Stand up comedian, radio show host, writer, and Savannah native, Akintunde, recently kicked off his Rebirth of Comedy Tour in promotion of his newly released comedy DVD, “Akintunde Live From Atlanta: The Truth, The Whole Truth, And Nothing But”, making stops in cities including Detroit, St. Louis and Toronto. And on Friday July 27th at 7­PM, he will return home for a triumphant “Homecoming” tour date at the Savannah Arts Academy located at 500 Washington Avenue Savannah GA. 31405. 

In addition to the “Homecoming’ tour date, Akintunde just performed at Grammy Award winner, Cece Winan’s “Always Sisters Forever Brothers” annual Conference in Nashville TN, and just before that, appeared in New Orleans, LA at the 23rd annual Essence Music Festival. 


Known for his unique, edgy yet family-friendly humor, Akintunde, began his stand up career nearly 20 years ago in Savannah at the Comedy House Theater, and has acquired international attention and acclaim leaving audiences wanting more. A man of recognizable accomplishments, Akintunde has written for Academy Award winner Mo’Nique and actor/ comedian Chris Tucker, and written and served as Head Writer / Producer for her late night talk show, The Mo’Nique Show, as well as, Monologue Writer for the long running, syndicated television series It’s Showtime at the Apollo, and the NAACP Image Awards. In 2007, he launched his own Web series, “It’s Time 2 Laugh” and has been featured on the Trumpet Awards and Stellar Awards and at Bishop T.D. Jakes’ world renowned Mega Fest and is also a host of his own syndicated radio show, The Akintunde Show (currently airing in 43 markets).

For more information about Akintunde and the Re-­ birth of Comedy Tour, please visit 

www.akintunde.net   
eunissa2@theassignmentagency.com  
803.479.6842

While police are still investigating the motive behind Friday’s shooting at a theater in Aurora, Colo., some Christians are convinced of the real source: evil.

“What happened up in Aurora … was the product of pure evil. It was the result of a depraved individual taking his free will to the extreme,” said Jim Daly, president of Focus on the Family, in a statement Friday.

The Christian Post spoke to Dr. Albert Mohler, president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, who pointed to the moral evil that humans are capable of.  

“The Fall released human moral evil into the cosmos, and every single human being is a sinner, tempted by a full range of sinfulness,” he wrote in a commentary. “We cannot afford to be shocked when humans commit grotesque moral evil. It tells us the truth about unbridled human sin.”

James E. Holmes, 24, was taken into custody early Friday after allegedly opening fire in a movie theater during the midnight showing of “The Dark Knight Rises.” Armed with four weapons, bullet-proof gear and gas canisters, Holmes was said to have appeared ready to go to war, as one witness described to the media.

The gunman unloaded hundreds of rounds and killed at least 12 people while injuring more than 50 others at Century 16.

“It brings a whole new meaning to ‘Dark Knight rising’ – not in a good way,” said Greg Stier, founder of Dare 2 Share Ministries, to The Christian Post.

“You can’t help but think of Satan – you know that dark knight who was once that white knight … the highest of all angels who … got thrown out of heaven and has now been on the earth perverting, killing, whispering in ears.”

While Christians are oftentimes labeled crazy for believing in Satan, Stier emphasized what Scripture makes clear – that “our struggle is not against people … but against a person in the spiritual realm.”

“There is a highly organized, systematized army of darkness.”

While Jesus came to bring life, Satan came to pervert all that, the youth leader added.

Stier, who lives half an hour from the Century 16 theater, ultimately blames the gunman for the decision that he made at the theater, though he believes Satan played a part in it. But he traces the source of that immoral decision to the Fall, when Adam and Eve disobeyed God.

“I kind of go back to Adam and Eve and blame Adam for taking a bite of that fruit and poison[ing] humanity with the capacity for horrific sins,” he said.

So what now? Christians need to spread the Gospel, Stier said. It was Christ who came to provide a solution – he conquered sin through his death and resurrection.

“We got to get that message … out to as many people as possible,” the passionate evangelist underscored.

He also said he can’t wait for the day – as described in the book of Revelation – when Satan and his kingdom will once and for all be destroyed and thrown into the lake of fire.

“All evil will be sucked up in this bottomless pit,” he said. “Until then, we have a battle to fight.”

