The cover art for rap artist Jayceon “Game” Taylor’s upcoming album is stirring up controversy because it portrays Jesus Christ as a gang member.  

The artwork for the upcoming “Jesus Piece” album shows a stained-glass image of Jesus Christ, who is wearing a gaudy gold chain and a red bandana – often associated with the Bloods street gang.  The depicted Jesus has a teardrop tattoo on his face – often a sign that the person wearing this tear drop has committed a murder.  The album’s title is written as “Je5us Piece,” with the number five also being a symbol of the Bloods, and there are marijuana leaves on both sides of Jesus’s likeness.

The artwork posted originally on instagram is causing many to debate feelings the rapper has about his Christianity and lifestyle.   

“I’m calling [my new album] ‘Jesus Piece’ ’cause last year in August I got baptized and so I’ve been going to church, but I still been kinda doing me out here,” Game said in an interview with radio personality Jenny Boom Boom in September. “I still love the strip club and I still smoke and drink. I’m faithful to my family, so I wanted to make an album where you could love God and be of God, but still get it poppin’ in your life.”

The cover of the new album has been greeted with mixed reviews and heated debate on both Instagram and Twitter. “This artwork is Brilliant!!!” hip hop artist Busta Rhymes said via Twitter on Sunday; Twitter user Miss Elizabeth describes it as “blasphemy at its peak.”

Adam Holz, senior associate editor for Focus on the Family’s Plugged In entertainment reviews, says that some people might be shocked by the portrayal of Jesus as a gangster, but, as a person who has reviewed dozens of rap albums in his eight years at Plugged In, he wasn’t surprised by it.

“Rap artists frequently want to appropriate Jesus and Christianity, even if they’re singing and rapping about killing people, or sexual exploits or using marijuana,” said Holz. “So it’s not surprising to see a fairly significant rapper doing exactly that, that he doesn’t see any conflict at all between the teachings of Jesus and a rap lifestyle that is a long ways from what Jesus taught.”

Holz also says Christians should pray for change in those artists who say they believe in Jesus Christ but are accepting of things that go against Christ’s teachings

“Celebration,” a song about getting high on drugs and watching strippers dance, features celebrity artists such as Chris Brown, Lil Wayne, Wiz Khalifa and Tyga, and is the first song to be released from the album.

The chorus of the song is a four line repetition of the lyric, “We havin’ a celebration, love to stay high.” Other lyrics from the song includes, “it’s a celebration, all on the pole they doing the dance” and “all my (n——) got guns, no registration.”

The 32-year-old Game was baptized at Bishop Noel Jone’s City of Refuge Church in Gardena, Calif. last year, and says “Jesus Piece” was a way for him to address situations faced by those who “love God but are still street and wanna remain themselves.”

Those in the word believe that a “double minded man is unstable in all his ways.”  Another biblical scripture of God referenced in comments was, “Since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!” -Revelation 3:16
 

Gospel superstars Kirk Franklin and Mary Mary are confirmed to host the 28th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards on January 19, 2013.  2013 Stellar Awards Nominees will be announced on Friday, October 26.  To provide interviews and share key details regarding this year’s nominees and show, 2013 Stellar Awards hosts Kirk Franklin and Mary Mary will participate in press opportunities on Friday, October 26.  The nominees will be announced via webcast at http://www.thestellarawards.com.

Academy Award–winning actor Nicolas Cage is reportedly in talks to star in “Left Behind,” a mainstream remake of the Christian-themed movie trilogy about the End Times. The reboot will mark the first film from Stoney Lake Entertainment, a new production company led by Paul Lalonde, a Canadian/American film producer and writer and co-founder of Cloud Ten Pictures, variety.com reported Friday.

“Left Behind” is the first installment of a 16-book series by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins about the adventures of the sinners left on earth after the Rapture. The series, first published 1995-2007 by Tyndale House, has sold more than 65 million copies around the world. The series has already been adapted into three action thriller films starring Kirk Cameron, who plays the leader of the Tribulation Force against the Global Community and its leader Nicolae Carpathia, the Antichrist. The original series was launched in 2001.

Lalonde will produce the action thriller with Michael Walker, and co-write the script with John Patus, who wrote 2005’s “Left Behind: World at War,” the entertainment news agency said. Veteran stunt coordinator and second unit director Vic Armstrong is in talks to direct.

The plot focuses on a group of survivors during the first few hours after the Rapture. The budget of the film is in the $15 million range, and its production is likely to begin in early spring for a late next year release. The project was shopped at last year’s American Film Market.  

Variety quoted Lalonde as saying that distributor Samuel Goldwyn Films had given a theatrical guarantee.

