Marvin Sapp on Doing Lean, Edgy Gospel, Kanye, Lil Nas X, Bieber, Diddy, Lil Wayne (Full Interview)

traveling as a preacher all over the country, I'm

doing

revivals here, there and everywhere, and I have been

doing

it. success

full

y for a year and um, I just told him, I said, well, you know, I thank God that you called me to tell me about this opportunity, but every good idea is not a good idea and I want to make sure that these linesI remember where you know God is trying to take me and trying to take me so two months later he told me it was a commission and every month Fred called me and we prayed every month to call me, we prayed and then eight months.

With that, I packed my bags and moved to Detroit, uh, which is about two hours, two and a half hours from Grand Rapids and the rest is history because that's how it was and we didn't know each other, you know, I lived with him, maybe a month when I first moved to Detroit and then I went and got my own apartment, him and his wife and his daughter and um and I'll tell people ask this all the time. I learned to be a man from those guys um. They're a lot older than me, they're all 60 years old, like 61 62, and of course, you know, I'm 55 and, uh, but they taught me how to be a man, they taught me what a real man is. what you're supposed to do when it comes to your family, they taught me how to be a husband, um, you know, even while we were traveling, you know, I never saw them have chicks and side pieces and all that kind of stuff that they were very careful about. oh really. you know, maintaining a standard of integrity um and that helped me because I had never seen that, you know, uh, you know, and you know, growing up in the house again where there was no father, they weren't my parents, but they were absolutely my parents. mentors, so you know, I'm grateful, man, if Fred saw something in me that I didn't see in myself he gave me the opportunity to use his platform to be able to be where I am today and I firmly believe in that.

You don't forget the bridge that took you across one of the things I've learned that we do is we get there and then we forget about the people that showed us that we had to hold on to get where we got and uh, I never want to be that guy, you know, I'm grateful to Fred Mitchell, Carl Michael Williams, uh, Max, Frank, Michael Brooks, uh, Keith, indicating who left the group, which gave me access to the group, uh, I'm grateful for all those guys. Man, for being the forerunners that they were, to give me the opportunity to do what I needed to do and what I can do now, happily, so beautiful that if you give them their flowers, they deserve it, yes, for anyone who is not familiar . with commission, my God, uh, the commission was yes, especially at that time, they were so trying, so nervous, there was the r b

gospel

group, I mean all the ones that people listen to now 112. um Boys to Men tank uh, everyone listening now uh Jesus, uh, everyone, especially in those days, a lot of the Melodies, everything, took our harmonies and a lot of people don't know it because, again, you know, the commission, you know we were doing things avant-garde, very avant-garde, um, and you know, it took a lot of heat from the church because you know we were singing songs like hold me safe in your arms and like who are they talking about and we talked about Jesus holding us and you know, uh, I'm here, you know just r b I Love Thinking songs from you guys makes me happy when I think about them they listened to these songs like who the hell were they singing about and we knew who we were singing about but we just wanted to make sure our music was relevant and relatable man and Did they know he was

edgy

from a church standpoint because he was pure R B?

We were pure R and B and if you don't listen to the commission, go, I'll get some of that stuff, it'll scare you, it'll be like that. Gospel, this '90s

gospel

, yeah, you know we didn't get what we just did, but when you talk to people like 112 tank Jodeci uh Boyz II Men, they'll tell you a lot of the things they do and why. The reason they do what they do the way they have is because they heard us do it first. I mean, you see commissioned influence in so many rb artists and you just named just a few, I mean, even as you speak.

I'm thinking of Tyrese and many others in those days, it was silk, there were so many of them that you can say they were fanatics of the commission and they took the harmonies and they took the Melodies and Incorporated what you were. doing what they did and they all became very successful, extremely successful. um, I want to back up for a second because you said something that, um, I really loved, you know, and this is for anyone who is, um, no matter where you are in your life is going to be great where you are, you just told the story, no. it's like you're Fred Hammond's nephew, you're not his little brother, you were literally out there doing your thing, singing, blowing, they came to your church, you opened up for them at 15 and because you were being cool right where you were when there was no fanfare where there was no one shouting your name when there was no one booking you for shows you knew that one day this man who had seen you heard about you would say we're looking for a new group.

I need that child. I need that guy that I am. I don't even have a relationship with this man. It's such an important lesson that people need to understand because everyone wants to. wait until where they consider the finish line to be or uh hell, the place they're trying to go before giving it one hundred and ten percent, do it now because you don't know who's watching you, right? you know who's watching you know who's paying attention you don't know who's got their eye on you and again I never imagined it, man, I mean, like I'm buying tickets to these guys' concerts, right, I'm driving, you know, me and my boy Derek driving to Detroit to hear them in Indianapolis, Chicago, you know, listen to these guys, all these new songs and stuff, and then you meet the same group that I was a groupie with, I'm a, I'm, I just le I tell people the best and I can say it like that.

