The Pulse of Entertainment: Bishop Marvin Sapp Releases Debut R&B Project
‘If I Were an R&B Singer' with ‘Free Fallin' Single Leading Its Release
(March 4, 2025) - "A softer side of me," said Bishop Marvin
Sapp ("Never Would Have Made it") about the release of his debut R&B EP "If
I Were an R&B Singer" (Elev8 Entertainment). "Normally people say I have a church voice...that
shouts at you."
Twenty-four-time Stellar Award-winning Marvin Sapp released an EP of four love songs inspired by
his son and friend who wanted to hear his R&B voice. Bishop Sapp used live musicians when recording the EP - Johnny Steele
(string arrangements); Theo Akai (guitar); Roy Cotton (strings); Bubby Lewis (bass), and Jeremy Winbush (drums).
"I have
always sung Gospel music - all my life...my mother made me choose...at 10 years old. I decided to sing Gospel, but I had major
R&B influence. When people were listening to New Edition...I was listening to Peabo Bryson, Teddy Pendergrass...,"
he said about his journey to being one of today's most popular Gospel singers/songwriters.
The Marvin Sapp "If I Were
an R&B Singer" EP is co-written and produced by Kolten Perrine (Ed Sheeran). His eldest song Marvin "Jamar Prince"
Sapp, II co-wrote the first single from the EP titled "Free Fallin'." Other singles include
"Listen," "Moment or Lifetime," and "Through My Pain."
"‘Listen' is a great sing...has
a Maxwell vibe. You can sing about love (via R&B) but it doesn't have to change your relationship with Christ," the
Bishop pointed out. "My son and Kolten, his friend who actually the produced it, they said they wanted to do it properly."
"I wanted
to paint a picture of what love use to look like," Marvin stressed about the R&B EP "If I Were an R&B Singer".
"Today its more sexual."
He goes on to say, "I'm nervous (about the EP) people can be judgmental. (However)
This is a onetime thing for me."
On the subject of love we started to talk
in-depth about his love for his late wife Dr. MaLinda Prince Sapp.
"I'm single by default not by choice. My wife and I were together
for 18 years. If she was alive, we'd still be together. We had a really good marriage. We made a commitment that we knew we
were not going anywhere. I learned her crazy and she learned mine," he laugh when saying the last statement. "We
worked hard....not just in public but in private. Today you have so many relationship experts that are not in relationships!"
Marvin Sapp
and his wife MaLinda founded the Lighthouse Full Life Center Church in Michigan in 2003. He was already a figure in the Gospel
industry having started as a member of the Grammy winning Contemporary Gospel group Commission. Today he is Bishop at the
Chosen Vessel Cathedral which he founded in 2017. Him and MaLinda have two other children, aside from 28-year-old Marvin II
who is a Howard graduate, that include Madisson Grace Sapp and Mikaila Sapp. Marvin Sapp has been in the music business for
36 years and has released 16 albums and garnered 24 Stellar awards; two BET Awards; 11 Grammy nominations; one GMA Dive Award;
five GMA Dove nominations, and multi-Billboard Award nominations.
"I diffidently made a point to make it different," Marvin
Sapp told me when I asked about his R&B style. "I'm more melodic...a softer side of me...falsetto. I re-invented
myself, showing my range. I'm excited." www.MarvinSapp.com www.TheChosenVessel.org
SYNDICATED COLUMN: Dr.
Eunice Moseley has an estimated weekly readership of over one million with The Pulse of Entertainment. She is
also a Business Management/Public Relations Strategist and Consultant at Freelance Associates and is Promotions Director (at-large)
for The Baltimore Times. www.ThePulseofEntertainment.com. EVENTS: "Uplifting
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to Baltimore via Zoom Saturday April 19, 2025, presented by Security Square Mall and The Baltimore
Times, and Los Angeles via Zoom Saturday, November 8, 2025. The ULMII event is a free entertainment
conference offering a Professional Panel Q&A Session, a Professional Talent Showcase and National Talent Competition (vocal,
songwriting, dance and acting) where aspiring artists have a chance to receive over $20,000 valued in prizes/product/services.
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