Posted on Sunday, October 23, 2016

Lil Wayne Almost Become a Christian Rapper & Other Reasons Why Christians Should Never Stop Evangelizing…

lil-wayne-book

Hello World,

I recently read an article about Lil Wayne’s new book Gone ‘Til November: A Journal of Rikers Island in which the prolific rapper chronicles the eight months he spent in jail in 2010 as a result of gun charges. According to the USA Today article “Seven Things We Learned from Lil Wayne’s ‘Gone ‘Til November,'”

4. He considered turning to Christian rap… briefly.

In addition to a landslide of fan mail, Wayne also received a compelling letter from a church, urging him to use his artistry to spread the gospel. And for a moment, Wayne considered it. “I would truly have the power of having pop culture turn to God,” he wrote. “I would have straight killers in church every Sunday.”

But later on, the rapper said he had an epiphany that he was where he was supposed to be in his artistic journey — at least for the moment.

Although, Lil Wayne ultimately decided not to become a Christian rapper, I applaud the church that 1. paid enough attention to pop culture to know that Lil Wayne was in jail (0r even who he is) 2. took his salvation seriously enough to reach out him at what probably was his lowest point…And although he may not have turned his life over to God at this point, a seed was obviously planted and God can make it bloom in His own time…

It was a joyous occasion in the A when Atlanta rapper Gucci Mane who had served three years in an Indiana federal penitentiary was released earlier this year…I wonder if any church or any individual Christian thought to reach out to him for Christ when he was locked up…I certainly didn’t…

So wanna know a secret? I’m not big on evangelizing…I’ve been around Christians all of my life, and I became a Christian when I was a teenager but the evangelism piece has always scared me…I remember times when I was a kid I would go along with my father and a group from the church who would knock on doors and tell people about Jesus Christ. I enjoyed that mostly because I liked to see how other people lived, and I enjoy people watching so it was an opportunity to see people up close in their natural habitats so to speak…I think the last time I did that I was in my early 20s….but I would be hard pressed to do that now…I’m not shy about the fact that I’m a Christian but as far as saying the words, “Have you considered giving your life to Jesus Christ?” or something similar doesn’t roll off my tongue so easily…I will give you an example why…

I remember once in my early 20s, I said something like that to a girl who I met in the gym. She was a kind of popular underground singer in Atlanta but she seemed to be going through some things at the time and I told her how the Lord was working in my life. Incidentally, I told her how I would never go to this one concert venue The Tabernacle (Check out a post I wrote about The Tabernacle – Should Beyoncé and Jay Z Have Bought a Converted Church Mansion?) in the A because it used to be a church and how a place that had been dedicated to uplifting the Lord was now being desecrated….Well, the devil is busy because shortly after that conversation, I was given a free ticket to see Jill Scott, one of my favorite artists, at the Tabernacle, and you know I went…Chile, that singer just about the first person I saw up in there…my testimony on behalf of the Lord was literally shot to hell…

All of that to say, I’m not a holy rolly type of Christian…I enjoy much of the secular world, and I enjoy the Christian world too…Thank God my husband is the same way…We kick it on Saturday wherever we find ourselves and we kick it in church on every Sunday too…I remember when I was a little girl telling my parents that if every day would be Sunday in Heaven like that old gospel song “Walk Around Heaven All Day”suggests, I just want to stay here…LOL…They laughed too…I pretty much know I don’t always live up to the ideals I profess although I’m much better than I used to be…and I don’t cloister myself around Christian culture either, but that is another discussion for another day…

But despite my ability to navigate the secular and the saved worlds, every morning, I get on my knees and worship God in prayer because knowing Him is my only salvation. As the old saints say, He is my rock and my shield…And in His word, He says…

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20

So even though I can be a hypocrite and I will never be the type of Christian who wants to be in church every day, I’m going to open my mouth (and not just write) and tell somebody (and they don’t have to be famous either) about Jesus sometime soon…

Any thoughts?

Posted on Sunday, October 16, 2016

Tune In Alert: 47th Annual GMA Dove Awards Airing Tonight at 10 on TBN!

dove-awards

Hello World,

Hosted by for KING & COUNTRY and Tye Tribbett, the 47th Annual GMA Dove Awards features performances by the biggest names in Christian and Gospel music, including Natalie Grant, Matthew West, The Isaacs, Anthony Brown, Tamela Mann, Hillsong UNITED and a special reunion performance by DC Talk. Presenters include Lecrae, Hillary Scott, Kirk Franklin, CeCe Winans, Lauren Daigle and more. The SoundExchange Digital Radio Award recipient: Chris Tomlin.

The GMA Dove Awards celebrate the contributions of artists from every style of Christian/Gospel music. Nominees are determined by over 1,600 professional members, and winners are voted on by the entire GMA membership of nearly 2,500.

Founded in 1964, the Gospel Music Association serves as the face and voice for the Gospel/Christian music community and is dedicated to exposing, promoting and celebrating the Gospel through music of all styles including Pop, Rock, Praise & Worship, Urban Gospel, R&B, Hip Hop, Southern Gospel, Bluegrass, Country, Latin and more. The GMA community includes agents, artists, church leaders, managers, promoters, radio personnel, record company executives, retailers, songwriters and other industry visionaries. The GMA produces the GMA Dove Awards and IMMERSE. For more on supporting the GMA or becoming a member, please visit www.gospelmusic.org.

Any thoughts?