I said the best feeling ever is being a groupie in a group. That's the best feeling you can get. You're sitting in the group and you look at the guys you grew up listening to and you say. oh my god oh my god I can't believe I'm up here with them I wonder what they're going to sing and the truth of the matter is you know what they're going to sing and then you start singing the songs with them and you start reflecting on the moments where you heard those same songs and what they meant to you, so it was just man, it was six, six of the best years of my life, I mean, being with the group for six years.

They were six of the best years of my life because they gave me the opportunity to grow, learn, reflect and also be a part of something that was great, it was great to be a part of something. that that had the level of impact that it had on the group r b's music, you know the story and the fanfare, it's pretty interesting like Cutting Edge and so ahead of its time like when they were nominated for the Grammys, nominated for the Stella awards, They never won anything, they never won. bro you can never believe we had that conversation so long ago he says it's amazing man we were a group that had this level of influence nominated for every award and we never won any in fact we won one but we won it so late.

It was like for a niche record it wasn't even a legitimate award, it was like we made the commission reunion record, I think in 2002 or 2003, and we won a Stella for uh, especially, but when it came to liking it our music, our normal things and being nominated for Grammys and palomas and Stellas and things like that, you never know, they had the Winans document locked, the wine is that little padlock back there, it was the Winans, the wine is the Winans, if not If it wasn't the wine and the brothers, it was BB and CeCe, all VPN CC, it was Daniel, if it wasn't Dan's video, it was Vicky, it was just the wine, man, it was negative everywhere, I was like , uh, so you know.

Your name came up and it was in the same vein as the wine, as we knew it's an honor to be honored, that's what we kept saying, an honor to be honest, okay, you guys are a group from 1990 to 1996. um, you come in a group and I think it's like this seventh album number seven, number seven, yeah, well, I did one before, I did one before, I did what they call Carmen Commission Christ Church, but that was a compilation album, but the actual album was number seven, yes, it was album number seven, that's because there's a song King of Glory, yes sir, and that's almost like Marvin Sapp's launch party right there, it was actually my introduction to the world.

It was, but it's crazy because you went and I don't know if it was a co-star, it's Fred Hammond and you going back and forth, but you really said okay, I have my time to shine and I'm about to. do my thing well how much pressure was on you Fred was a man of genius I mean I'm not going to say if Fred is a man of genius because what Fred did was Fred said Marvin, you know what I want you to do is I love you the best you can. to match my tone you know you grew up listening to commissions you know everyone you know you chose who you wanted to sound like you know some people wanted to sound like Mitchell you know some people want to sound like Keith some people want to sound like Carl well I knew how to sound like Fred, so what he said, he said matches my tone and I said match your tone, he's like match my tone, you, the producer, so I'll do what you tell me.

The reason he did it was because he didn't want people to really know the difference between him and me, so when we went on stage initially people thought it was all him and then when we started coming back and forth It's like you expect a minute it's this kid you know and it's like you know I was like this joke is a genius man and uh yeah, number seven that king of glory I think not, I don't even think about it, but I know you know it King And Glory it's probably the biggest song commission they've ever done out of all the records they've made and, you know, Fred, he wrote an amazing song together with um, I can't think of his name, he just passed away too.

Not too long ago, he lived here in Dallas, oh God, I can't think of his name, but you know they wrote an amazing song, man, and let me be a part of it, and I mean, you know the number. The seventh album was that, that, that rocket for me that really gave me, you know, because it was, it was crazy, it was crazy, like, like we were going to do concerts, man, this is funny, but you know , back then it was But now we go to concerts and we come out with our coming out song called "It's so good to know, so we're on stage, you know, it's so good to know that Carl is singing his part, everyone screaming, screaming "You know, uh." Fred's singers are partying, everyone is shouting, shouting, Mitchell is singing his part, everyone is shouting, shouting.

I had to sing Keith's part, so when I started singing my Keith part, you can hear a pin drop in the building, it was like everything went quiet, quiet because everyone wants to see what. this kid is going to do and how it's going to sound and if it fits so it took me almost a year and a half or two years to really gain the respect of the crowd uh and and yeah, but it did. It was a fun two years at first, I was a little offended, I was like, man, you know, they're tripping, they get, they scream for call, they scream for Mitchell, they scream for Fred, to me it's like you know you can hear, you know a rat. peeing on Cotton Almost was just terrible, man, I was like my God, but then after my body it took about a year, I could say two years, but it took about a year, you know, after a while, you know, the people lost their minds every time they walked. to the microphone so you know, you know they were committed to Keith and they were still committed to Keith and they're still here to stay, but you know they, they, they embraced me and accepted me too, so it was great, beautiful, beautiful, okay.

