Posted on Saturday, February 1, 2020

21st Annual Super Bowl Gospel Celebration to Premiere TONIGHT at 8 P.M. on BET!

MIAMI, FLORIDA – JANUARY 30: Rickey Smiley (L) and Yolanda Adams attend the BET Super Bowl Gospel Celebration at the James L. Knight Center on January 30, 2020 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images for BET)

Hello World,

The 21st Annual Super Bowl Gospel Celebration, hosted by national radio and TV personality Rickey Smiley, will return to BET Networks for a seventh consecutive year on Saturday, February 1, 2020 at 8PM ET/PT. The annual NFL-sanctioned event was filmed in front of a live audience at the James L. Knight Center during Super Bowl LIV week in Miami.

MIAMI, FLORIDA – JANUARY 30: Travis Greene performs onstage during the BET Super Bowl Gospel Celebration at the James L. Knight Center on January 30, 2020 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images for BET)

The one-hour Super Bowl Gospel Celebration special features performances by Yolanda Adams, Donnie McClurkin, Commissioned Reunion, Travis Greene, Anthony Brown & Group Therapy, BET Sunday Best winners Le’Andria Johnson (Season 3) and Melvin Crispell III (Season 9) and the NFL Players Choir.

MIAMI, FLORIDA – JANUARY 30: DeAndre Hopkins (L) and Sabrina Greenlee speak onstage during the BET Super Bowl Gospel Celebration at the James L. Knight Center on January 30, 2020 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images for BET)

This year’s presenters include NFL players DeAndre Hopkins (Houston Texans), Devin Funchess (Indianapolis Colts), Wesley Woodyard (Tennessee Titans) and Mike Daniels (Detroit Lions).

The Super Bowl Gospel Celebration will also honor NFL siblings and American Cancer Society ambassadors Quinnen Williams (New York Jets) and Quincy Williams (Jacksonville Jaguars) with the 2020 Faith In Action Award. The Williams brothers lost their mother to breast cancer in 2010 – turning tragedy into triumph the brothers now donate their time and resources to ensure that African Americans receive proper testing for cancer in urban communities.

In collaboration with the Super Bowl Gospel Celebration and BET Networks, the American Cancer Society will be featured during the broadcast to share the critical importance of cancer prevention and awareness. Viewers will have a chance to donate $10 or more to the American Cancer Society by texting HOPE to 20222, or by clicking here to donate online anytime.

Check out a snippet of what you will see below!

Originating at Super Bowl XXXIII in 1999, the annual event joins together key NFL Players, top Gospel/Contemporary Christian and mainstream GRAMMY® Award-winning artists and special guests all on one stage to bring audiences an evening of uplifting music and inspirational messages.

By far, the largest multicultural event to take place during Super Bowl weekend in its 21-year run as an NFL-sanctioned event, SBGC has featured artists including Patti LaBelle, Yolanda Adams, Gladys Knight, Natalie Grant, MaryMary, Fantasia, Donnie McClurkin, Anthony Hamilton, among many others.

For information and tickets, visit superbowlgospel.com.

Any thoughts?

Posted on Friday, August 17, 2018

OWN ‘Greenleaf’ Actress LeToya Luckett aka Rochelle Cross Shows Off Baby Bump at 2018 Black Music Honors! (PHOTOS)

Hello World,

The clock still has a few 24-hour segments before Season 3 of OWN’s ‘Greenleaf’ premieres on Tuesday, August 28 and Wednesday, August 29, but thankfully the stars of the show are out and about leading up until then!

Last night, comedian and radio show host Rickey Smiley and singer and OWN “Greenleaf” actress LeToya Luckett ( aka Rochelle Cross, Lady’s Mae’s lady-in-waiting and or archenemy), who debuted her baby bump, co-hosted the 2018 Black Music Honors! The annual two-hour television special honors artists and musicians who have influenced and made significant contributions to American music. This year’s honorees were Bobby Brown, Faith Evans, Bebe & Cece Winans, Whodini, Stephanie Mills and Dallas Austin. Also, the 2018 Black Music Honors recognized the legacy of Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul who passed away yesterday. (Condolences to her family and friends. She will certainly be missed the world over.)

The night included performances by Bell Biv Devoe, Next, Jade Novah, Kierra Sheard, Tasha Page-Lockhart, V. Bozeman, Demetria McKinney, DJ Mell Starr, Sammie, Donnie McClurkin, Sammie, Yo-Yo, Koryn Hawthorne, Rhyon Brown, Raheem DeVaughn, Regina Belle, Paris Bennett, Syleena Johnson, Angela Winbush, Jonathan McReynolds, Monie Love, Ruben Studdard and Doug E. Fresh. Additional VIP’s in attendance included Shiggy, Kyla Jade, Stevie J and more.

