Congratulations to Trin-i-tee 5:7 who debuts at #1 on the Gospel and Christian charts with their new CD “Angel & Chanelle.”  The CD also enters #2 on Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip Hop Album Chart, #5 on the Independent Chart and #19 on the Billboard 200.

In the world of radio the song “Over and Over” is #7 on Billboard’s Hot Gospel Song Chart” and “Heaven Hear My Heart” is approaching the Top 30.

Trin-i-tee 5:7 released their first CD as a duo and it’s receiving stellar reviews.  For Angel and Chanelle it marks their 7th recording to date. The project features two versions-the Standard CD, which includes 12 songs, and the Deluxe CD, which features 17 songs.

The duo’s hit single, “Over and Over” remains in the Top 10 on Billboard’s Hot Gospel Song chart, entering this week at #7, with a cumulative listening audience of 52 million to date. And the second single, “Heaven Hear My Heart,” is steadily approaching the Top 30 at UAC radio. Music videos for “Over and Over” and “Heaven Hear My Heart” are playing on international, national, regional and local video outlets everywhere. “Over and Over” premiered on GMC and GMCTV.com and “Heaven Hear My Heart” premiered on BET’s 106 and Park. Both videos are also available on Music Choice as well as other Internet outlets, including Yahoo Music Video, ESSENCE.com, BET.com, CentricTV.com and numerous others.

On Saturday, June 11, at 6:00 p.m. CST, the duo will perform at the Apple store in Chicago as part of the retail giant’s Black Music Month series. The store is located at 679 North Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611.

Lauded by critics, Angel and Chanelle received five of five stars from The Black Gospel Blog. “The group still turns out the experimental, envelope-pushing music that fans have come to know and love about them,” notes Robert Marovich.

“With a renewed commitment to being fearless in their artistry and a fresh collection of songs filled with two-part harmony, Trin-i-tee 5:7 is ushering in a new season,” states Lindsay Williams of GMCTV.com. “Angel and Chanelle, doesn’t miss a beat. The voices are so lush. Angel and Chanelle re-establishes Trin-i-tee 5:7’s position in the industry and charts their new course as a party of two.”

“Angel and Chanelle reflects the two original members’ newfound spiritual and artistic freedom with modern worship inspirations, surprising theatrical rock, and plenty of stylish urban programs” states Andrew Greer of Christianity Today. “Seventeen songs…but the invigorating duet keeps it fresh with their hip vocals.” “Angel and Chanelle is a compilation of an impressive 17 tunes that range from the semi-traditional to the very contemporary” says music reviewer Arnell Pharr of Rolling Out magazine. “What I appreciate most about this pair’s music is that they actually have lyrics – words that speak, that say something to the hearts and minds of people.”

The New Orleans natives are wrapping up their 25 city promo tour, which included several national and local radio and television appearances: 106 & Park, The Mo’Nique Show, TBN, two JCTV’s 1 Music Square specials, Bobby Jones in New Orleans, SIRIUS XM Satellite concert series, and church and retail visits, as well as other special events, including a special benefit concert with the American Heart Association at the world famous Apollo Theatre in New York City.

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Congratulations to Deon Kipping (left) and Jason Nelson (right) who were both recently signed to Verity Gospel Music Group. Kipping is a singer, songwriter, and producer who has penned hits such as “Praise Him In Advance”, made popular by Marvin Sapp and “Incredible God, Incredible Praise”, made popular by J.J. Hairston & Youthful Praise.  Says Kipping, “It feels great! This is just a stepping stone for the next step in my career.  I feel very blessed!”

Similarly, Nelson is a gifted singer, songwriter, and producer who penned popular songs such as “Thirsty” and “Place of Worship,” both found on recent albums from Marvin Sapp. Nelson is also the twin brother of Jonathan Nelson and shares vocals with him on the hit “Right Now Praise”. Expect new music from both artists in the coming months.

MUSIC BY: Deon Kipping

JJ Hairston & Youthful Praise announce upcoming live recording event to take place Friday, July 8, 2011 at The First Cathedral, located at 1151 Blue Hill Avenue, Bloomfield CT 06002. This is the popular choir’s sixth live recording which comes off the heels of their current successful release RESTING ON HIS PROMISE. The concert event will once again bring to the stage Hairston & Youthful Praise’s passion, joy, exuberance and awesome performance ability that they’ve been known for.

The live recording starts promptly at 6:00pm, and will include special appearances by Bishop Hezekiah Walker, Tye Tribbett, Jessica Reedy and Kathy Taylor. Tickets are $10 if purchased in advance or $15 at the door. Tickets can be purchased at The First Cathedral or at Cathedral of Praise, located at 360 Colorado Ave., Bridgeport CT 06604 or online at www.youthfulpraise.org.