I don't want to go too far in this

interview

because we have talked about people who were pillars in your professional life, people who helped shape you, people who help you take your career to the next level, mentors, but there is someone we have to mention . before we continue, your wife, Dr. Melinda Sapp, hey, it's hard to say her name without saying yours and vice versa in I've seen your wife, I've seen pictures, and I remember when she walked this Earth with all respect in my heart you had a beautiful wife your wife was beautiful now I remember Marvin Sapp he was skinny with no face you beat up the young monster he had some games you should have had a different kind of game in Grand Rapids the loot was a little different the loot was a little different in that one so the swag was a little different back then um yeah, I mean, we grew up together, I mean, we went to elementary school, uh, high school, we went out twice for the senior prom, she would beat another boy, I went with another. girl, uh, these are facts, but we were just friends, man, and you know, I tell people all the time that one of the best people to date intending to get married is someone who knows all your dirt and reason They're the best is because you can't fool them and she knew all my dirt, she knew all the bodies where she knew it and once we started dating, I knew without a doubt that she was going to be my wife, I knew it, I knew it.

I knew maybe in six months maybe a lotcollege professor and all the different things we share, she's also my manager and was an executive producer on my records. so she told me: look, you need to record this. I said: record what she said, she would never have made it. I said, no, man, you don't know what you're talking about, and I said, "you let me do the music, you just handle everything." stuff as far as contracts and then but then she was like no baby I'm serious this is an important song I said it's not even a

full

song I could never have been stronger better that's it and she He said, well, me.

I'm telling you that you need to do this and we go back and forth and finally I said I'm not doing it. Point blank, we don't need to talk anymore. I went out of town and came back to do the live recording and Aaron my producer was like Hey dude, Linda, tell me about this song and I was like, Didn't I tell you we weren't going to do this? So we go back and forth when we finally decided that we were going to put it in a medley of songs on the recording date no, no, we didn't rehearse it, it was like we could re-record the whole album in about an hour and a half, so yeah You know, okay, we'll put it in a medley of songs, now that you know the music business as much as I do.

Well, like I do, you never put your hits at the end of your record because people don't listen as far down as they ever would have, It's like 11 of 12 or 12 of 13. I know that set, it's like down here. So the next thing I know, man, a year later, it's like the number one hip-hop, rb, gospel song in the country. You know, I'm singing it at the BET Awards and I'm sitting here like this is crazy and then it turns around. like I get calls like you haven't sold three million or 4 million ringbacks and ringtones and your double triple platinum Here There and everyone I said this song and then 47 weeks of 48 weeks and number one on the radio so I'm sitting to be like this song wait, stop, stop, let me help you here, there are 52 weeks in a year, like, let's put this in perspective, two weeks in a year, yeah, Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson, he never did, Fritz, there have been some big artists who have released big records and no one has stayed at the top of the number one charts on the chart for 47 weeks in a row yes it's the longest running number one single the longest running number one single in history of music and no one has ever done it the Beatles man uh Michael Jackson Prince no one I've ever done it and I'm sitting here like amazed that something so simple had such longevity and then, even more surprising, it was I tell people all the time.

I never take credit for the fact that people had the opportunity to hear this. song because the truth is that they would never have heard it if it weren't for my annoyance and my wife my wife nag nag nag nag nag nag nag nag nag and um but when I look back I'm very grateful um that she you know was extremely persistent in what that's about making sure that message got out and that's why you know again. I say it all the time, man, don't forget the bridge that she brought you, you know she was that person that made sure we got published. that song and you know I sang it, but she gets all the credit because of the people who heard it, you talked about how that song came about.

I'm not creative, I don't write music, uh, I don't produce it. You are in the middle of grieving, three days have passed since you let your father rest eternally. Make these records. He just gets, I mean, excuse me. The lyrics just came to you in a place where you were the night before. Write this down. What is the process? You know what I know, I tell people this all the time. I tell people, you know, my hits always come after I get a hit, so it's like I don't want to write any more hit songs because every time I write a hit.

I have to take one, you know, my father died, I wrote uh, I never would have made it, uh, my pastor and spiritual mentor died, I wrote the best of me, uh, my wife died, I wrote a song called My Testimony, um, Every time I write a hit, I have to take it. a success first and I think I'm fine. I have enough hits in my life without having to write another hit. If I could write something that you know would encourage people, that would be enough for Me, but no man, they just happen like they never did.

It was a moment, I literally just stood there. I started singing the words um Best in Me. It was a moment where I stood there and started singing the words um uh my. testimony was a moment I think I wrote my testimony in less than five minutes the whole song um wow and it just happened and uh you know I'm grateful um I think what God was doing is he was using me as a conduit to spread a message that people I needed to listen to encourage them and I'm grateful that you know that he trusts me in that way because that's a big thing and you know my music like I said before you know my music is churchy but funky. that's that and I think that's what keeps it relevant because you know I like the formula and the formula that I use works for me you know it's so nice you understand maybe this is because you've been in the pulpit and you've been preaching a word for so many years you want you're nothing more than the vessel you're the conduit that's all um God alone and I think that's why your music has resonated with as many people as it has throughout the world. years because most, if not all, hit records come from a very honest place, they come from a very vulnerable place and like you said, you know that to be able to do it, but with all the hits you had to be the first one to get a hit and this is just You sing and express in some way what you were going through at that moment, without realizing that there are millions of people who are going through the exact same thing, you never imagined it, you never imagined it and, again, you know that when we started talking you asked me to do it.

