Tamela Mann’s ‘OVERCOMER’ Album Available For Pre-Sale Now!

Hello World,

Some albums are destined for a certain time. After several years of evolution and change in her life, Grammy® Award-Winning Artist, NAACP Image® Award-Winning Actress, Songwriter, and Producer, Tamela Mann, is set to release her new Tillymann Music album, Overcomer, through The Orchard Distribution on Friday, August 6. There is a new sense of authority and urgency in Tamela’s music now; she has lived these songs and is ready to share the strength and purpose she has found.

Propelled by the singer’s strong, passionate vocals, and her newfound voice as a songwriter, each of the 12 tracks on Overcomer was conceived to bring healing and hope to a world resetting after a tumultuous chapter in its history. There is plenty to unpack from a lyrical standpoint, and Tamela is at the writing helm on most of the songs.

“I poured my experiences into the lyrics, putting my heart and soul into the words on this album,” Tamela says. “It’s me looking at my life and the things I was dealing with, trying to learn from those things, and doing what I can to overcome them.”

Overcomer may be Tamela’s best work to date. Each song stands on its own as a masterful production. The album was executive produced by Tamela and her husband, Music Producer and NAACP Image® Award-Winning Actor/Comedian, David Mann, with production quarterbacked by a cadre of all-star producers and writers. Special guests include Kirk Franklin and Wyclef Jean on the stand-out track melding R&B, reggae, rap, and gospel, “Hello God;” Todd Dulaney on the worshipful “Finished Work;” Travis Green, the co-writer and producer of the anthemic “Finished;” and The Fellas, on her current single, “Help Me.” “Touch From You,” the debut single from the album, added to Tamela’s bank of personal bests; the track was her seventh No. 1 on Billboard’s Gospel Airplay chart. “Source” and “He Did It For Me” are two other standouts. Says Tamela of the inspiration behind the lyrics for them both: “God is the source and my go-to when I’m lost. I can’t do anything without Him, and I never want to try to.”

Overcomer is the latest accomplishment and centerpiece in Tamela’s busy career. In Tyler Perry’s Assisted Living (BET+), she reprises her role as “Cora,” which she originated in Perry’s successful “Madea” plays, films, and hit television show, Tyler Perry’s Meet The Browns. She and David released their first book and joint album, the NAACP Image® Award-winning Us Against the World. She is starring in two upcoming films: the Tyler Perry “Madea” movie coming to Netflix and Soul Santa airing this Christmas on BET, which she executive produced with David. Tamela also launched her own successful athleisure apparel line, the Tamela Mann Collection (tamelamann.com). The line has become a popular staple in the athleisure apparel space.

Tamela has always created art that encourages people and draws them closer to their faith. Her hit-laden music career includes such memorable songs as “Change Me,” “God Provides,” and the unforgettable, No. 1 Platinum-selling classic, “Take Me to the King.” Tamela has earned numerous accolades. In addition to scoring a Grammy®, she is a BET Award winner, Billboard Music Award winner, and multiple Gospel Music Stellar Award, NAACP Image® Award, and GMA Dove Award winner.

“I love butterflies. I feel like I’m coming out of the cocoon again, energized and on fire,” says Tamela, who underwent surgery to have both her knees replaced in the summer of 2019. After taking some time to work on her health and wellness, and a fresh creative mindset, she’s stepping forward a changed woman to express her heart and soul. “This is new music for a new time and a new me,” she says.

If someone were to ask the singer/songwriter what her greatest wish was for this album, says Tamela Mann: “My heart’s desire is to give people hope and let them know there’s still compassion in the world. It’s the opportunity for me again to show God’s love and His grace. That’s my purpose in life and for Overcomer.”

Overcomer is available for pre-sale now.
Track List:
Finished Work feat. Todd Dulaney
I Am
Source
Help Me feat. The Fellas
Hello God feat. Wyclef Jean and Kirk Franklin
Healer
Conqueror
Overcomer
Touch From You
He Did It For Me
Final Answer
Finished
WATCH THE OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO FOR “HELP ME” FEAT. THE FELLAS

And if you would like to read an interview I did with Tamela Mann, check out “Tamela Mann Shares About ‘The Gospel Tradition: In Performance At The White House’ & More: MY INTERVIEW…” In this interview, she shared her secrets for a long-lasting marriage, how they couldn’t afford to have a wedding and her favorite celebrity perk…
Connect with Tamela Mann:
Any thoughts?

Hosted by BeBe & Deborah Joy Winans aka Charity Greenleaf, OWN To Premiere Easter Gospel Music Special ‘Our OWN Easter’ on Tues, March 30 Featuring Fantasia, Anthony Hamilton, Kirk Franklin & More

Hello World,

The most triumphant date of our Christian faith is a week from today! To honor Easter, OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network announced  that “Our OWN Easter,” a one-hour gospel music special celebrating the glory of the Resurrection will premiere on the network Tuesday, March 30 at 9 p.m. ET/PT following the critically-acclaimed drama series, “Queen Sugar.”

“Our OWN Easter” from executive producer Dr. Holly Carter, Rikki Hughes and Relevé Entertainment, an All3Media America company, will showcase some of the most renowned gospel and R&B artists in music and entertainment as they commemorate Easter in their “OWN” unique way, blending sunrise service traditions with modern performances.