Over the past 10 years, Hairston & Youthful Praise has made a significant impact on today’s contemporary Gospel music. Their signature brand of praise and worship choir music has touched a chord with churches and listeners around the globe with their recent hits “Lord, You’re Mighty” and “Resting On His Promise,” and their 2004 worship anthem “Incredible God, Incredible Praise.”

Hairston has written, produced and led the group since their inception in 1992 and their blend of memorable praise and worship with traditional choir harmonies have set the standard for today’s current crop of choirs and vocal ensembles. Most, recently Hairston & Youthful Praise opened the 2011 Stellar Awards with a dynamic show-stopping performance. Additionally Hairston was tapped as the host of 15th Street Live a new youth-oriented show on TBN.

Don’t miss out on this summer’s highly anticipated live recording on July 8th. To learn more about Youthful Praise people can log on to www.YouthfulPraise.org or their Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/Youthful.Praise.

ASCAP (the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) will be honoring multiple Grammy Award-winning gospel music duo Mary Mary with the prestigious ASCAP Golden Note Award during its 24th Annual Rhythm & Soul Music Awards.

The invitation-only event will take place on Friday, June 24, 2011 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles, California.

The ASCAP Golden Note Award is presented to songwriters, composers and artists who have achieved extraordinary career milestones. Past recipients include Sean “Diddy” Combs, Jermaine Dupri, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Alicia Keys, Jay-Z, Quincy Jones, LL Cool J, New Edition and Lionel Richie.

As previously announced, hip-hop impresario Sean “Diddy” Combs will be presented with ASCAP’s Founders Award, and the songwriters and publishers of the most performed ASCAP songs on the 2010 R&B/Hip-Hop, Rap and Gospel charts will be honored at the awards ceremony.

Top awards will be given to the Songwriter of the Year, Publisher of the Year, Top R&B/Hip-Hop Song, Top Rap Song and Top Gospel Song. The evening will also feature performances by several award-winning songwriters/performers.

Eleven years after the recording debut of Mary Mary — having earned seven Stellar Awards, seven Dove Awards, three Grammy Awards, two American Music Awards, an NAACP Image Award, a BET Award and numerous ASCAP Awards, including Top Gospel Song of the Year for “Heaven” in 2006 — the duo sound just as innovative and committed on their sixth album, “Something Big,” which was released earlier this year. After only nine weeks at radio, the lead single,“Walking,” has strolled into the top 10 at Urban AC and continues to grow.

News of Creflo Dollar’s support for Bishop Eddie Long swept through the internet today, as Dollar addressed his ministry on the issue.  The sermon was captured on tape.  In the video Creflo Dollar says Long “Is still anointed to do what he is supposed to do.” 

Dollar repeatedly referred to the scandal as a wreck, reasoning with the listeners that we all have wrecks.  Later he said, “I pray that I don’t have a wreck and you leave me, cause I’ll get up in your face… Forget you then.”

Dollar said that Eddie Long is “STILL saved!” and STILL going to heaven!”  As for the wreck Dollar says that Bishop Eddie Long has insurance, and so do we all.  Dollar rationalized that the insurance we all have as believers is Jesus Christ. 

He also told former New Birth church members the following: “If you from that church that you know what I’m talkin’ bout and you tryin’ to join here? I don’t want you here! That is my friend! That is my brother in The Lord! And if you came from there, you get on back over there where you s’posed to be and do what you s’posed to be doin’!” 

Do you agree with Creflo Dollar as a whole?  Are members justified in leaving the church?  Should Bishop Eddie Long step down?  The video captions were inserted by a watch dog analyst on You Tube, not by Path MEGAzine.  Watch the video below. 

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Begins Thursday, June 9, 2011 7pm – 9pm

Friday, June 10, 2011 featuring Pastor Tye Tribbett: 7pm – 9pm

Saturday, June 11, 2011 feat. Kevin Herrin: 10am – 12 noon

(Night Cap) Saturday, June 11, 2011  7pm – 9pm 

“There is no one cause,” Glenn says. “Everything you could possibly think of has played a role. Some artists saw the success of more urban driven music like Kirk Franklin, Mary Mary and even Yolanda Adams in her hay day.”

In turn, some of them wanted that same success. But then Glenn references other artists, like Donnie McClurkin Marvin Sapp, who have had major success singing what is considered more traditional. For them, they stayed true to who they were as artists, therefore solidifying more success.

