ELEV8 » Mark Chappelle Coston

Marvin Sapp Album Offered In Amazon Daily Deal

Mark Chappelle Coston — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 10:00:06 +0000

Stellar-award winning former Commissioned singer Marvin Sapp’s new album Here I Am is certain to be a hit based on the strength of the already-proven first single “The Best In Me.” But it looks like Amazon.com has got a little something up its sleeve to make sure Marvin’s 1st week sales look extra good. Amazon MP3’s special “Daily Deal” for today, happens to be a full download of Marvin’s “The Best In Me” that comes with a special download of the digital booklet as well.

This is good news for Marvin Sapp fans, but bad news for iTunes. Word on the street is that Apple is none too happy about Amazon threatening their nearly 65% market share. So Apple is making some threats of its own.

Amazon MP3’s Daily Deal offers a different full album MP3 every day at sharply discounted prices between $1.99 and $3.99. According to Hypebot.com, Apple has threatened many major labels that releases like Marvin’s Here I Am that patronize Amazon MP3’s Daily Deal will receive no promotion whatsoever on iTunes.

It must be validating to Amazon.com for iTunes to be so affected by their innovative, promotion tactics that they have to strong-arm the entire recording industry in order to keep the status quo. It seems however, that Verity Records and its parent companies Zomba Gospel Music Group and Sony Music Entertainment aren’t afraid of Steve Jobs or Apple’s henchmen, because Here I Am is available for download just the same.

Make sure to spread the word to your friends on Twitter, Facebook, and.. if you still have friends on MySpace.. run and tell it there too. To get your copy at the special price today, March 16, 2010 only, visit Amazon.com while it’s still hot.

Written by Mark Chappelle Coston for Elev8.com.
Add him on MySpace or follow @MarkChappelle on Twitter.

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REVIEW: How I Got Sucker Punched By A Mighty Cloud Of Joy

Mark Chappelle Coston — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 02:28:07 +0000

“I don’t want to like The Mighty Clouds of Joy. I don’t wanna, I don’t wanna, I don’t wanna.” Can you see me kicking my feet, throwing an adult temper tantrum on hardwood floors? Perhaps, I should explain my bias.

I have a love/hate relationship with traditional gospel music, probably due to the unsavory type who I assume primarily listen to it. For me, it conjured up images of preachy, sour-faced, badly-aged church folks: women who wear hats big enough to shade people on either side of them, and men who wear suits and wingtips just to go mow the lawn. So I rejected the music on principle alone. But The Mighty Clouds of Joy’s latest, At The Revival, has proven to be some long overdue therapy for my old school issues.

NEW BLOOD, NEW LIFE

I caught word that soul impresario Raphael Saadiq produced the lion’s share of Revival. Relationally, the pairing seemed strange, but musically, it makes perfect sense. If you paid attention to Raphael while he was with 90’s new jack outfit Tony! Toni! Tone!, you could hear gospel music in the foundation of songs like “The Blues” and “If I Had No Loot.” Their debut hit “Little Walter” even went so far as to refigure its chorus from the old spiritual “Wade In The Water.”

To sweeten the deal, the Clouds also invited Donald DeGrate to participate, better known as DeVante Swing of influential (but now defunct) hip-hop soul trio Jodeci. This is the guy who launched the careers of both Timbaland and Missy Elliott. So I had to find out how he got into the mix with a legacy gospel group like Mighty Clouds of Joy.

It turns out that neither R&B/hip-hop trailblazer is too far removed from the church. Donald, along with his brother Dalvin DeGrate, began singing in a traveling gospel group that formed the embryo of Jodeci. And Saadiq has been a fan of the Mighty Clouds of Joy since listening to their records as a young child. It was he who reached out first to work on this project. So it’s no surprise that he turns out some of the most inspired results. I was sold on the first track within seconds.

