Marvin Sapp: Is there any need to worry about gospel artist’s collaboration with R Kelly?

A new controversy has hit the Christian world less than a month after the dispute over a collaboration between Tasha Cobbs and Nicki Minaj.

Foreign gospel singers seem to be embracing a new culture, collaborating with secular artists.

The latest partnership is between popular award-winning gospel artist Marvin Sapp and singer, R. Kelly on a song called ‘Listen’, on his 11th solo new album ‘Close, which debuts on September 29, 2017.

 

Like the name suggests, the song is about God “trying to tell you something” and how we need to listen to Him.

Concerning the message, Sapp says,“What really caught me were the first four lines. Even though God may not speak audibly, if we really pay attention we can hear that God is trying to tell us something in the midst of the challenges we face.”

The track, written and produced by R. Kelly, starts with the secular artist saying, “I know that it seems sometimes that no matter what you do, and no matter how hard you work striving to make things better in your life but for some reason you are getting nowhere but I want you to turn to the one next to you and tell ‘em..”

This is accompanied by the gospel artist singing these lines, “You tried your way/ It didn’t work/ You put Him second/ And you put yourself first.”

ALSO READ: Tasha Cobbs made a gospel song with Nicki Minaj and Christians can’t handle it

The fact that R.Kelly’s voice is briefly featured on the song has not stopped Christians from talking particularly because of the recent underage sex and physical abuse allegations.

Here are some reactions so far: “Not surprising when it dawns on you that the black church has covered up paedophiles, sexual abuse, straight-acting leaders who preach against being gay while everyone knows they themselves are gay, and all manner of sexual activity outside of marriage.

Black church folk are complicit because they know and ignore it or pretend it doesn’t exist while telling and judging non-church folk for being “sinners”.”

 

“ Y’all remember when a convicted child molester pastor was able to continue preaching while the congregation just whisked away the kids from his presence? Sapp gets the same side-eye as that pastor.”

“ I couldn’t get past the title long enough to read the article. Even if they put the winning Powerball numbers in the article, I would have been “Nope, I’m good..”

Reacting to the controversy, Sapp, who is also the founder and senior pastor of Lighthouse Full Life Center Church, says that he decided that the message of the song is more important than its messenger.

Speaking with Billboard, he said, “The album was completely done. My attorney, myself, and the record company did talk about possibly pulling it. Then I prayed about it. I later told the label that I’m crazy enough to believe that the message is always bigger than the messenger. I’m singing a song specifically designed to motivate, encourage and challenge people to listen to and for the voice of God.”

“I’m hoping that people understand my heart. Whether the allegations are true or false, my responsibility as a pastor and teacher is to pray for everybody who finds themselves in bad situations and good situations. That’s what I’m going to do. I’m not supposed to condemn. That’ s not my job.”

Phil Thornton, the senior VP/GM for Verity and RCA Inspiration, also notes that “Marvin’s voice amplifies the heart of the song in a way that only he can. We believe the message of ‘Listen’ will impact people in a positive way and because of that it needed to be on this album.”

R. Kelly has also responded through his representative.

 

In a statement emailed to Billboard, he says, “I wrote ‘Listen’ because I honestly feel like God is trying to tell the world something. And there’s no other voice that could deliver that message from God but Marvin Sapp.”

Do you think this collaboration is enough reason for people to ignore Kelly’s sexual indiscretions?

SOURCE - PULSE.NG posted by Campus94