There are a lot of variables, according to Glenn. Some artists want to try new sounds; new stuff, but the label does not agree. As a result, all parties are in disagreement.

“We all have heard the story of the artist being frustrated with the label, but what we do not hear about labels’ frustration with the artist,” Glenn said. “In these instances, no one knows what to do so everyone is trying to out-do the other.”

Jonathan Landrum, a newsman for the Associated Press in Atlanta, believes the reason is reach.

“While the music has changed, the message has stayed the same; it has just become broader,” he said. “Artists like Kirk Franklin and Mary Mary are simply attempting to appeal to more people. That is why you see the type of production where you might have a more secular sound, more of a Hip -Hop sound, or more melodic. They are trying to touch the souls of people who would not normally be touched by more traditional music.”

Landrum covers mostly entertainment reporting for the Associated Press. In his talks with numerous gospel artists, what they have told him is their concern has been more about touching a whole new crowd that did not consider themselves believers.

“It was a bigger thing than them. They wanted to touch people who listened to hip hop, R&B, etc.”

In reality, this change from traditional to contemporary is nothing new. Ironically, what we call traditional gospel today was at one time blues. When Thomas Dorsey, a blues musician and considered by most to be the founder of gospel, began to infuse his jazz and blues sound with Christian music in the 1920s, there was this same pushback.

People were not ready for what Dorsey was trying to do then, and the same can be said for today. When artists like Fred Hammond and Donald Lawrence hit the scene, many were not ready for what they were doing, said Glenn.

“But, no one would question it now. Music has a habit of being ahead of its time. Although it may not be authentic now, someone will consider it to be,” he said. “In the same way many questioned gospel and blues, now they are considered standards. Now, when we hear certain bluesy sounds and consider it gospel.”

As society changes, music changes, said Robert Darden, associate professor of Journalism, Public Relations and New Media at Baylor University.

Darden, a gospel music historian, said you also see a change in the late 60s.

“It was a slow change,” said the former gospel-music editor for Billboard magazine. “Soul music and R&B started transitioning into funk, and rock started to transition from pop to harder sound. Gospel artists started to feel as though they had to change to keep up.”

Artists like James Cleveland started incorporating more instrumentation. Andrae Crouch substituted soloists but also used distinctive traditional styles like the call and response format. Darden does not believe what was taking place was a repudiation of traditional music. Audiences wanted more. Artists began to appease them, he said.

But is the change good? And are the changes diminishing gospel music?

READ FULL STORY ON GRIO.com

The Ambassador today released two new singles from his highly anticipated forthcoming project STOP THE FUNERAL for posting and airplay ONLY.

The boom bap throbbing bass-built track “A-M,”—showcases The Ambassador proclaiming that he’s alive and still “reppin’ the “I AM” while on the infections “Up Down ft. Charmaine” he encourages us to savor our savior no matter the season. Both are going for immediate adds.

His fourth solo project titled STOP THE FUNERAL will mark the first CD release with new joint venture Xist Music/220 Entertainment on July 12, 2011.  Hit the play button to take a listen to the two tracks in the music player below. 

Bishop Eddie Long announced to his congregation Sunday that he would be expanding the New Birth brand to Birmingham, Alabama.  He is not starting the church from scratch, but he is acquiring an already flourishing ministry called the “Refiners House.”

According to an article in The Birmingham News, the 2,300-member Refiner’s House in Huffman has announced that it will change its name and be affiliated with the New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Lithonia, Ga.

“We’ll no longer be the Refiner’s House; we’ll be New Birth Birmingham,” said Elder Kesia Webb Dailey, a spokesperson for the church. “We’ll receive benefits of mentorship, resources, relationships.”

The Rev. Stephen A. Davis, founding pastor, started The Refiner’s House in a former auto parts store in Center Point in 2001. The Refiner’s House bought the former Ridgecrest Baptist Church campus, 117 12th Court Northwest, and moved there in October 2007. Refiner’s House already had 1,000 members as it moved into the 2,200-seat sanctuary.

Davis said at the time that he had been mentored since 2006 by Bishop Eddie Long, pastor of New Birth in Lithonia.

Long, the controversial TV evangelist, recently settled lawsuits against him by several young men in the church who accused him of sexual improprieties.

Long’s legal problems didn’t affect the association between the two churches, Dailey said.

“That’s our bishop and we love him,” Dailey said. “We thank God what transpired is over. We’re moving ahead.”

Dailey said that Long will take part in a service with Davis on Friday at 7 p.m. at The Refiner’s House to officially change the name to New Birth Birmingham.