Read more at The Christian Post.com

Conservative radio and TV host Mike Huckabee and the National Organization for Marriage are calling on people to eat at Chick-fil-A on Wednesday to support Dan Cathy, the company’s president, who is being attacked by gay activists for saying in recent interviews that he supports traditional marriage.

“Imagine if folks all across the country united together in support of heroes like Dan and Truett Cathy that stand for strengthening marriage and family!” wrote Brian Brown, president of the National Organization for Marriage, on Saturday.

“Imagine the potential impact the message that companies favoring the radical redefinition of marriage risk fallout with their customers – combined with the message that heroes who stand for marriage and family cannot be silenced!”

The National Eat at Chick-fil-A Day on August 1st is in response to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) activists urging people to boycott Chick-fil-A after Dan Cathy responded to the Biblical Recorder’s question about the company’s support for the traditional family saying, “Well, guilty as charged.”

“We are very much supportive of the family – the biblical definition of the family unit. We are a family-owned business, a family-led business, and we are married to our first wives. We give God thanks for that.”

“We intend to stay the course,” Cathy said. “We know that it might not be popular with everyone, but thank the Lord, we live in a country where we can share our values and operate on biblical principles.”

Cathy’s comment caused a media firestorm, with Hollywood actor Ed Helms, who played Dr. Stu Price in “The Hangover” films, tweeting, “Chick-fil-A doesn’t like gay people? So lame. Hate to think what they do to gay chickens. Lost a loyal fan.”

And many angry messages were left on Chick-fil-A’s Facebook page, including:

“Hate mongers! Never again! Not another $ from me,” Duke Richards wrote.

Similarly, Blake Brown left the message, “Goodbye Chikkk-fil-a! your food was delicious, but I can no longer eat nuggets filled with hate!”

In response to the boycott threats against Chick-fil-A, Mike Huckabee, who was a 2008 presidential candidate, last week called on his radio show listeners to support the Cathy family by making July 25th National Eat at Chick-fil-A Day.

“Imagine how clearly that message would be heard across the nation if Chick-fil-A reported record sales this Wednesday!” said NOM’s Brown, who has joined Huckabee in supporting Chick-fil-A day. “Please join me this Wednesday in supporting this courageous company, while at the same time sending a powerful message of support to every individual and every company with the courage to stand for marriage.”

Chick-fil-A was founded by S. Truett Cathy in 1967, with the first restaurant opening in Atlanta. It has rapidly expanded and now has over 1,600 stores with more than $4 billion in sales last year. One of the most well-known trademarks of Chick-fil-A restaurants is that they don’t open on Sunday. The policy has been a longstanding one, going back as far as 1946 when Truett Cathy founded his first restaurant in Hapeville, Ga. The older Cathy believes that “employees should have the opportunity rest, spend time with their family and friends, and worship if they choose to do so” on Sunday, according to Chick-fil-A’s website. Yet despite operating only 6 out of 7 days a week, Chick-fil-A has recorded 44 years of consecutive sales growth.

The company’s founder and his family are devout Christians and Dan Cathy says they operate their organization according to biblical principles.

In this downturned economy, many long established record labels have either folded or been sold because they just can’t break even on today’s musical landscape where physical CD sales have plummeted because consumers don’t have as much discretionary income as they did a decade ago and millions are unemployed.
 
In spite of the poor forecast for the music industry as a whole, Baltimore, MD-based Habakkuk Music is holding its own and still churning out gospel radio hits ranging from its flagship artist, Lisa Page Brooks, who shot to the top spot on Billboard’s Hot Gospel Songs chart two years ago, to newcomers such as Gerald Scott & Co. and Cheneta Jones.
 
At the helm of this enterprise is April Washington, a seasoned music vet who worked at Motown, RCA Records, Capitol Records and WEA distribution prior to branching off into the gospel music world in 1997 and becoming one of its top radio promoters for well over a decade. Among her successful achievements are promoting CeCe Winans’ gold-selling “Throne Room” CD and Shekinah Glory Ministry’s #1 album, “Jesus.”
 
In 2008, April founded Habakkuk Music and pushed obscure or under-recognized artists to the front pew of the church. After years of fronting the group Witness and as a soloist, Lisa Page Brooks finally got a #1 hit when April made Brook’s tune “I Just Want To Say Thank You” one of the biggest songs of 2010. She also gave rapper Papa San his highest charting CD ever on the reggae chart with “Higher Heights” and she also orchestrated a successful marketing campaign for singer Jessica Greene to win a Stellar Award as Best New Artist of the Year.
 
