Marvin Sapp

Bishop Marvin Louis Sapp Sr. (born January 28, 1967) is an American Gospel music singer-songwriter who recorded with the group Commissioned during the 1990s before beginning a record-breaking solo career. Sapp is also the founder and former senior pastor of Lighthouse Full Life Center Church, located in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He recorded Perfect Peace in 1995.

As of November 17, 2019, he was installed as senior pastor of The Chosen Vessel in Fort Worth, Texas.

Early life and education

Born and raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Sapp began singing in church at age four. He spent his teenage years singing with a number of Gospel groups and ensembles. He was a student at the unaccredited Aenon Bible College in Indianapolis, Indiana. He dropped out of Aenon after being invited by Gospel singer Fred Hammond to sing with Commissioned in 1990 after Keith Staten left. Sapp appears on the group's albums ''Number 7'', ''Matters of the Heart'', and ''Irreplaceable Love''. Sapp left in 1996 and was replaced by Marcus R. Cole.

Solo career

In 1996, Sapp decided to establish himself as a contemporary gospel solo artist and has recorded seven albums. Sapp first achieved crossover fame with the release of " Never Would Have Made It" from the album '' Thirsty'' in 2007. It peaked at No. 14 on the U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, No. 82 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, and also at No. 1 on the '' Billboard'' Hot Gospel Songs chart. ''Thirsty'' debuted at No. 28 on the U.S. ''Billboard'' 200, No. 4 on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, and also No. 1 on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Top Gospel Albums. It has been certified gold by the RIAA due to the album selling over 500,000 copies, making it Sapp's best selling album of his solo career, and has so far sold over 712,000 copies.Grein, Paul (March 24, 2010
Week Ending March 21, 2010: Pastor Sapp's Chart Miracle
Yahoo Music. In 2009, Sapp won all seven Gospel Stellar Awards that he was nominated for.

Sapp recorded ''Thirsty''s follow-up album, ''Here I Am'', on October 16, 2009, at Resurrection Life Church in Wyoming, Michigan and released it on March 16, 2010. With its release, Sapp became the all-time highest charting gospel artist in ''Billboard''s 54-year history of tracking album sales. By selling approximately 76,000 copies of ''Here I Am'' its first week out, the album debuted at No. 2 on the ''Billboard'' 200 chart, making ''Here I Am'' the highest-charting album ever by a gospel artist. ''Here I Ams lead single, "The Best in Me," which was co-written by the album's producer, Aaron Lindsey (Israel Houghton), peaked at No. 14 on the ''Billboard'' Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, No. 1 on ''Billboard''s Gospel Songs chart and reached No. 20 (with a bullet) on ''Billboard''s Urban AC chart. On January 15, 2011, Marvin Sapp topped the list of winners during the 26th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards

Personal life

Sapp is the widower of MaLinda Sapp, who served as the administrative pastor at his Lighthouse Full Life Center Church. MaLinda died September 9, 2010, from complications of colon cancer. They have three children, Marvin II, Mikaila, and Madisson. On March 21, 2009, Sapp was initiated into the Grand Rapids Alumni chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity. Sapp has been awarded honorary doctorate degrees from two non-accredited institutions, a Doctor of Divinity Degree from Aenon Bible College and the Doctor of Ministry Degree from Friends International Christian University.

He and his wife founded the Lighthouse Full Life Center Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan, but as of November 17, 2019, he was installed as senior pastor of The Chosen Vessel in Fort Worth, Texas.

TV One Biopic

In April of 2022, it was revealed that there would be a biopic airing on TV One in August on Marvin Sapp, entitled after Marvin's top song, "Never Would've Made It: The Marvin Sapp Story". The biopic features Chaz Lamar Shepherd (''“ Marvel’s Luke Cage” “ The Game”'') portrays Marvin; Ambre Anderson (''“ Power Book II” “Manifest Evil”'') portrays Marvin's late wife, Dr. MaLinda Sapp.

Discography

* ''Marvin Sapp'' (1996)
* '' Grace & Mercy'' (1997)
* ''Nothing Else Matters'' (1999)
* '' I Believe'' (2002)
* '' Diary of a Psalmist'' (2003)
* '' Be Exalted'' (2005)
* '' Thirsty'' (2007)
* '' Here I Am'' (2010)
* '' I Win'' (2012)
* '' You Shall Live'' (2015)
* ''Close'' (2017)
* ''Chosen Vessel (Live)'' (2020)
* ''Substance (2022)''

Achievements and awards

Billboard Music Awards

BET Awards

GMA Dove Awards

Grammy Awards

Marvin Sapp has been nominated for eleven Grammy Awards.

References

External links

Official WebsiteFusemix.com , MARVIN SAPP BRINGS HOME TOP HONORS AT 26th ANNUAL STELLAR GOSPEL MUSIC AWARDS

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sapp, Marvin
1967 births
Living people
African-American Christian clergy
African-American male singer-songwriters
20th-century African-American male singers
American gospel singers
Musicians from Grand Rapids, Michigan
Singer-songwriters from Michigan
21st-century African-American male singers
Thirty Tigers artists