Posted on Wednesday, September 28, 2016

Mary Mary Background Singer TaMyya J Comes to the Foreground With New Single “God’s Got My Back!”

gods-got-my-back

Hello World,

I’ve always said that I love all kinds of music from rap to gospel, but gospel music is the only music that can get you through when you’re going through! Y’all know what I mean! That’s why I’m pleased to introduce an exciting up and coming gospel singer TaMyya J to y’all! Her new single “God’s Got My Back” is truly an inspirational song. Below is a some information about TaMyya J followed by my interview with her!

For TaMyya J it all began in her childhood hometown of Willingboro, New Jersey. Singing in church became a regular part of her life at an early age. It wasn’t until 1998, at the age of 14, when TaMyya’s introduction to the professional music industry would solidify her career choice and inspire a dream. Her group “Praise” won the 1st place prize for the Youth Division at the McDonald’s Gospelfest at Madison Square Garden in NYC. Since that time, she has ministered in song at events throughout the world and has built a well-rounded career in entertainment over the past decade. Her critically acclaimed independent album in 2005 entitled SUDDENLY even earned her a nomination for the Gospel Music Channel’s “Pop Video of the Year” Award.

In 2005, 2006 and 2007, TaMyya was selected by Fashion Fair Cosmetics, a division of Johnson & Johnson Publishing Company, (publishers of EBONY and JET magazines) to kick-off their spring cosmetic campaign by offering three songs from her album as a gift to their customers and by appearing at major departments stores across the country.

In 2007 she performed in the hit stage play “Who Do You Love” starring Erica Campbell (Mary Mary). In addition, TaMyya has spent the last six years traveling as the soprano background vocalist for mega gospel duo Mary Mary.

1.What inspired your new single “God’s Got My Back?” I really like the message of feeling your not enough – whether it’s pretty enough, thin enough, etc. and then realizing with God, you are wise enough, strong enough, etc. Did you write this song?

Well, I was just at a place where I just felt like nothing was going my way, nothing that I planned to do or wanted to do. It just wasn’t happening. I got to a place where I was like, ‘Lord, I don’t know. Is it me? Is it that I’m not strong enough? I’m not pretty enough? I’m not good enough?’ And I heard the Lord clearly say that His timing is way better than my timing or our timing so that really inspired me to do this song. I wrote the song with Damon Stewart from IGA Talent. I came to him with my concept of the song, and we just came together and this is how it came out.

2. “God’s Got My Back” was released this month, and it is from your new album “Love For Your Name.” When will the album be released and tell me about it?

The album will be released early next year. We have a lot of different kinds of tracks on this album. We have reggae songs, worship songs, a little bit of gospel urban feel, and a little bit of pop feel too. I wanted to go in that direction because I didn’t want to be put in a box where I was in this one genre of music. And I have a DVD release coming too early next year, and we will be recording it at my concert on October 14 in Norfolk, Virginia. We have a lot of special guests – Jonathan Nelson, Goo Goo Atkins, the celebrity stylist; Resound, just to name a few. And then it’s my birthday month so I’m really excited about it!

3. You spent the last six years traveling as the soprano background vocalist for Mary Mary. What was that like and how did that happen?

That was the best experience ever! It was amazing! I learned a lot from them, and it was so much fun. I was actually working at a law firm in Philadelphia. I had just taken the job and was making good money at that time. And all of a sudden, I had the opportunity to sing for them. I saw them at a concert, and one of the drummers who played with them knew that I was a singer. The drummer said, ‘Oh, you have to hear TaMyyya sing.’ So they were singing a song, and they just handed me the mic. Tina Campbell handed me the mic, and I was like, ‘Oh, no, I’m so nervous.’ But I sang and from then on, it was like, ‘You’re going to be our background singer.’ I said, ‘Okay!’ I was just at the right place at the right time!

4. I understand that you, as a 14-year-old girl, along with your group “Praise,” won the 1st place prize for the Youth Division at the McDonald’s Gospelfest at Madison Square Garden in NYC. What was it like to perform at Madison Square Garden at 14 years old?

We were so excited and nervous and happy at the same time! Being that young, at 14, it’s like, ‘Wow!’ When we first won the first portion of the contest, it was like, ‘Wow, okay!’ And then we won the next part and we were like, ‘Wow, okay!’ We were like, ‘We’re going to have the chance to sing at Madison Square Garden!” It was an amazing experience, and we were very grateful and humbled. And then we got to perform on the stage with the top gospel artists Karen Clark Sheard, Timothy Wright, just to name a few. It was wonderful! It was the best experience ever!

5. What do you feel is God’s purpose for your music especially since you’ve been singing you were a little girl?

I believe that God’s purpose for my music is to enlighten and encourage and to also let Him get the glory and reach others for Him. This is a gift that He blessed me with so I believe that it will bless others.

6. Some may compare you to Tasha Cobbs or Kierra Sheard or a host of other younger gospel artists about there? What sets you and your music apart?

Well, being compared to them, you know I love them! I think that’s great! I think with all of us our main goal is to serve God and serve people who listen to our music. I love what they do! It’s evident in their music and their ministry so being compared to them is awesome.

7. Tell me about your involvement with House of Esther Ministries?

This is a ministry based out of my church Calvary Revival Church in Norfolk, Virginia with Bishop Courtney McBath and Pastor Janeen McBath. What Pastor Janeen did is she created this housing for young moms or just young people who cannot provide for themselves or it’s very hard for them to get through school. So she provided a home for these young ladies and is helping them to get the education they need to get good jobs. It’s a great program for young ladies, and I just love being a part of that whether I’m giving clothes or money or whatever is needed.

Check out TaMyya J’s new single “God’s Got My Back” below!