I ever thought that you know in my wildest imagination that the things that I have been able to do, the achievements that I have achieved in this career, uh, that God has given me what I never thought, I never thought that you know what it would be. you know, seen as an iconic figure or you know the awards ceremonies that I watched for so many years, you know I would be on stage receiving them and that was never my thought, my thought was that I just wanted to be able to play good music that would lift people up. and you know the Bible says you know the work is worthy of its superiors, it was its rewards, so you know God decided to say "it's okay, Marvin, because you've been faithful in some things." I'm going to make you rule over many, so I appreciate it, I really do, man, and this ain't it, it ain't pseudo-humility, it ain't like it's every day and all you know is I'm like, damn, really. , you keep doing things that God really likes, even though you're not done yet, you know you'll keep blowing up a brother and blowing his head off, all at the same time, okay, I'll stick with you because you know I'm winning and doing it your way I'm winning your way um you talked about the 2009 awards shows I mean you ride on a high 2007 2008 2009 you know big year for you you win best gospel artists of the year at the BET awards. act I don't want to say it's not a surprise, you know you won all seven Stella Awards you were nominated for in your life.

I am sure that at this point I have already achieved more than I thought I would do in this life. I'm that guy, but at the same time your wife is fake sick, yes, at your peak, you and you spoke so eloquently and lovingly about your wife in this

interview

, how do you get to the first and most important thing that you Was your wife diagnosed? colon kids, yeah, how did you guys hear the news and how do you handle this when you're at the pinnacle of your career? Well, I mean, I tell people I never had the opportunity to just enjoy that season of my life. because during that period of my life, you know, I buried my dad and then after I buried my dad, two years later, my wife was diagnosed with stage four colon cancer, so it's like I never had the chance to really enjoy everything, you know. celebratory piece because she was so busy caring and trying to navigate through everything, you know, I just want her to be alive.

I just buried my dad, she's sick now, you know, it was, it was, it was, it just wasn't the time to really be able to celebrate, you know, race stuff, you know, okay, here's the award stuck on the shelf, now we're going to do chemo, you know, I mean, like it was like that, I mean, it was like you know, you know, here's another nomination, okay? well, you know, here's a big royalty check, okay, deposit, let's get the private jet and go to Houston so we can go to MD Anderson, you know, that's how it was, it was more, you know, I'm trying to figure out how I can do it.

Say it correctly because I don't want anyone to get lost when they don't understand the point I'm trying to get across. The point I'm really trying to get across is that it's extremely difficult to really enjoy success and what you've achieved when the thing you want more than what you've achieved is dying um you know it you know it's it you know it like it was like you know that I would give each of these awards and I would give you the shit back you know if she can still be here it was at that time it was like that so you know I had little kids you know my kids were like when their mom was diagnosed they were 9, 11 and 14 years. and then when she passed away, they were 11, 13 and 16 years old.

I mean, you know, I'm trying to figure out how I'm going to get through that as a parent and you know, I have two little girls that need their mom. I mean, it was just who thinks about the music, who thinks about the record accolades. and career goals and all that kind of stuff, you know, the focus at that time was really just trying to, you know, make sure that, number one, I didn't lose my mind, number two, that my kids could be healthy emotionally and mentally and spiritually and you know that season was a blur as far as music goes, you know, it's just that I think I was more or less on autopilot, but you know, fortunately, you know that God allowed me, you know the level of success that we achieved. helps fund Our Lives because I stayed home a lot during those times.

You know he was home with her and then after she passed away, you also know he had to be a dad. I mean, you know, my kids needed someone to take them to school. and they needed someone to pick them up and you know, helping them with homework and you know, I didn't do much to help with homework, I hired tutors, that was the goal, they had tutors and, but, you know, just trying to make sure. You know, bringing their grandmother home with them so they can, you know, feel the love and warmth of a family. um, these musical things didn't matter anymore at that point.

I'm going to be honest, just like you know, I'm I'm okay, let me make sure my kids are good because I know what we tend to do is strive in our careers to feel some level of silence and comfort and satisfaction, no, that wasn't it. my goal at that time, you know I was trying to stabilize my church, I was trying to make sure my kids were great and, you know, the music is this music, that's where I was at that time, but you know God kept us and uh I'm proud of my kids and my son actually lives here in North Dallas he's building a new house he works for an amazing company uh Amazon web services my middle daughter she's in her master's program and my little girl he graduates with a double degree um in two weeks, so beautiful, beautiful, I mean, congratulations, yeah man, the kids could have done what I did, you know what I'm saying, like you know my son, my daughters , they could have gone out and started, you know. freaked out, but they didn't do that, I mean, they, you know, they, adults, do adult things, but you know they didn't want much or any of that because I know I probably would have if I had lost. my mom, you know, but they don't, no, we see it too often when you meet people when it's one thing to lose your dad, but it's another thing to lose mom, it's a whole different story, um, I lost my mom. recently. a year ago and I feel like at this age and at this point my life and her have the opportunity to be with me for so many years, I feel like a talk like, okay, mom is leaving, that's it, how are the kids doing? so small?

