Who Killed Gospel Music? by Rondy Long

On December 19, 2006 Nas, a hip-hop artist released an album called “Hip-Hop Is Dead” Well if secular, sinful, hip-hop has the honesty to say that their genre has died due to commercialism, why won’t the Gospel music industry acknowledge the same? Kirk Franklin at one time sold 1 million albums. In 2006, he sold less than half of that. Juanita Bynum sold 250,000; Yolanda Adams sold less than 150,000. These are the “Top Dogs” of gospel music. In the secular industry, where most of these artists are trying to go, these numbers are a joke. Only Kirk Franklin would qualify as a medium level artist. Why isn’t Gospel music selling like it used to? My belief is that Gospel Music is dead. But who killed it?

Well everyone looks for a scapegoat. If you ask Tonex why he doesn’t have a record deal anymore he would point his fingers at G. Craige Lewis. As a matter of fact I heard of an unofficial meeting of Gospel Artist that all implicated G. Craige, saying that he must be stopped. The Holy Hip-hoppers all point their little “Dirty South” fingers at G. Craige. And we know some Bishop’s that may be pointing their anointed, “middle fingers” at G. Craige. Isn’t it funny…these guys openly acknowledge that some little preacher in Ft. Worth, reached the same audience that it took them: kissing booty, getting booty, looking the other way when the musicians smelt like weed; signing a bogus record contracts and all types of other compromises to reach. I mean let’s face it. Tonex’s record is in every Wal-Mart in America. “The Truth Behind Hip-hop” is not in one Wal-Mart —you do the math. So with the big marketing distribution machine, multibillion dollar record labels, TBN, CBN, HBO, Mega Fest, Bishop Jakes, Long, etc, Dove awards, Stellar Awards, GMA, GMWA, every Mega Church in the United States that hates Ex-Ministries, all the Gospel, and secular Radio Stations; one extremist ministry with one website and a DVD could, without using music, change and literally shut down the Gospel Music Industry? (sounds like God to me) However, although this maybe the consensus a court of law demands critical proof. Let’s examine this a little closer.

First of all, I don’t espouse that Gospel Artists judge their effectiveness by their numbers in the industry. I don’t even agree that Gospel music should be an industry (as we know it). However, this is the measuring rod the Gospel Artist themselves have ascribed to. Ultimately, most Gospel artist have left Christian labels because they wanted to reach more people and sell more records. It was all about evangelism and reaching souls right? Wrong! All the Gospel Artist looked at the million records sold by Kirk Franklin, the cross-over popularity of the Winans (including BeBe and CeCe), and they salivated. Now Fred Hammond sings on the same label as R. Kelly and Brittany Spears. Yolanda Adams signed with Electra turned Atlantic that also houses the satanic Metallica, Missy Elliot, and Little Kim. Why did they sell God out? For more souls? No, for more money! They were told if you sign with a secular company, you would get more exposure, sell more records, and make more cash. Yet, for all of the exposure nobody is selling any Records. Think about it: Do you think Fred Hammond did collaborations with Musiq Soulchild, Brian McKnight, and Reuben Studdard so that his record WOULD NOT BE PLAYED ON SECULAR RADIO? Yet for all that compromising and covering Stevie Wonder’s godless “Loves in Need of Love” he got no secular airplay or worldly recognition. This is the most classic satanic scheme yet. Like Mr. Potter in “It’s A Wonderful Life” If the devil can get his hands on it, he can destroy it. This is what the dumb-dumb gospel artists did. They gave the industry that should have been exclusively theirs, over to secular companies. Not to mention most of them are homosexual, living foul, not even Christians ( I actually shared the Gospel with a well-known Grammy Award Winning Gospel Artist and he rejected it- he was dying of AIDS.) Did Fred Hammond actually think that Zomba would give him more promotion than perverse R. Kelly? There is no more depth, no more realness, its all glossy industry remade-over soup. Pushing out Records like daily newspapers- after a day or two its only good for the dog to poop on. What happen to the songs with meaning like Marvin Winans wrote (If ever I fall; For We May Never Know; Don’t Be Deceived-wow!), or the convicting music that Commisioned sang (Only What You Do For Christ Will Last, What Will You Say? Will You Be Ready?- My Goodness!). That day is lost. Did real Gospel music end with LIGHT RECORDS?

Ultimately, the devil conquered the industry- it was his in the first place. But now he is openly crushing Gospel music. Because of the merge of Gospel and secular artist, now anybody can make a Gospel album-- and they will. You see, Gospel Artist handed their audience right over to the people that wanted it, secular record companies. Now the Gospel Artists are going to be cut out of the deal totally. Tonex is not the only one that is going to lose his contract- Mark my Words.
Now Queen Latifah and Bonjovi are gearing up to do a gospel album with other secular artist. Why do they need Yolanda Adams now? No not G. Craige, it was Fred Hammond that stabbed Gospel Music with a knife when he sang with Reuben and Musiq. Yolanda Adams put a bullet through the head of Gospel Music when she recorded the song with Bone thugs N Harmony. Hezekiah beat it lifeless with a blunt object when he sang back-up to a KRS-1 song. Kirk Franklin strangled gospel music by the neck when he collaborated with George Clinton and Bono (the homo). The Cross Movement pulled the Life Support plug on the already dying Christian Rap, ironically after the release of HUMAN EMEGENCY( they are dressed like Surgeons in the E.R. on the cover)– now its totally DOA.

Did G. Craige kill gospel music or did he just announce what was about to happen? (sounds prophetic to me) I think in a court of law the artist would be found holding the smoking gun. Why didn’t they just band together and start their own labels and distribution. Even hip-hoppers have done that. (Master P. is a Billionaire! Ain’t that crazy?) No, they needed the fame and affirmation of the world and they got it. But now its over! Nobody wants to hear it. Nobody’s coming to their concerts! Nobody’s buying their CD’s. Even gospel artist don’t listen to gospel music- ask them. Did you miss the funeral? You haven’t heard Gospel Music is dead? Don’t you get tired of hearing the same old stuff sung by the same 5 people that are now un-anointed and stale? Aren’t you tired of the new Gay-sounding stuff that is too weird to worship to? (what is a Tye Tribbet?) Yeah Tribbet is the new Tonex. He said once while in Atlanta that he was going to release an underground album called the “Lust Album” for the times when you are “feeling trumpet-ee (horny).” What a Wacko! He is the new anointed one. Yet he came too late, the Party is over. I’m glad maybe they will shut the GMWA down with all the gayness and nastiness. Let’s have a moment of silence while we play Taps for Gospel music….