The spiritual celebration will be hosted by gospel royalty and GRAMMY Award winner BeBe Winans and his talented multi-hyphenated niece Deborah Joy Winans who starred as Charity Greenleaf in the hit OWN series “Greenleaf” for five seasons.  It will feature powerful, uplifting, and iconic performances by such artists as Fantasia, CeCe Winans, Kirk Franklin, Anthony Hamilton and The Hamiltones, Ledisi, Travis Greene, Osby Berry, Jonathan McReynolds, with appearances by Cedric the Entertainer, Michelle Williams and others. Viewers will also experience inspiring spoken word from prominent faith leaders Bishop J. Drew Sheard, Pastor William Murphy and Priscilla Shirer.

Check out the trailer below!

“Our OWN Easter” is the second special for OWN produced with Dr. Holly Carter and Relevé Entertainment. The first special, “Our OWN Christmas,” hosted by Meagan Good and DeVon Franklin, premiered on OWN in December and was the #1 non-news cable telecast in the time period among African-American W18+, households and total viewers.

Holly Carter is the founder of Relevé Entertainment, which specializes in television/film production, talent partnerships, and brand development. The company consistently delivers high-quality, “break-through” family and faith-based programming that engages national audiences. Recently, Carter created and executive produced “The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel,” the highest-rated original TV movie of 2020.

Any thoughts?

After Audio Leaked In Which Kirk Franklin Curses Out His Son, I Have to Ask, ‘Should Cursing Cancel You as a Christian/Gospel Artist?’

Kirk Franklin to Appear on Tamron Hall on Wednesday, March 17!

Hello World,

By now, I’m sure you’ve heard the explicit exchange between Gospel megastar Kirk Franklin, 51, and his estranged son Kerrion Franklin, 32. I first heard it on Saturday night, but because I was already preparing a pretty length post for the next day, I knew I would have to get to it at a later date. If you have not heard it, it is below…As I wrote above, it is explicit so if you are offended by hearing curse words, I suggest you not click on the IG post.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Swank Media LLC (@kerrionrashad)

However, if do you want the gist of it without listening to it, here’s a summary of what was said…

“You need to get your skinny motherf**king a$$ back out the go**amn way before I put my foot in your a$$… I will break your neck! Don’t you ever disrespect me,” Kirk said.

“Did he just hang up the phone? ‘I’ll break your neck.’ Is that a threat?” said Kerrion.

Kerrion posted the exchange on his IG page. Along with the audio, he wrote, “This is why I’m done. No father should speak to their children like this.” He also posted more commentary that you can read in the IG post above.

Kirk has since responded to his son Kerrion posting this private conversation. See his IG post below.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Kirk Franklin (@kirkfranklin)

Since then, despite what was said, many people have demonstrated their support for Kirk Franklin including Steve Harvey and Rickey Smiley. And I have to admit that I’m a fan of Kirk Franklin, and when I met him some years ago, I thought he was so nice. That being said, I’m going to try to be as objective and fair as I can.

First of all, I must say that Kerrion was wrong to secretly record his father and secondly, he was wrong to post what was obviously meant to be a private exchange between him and his father. I have to wonder if Kerrion somehow baited his father to get the reaction that he did knowing that he was recording him. And then as Kirk pointed out, he only posted a snippet of the exchange and not the full exchange which included Kirk reaching out the family therapist for help. In his apology video above, he said their relationship has been toxic for some time and based on what was said, that is obviously true. If Kerrion was going to post the exchange, he should have posted the whole exchange, not a snippet. And for the record, this is not the first time their toxic relationship has caused headlines. In 2018, Kerrion even said his father was trying to kill him. Read that HERE. In fact, I think I’ve even read at some point that his son suffers from a mental illness…Don’t get me to lying..but I feel like I’ve read that or heard that somewhere…I could be wrong though….

Now, that being said (written), let me get into this a bit deeper. Let me start off by stating that I’m not a parent. I’ve seen various Facebook posts from parents in which they said that children can take you there sometimes. I can only imagine, but I take them at their word. HOWEVER, Kirk was flowing with those curse words like it was a song that he had written and knew very well. If somebody in his inner circle said he regularly cursed, I wouldn’t be surprised.

The word says, “A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” Luke 6:45

Essentially, what is in you comes out of you…

I’m not saying Kirk Franklin is evil, I’m saying that he sounds like cursing is a somewhat regular part of his vocabulary…

Additionally, in the word, it is stated, “Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.” James 3:10

We all know that Kirk Franklin can shonuff praise God, but using the word “go**amn” is certainly a wrong use of God’s name.

Earlier in James 3, actually, the very first verse states that, “Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.” And the section of that chapter is about “taming the tongue.”

As a Gospel megastar with a worldwide platform, Kirk is subject to more scrutiny and rightfully so…

I’m not cancelling Kirk Franklin namely because I’m not a fan of the cancel culture…That being said, I hope he uses this revelation as a barometer to check himself. Does his persona in private match what he presents publicly. No one is perfect that is for sure. But even the everyday Christian without a platform should be demonstrably becoming more and more Christlike in their words and deeds. I have grown in some areas and some areas I have yet to grow. For some reason, I find myself arguing with people at the grocery store lately. I think it’s because it’s my only social outlet in the pandemic 🙁 But I have a mentor who has challenged me on these outbursts. We all need to people who can help us check ourselves before we wreck ourselves…

As Kirk asked for in his apology video, I will pray for him and his family. And I will keep praying for myself too…

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Any thoughts?