GOOD INGREDIENTS, GOOD FOOD

The bluesy “Stop To Praise” opens with a well-traveled electric guitar extending a hand to welcome you in. Its steady bassline, courtesy of Raphael himself, locks arm-in-arm with a kick drum that sweetly peaks the VU-meter throughout the next 4½ minutes. It’s the type of song you might hear during the opening credits of some critically acclaimed big-budget flick starring Tom Hanks. Suffice it to say, this album sounds expensive. And that’s a good thing.

Next, lead singer Joe Ligon kicks off the album’s namesake tune with an engaging preach-sung interlude. After an introduction that’s part black history lesson and part tent meeting altar call, it launches into a feel good churchy groove. “At The Revival” is anchored with a faithfully simple chord structure and the Clouds’ solid backing vocals. I was amazed that it held my full attention. There’s nothing fancy here outside of good musicianship and superior technical prowess in the production.

It sets the stage nicely for “I’ll Be Up There,” a foot-tapping piece about the joy that we’ll see in Heaven. Where other groups might be tempted to riff such a likeable song into the ground, this one never overstays its welcome. It makes its point sweetly and moves on. I just wasn’t used to Gospel music being that polite. So I went back and listened to it again so I could tap my foot some more.

Easily one of my favorites on the album is “Hard Times,” lead by the late Mike Cook. The inspirational waltz-timed ballad expertly frames Cook’s sunny falsetto, and calls to mind the classic soul of a group like Heatwave or The Stylistics. A member of the Mighty Clouds since 1996, the album is dedicated to his memory.

The testimonial “Jesus Kind of Man” feels both vintage and contemporary all at once. This is the type of music that has permeated America, but hasn’t fully been acknowledged yet. Strip away the quartet vocals and replace them with John Mayer, and Billboard will regard it in the pop/rock category. If John Mayer’s not your thing (which these days, he’s not most black people’s thing), you could just as easily swap him out for Anthony Hamilton and it would become throwback R&B masquerading under the title of “neo-soul.” Replace Anthony Hamilton with Common or Nas, and it becomes conscious and street-credible hip-hop.

Saadiq’s work perfects the group’s tried-and-true sound. His less-is-more strategy turns out to be gold for the Mighty Clouds. The instrumentation is decidedly sparse, never cluttering the speakers with gaudy horn sections or orchestral pageantry. And I have never heard Joe Ligon recorded so immaculately. The grit in his voice, while no less plausible, gets buffed to a shimmery shine that makes every song easy to listen to.

NO RISK, NO RETURN

Their third album for EMI Gospel, At The Revival comes at a perfect time for The Mighty Clouds of Joy, as they celebrate 50 years of ministry. What better time to present some new elements than at such a pivotal milestone? This is where DeVante Swing comes in. Where Raphael Saadiq embraced the Clouds’ traditional sound, DeVante Swing takes occasion to embellish upon it.

Admittedly, some of the original Clouds have been replaced with young men who prop up the group’s legacy nicely. The turn of Ron Staples stepping to the lead on “I Love You Lord” places the Mighty Clouds in a setting that might easily house a group like The Soul Seekers or Men of Standard. While a modern context, DeVante’s style never feels anachronistic for them, only soulful and familiar.

It’s so familiar in fact, that you’ll have to forgive my digression here. Privately, I get a big kick out of my theory that “I Love You Lord” was originally intended to be a baby-making hit for Jodeci. Don’t tell me you can’t imagine K-Ci & JoJo doing choreographed pelvic thrusts in sync with the pop-pop horn hits in the chorus. Don’t lay that “bad visual” to the Clouds’ charge though. That’s just my satirical way of settling into the thought that traditional gospel music isn’t bad. One thing certain about At The Revival is, gospel or not, this is just good music.

If you dig a little bit into their history, Mighty Clouds of Joy aren’t playing so far out of pocket incorporating the full soul spectrum into their gospel sound. Once known as “The Temptations of Gospel” for their choreography and colorful costumes, they had a whole string of crossover R&B hits that flew under the gospel radar in the ‘70s. The biggest was 1975’s “Mighty High,” which topped the disco charts and was even covered by Gloria Gaynor, as well as Ike & Tina Turner.