Knowing how to market the acts hasn’t been the biggest struggle for Habakkuk though. “The biggest challenge is obtaining enough funding to do everything I’d like to do,” April says. “But we’ve been fortunate to get funding assistance with the help of Meridian Management Group, Inc. and MD Dept of Business & Economic Development. There is assistance for minority and woman-owned businesses, you just have to seek it out.”
 
Currently, April is undertaking an eight-city promo tour that kicks off August 9 in Chattanooga, TN. It’s called “Got Gospel? Open Mic Night” and it serves to brand her artists as well as publicize an all-star compilation CD, “Got Gospel? The Best Indie Tracks… Yesterday, Today & Forever.” Aside from the tour featuring aspiring talent in cities such as Baltimore, Raleigh and Little Rock, it will be hosted by BET Comic View host Steffon Vann and boast performances from Habakkuk artists Lisa Page Brooks, Cheneta Jones and Gerald Scott & Co. All of the artists are featured on the “Got Gospel?” CD alongside such legendary names as Vickie Winans and Rance Allen.
 
There’s no laurel resting at Habakkuk. April is currently on the road working a half dozen radio singles like Lisa Page Brook’s new cut “Better Than life” and Gerald Scott & Co.’s upbeat tune, “Alright”. She adds that, “I surround myself with successful entrepreneurs for encouragement and inspiration to keep me going, no matter what! One day when it was really tough and I wanted to quit, my mentor, Germaine Leftridge (GBL Sales) said to me, `Don’t believe your lying eyes!’  Meaning that not matter what it looks like, stay faithful & committed and you will win.”  
 
“For me, it dangerous to focus on what’s stacked against me, not to say that odds don’t exist,” says April who prevailed in court when a disgruntled former artist sued the company three years back. “But if I focus on it, I probably would have quit five years ago.  To overcome the challenges, I am becoming a better businesswoman by diversifying the company and broadening my perspective.  My most important discipline is to stay grateful for every blessing, big and small.”
 
HABAKKUK MUSIC’S BIGGEST BILLBOARD GOSPEL HITS YET
 
2012            Cheneta Jones – Transformed (CD)                          #13      Top Gospel Albums
2012            Clint Brown – Release (CD)                                   #30        Top Gospel Albums           
2012            Various Artists – Got Gospel (CD)                        #50          Top Gospel Albums
2011            Lisa Page Brooks – God is Good                            #14         Hot Gospel Songs
2011            Clint Brown – Send Your Rain                             #28          Hot Gospel Songs
2011            Gail Holmes – Whatever It Is (Let It Go)             #21            Hot Gospel Songs
2010            Lisa Page Brooks – I Want To Say Thank You       #1             Hot Gospel Songs
2010            Lisa Page Brooks – Strong (CD)                          #18          Top Gospel Albums
2009            Papa San – Higher Heights (CD)                        #4             Top Reggae Albums
2009            Isaiah D. Thomas – Said He Would Be With Me     #14          Hot Gospel Songs
2008            Isaiah D. Thomas – The Greatest                        #17           Hot Gospel Songs
2008            Kevin Levar  – Let’s Come Together                   #22            Hot Gospel Songs

Washington, DC, the birth place of The Black Entertainment Television Network, proudly boast of the success of the industry’s longest running program in the history of cable television, Bobby Jones Gospel.  

For thirty one years, there has been very little competition with this one of a kind program made famous on the BET Networks. Many gospel music festivals and events often mention the long list of International and National gospel artists that are featured. None have approached the number of high profile, cream of the crop artists as featured on Bobby Jones Gospel.

