends like Pastor John P. Kee, Dorinda Clark-Cole, and others. Her gospel career was derailed following the death of her best friend and father.  After a short period of becoming homeless, she has once again found her footing and is ready to return to the gospel scene and prove that it’s never too late to follow your dreams.  Today, she is living with her children in Colorado Springs, CO, while she pursues her dreams to compete to be crowned Sunday Best.

Before the final two finalists were selected, Meridian, Mississippi native Jamal Roberts was one of three finalists. Jamal Roberts recently announced the upcoming release of his debut single titled “He’s Preparing Me”. The highly anticipated single will be released nationally to all digital outlet stores on August 21st.

Although eliminated from the show, Jamal received rave reviews throughout the season from host Kirk Franklin & judges Erica Campbell, Jonathan McReynolds & Kelly Price. Prepped for success and looking towards the future Jamal Roberts is ready for the next level!

For updates and more information about “Sunday Best”, please visit BET.com/SundayBest. Join the conversation on social media by logging on to our social media platforms using the hashtag: #BETSundayBest.

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Blending Gospel, R&B and Rap: Atlanta-Based Teachers, Gospel Group E21 United Receive Airplay in Southeast …

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Blending gospel, R&B and rap, gospel group E21 United aims to “reach listeners where they are and lift them to a higher plateau,” says vocalist Yolanda Everett, through songs that “teach listeners about God’s eternal love for us and the love we should express to others.” One of those songs, “Lord You’ve Been So Good,” makes for the first single release by E21United, and is receiving airplay in the metropolitan Atlanta area and other markets in the Southeast. See the video for the single below…

E21 United, with roots in Atlanta, includes Yolanda Everett, her brother Charles Everett, also a vocalist, who produces, mixes and raps, and Christian rap artist Lonnie Edwards. In addition to music, the trio has another professional connection in common: Each is a teacher working in metro Atlanta school systems.

The group’s blend — that of two male members and one female member — makes for part of the reason behind the E21 United name, which, first and foremost, comes from scripture: Ephesians 2:1. Additionally, the number two represents the pair of siblings, Yolanda and Charles, while the number one represents Lonnie — and, as the group explains — if you add the numbers you’ll end up with three, which represents the Trinity of Father, Son and the Holy Spirit.

The E21 United sound, explains Yolanda, “leaves listeners wondering in which category the music should be placed. It’s not quite the traditional gospel sound,” she adds, “because it infuses rap and R&B laced with thick R&B beats that make you bob your head up and down because the music sounds and feels so good.”

That sound can be heard Sundays from 7 a.m. to noon on WPGN Radio Atlanta’s “Good News Gospel” hosted by veteran radio personality Twanda Black. Other stations include WFKX 96 KIX in Jackson, Tennessee, WSGE 91.7 FM in Dallas, North Carolina, and WMGY 800 AM/99.3 FM and WJIC Network Internet Radio, both in Montgomery, Alabama. It also had consistent airplay time on Atlanta’s WALR KISS 104.1 FM.

Having a love for music for much of their lives, E21 United members started early in music. Yolanda and Charles Everett and their younger sister Melanie began singing in church. Yolanda and Melanie later would audition for BET’s “Teen Summit” show. Out of thousands who’d submitted music, the sisters made the cut and while they didn’t win the competition, they found that it opened doors for them to “work with some really talented musicians and producers.” Charles Everett was part of an R&B group in Montgomery, Alabama, and over the years has provided production work for a number of musical artists. Lonnie Edwards began recording gospel music in 1998, and is a co-founder of Goodside, a Christian rap ministry based in the metropolitan Atlanta area. As a member of Goodside, he released three studio albums and ministered at hundreds of engagements throughout the Southeast. In 2018, he began recording and releasing solo projects.

Check out “Keep On Moving,” a song in which the COVID-19 pandemic is addressed, below…

As the group reflects on their respective evolutions, they also are in tune with the evolution of gospel music and where it stands today. “Gospel music is relevant today just as the gospel is relevant today,” said Yolanda Everett. “Gospel music addresses the issues and needs of humanity in a unique way. It speaks to the hurting, the broken and the bruised. In the times in which we now live, we’re all in need of uplifting, encouraging and inspiring messages of hope. Gospel music provides that and so much more.”

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