I see it too often, they usually have problems, they grow up and start to rebel, it is a testament to you, in the Lord, that all your children turned out well, especially the preacher children, that is right, especially the frozen children because they lose . There are crazy minds here, boy, but you know, I think the reason my kids are so well balanced and well, my young adults now I can't call my kids, but my young adults are so well balanced is number one in the one I put them on. counseling right away, uh, their mom was a licensed psychologist, so it was easy for me to make sure that they got them into therapy, you know, but I think another thing too was that I've always been that kind of pastor where you know you never I neglected my children for the church um, I would neglect the church for my children because honestly, my first ministry is for my children, it's not like you know that my first is not formy phone and and um, look at my gospel playlist, you're at the top and um, and this is a true and honest story, but there is one record that speaks to me, there are so many that I know a lot of other people love, but It is not like this.

It gets the credit it deserves and I love your intro but it's called Praise Him in Advance yeah but the way you open that song because you start talking and I don't remember the exact words but it's something you said. Some people gone crazy, Faith, they're not going to let what they see get in the way of what they believe, yeah, and basically you like, what you have to do is praise them up front for such a powerful record and then you have another record that just I love it, it's called Close and I think it was a thirsty album.

Could. I love that album. Close. You know, I wish I could sing like you, but you know, going through that, let's see. I must be close to my destination. I must be close to my victory. because here come the tests, the problems, oh my god that's great, I have to be close to what I'm supposed to get to and the reason I have to be around is because all this mess wouldn't be happening if I wasn't around . be around these distractions these headaches man, old school, yeah, when did I make that record? I think it might be eight years ago, six, seven, eight years ago, that's it, yeah, ten years ago, 18 years ago, somewhere in there, yeah, I loved that album.

I love wow yeah ok I have a random question for you yeah it might be good and maybe you're good at hiding your dirt who knows don't get offended by the question never heard any scandal against you never heard any mess you know preachers sometimes they all get lumped together in the same barrel because you know other preachers that are out there preaching the gospel and you know that they are coming out holier than thou and then you find out that they weren't living what they were preaching all the time, how did you manage with all your success to stay?

You have to stay faithful to Christ, stay on purpose, whether you know, like I said, I don't know what goes on behind closed doors, but I've never heard anything about Bishop Marvin Sapp, you know I'm, you know I'm going to do it. Say this without a doubt, I am not perfect, not even close. I have struggles with Afroclivities, I have challenges and problems that I fight daily, but I firmly believe in the scriptures and I am going to move forward. To misquote it on purpose, the Bible says to whom much is given, much is required, but I believe that to whom much is given, much more is required, and I believe that for me you know this because I have been successful and because I have been able to achieve things that most artists have not been able to achieve and because of those things that I have been able to achieve, the fact that most artists have not been able to achieve has given me the ability to be in a different financial stratosphere than most of the others.

I just believe strongly in valuing myself and I'm trying to make sure I say this right. I'm just okay, okay, I'll just say it the way I hear it. I just don't believe in doing stupid things. it's going to affect your financial position um it's not just about money for me because it's not because I don't want people to take this the wrong way uh it's not about money that's not what keeps me in check. I have an honest reverence. by the god of my salvation um and I'm afraid too, but along with that reverence and fear I also think that in the Ministry you're one mistake away from destroying your entire ministry career, yeah, so you gotta make sure you know that.

I use levels of discretion and wisdom, I do it very well and I like my lifestyle so I want to maintain it and what I have learned so I can maintain the lifestyle that I have become so accustomed to. Part of that is I have to live a certain type of life not just in front of people, but that level of discipline also has to happen behind closed doors and that's been the way I've been able to successfully stay out of major drama. Again, I'm not saying there hasn't been any drama in my life, but not one selfie, not one self-inflicted wound, right, you know, out there doing things that are just stupid and, uh, because I feel like I'm big enough and bad and I've grown up, I have people who follow me, I have people who look to me for guidance and spiritual direction, you know, I have people who, you know, see me as an example and as a role model, I take it very seriously . um, it's not something that no, no, I don't take it seriously, I absolutely take it very seriously, so if I have to live an extremely disciplined life to ensure that people still have hope in ministry gifts, I hate how they portray us. on television.

I hate how we are portrayed on docuseries or reality shows and when I say we, I mean not just preachers but men and women who know in order for us in the urban community to have any kind of shine on television we have to do Ratchet and I just don't think that has to be that way so you know, I try my best to live what I preach and, you know, that's it for me because again too much is given a lot more is required yes it is um it's really what you know for worship um do what you do and every preacher is not like you every preacher is not in the public eye um every preacher doesn't have to play records and still be virtuous and still be a practitioner of what he preaches , you know, just go on a little bit, yeah, I mean, I'm sure it was your friend, the late Bishop Eddie Long, you know, he was someone who liked him. many old school preachers denounced homosexuality, he preached against same sex marriage and in 2010 if I remember correctly you know there was a scandal now, it was never proven one way or another before men came out and they said that. that forced them to have relationships with them and it was a big thing within the community and I know this is someone you've preached to in his church, you know he's a fellow bishop, he's also someone who's published records um I love prayer. from one of their record servers, oh yeah, I think it's a beautiful record, but when something like that hits the mainstream and hits the community so hard, you know, number one, did you ever suspect that something like that could be said about the man? that you knew Bishop Eddie Long uh and two, how do you handle this or internalize this going forward because you know it reflects on everyone?