Plans are on the way to produce the fall season of the program to feature sixty three of the world’s most influential gospel artists, such as:  

Marvin Sapp, Donald Lawrence, Yolanda Adams, Vickie Winans, Karen Clark Sheard, Dorinda Clark Cole, Shirley Caesar, The Rance Allen Group, Byron Cage, Cissy Houston, Angela Spivey, Dorothy Norwood, Dottie Peoples, James Fortune & FIYA, Shirley Murdock, Amber Bullock, Pastor Charles Jenkins and Fellowship Chicago, Vashawn Mitchell, Helen Baylor, Isaac Caree, William McDowall, Glen Jones, Genobia Jeter Jones, Y’Anna Crawley, Myron Butler, Smokie Norful, Jonathan Nelson, Bishop Paul Morton, Jason Nelson, Bryan Wilson, Richard Smallwood, Hezekiah Walker, J. Moss, Rizen, Moses Tyson, Jr, Vicki Yohe, William Murphy, Dottie Peoples, BeBe Winans, Tamala Mann, Israel Houghton, Forever Jones, The Jackson Southernaires, Kurt Carr & The Kurt Carr Singers, Stephen Hurd, Genita Pugh, Michelle Williams, J.J. Hairston & Youthful Praise, Earnest Pugh, Beverly Crawford, Tremaine Hawkins, Chicago Mass Choir, Le mmie Battles, Zacardi Cortez, Leanne  Faine, Duranice Pace, Denise Tichenor, Wess Morgan, Ascension Dancers, The Nashville Super Choir and twenty additional great gospel acts.  

Bobby Jones Gospel, hosted by Ambassador Dr. Bobby Jones, has distinguished recognition and visibility worldwide.  

The program tapings will began in the studio of BET, 1235 W street NE, Washington, DC., July 27, 28, 29. August 3, 4, 5, 2012.

Admission is free. For tickets contact, Terrance Clayton, The thirty second season will kick off October 7, 2012, 9:00 AM EST., on The Black Entertainment Television Network. (800) 626-9911, 0#

For almost two decades, Chrystal Rucker has been the darling of the Church of God in Christ (COGIC) denomination where she’s become known for her own spine-tingling renditions of Judy Garland’s “Over the Rainbow,” Tramaine Hawkins’ “Changed” and Lecresia Campbell’s classic, “Safety.”

Then, in 2007 she suffered a stroke at the age of 35. If she couldn’t sing, she couldn’t work and over the next two years, she fought hard to get back to full health so that she could sing again and take care of her daughter. “When you have someone you have to live for it makes all the difference in the world in your healing process,” Rucker says.

After years of appearing on the albums of other artists, Rucker is back in top form and unveiling her first nationally-distributed solo CD, “You Deserve” (EPM Music Group), a brilliantly fascinating collection of heart-wrenching gospel ballads and pulsating praise tunes that hits retail stores and online portals everywhere on August 14, 2012.

The eleven-track set features the dynamic radio smash, “You Deserve,” which glistens with Rucker’s cascading high notes and squalls. Rucker also reintroduces Tramaine Hawkins’ 1975 classic, “Changed” and delivers a reverential hymn medley of “Great is Thy Faithfulness” and “Grateful.”

Even though she’s a church girl, Rucker shows she has a flair for urban pop on mid-tempo charmers such as “I Am So Grateful,” the jazzy “Nothing Less” and the infectious hand-clapper, “Make Me Wanna.” She creates a contagious joy on the heart-thumping “Come Bless His Name” while channeling the most poised and refined performance of the album on the soaring anthem, You Will Be My God” that shows off heavenly high notes and a tender sound of praise. For more information on Chrystal Rucker and other EPM Music Group artists, visit www.epmmusicgroup.com or www.chrystalrucker.net.

This week there’s a little shake-up among the top 10 of the Billboard Gospel charts.  Number 1 remains the same as Mary Mary continues to sell strong with their latest effort “Go Get It.”

Jumping up to the #2 spot this week is BeBe Winans, who released a solo project called “America, America” earlier in July.  The album jumps from #11 to the #2 spot this week.

Music World Gospel artist Amber Bullock makes a strong debut with the release of her new project “So in Love.”  The former Sunday Best winner comes in at #3.

Next week industry experts expect Gospel rapper ‘K.B.’ to debut his new project “Weight & Glory” in the top 10.  The Reach Records artist has a sizable underground following, and strong promotion from fellow artist and label owner Lecrae.