Even though At The Revival is true to its genre, it doesn’t sound like my grandmother’s music. Something about it is accessible to me. So now I can call this music my own. If you’ve never ventured to listen to a group like Mighty Clouds of Joy, this is the album to pick up. Grab your copy on iTunes, Amazon, or Lala.com today! At The Revival is available right now both in stores and online services everywhere.

For more on The Mighty Clouds of Joy, watch this interview with lead singer Joe Ligon and then visit www.emigospel.com.

Written by Mark Chappelle Coston for Elev8.com.
Add him on MySpace or follow @MarkChappelle on Twitter.

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Seek First The Kingdom Makes A Splash With Free Mixtape

Mark Chappelle Coston — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 20:05:29 +0000

Could Seek First The Kingdom be the outfit that picks up where Cross Movement left off? This band is the latest group I’ve discovered courtesy of Gerard Bonner’s Bonnerfide Radio show. While reminiscent of a new incarnation of The Roots, SFK has a refreshing vibe that crosses hip-hop, ministry, and musicianship to great effect on their new mixtape The Upper Room.

Sometimes their sound is vintage and lo-fi. Sometimes it’s progressive and edgy. They grab you like the sound of some neighborhood musicians destined for greatness who, every time you pass by them practicing in their garage, you must stop for a moment and listen.

The group is making a smart play offering Upper Room for free download on their website. You say FREE MUSIC and it’s like shooting a flare into the air. It definitely got my attention. However, the great thing about Upper Room is that, surprisingly, it’s music that I would gladly pay money for. Here, SFK presents 9 tracks of well-crafted hip-hop that pulls more of its strength from passion for Christ and real music than swag and typical posturing wordplay.

The set opens with “Selftitled” which appropriately details why one should follow Matthew 6 and seek the kingdom first. And if you’re into this sort of thing the way I am, you get an extra kick out of the self-referential title when you hear the hook.

“I Can Do Anything” positions itself as an uplifting inspirational track without having a single Velveeta moment (cheesy and overprocessed). You have to love a record where you can’t tell if it’s a well chosen 50’s jazz sample or a well-recorded horn section arranged and tailored specifically for the song.

“Let Go” is a relaxing, warm midtempo number with a thumpy bassline. It’s not unlike A Tribe Called Quest’s “Stressed Out” or any of their other Dilla-kissed unduely slept-on hits. The San Diego, CA natives continue in a neo-soul vein and take advantage of local talent by inviting Tonéx (and his alter ego T. Bizzy) to contribute to the funky, disjointed “Dance.”

The star player on this set is the celebratory “Liberty City.” Brassy rap verses are sandwiched between a homespun horn section worth throwing your fist in the air, and a gritty funk bassline that could light up a sidewalk. It’s an undeniable feel good track.

I have no idea where Seek First The Kingdom came from, but I’m just glad they came. I hope they come back and visit us with an official release soon. Download The Upper Room Mixtape for free today!

Official Website: http://www.sfkmusic.com/

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/sfkmusic

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/SFKmusic

MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/seek1stthekingdom

Written by Mark Chappelle Coston for Elev8.com.
Add him on MySpace or follow @MarkChappelle on Twitter.

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New Releases In Gospel: End Of Winter Update

Mark Chappelle Coston — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 14:02:33 +0000

One of the most exciting releases coming up is the return of Myron Butler & Levi. For their third outing, this class act is finally delivering a live album on March 30th with guest appearances from Kirk Franklin and Smokie Norful. The title track and lead single was released digitally just last month. The album release will face off that week with the return of Tri-City Singer alumnus DeWayne Woods and his new release My Life’s Lyric. Woods is already getting attention from the release of the peppy praise single “Living On The Top” available now.