First, I didn't know any of the details and I still don't know any of the details or nuances. of what happened um as a minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ I base myself on the scriptures of Galatians 6 and 1. the Bible says something profound in Galatians 6 and 1 it says that if you find someone who has a thought that occurs to you, those of you are supposed to that all who are spiritual should restore them in a spirit of meekness, considering himself so that he does not fall into the same temptation, which simply means that he knows that all of us, without a doubt, have struggles and inclinations to which we are subject or that we possibly fall into them, but our responsibility as those who claim to be spiritual is supposed to help restore the individual who is falling, that is, to speak of life in the sense of affirming, not accepting or looking beyond what They have done, of course, reprimand, but the goal is to restore and put. back into the position they had fallen from because that's what the shed blood of Jesus Christ was about anyway, the reason Jesus died is so we can put ourselves back in the right position when it comes to our relationship with God the father.

You know my goal has never been for any preacher, Eddie, or for anyone else, or for anyone in the pews, because you know the Bible is clear that we have all sinned and come short of the glory of God, so What do you know, I look at the bishop. long and what he was accused of as something heinous um I see it as something horrible um you know and at that moment uh when I heard it I did two things uh I never tried to judge the situation but I made sure that I prayed for the victims and I also prayed for him because as a minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ that's what we're supposed to do and that's what I did now people were hot because they were like, well, how are you going to pray for him? because if it's true that it needs prayer and if it's not true it needs prayer and the victims need prayer, so you know, instead of sitting in a position of judgment, uh uh, I prefer what I expect to receive if I find myself in a situation. similar. situation and that is you know I'm always going to sow Mercy because I want to receive Mercy if it's ever me and I think if we did that more often as people of faith, the rest of our days will be the best of our days. days well said well said well talking about that, did you ever get a chance to talk to um Bishop Long just off the record?

I mean, you know how he handled it. He was broke because this was a big, I mean, during the scandal period that I was in. You just know, I talked to him maybe because I preached at his church maybe a year and a half before he passed away and we never talked about the Scandal piece, but what he did tell me was that Best in Me was a song that he wrote. he listened to constantly and that song got him through some of the hardest seasons of his life, um, but I never, ever, ever sat down and talked to him about you know what he was going through, scandalized things like that, I just went and he .

He was like Marvel, would you come to my church? I thought: I would love to come if you invite me. I will come and preach. And I came to preach. I think it was one of his anniversaries about a year and a half before he died. and during that time he was just telling me how you know the best thing about me was it was was what was the psalm that got him through you know one of the most difficult seasons of his life you know and To be fair to the bishop um you know , he denied these accusations until the day he died.

I'm not sure how it all played out. I think there were some settlements that were made outside of court, but this was never something he admitted to. Oh, that's above my pay grade. I don't know anything about that, so be it, you can move on. um you know little Nas in a Christian family, uh, you know he was gay, they made him feel like he was against the church, what's your opinion on homosexuality and Christianity? No, I don't know if he's against the church, uh, and I just know it. that there are some biblical things when it comes to everyone has their own particular theology and I'm going to say you know some people's theology has evolved when it comes to homosexuality being in the church uh and when you study the Bible you would know that. the notice that that was a problem or it was a problem in the church in the old days anyway from a biblical point of view um my position is you know I'm a straight man.

I believe in you know a man and a woman are together um. I will not say nor will I put anyone in heaven or hell for what they decide to do. Because that is a divine decision. He will decide where people will end up based on his lifestyle. And you know, I just preach what I preach. I believe and I just believe that you know that we have all sinned and come short of the glory of God and the reality is that whatever you are you can be born again period um and and that's what the Bible declares I say well well I'm gay born again you know well I'm straight born again uh the reality is that all of us are supposed to be transformed by the renewal of our minds and you know that transformation will bring changes I just think you know people How can I say this?

Sometimes they try to use the church to justify why they are the way they are. You know, I grew up in a Christian home. I grew up in a Christian home. You know, I was still doing what I did. was doing, but you know, I realized the fact of who I was supposed to be in God. uh nazex decided to go in another direction. I respect his decision. I agree with that? I don't have to do it because that's his decision. You just know I'm just going to preach the kingdom of Jesus Christ and what I believe as a preacher and uh and and that's what it's really about for me, I got you, let me pick your brain on something else, Kanye.

West, his Jesus is King album in 2021, with one look, I knocked him out of the number one spot, he was number one forever and I went in and knocked him out of the number one spot in 2021. That's right, yeah, I did it . go ahead Bishop, yeah okay, now I'm going to be honest, a lot of gospel people have a problem with it because that's where I'm going, what do you think about it? Yeah, you know, you know, I'll trip over that kind of thing. stuff, man, I mean because, well, let me put it this way, how can I say this?