Below is the rest of the Top 10:

1 | Mary Mary – Go Get It
2 | BeBe Winans – America, America
3 | Amber Bullock – So In Love
4 | Charles Jenkins & Fellowship Chicago – The Best of Both Worlds
5 | Marvin Sapp – I Win
6 | William McDowell – Arise
7 | WOW Gospel 2012
8 | JJ Hairston & Youthful Praise – After This
9 | Nephew Tommy – Prank Phone Calls
10 | Marvin Winans – The Praise & Worship Experience

 

Following their month-long domination at No. 1 on the Christian AC radio chart with the title track from their best-selling CD The Hurt & The Healer, the multi-platinum, Grammy-nominated, American Music Award and multiple GMA Dove Award winning band MercyMe has delivered The Making of The Hurt & The Healer short film. MercyMe unveils it atMercyMe.org this week, where for a limited time it will be available direct to fans first for $5. This fall it will be available through iTunes®.

With a total running time of just over 30 minutes, The Making of The Hurt & The Healer includes high definition video filmed in the recording studio and on the road over the course of eight months. In addition to live perfmormances of “The Hurt & The Healer” and “You are I Am,” the film features footage from the studio, bloopers, interviews with the guys telling stories behind the songs, and an overall, true behind-the-scenes look at the beginning to end creation of The Hurt & The Healer. Click here to view the trailer.

As MercyMe visits markets across the country throughout the summer,FairTrade will release the next single, “You Are I Am,” on August 17th, the follow-up to their No. 1 hit, “The Hurt & The Healer.”

[Get Connected with MercyMe]
Website – http://mercyme.org
Twitter- @mercyme
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/mercyme
YouTube – http://www.youtube.com/user/mercymevideo “The Hurt & The Healer” music video

About MercyMe 
Since their debut in 2001, Grammy-nominated, American Music Award and multiple GMA Dove Award winners MercyMe have sold over 6 million units in CD and DVD sales, while being one of few Contemporary Christian music groups to have had all of their recordings certified Gold or Platinum, as well as garner 23 No.1 multi-format Christian radio singles, and four consecutive mainstream radio hits with “I Can Only Imagine,” (No. 4 AC/top 25 on Top 40/Hot AC), “Here With Me” (No. 4 AC), “Homesick” (top 10 AC), and “So Long Self.” In 2009, BILLBOARD named MercyMe’s “Word Of God Speak” the #1 Song of The Decade and the group the #1 Christian Songs Artist of the Decade, with an additional #1 as the Christian AC Song Artist of The Decade as one of the industry’s most notable talents. MercyMe made history as “I Can Only Imagine” surpassed 1 million digital downloads, making it the first song in Christian music to go platinum in the digital domain. The multi-platinum selling band has sold out venues including Radio City Music Hall and has been seen on The Tonight Show, CNN, Fox New Channel’s Fox & Friends, ABC News, CBS’s The Early Show, and on the pages of Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, USA Today, Billboard, and more.

For the last five years, Gerald Scott & Co. has been one of the DMV (Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia area) metroplex’s top local acts and now the dynamic ensemble is poised to become one of the nation’s leading gospel acts. Although, the group has released two successful indie projects in the past, they are stepping up their game with their third CD release, “Incredible” (Habakkuk Music), that is in stores now.
 
The bouncy radio single, “Alright,” is reminiscent of a new wave Earth Wind & Fire `70s jam. “We’ve been getting amazing feedback from it,” says Scott. “It’s very uplifting and encouraging. I like to call it a great song you can roll your windows down and ride to, so people are loving it and I’m just glad about that.” Many people are glad and Scott and company are picking up fans in high places. Stellar Award winning gospel artist, Jonathan Nelson, says, “His music is refreshing” and renowned worship leader, Stephen Hurd, adds that, “God is using Gerald in a way that will reach far and wide and touch people.”
 
“Gerald Scott is a phenomenal songwriter,” says Habakkuk CEO, April Washington Essex. “It’s like he writes from the heart of God. What’s more, he’s got the whole package: anointed ministry, great vocals & arrangements, exciting performance and he’s still young!”  Scott composed and produced all of the ten songs on the “Incredible” CD that ranges from lush, congregational worship tunes such as “Higher” to the ferocious rock vibe of “No Condemnation.”  In between there are down-home church songs like “God is Good”, the pop-styled ballad “Back With You” and the exhilarating rhythm of the title tune. Each track shows off not only Scott’s warmly earnest tenor but also the rich harmonies of the Co.
 
“We’re going up and down the east coast promoting this CD,” says Scott. “We’re going to be everywhere each weekend – from New York to Orlando, Florida.” Follow the group on Twitter #gscottco or visit www.habakkukmusic.com for more information on the label.