One release that’s sure to elbow its way to the top come release day is Marvin Sapp’s Here I Am. Both the CD and DVD will be made available on March 16. You have to have been under a rock to not know the impact Sapp’s “The Best In Me” has already had. The pre-sales alone already have the album positioned at #1 on Amazon.com’s Bestselling Gospel chart.

Right around the corner is the release of Karen Clark Sheard’s All In One. Her single “Prayed Up” is already at gospel radio and the second single “He Knows” will be getting spins soon. All In One is due April 6th. The same date will bring a new release from everlasting holy hip-hop heavyweights GRITS. Often a move from major label to independent results in a drop in quality, but the production value on 2008’s Reiterate actually went up and turned out to be one of their best yet, so my expectations are running high for Quarantine.

Although their release date is a few months off, I want to give you as much advance notice for new family band Their faces look young, but their voices are nothing to play with. Their single “He Wants It All” as well as the album track “Get Ready” are both on iTunes now!

BTW, Am I wrong for wanting to see them in a singing cage match against The Winans, The Jacksons, and DeBarge?

Also, if you’re a book lover, Mary Mary and Kirk Franklin have books coming out in April and May respectively. Mary Mary’s Be U will be on shelves April 6th, and I hear they have a bath and body products line going by the same name that should be out soon enough. Kirk’s new page turner The Blueprint: A Plan for Living above Life’s Storms releases May 18th. Yolanda Adams‘ collection of wisdom Points of Power is already available in stores. Get it now!

Independent Spotlight:

As is customary, some of the best music goes unnotice, so allow me to put in shameless plugs for some artists I believe in. If you’re into neo-soul and urban alternative, check out Adrianne Archie’s Heart Soul Mind Strength. I dare you to listen to the track “HSMS” and not rock with it. Or hear “Strong” and not nod your head and make that face that’s a substitute for words you used to say before you got saved.

You can’t go wrong with a pretty voice and a pretty face, so take a listen to the 6-song EP Beautifully Made from Leah Smith (who depending on the song can remind me of Beyonce, Mariah Carey, or Mya… the girl’s got skills).

More recently, I have NOT been able to stop playing Doobie Powell’s The Time Is Now album (true musicianship, good production, and the vocals are on point). Been specifically wearing out “Count It All Joy” and “Love of Jesus.” It’s a good project.

Also there’s only a single for it available, but “You Belong To Me” by Algernon just STAYS on my iPod. I’ll let you know what else I find! Anything good comes to me, I’m TELLIN’. Yes. I endeavor to be a “music snitch.”

Anyway, here’s the general overview for current and upcoming music releases:

January 26, 2010:

James Fortune & Fiya: Encore – (Black Smoke Music Worldwide)
Mighty Clouds of Joy: At The Revival (EMI Gospel)
Various Artists: WOW Gospel 2010 ( EMI/Verity/Word)

February 2, 2010:

Anthony Evans: Undisguised (INO)

February 16, 2010:

Youth for Christ: Thanks in Advance (Emtro Gospel)

March 2, 2010:

Bishop Paul S. Morton: Memorable Moments: The Best of Paul Morton (Light)

March 16, 2010:

Marvin Sapp: Here I Am (Verity)
Kirk Whalum: The Gospel According To Jazz Chapter III (Rendezvous)

March 30, 2010:

Myron Butler & Levi: Revealed… Live In Dallas (EMI Gospel)
DeWayne Woods: My Life’s Lyric (Verity)

April 6, 2010:

Karen Clark Sheard: All In One (EMI Gospel)
Smokie Norful presents Victory Cathedral Choir (EMI Gospel)
GRITS: Quarantine (Revolution Arts)

June 6, 2010:

Forever Jones: Get Ready (EMI Gospel)

We’ll revisit this topic again. I hear there are new releases coming later this year for Twinkie Clark, Mary Mary, Tye Tribbett (as a solo artist!), Kim Burrell (finally!), Dawkins & Dawkins (finally FINALLY!) and The Soul Seekers too!

Written by Mark Chappelle Coston for Elev8.com.
Add him on MySpace or follow @MarkChappelle on Twitter.