I see you asking me all these questions that most people don't ask me. Gospel music is the only genre that allows people outside of your gender to make records and get nominated in your genre if you know that as a gospel artist you couldn't make a hip-hop song and get nominated in the right hip-hop, so I did well, uh, Lil Nas, because you raised him, it's perfect, uh, country song. he did the rap song, they took him off all the CMA stuff, yeah, 'cause they said it wasn't country just in gospel, can you be a gospel artist, can you be a hip-hop artist, can you be a R B and be nominated? our gender, which is why many of our people are offended byhaving done or are doing gospel um when people outside of our genre have the opportunity to be nominated for awards in our genre um how do I feel about that?

It's a bit bad for me. to sing like that, I've been nominated for everything, yeah, I've won more awards than most people will ever win, so I'm fine with that. I say, hey, whatever you know, and maybe I'm okay with that because you know, I'm looking curiously at the top of the hill, yeah, you know, I'm just looking at it differently, but I can absolutely sympathize with the artists. promising when you look at the billboard and Kanye's entire album because in a way, from one to forty you know our genre I think it's fair you know now I think it's not I don't think it's fair at all um and I think it's What ends up happening is that it ends up overshadowing those of us who really do this for the genre and as a lifestyle, yeah, that was good, Marvin, yeah, that was good, then those who really do it for the genre and the style of life, but you know, it happens, I mean, billboard, does the media base do it?

It's, you know, all these different streaming platforms, you know, if an r b hip-hop artist comes out and does something gospel-oriented, you know they're going to bring it into our genre and we accept them, but that's not the case. something that happens in every genre in fact you know little Naz Christians, no, you know what I'm saying, kind of, you know, they just, uh, I can't believe they're supposed to be saved and they're fighting to get Kanye back, no, no. No, I don't know if that necessarily has to to do with our religious or spiritual position, but I think it does have something to do with, you know, making sure that the playing field is fair.

Kanye, the gospel artist, is not. It's just not hip-hop, it's not a gospel artist and just because you do a gospel song makes you a gospel artist, so you know maybe they should revisit that kind of thing more often, but you know I'm speaking for those that are rising because that's not my problem I knocked him to the top that's all I know 2021 2021 he was killing them forever and then when my record fell he di

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eared for three weeks he came back after three but he di

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eared for three weeks, you know, um, because there are some places I want to go before I let you go, if that's okay, that's okay, um, you have so many hit records and I might be bothering you right now, but you never do collaborations like I never don't see characteristics in you like I'm Marvin, you've done your homework.

I'm just thinking about this right now. I'm like wait because I was going because you know we're talking about Kanye and I was thinking about you, you know you did a record with Snoop but it was for Snoop and then I was like, Have I ever heard anyone on Marvin Sapp's album? I never did a collab and let me tell you why I never did a collab. a collaboration album because my fear has always been, what if that album is my success? How am I going to interpret it if I don't have no if I don't have a person with whom I collaborated with me to act with me? stage, so the reason I've never done a collaboration is because you know, I always wanted to make sure I could perform my hit record with me on stage, so out of 15 albums, 15 I've never done a collaboration, but you know.

Maybe I'll do it soon just because I feel like doing some different things musically and, you know, my next album might be a collaboration album, I don't know, but at the same time you know who would want to do it. collaborate with me because that's that, you know, you know, I know people that you know might want to collaborate with you, you know, no, that's not necessarily the gospel, but they have a passion for the gospel, um, but no, I've never done that. , I've never done. I did a collaboration once in my life, yes, I was trying to think while you were talking and I knew where I was going to go with the conversation.

I can't think of a feature he's had on any of his albums. none no one no one okay um man we gotta go man let me get out of here come on come on you have two more questions I can't I can't let you go without talking about you were an executive producer um we You're going to have a lot of fun yeah man you know I made a movie, yes you did, can we talk about that for a second? Yeah, I made a movie and you know the funny thing, the funny thing is again we were talking before that it's not like that.

I woke up one day and I said, you know, someday I'm going to make a movie, you know like I'm a kid and stuff, and I said one day, I'm going to make a movie. This opportunity came to me and for two years, two. years I told people no for two years and I thought no, why is it a great honor. I'll tell you why I don't because again we were talking about that earlier. I have a real problem with how preachers and such are known. All of us in the urban community have been portrayed on television, so I turned down so many docuseries and had so many opportunities to do things like that because I wanted to have a certain level of control, because you know, I don't want people to tell my story the way they want. tell it I want my story to be told how I think it should be told, so we went back and forth on TV One along with swirling movies. they really understood it and I finally said okay and not only was I the executive producer that I co-wrote but I also starred in my own biopic.