Lalonde’s Cloud Ten Pictures is the company behind the best-selling Apocalypse collection. Lalonde and his brother, Peter, started up the production company “as a means of spreading the Gospel message and producing inspirational Christian films that would help to disband the general consensus that Christian movies are low quality,” the company’s website says.

Cage has been unpredictable in his choice of films. Film critic Roger Ebert once wrote in an essay, “Great Movies,” that Cage is “daring and fearless in his choice of roles, and unafraid to crawl out on a limb, saw it off and remain suspended in air. No one else can project inner trembling so effectively…. He always seems so earnest. However improbable his character, he never winks at the audience. He is committed to the character with every atom and plays him as if he were him.”

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Andrew Peterson, one of the most respected singer/songwriters in the business, will launch his highly popular 13^th Annual Behold the Lamb of God Tour  on November 28^thin Norfolk, NE.  Due to high demand for the tour, it has expanded to 17 dates this year that will include two nights at Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium, and will run through December 20^th.  Joining the tour for the first time this year is Americana/Pop Artist, Matthew Perryman Jones, who will share the stage with Jill Phillips, Andy Gullahorn, Ben Shive and Andrew Osenga.  A complete listing of dates is available at the end of the press release and online at www.andrew-peterson.com. 

“I look forward to this tour all year—not just because of the music or the shows, but because it’s a chance to spend time with some of my favorite people,” says Peterson.  “This tour for us is a kind of yearly family reunion, and the fact that it’s all done in the name of telling this story that is at the core of who we are, makes it that much richer. And I’m so pumped that Matthew Perryman Jones is joining the roster this tour.”

Peterson launched the Christmas tour in 1999 to present a musical rendition of the Christmas story and to reinforce the true meaning of the season.  It was immediately embraced by fans nationwide because of the powerful performances, entertaining stories, and the sense of community between Peterson and his guest artists.  The result was multiple sold-out venues and yearly return engagements. In 2004, fan support led Peterson to record the album, Behold The Lamb Of God: The True Tall Tale Of The Coming Of Christ, and the project won the 2004 Best Album of the Year, World Christian Music Editor’s Award and was named by Rhapsody.com as one of the ten best Christian albums of the decade. In 2009, Peterson released a 2-disc 10th Anniversary Edition of the project that includes a remastered version of the original CD and a live recording of the Christmas concert from 2008.

Andrew Peterson’s latest project, Light for the Lost Boy was one of the most eagerly anticipated albums of the year, and the project has been hailed as Peterson’s best album to date.  The reviews have been stellar with media proclaiming the project as the best album of the year, a pioneering album, and Andrew’s boldest and most imaginative work.  The first single from the album, “Rest Easy,” generated a video contest for fans with a $1,000 grand prize for the winners.  The moving and heartfelt video is now airing online. 

Peterson once again hosted the 2012 Rabbit Room Hutchmoot, an event centered on art, faith, and the telling of great stories across a range of mediums.  This is the 3^rd year for the annual conference and it sold out in a mere seven minutes. The keynote speaker for this year’s Hutchmoot was Veggie Tales’s Phil Vischer, along with labelmate Jason Gray, New York Times best-selling author Sally Lloyd-Jones, authors N.D. Wilson and Jonathan Rogers, songwriters Eric Peters, Jill Phillips, Randall Goodgame, among others. 

About Andrew Peterson

Andrew Peterson is a man of many talents with a successful recording and songwriting career, as well as being an award-winning author and the host of a highly popular online creative community known as the Rabbit Room (www.RabbitRoom.com). Peterson released his new album, Light for the Lost Boy on August 28, 2012 to rave reviews….hailing the project “as best album of the year so far.”  His previous project, Counting Stars debuted at #1 on iTunes, and #6 on Billboard. His single “Dancing in the Minefields” reached the Top 10 on the Christian AC chart, while the video for the song has received well over 1,000,000 views online. Peterson is currently working on his fourth and final book in the Wingfeather Saga series that releases in early 2013. Book two won the 2010 Christy Award for Young Adult Fiction.  In September Peterson hosted Hutchmoot, the third annual Rabbit Room conference for lovers of art, songs, and stories—an event that sold out in seven minutes!  Peterson appeared on the spring and fall legs of the Steven Curtis Chapman Songs & Stories Tour and in December will embark on his 13th annual Christmas tour, Behold the Lamb of God. For more information on Peterson please visit www.Andrew-Peterson.com.