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EXCLUSIVE: Coko Talks Lost Music And Recording Her Next Album

Mark Chappelle Coston — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 14:00:27 +0000

Last week, I had the pleasure of talking with R&B and gospel singer Coko about her newest album The Winner In Me which is packed with energetic party starters, uplifting worship anthems, and guest turns from Israel Houghton, Kelly Price, Youthful Praise, and Canton Jones. If you missed the first part of the interview, “Coko Explains Why Fame And BlackBerrys Are Both Bad News,” you can catch up on it here.

Our chat continues below. Check out what she has to say about the entire album she lost when her record label closed down before it could ever be released to the public.

ELEV8: I have to ask you about my favorite song on the new album. What was it like recording “Rescue Me”?

Coko: “Rescue Me.” That song? It was great recording that song. It was funny. [When] I heard that song, I was standing outside a studio. Dave Caton played it and I went in there like, “please tell me that’s for me.” He was like, “Yeah! You can have it! Yeah!” I love that song as well. That’s a great song.

ELEV8: Most artists always record more songs than actually make the album. What songs or collaborations were supposed to be on The Winner In Me that just didn’t make it in time?

Coko: Oh, we didn’t do that this time. It wasn’t up to me. The label wanted me to record enough songs for the record. And that’s what we did. It just so happened that songs that we did record [were] really great songs. So we didn’t have any leftovers.

“#worstfeelingever working hard on music that goes unnoticed!”

– a recent tweet from @CokoClemons

ELEV8: Speaking of sophomore albums, in your last ELEV8 interview with Sheeri Mitchell, she said that RCA Black Music closed down just as your sophomore album was about to come out. There’s a sophomore album we didn’t know about?

Coko: Yeah! There’s a whole record! It was titled Music Doll that was comin’ out. Yes! And I have it!

ELEV8: Is there any chance that we’ll ever be able to buy it on iTunes?

Coko: Probably not.

ELEV8: Oh you’re kidding me. You gotta be kiddin’ me.

Coko: And I had a nice duet on there with Dave Hollister. It was hot. It was gonna be a really great record. But they closed and I didn’t want them to place me just anywhere, so I asked for a release.

ELEV8: So I’m listening to The Winner in Me right now, but what are you listening to on repeat these days?

Coko: I’m old school, so I’m listening to 80’s music, but one gospel song that I really like right now that I had to stop playing is Vanessa Bell’s new song “Good News.” Ohhhh I LOVE that song! And Sheri Moffett-Jones’ album is beautiful. Both stay on repeat in my car.

ELEV8: I be wearin’ songs out too. Makin’ the people around me mad playing “Rescue Me” over and over again.

Coko: (laughs)

ELEV8: By the way. I know you’re a fan. What was your favorite Clark Sisters album?

Coko: Oooooh. I was young, so I don’t remember the name of the album, but my favorite cut was “Endow Me” and I’ve always wanted to remake that song. I just needed the right people at the right time. And the timing was great for that.

ELEV8: As a gospel artist coming in the door with an army of people who already love your voice, has it still been hard to get audiences to fully embrace you?

Coko: I mean, it’s like some people do and some people don’t, but if I sit there and I worry about everybody that doesn’t wanna embrace me, I’ll go crazy. And I don’t have time for that. Either you like me or you don’t and that’s where it is!

ELEV8: Can’t disagree with that. The flipside though is I saw when you did the Sheryl Lee Ralph benefit Divas Simply Singing. And you smashed the medley of hymns. I’m like, “this girl’s performance is flawless!”

Coko: Awww!

ELEV8: But the audience was acting like they didn’t want to acknowledge it. I think it’s because you were singing gospel. [Secular artists on the bill got a much different response.] So how do you reach out to people that don’t like gospel, don’t like God, or only want to hear you sing R&B and can’t get used to anything else?

Coko: Well I think I did pretty good at Sheryl Lee’s thing, ‘cause when I finished, they were on their feet!