Proceeds from the 2018 Black Music Honors will benefit the 2019 opening of the National Museum of African American Music (NMAAM) in Nashville. NMAAM’s mission is to educate the world, preserve the legacy, and celebrate the central role African Americans play in creating the American soundtrack. Event sponsors include AT&T, McDonald’s, Walmart, Johnson & Johnson, Chevrolet and State Farm as title sponsor.

See photos of the evening below:

LeToya Luckett and Rickey Smiley

Paris Bennett, Angela Winbush, Regina Bella perform for Aretha Franklin’s tribute.

LeToya Luckett and Rickey Smiley open the show.

Charity Greenleaf aka Deborah Joy Winans’ Auntie & Uncle CeCe and BeBe Winans

Koryn “Won’t He Do It” Hawthorne. Remember when Koryn and Isaiah better known to me as Gospel Chris Brown or Christian Breezy sang the song on an a “Greenleaf” episode?

Kierra Sheard and Donnie McClurkin sing.

The Tankards

Regina Belle performs.

Ruben Studdard sings.

Darlene McCoy

Tasha Page-Lockhart

Jonathan McReynolds and Tasha Page-Lockhart sing.

James Shaw, the Waffle House shoot-out “shutdowner”

Tommicus Walker and LeToya Luckett. Tommicus is her hubby! Congratulations to the expecting couple 🙂

Again, Season 3 of OWN’s “Greenleaf” is almost HERE!!

Any thoughts?

Posted on Sunday, April 16, 2017

My Top 10 Praise Songs to Help You Get Your Praise On Today Easter Sunday!!!

Me and Kirk Franklin way back in the day now…Yes, he’s my favorite praise artist…Yes, I know my eyes are closed…

Hello World,

Happy Easter Saints! Jesus Christ rose from the dead! And now, we can be free from the chains of sin if we accept of His gift of salvation solidified through His death and resurrection on the Cross!

Thankfully very early in my Christian journey, another Christian revealed the secrets of praise to me and it has become an important aspect of my relationship with Him…First of all, I learned to praise the Lord whether my circumstances are good or bad, and through my praise, the Lord gives me joy – which is not dependent on happiness! As my father has said, most people make themselves unhappy because they expect to be happy all of the time….It just ain’t gonna happen…but you can always have joy! Praise Jesus!

And although times may be particularly bad for many people right now, we are challenged in the Word to offer up the sacrifice of praise…And we can do it, because the Lord sacrificed his Son for us….

By Him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. Hebrews 13:15

Below are My Top 10 Praise Songs that help me to get my praise on and especially on today, Easter Sunday! This list is an “old school” list because I’ve been saved for a while now, but they still work!

1.“Hosanna” by Kirk Franklin – First of all I met Kirk Franklin in Nashville, Tennessee years ago…He is the nicest guy for real! And he is as short as I am…hilarious! Anyway, this song is a shonuff praise song…I ain’t gon lie…not too many gospel songs make me wanna dance but this one does….

2. “Victory” by Yolanda Adams – This song rocks! In spite of myself, I was bobbing my head when I first heard this song as I watched the movie “The Gospel” years ago…

3. “Shackles” by Mary Mary – This is a nice song to bob your head to in the car… (Plus, they are so pretty too…sorry, I believe in being cute!)

4. “Love Him Like I Do” by Dietrick Haddon, Mary Mary and Ruben Studdard – Again in spite of myself, I find myself rockin’ when I hear this song…I swear you will to 🙂 .

5. “Love Song” by Canton Jones – Just a beautiful song about the love of God…it compares to no other…and really works when your man is trippin’ …y’all know how it is!

6. “My Life, My Love, My All” by Kirk Franklin – Just a beautiful love and praise song…It’s a love song for Jesus…I know that sounds corny, but it’s true…I’m swaying as I’m listening to it right now…

7. “The Blood Song” by Kirk Franklin featuring Donnie McClurkin, Crystal Lewis and Jaci Velasquez – Can you tell I’m a Kirk Franklin fan?

8. “I’m Still Holding On” by Luther Barnes and the Red Budd Gospel Choir featuring Deborah Barnes – Although I sometimes feel silly believing in a God that I can’t see, I still hold on because I’ve had too many blessings and experiences to turn back now…I’m still holding on…

9. Oh Happy Day” by The Edwin Hawkins Singers – It was a happy day when I was saved! This soulful song can’t help but put you in the mood to praise Him! It’s a good song to end your workout with as well for my gym rats out there…

10. How Can I Say” by Lisa McClendon – The lyrics of this song are beautiful…How can I say I love the Lord and not talk to Him each day…Her voice still reminds me of Lauryn Hill’s voice…