About Centricity Music

Centricity Music is an independent recording and publishing company based in Bellevue, Washington and Nashville, Tennessee.  The company’s mission is to enable our artists to create life-changing experiences for the world. Centricity Music’s artist roster includes; Aaron Shust, Andrew Peterson, Downhere, Jaime Jamgochian, Jason Gray, Remedy Drive, Seth Mosley, Sixteen Cities, and Unspoken.  Additional information is available online at www.centricitymusic.com

Behold The Lamb Of God Tour Dates: (Subject To Change)

11/ 28 – Norfolk, NE

11/29 – Lincoln, NE

11/30 – Dubuque, IA

12/1 – Milford, OH

12/2 – Birmingham, AL

12/3 – Knoxville, TN

12/6 – Richmond, VA

12/7 – Gaithersburg, MD

12/8 – Concord, NH

12/11 – Montgomery, AL

12/12 – Charlotte, NC

12/13 – Whiteville, NC

12/14 – Orlando, FL

12/15 – Lakeland, FL

12/16 & 17 – Nashville, TN

12/19 – League City, TX

12/20 – Bullard, TX

“What’s to come is better than What’s been”, “The Lord Is Blessing Me”, “Don’t Last” “My Worship Is For Real”, “It’s Only A Test” and “Silent Tears” are just a few of the hit songs that have been delivered by Bishop Larry Trotter and Sweet Holy Spirit Choir to the gospel music community.

Bishop Trotter & Sweet Holy Spirit Choir have been known for traditional choir music and their songs have been heard in many churches around the country over the years.

Not only has their music been heard in churches, but songs such as “Don’t Last” “It’s Only A Test” and “The Lord Is Blessing Me” have also received tremendous success at radio.

Well, for those who have been waiting, the wait is over and on Sunday, October 28th, fans of this phenomenal church choir will experience the 9th Live Recording of Bishop Larry D. Trotter & Sweet Holy Spirit Reunion Choir.

Bishop Trotter is very excited because the recording choir will also include members who have helped to blaze the musical trails throughout their career.

Those in attendance can look forward to hearing Sweet Holy Spirit’s recognizable sound along with a few surprise guests and songs.

The Live Recording will take place at Sweet Holy Spirit Church , 8621 South Chicago Ave. , Chicago , IL 606 and begin at 5pm and doors open at 4pm.

For More Info on the 9th Live Recording of Bishop Larry D. Trotter & Sweet Holy Spirit Reunion Choir visit: www.sweetholyspiritonline.org

Hot off the heels of their successful fourth album, Identity, James Fortune & F.I.Y.A. released their first ever Christmas album, GRACE GIFT, today October 16th.  

GRACE GIFT is a must-have addition to your Christmas collection and offers 12-tracks of original tunes and Christmas favorites.  Kicking off this beloved holiday in a fun, festive and merryway, Fortune teamed with his wife Cheryl to pen several new songs.  Among the highlights, are the upbeat “Christmas Time,” the inspiring “Worship The King,” and the beautifully presented “Mary’s Song,” which features Cheryl on lead.  Speaking to God’s ultimate gift to us, the Fortunes also offer the sentimental title track “Grace Gift.”  This song is precisely what fans have come to love about Fortune & F.I.Y.A. and it can certainly live past the Christmas holiday.

Other gems include Fortune’s re-vamp / redux of the hit song on “I Believe Part 2” bringing back vocalists Shawn McLemore and Zacardi Cortez.  The slower version is no less passionate than the first and still packs a punch.  The unexpected inclusion of the CCM song “Love Came Down,” with Todd Galberth on lead rounds out the project.

GRACE GIFT, produced by Terence Vaughn and Ayron Lewis, encompasses classic songs that stir up memories of family, love and all the holidays have to offer.  Using this album as a way to highlight his longtime and close-knit group of singers, Fortune paired beloved Christmas favorites with his best singers.   Long time F.I.Y.A. member D’Shondra Rideout soloed on “First Noel,” and Lisa Knowles & McLemore blazed on a rousing version of “Go Tell It/Wonderful Child.” The soulful “This Christmas” features Isaac Carree & Minon Bolton.

“Our prayer is that this Christmas album will be a blessing to everyone this Holiday season and remind us of the Gift we received, that we didn’t deserve and we couldn’t earn – that’s why it was a Grace Gift,” explained Fortune.  “I’m also proud to be able to feature the amazing vocalists that serve with me every week traveling across the country helping me to advance the Kingdom.”

GRACE GIFT is sure to ignite the Christmas spirit in everyone.

In conjunction with the CD release, Fortune & FIYA will hit the road next month on the Celebrate Christmas Tour with label-mate Jessica Reedy.  They will travel to major markets making stops at several House of Blues and theaters across the country.  For a complete listing of dates and ticket information, fans can log on to:

http://jamesfortunemusic.com/news/upcoming-events.