ELEV8: Finally!!

Coko: (laughs) Well I did somethin’ right and I guess if they was tryin’ to fight it, they couldn’t fight it anymore! With that kind of crowd, when they see me, they wanna hear “Weak” and things like that. ‘Cause I really wasn’t supposed to sing that song. I was supposed to sing “If Only You Knew,” but I didn’t know what Miss Patti LaBelle was singin’, so I didn’t wanna go there. [Patti LaBelle was headlining the Divas benefit that night.] I ended up doin’ the hymns song. I think it was better for me to do the hymn song ‘cause it really turned out good.

ELEV8: Hey, how did Patti’s standard end up in your show? You cover it with SWV and you did a great job on the Mo’Nique show recently.

Coko: Well, Patti LaBelle is somebody that I’ve grown up listening to and loving and just always wantin’ to be like her. You know.. hit those soprano notes! SWV has actually been singing that song for some years now. It’s just now starting to get out there. I do it with SWV, but I do it by myself as well.

ELEV8: Speaking of which, I know you guys are recording a new album. You talked about working with 9th Wonder. Is there a label and a release date yet?

Coko: No.

ELEV8: And now, when you tour with them, you don’t want to perform songs like “Downtown” and “Can We”. So when people ask you for an old version of Coko, is it weird?

Coko: I mean, you can ask!

ELEV8: (laughs)

Coko: …but it’s up to me. I don’t wanna do it? I’m not gonna do it! But we have a lot of other songs that they can get with and rock out to.

ELEV8: The Winner in Me just came out last year, but are you making plans for a new album yet? I almost can’t wait.

Coko: I really wanna get started on the new record. I have some ideas, my husband has some ideas, it’s just right now it’s so much goin’ on. You got the SWV stuff, but then on this side, I still have a lot of other things that I wanna do on this next gospel record, you know, comin’ up with some ideas and stuff. So, you know. I really wanna get started soon though.

ELEV8: Okay, then you’re forgiven for the whole iPhone thing. I can let that go now.

Coko: (laughs)

ELEV8: So with everything you’ve got going on now, how do you keep up with it all while taking care of your kids? It’s a lot for people who don’t have kids. How do you manage?

Coko: It’s a lot, but everybody knows my kids come first. Family comes first.

ELEV8: Do you have family support too?

Coko: Yeah, my mom is here, and she helps me out a lot. ‘Cause you know my husband plays for Israel & New Breed. He’s always on the go. I actually just dropped him off at the airport! So we’re always in and out. We make sure that the kids are straight before we do anything!

ELEV8: Well look. I think we’re out of time and James is probably givin’ me looks over there, but I’ll holler at him later.

Coko: (laughs)

ELEV8: It’s been really great talking to you. And I hope I catch you again.

Coko: Alright then, say hello and I’ll shout you out on Twitter!

So head on over to wherever you like to buy music and pick up a great album if you don’t have it already. And people, please stop bootleggin’, ‘cause it’s a recession for everybody and Coko needs to keep her job too.

You can purchase The Winner In Me online at iTunes, Amazon.com, and other digital retailers, as well as anywhere gospel music is sold. For more info, visit her official website www.cokosplace.com or follow @CokoClemons on Twitter.

Written by Mark Chappelle Coston for Elev8.com.
Add him on MySpace or follow @MarkChappelle on Twitter.

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EXCLUSIVE: Coko Explains Why Fame And BlackBerrys Are Both Bad News

Mark Chappelle Coston — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 14:00:53 +0000

To a government official, she would be Mrs. Cheryl Clemons, but to anybody else, she’d really rather you just call her Coko.

Coko took a permanent place in the hearts and CD players of legions of R&B fans as lead singer of the 90’s female hip-hop soul trio SWV. Her street savvy style had many a young lady attempting (with varying degrees of success) to mimic her soprano prowess on genre-defining hits like “Weak” and “Right Here.”

