DC Talk is a Christian rap and rock trio. The group was formed at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia in 1987 by Toby McKeehan, Michael Tait, and Kevin Max Smith. They released five major studio albums together: DC Talk (1989), Nu Thang (1990), Free at Last (1992), Jesus Freak (1995), and Supernatural (1998). In 2002, the Encyclopedia of Contemporary Christian Music called DC Talk "the most popular overtly Christian act of all time."
Kirk Dewayne Franklin is an American choir director, gospel singer, dancer, songwriter, and author. He is best known for leading urban contemporary gospel choirs such as The Family, God's Property, and One Nation Crew (1NC) among many others. He has won numerous awards, including 16 Grammy Awards. Variety dubbed Franklin as a "Reigning King of Urban Gospel", and is one of the inaugural inductees into the Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame.
Patricia Jean Griffin is an American singer, songwriter, and musician. She is a vocalist and plays guitar and piano. She is known for her stripped-down songwriting style in the folk music genre. Her songs have been covered by numerous musicians, including Emmylou Harris, Ellis Paul, Kelly Clarkson, Rory Block, Dave Hause, Sugarland, Bette Midler and The Chicks.
Deniece Williams is an American singer, songwriter and record producer. Williams has been described as "one of the great soul voices" by the BBC. She is best known for the songs "Free", "Silly", "It's Gonna Take a Miracle" and two Billboard Hot 100 No.1 singles "Let's Hear It for the Boy" and "Too Much, Too Little, Too Late". Williams has won four Grammys with twelve nominations altogether.
Toby McKeehan, better known by his stage name TobyMac, is an American contemporary Christian music singer, rapper, songwriter, and record producer.
Matthew James Redman is an English Christian worship leader, singer-songwriter and author. Redman has released 16 albums, written 8 books, and helped start three church-plants. He is best known for his two-time Grammy Award-winning single, "10,000 Reasons ". Co-written with Jonas Myrin, the single reached No. 1 on the US Billboard Christian Songs chart in 2012.
Lecrae Devaughn Moore, mononymously known as Lecrae, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record and film producer, record executive, actor, and entrepreneur.
Trin-i-tee 5:7 is an American gospel girl group formed in 1997. The original lineup composed of Chanelle Haynes, Angel Taylor, and Terri Brown-Britton. The group was launched into mainstream recognition following the release of their best-selling debut album, Trin-i-tee 5:7 (1998), which contained the top-charting gospel single "God's Grace". The album became certified gold. Despite critical and commercial success, the group experienced a lineup change when as Terri Brown left the group in 1999.
"East to West" is a song recorded by contemporary Christian band Casting Crowns. Written by Mark Hall and Bernie Herms and produced by Mark A Miller, it was released as the lead single from the band's 2007 album The Altar and the Door. Lyrically, the song deals with the concept of forgiveness. The song met with a positive to mixed reception from music critics and won two awards at the 39th GMA Dove Awards: Song of the Year and Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year. It was also nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Gospel Performance at the 51st Grammy Awards.
Kierra Valencia "Kiki" Sheard-Kelly is an American gospel singer, songwriter, fashion designer, GRAMMY® winner, Multi-Stellar Award Winner, actress, entrepreneur, author and creative director. She is the daughter of gospel singer Karen Clark-Sheard and granddaughter of gospel choral director Mattie Moss Clark. Sheard portrayed her mother in the hit Lifetime movie, The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel. After appearing on her mother's and aunt's albums, Sheard broke to the music scene with the release of her debut album I Owe You in 2004. Her hit single "You Don't Know" was inspired by her mother almost losing her life to a fatal blood clot.
Mark Julian Felder, more commonly known under simply Bizzle, is an American Christian hip hop recording artist and entrepreneur.
The discography of Lecrae, an American Christian hip hop artist, consists of 10 studio albums, one of which was collaborative; four mixtapes, one of which was collaborative; two extended plays, one of which was collaborative; 100 singles, including 54 as a featured performer; 59 music videos, including 27 as a featured performer; and 85 guest and other appearances. Lecrae debuted with Real Talk in 2004 through Reach Records; the album was re-issued the following year by Cross Movement Records. After the Music Stops followed in 2006 and his third solo album, Rebel, was released in 2008 and reached No. 1 on the Gospel chart, the first Christian hip hop album to do so. Rehab, his fourth solo album, was released in 2010 and reached No. 1 on the Gospel, Christian, and Independent charts, and garnered a nomination at the 53rd Grammy Awards. Rehab: The Overdose, was released on January 11, 2011, and peaked at No. 1 on the Christian and Gospel charts. Lecrae began garnering mainstream attention when he performed at the 2011 BET Hip Hop Awards Cypher, and was featured on the Statik Selektah song "Live and Let Live" from his Population Control album.
Elevation Worship is a contemporary worship music band from Elevation Church in Charlotte, North Carolina. The band leads worship in weekend church services at Elevation Church, as well as performing concerts and tours around the United States.
Thrive is the sixth studio album by American contemporary Christian music band Casting Crowns. Released on January 28, 2014 through Beach Street and Reunion Records, the album was produced by Mark A. Miller. Musically, the album, whose concept was inspired by Psalms 1 from the Bible, has a rock and contemporary Christian sound with influences from folk and bluegrass. The album received mostly positive reviews from music critics for its lyrics and musical diversity, but some critics felt that some songs were too similar to the work of other artists or to their own previous work.
"Say Yes" is a song recorded by American recording artist Michelle Williams, taken from her fourth studio album Journey to Freedom (2014). It features Williams' former Destiny's Child groupmates Beyoncé and Kelly Rowland. The song was written by Williams, Carmen Reece, Al Sherrod Lambert and Harmony Samuels who also produced it. E1 Music released "Say Yes" as the album's third single on June 2, 2014. "Say Yes" marks the third time the trio collaborated as solo artists following the disbandment of their group in 2006.
Nathan John Feuerstein, known by his initials NF, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter and record producer. He has released two EPs, I'm Free (2012), and a self-titled EP in 2014 with Capitol CMG. NF has released five studio albums: Moments (2010), Mansion (2015), Therapy Session (2016), Perception (2017), and The Search (2019), and has released a mixtape: Clouds (2021). His albums have earned several accolades, some of which include: the Gospel Music Association Dove Award for Rap/Hip Hop Album of the Year ; two No. 1 debuts on the Billboard 200 charts ; and a 6x-platinum certified single in the United States which also charted internationally.
God Forgives, I Don't is the fifth studio album by American rapper Rick Ross. It was released on July 30, 2012, by Maybach Music Group and Slip-n-Slide Records, and distributed by Def Jam Recordings. The album was produced by several record producers, including Cool & Dre, J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, Pharrell, Jake One, and Rico Love, among others.
Gordon James Mote is an American Christian country/Southern gospel singer, piano virtuoso, and worship leader. He was born blind. He has released eight studio albums. His album Don't Let Me Miss the Glory (2007) was his breakthrough on the Billboard charts.
Cory Hunter Asbury is an American Christian musician, worship pastor, songwriter, and former member of the Bethel Music collective.
Chandler David Moore is a singer, songwriter, and worship leader. Moore currently partners Maverick City Music, a collective of worshippers committed to deconstructing the unspoken rules that exist in the CCM and Gospel world.