Grammy Award-winning Christian singer Israel Houghton, who finished the last leg of his “King’s Men” tour in mid-October, recently testified that pastor Joel Osteen of Lakewood Church is “the real deal.”

Houghton reportedly said that although Osteen has been criticized for not taking a more hardline approach to the topic of sin, he has seen the megachurch pastor make positive changes in the lives of his congregants.

“Houghton says he would rather offend Christian leaders who think Osteen doesn’t preach enough about sin than the many non-Christians who are attracted to Osteen’s message of God’s love for them,” The Associated Press reported.

Osteen is the senior pastor of the largest church in the U.S., located in Houston, Texas and boasting an average weekly attendance 43,500 people.

Houghton told the AP that while there are three million Christians who choose to watch televised pastors preach, Osteen attracts an additional seven million un-churched viewers every Sunday.

The recording artist has been the worship leader at Osteen’s Lakewood Church for the past eleven years.

The Grammy Award-winning artist also recently wrapped up the last leg of his highly anticipated “King’s Men” tour in New York City. The tour included Houghton and fellow Christian recording artists Kirk Franklin, Donnie McClurkin, and Marvin Sapp performing their most beloved Christian hits to audiences averaging at 9,000 per night.

The 15-city tour made stops in Los Angeles, Houston, Philadelphia and Detroit before finishing on Oct. 14 in New York City.

Osteen has been the pastor of Lakewood Church since 1999. In the past, Osteen has been criticized for not preaching on sin, but rather focusing on lighter subjects, such as positive thinking.

The Texas minister and best selling author has acknowledged that some do not appreciate his preaching style, previously describing it as less hellfire.

“A lot of what I do is in a positive light. It’s who I am…to me, the Scripture says it’s the goodness of God that leads to repentance,” Osteen told The Blaze in July. “I would rather tell them we can be better fathers, we can overcome an addiction, we can let go of the past. I deal with it in an overcoming way,” he said. “There’s a camp that’s more hellfire.”

Photo caption: Phil Keaggy, left, and Ashley Cleveland, right, rocked the house at CMS Nashville. (McCain & Co. Public Relations photo)

The Christian Musician Summit, which debuted in Nashville October 4-6, with workshops and performances featuring top musicians in the contemporary Christian and country music industries, including Ashley Cleveland, Phil Keaggy, Ron Block, Allen Shamblin, Brenton Brown & The Worship Republic, Steve Taylor, Tom Hemby, Dave Cleveland, Cindy Morgan, Zoro the drummer, and many others, was a Music City hit, according to organizers and participants. For anyone who missed the conference or desires to relive the experience, CMS Nashville highlights soon will be available to be streamed online. CMS Nashville was presented in partnership with Kingdom Bound Ministries.

“CMS Nashville had more musical moments to it than any conference we have done before… and that is saying something because we have had some memorable moments over the years,” says Bruce Adolph, producer of Christian Musician Summit. “The level of musicianship was over the top. You couldn’t throw a guitar pick without hitting an ‘A-list’ session player!

“Each evening concert had a Songwriter in the Round segment and they were outstanding as well. The registrants got to spend quality time with well-known musicians who led their workshops with a heart to impart what they knew to the attendees,” Adolph says. ” It was amazing! To see Phil Keaggy, Ashley Cleveland and Al Perkins walk on and be backed up by the Blues Counsel Band was one of the highlights. Then to have Dave Cleveland and Tom Hemby’s session player-laden bands take you on a musical adventure was incredible, too.”

The conference will be available via online streaming soon, Adolph says, with the streaming package to include 15 workshops and live music bonus tracks available by registering at christianmusiciansummit.com. “CMS Nashville was an amazing time of improving skill and inspiring talent,” Adolph says.

For more information, including online streaming details, visit christianmusiciansummit.com. To like on Facebook, go tofacebook.com/groups/christianmusiciansummit or follow on Twitter (@cmsproductions).

About Christian Musician Summit:
The Christian Musician Summit conferences, co-founded by Bruce Adolph and Matt Kees, president of Christian Musician Summit, Inc., are designed to inspire and assist worship leaders, musicians, technicians, pastors, songwriters, and independent artists to sharpen their skills for God’s glory. In addition to the workshops and concerts, the CMS conferences also feature exhibits with audio/video and music companies who offer products and services for the Christian church market. These events provide a time for musicians and technicians of all levels to come and learn, network and fellowship. In addition to CMS Nashville, CMS Northwest is scheduled for November 9-10 in Seattle, and CMS at The Chapel in Western New York is scheduled for May 3-4, 2013, in Buffalo, N.Y. CMS Nashville and CMS at The Chapel are presented in partnership with Kingdom Bound Ministries.

For more information about Christian Musician Summits, visit christianmusiciansummit.com.