The car would never have made it into Marvin Sapp's story and I was an Executive Producer in name only, it wasn't like a glorified, glorified title, um, I was part of the casting, if you will, of the Stars. I was a part of going through and looking at all the uh, the different reels that were sent out, audition reels, um. I was part of the editing process, I was part of the right and the rewriting and the punching and all this kind of stuff and then I started my own movie and it was fun, but it was also therapeutic and because it was fun as well as therapeutic, it's something that I probably would like to do again just because I got my feet wet in a different area of ​​entertainment, you know, from a content standpoint, so I had a ball man that I could honestly say I had.

It was a lot of fun to do and a few people contacted me and said, Do you think you would ever do something like this again? I thought, absolutely, if I could think of something or find something that you know piqued my interest, I'd like to attach my name as executive producer or even, you know, sit down with some amazing writers and put together something that I think would be inspiring but real and relatable. . I would definitely do it again. The numbers went through the wolf through the roof of TV One uh and um I'm really really really grateful as are Russ Parr and all the guys.

I'm grateful to everyone who worked so hard to make sure we put out something that was comedic, um, that was real, relatable. It was inspiring and spiritual at the same time, so you know, I can honestly say that I am absolutely proud of this beautiful piece that we were able to publish because it not only told the story of my life in a condensed way. Hopefully, it gave hope to a parent to let them know that even though their child may be wayward right now, there's still hope, you know, hopefully it gave hope to, you know, a husband or a wife, who is who, whose wife may be deteriorating before his eyes. and they needed some encouragement to say you can do it after this, so you know, if you haven't seen it, go see it, it's on demand now.

TV One I never would have made it. Marvin Sapp story, you know you've done it. a lot in your career um businessman, I know in Grand Rapids, you, you know, you had the beauty, Paula, you still own the barbershop, that you still own it, I still own it, yes, the school, yes, out there that you and your wife started, um, the church, uh. hit records 15 albums um the movie, what's next for you? Aren't you empty at this point? Oh hell no, God, man, really listen, not even close, um, one of the things I'm doing now, uh, actually, I'm signing. a document next Friday.

I have always been interested in real estate and I love it. I still have a lot of stuff in Grand Rapids. The only thing I sold in Grand Rapids was my house and one other property. of commercial property I bought finally finishing some things after coveting even though we are still secret but post undercover we finished some things with my banking relationships next year I am planning to buy at least 12 houses I just finished some things from my line of credit, so I'm buying about 12 houses here in the DFW area that I'm going to possibly flip.

I want to keep three of them and dedicate myself to independent residential life. I'm partnering with my son going to do independent residential living along with I have a meeting tonight, believe it or not, dealing with the clothing line, I also have an eyeglass line coming out, man, I just wanna die empty, I mean, I have no regrets and then I'm in a place in my thinking now that it's about making sure that my children's children are not mine, but I want to make sure that my grandchildren are my children. Well, they're going to be great, but you know, now it's about leaving a legacy, the Bible says so, it says we're supposed to leave an inheritance for our children's children and now I'm trying to find ways to ensure that my The grandkids are straight and this is part of it, you know, real estate, clothing lines, you know, and when I talk about clothing lines, I don't mean blue jeans and things like that.

I'm talking about suits, custom suits. uh quality custom made clothing um and uh I have my own network called Elevate media and entertainment uh Elevate TV actually yeah, and Elevate TV is my own network, so we're putting together content, you know, I'm watching what Vlad's doing. . So it's amazing, so just looking at not necessarily the model, but just seeing how this is the new change in Peridot, one of the things that I've done in my house. I stayed in what they call an equestrian development as if I had a lot. of land and everyone in my neighbor had horses so I took this old barn and built this huge barn and that's my recording studio and a big podcast studio that's like 2400 square feet and you know my SSL and it's all there.

I mean, I just decided to recalibrate and reinvent as we move forward in this new era of content creators, so you know, and then part of this as well is that I may have the whole team, but God Gathering Young Minds will be able to bring them closer. , man, so I can use things and you know, help me take what I imagined to the next level because you know my mind is 55 years old. I remember cassettes and LPS before we got to streaming, there are kids that don't even know anything about LPS 45 cassettes and stuff that I remember showing my kids at my mom's house uh, 45 and it's like, what it is this?

I was like, this is a single, it's like a single, what I said, this is what we use. to play and see this little thing, you put a little thing there, you put the record on it and then you put it there and let it play and it's like, what is this, this record player, what the hell is a record player? Like, oh my gosh, you know, being able to grow up in this place, uh, I don't know everything about this new era of air, but I do know that this will allow you to have good young people around you and they can keep you updated, and that's my aim.

It's yeah, you don't have to know everything, no, man, no, no, all you have to do is get people who are smarter than you in these areas, that's what I'm doing, bishop, you've been a blessing to myself um and you have been a blessing to me just just your life your message your voice um has been a blessing and that is a huge compliment um to who you are as a human being I I I wish you all the best I wish you success in this next half of your life I wish you find love again um and you know you take the time to sit with me.

I know, I don't think I know that it will be a blessing to everyone who comes in contact with you. these words in this interview thank you very much and thank you for having a great time I have to roll peace peace