Fast forward to the present day and Ms. Coko is now a wife, a mother, and a Grammy-nominated singer who last year released her second gospel album The Winner In Me. Recently filming a music video for the title track and latest single from the album, Coko took some time to chat with me on a Thursday afternoon.

ELEV8: First question… I heard you switched to the iPhone and were bashing BlackBerry. Please tell me that’s not true.

Coko: (laughs) Ahh… yes it IS true!

ELEV8: Why you gotta be like that?

Coko: ‘Cause Wackberry gets on my nerves!

ELEV8: You just called it a Wackberry. I don’t know if I can do this interview now. I need to talk to my manager.

Coko: (laughs) Sometimes it just freezes up on me. And I’ve had it for a while, but it always gives me problems! I haven’t had any real problems with my iPhone yet.

ELEV8: Okay, okay. That’s fair, but you know, once you go Black, you never go back.

Coko: Oh stop it! (laughs)

ELEV8: Hey, you tweet faithfully as @CokoClemons. Was it easier to tweet from iPhone or from BlackBerry?

Coko: iPhone.

ELEV8: Fine. I’ll get over it, take a minute, breathe… We’ll be good.

Coko: (laughs) Uh huh!

ELEV8: So I worked with my friend James Robinson for years. And now he’s the VP of A&R at Light Records. He told me he convinced you to start your career at Light. What did he say that sealed the deal?

Coko: A lot of times in the industry, you meet people that do a whole lot of talking and they’re not talking about nothing! I saw him one day and he was like, “If I ever get in that position to sign you, I will.” I really didn’t think much of it because I’ve had a lot of people that say they wanna do stuff and then they never do it.

ELEV8: I’m sure of it.

Coko: I got a call saying, “James Robinson is lookin’ for you.” I was like, “For me?!” So I got in touch with him and he said, “I wanna sign you.” I was like “Whaaaaaat? Wow!”

ELEV8: How you gon’ say it like you’re surprised though?

Coko: I was surprised! People say that they wanna do things and then opportunity opens for them and they just forget about everybody. But he didn’t forget. He really came back and he just was like, “When we gon’ do it?” I was like, “okay, cool!” You know what I mean? He was a man of his word and I really appreciate that in this day and time. A lot of people are not like that. So I’m always grateful to him.

ELEV8: I might be brand new, but why weren’t gospel and secular labels bangin’ down your door like, “Okay, Coko is not attached? Somebody get her. Put some headphones on her. Quick!!”

Coko: I don’t know! (laughs) But I think things happen for a reason. I wasn’t supposed to be with nobody else. I look at it like I was supposed to be at Light.

ELEV8: Weren’t both of you guys in Hezekiah Walker’s choir?

Coko: Who? Me and James?

ELEV8: Yeah. James probably gon’ cut me, but I know he used to sing. Tell the truth and shame the devil.

Coko: No. I did. I don’t think James was in Love Fellowship. I think he was in Restoration Choir. James was singin’ somewhere!

(James Robinson breaks in on the interview)

James: I WAS IN TRI-BROTHER MASS CHOIR! THAT’S WHERE I WAS AT!!

Coko: (in the background laughing)

ELEV8: (laughs) What’s up, kid!

James: Hey Mark! Won’t you interview Coko and stop [name] droppin’, hear? It ain’t even about James! It’s about COKO!

ELEV8: (laughing)

James: I’m only playin’! A’ight, man. So you talk to Coko. I’ll holler at you!

Coko: (in the background still laughing)

ELEV8: I love that dude! I really do! (laughs) So I gotta talk about the album, which is easy. You hit #4 first week on the Billboard charts. You gotta be happy about that.

Coko: I’m excited about everything good that happens with this record!

ELEV8: The sound changed on this one from Grateful. It brought in some pop and rock elements. What inspired you for this new evolution?

Coko: I just like to be different. I don’t always wanna do what everybody else is doin’. I march to my own beat. Sometimes that gets me in trouble! I’m happy that Light just allowed me to be myself and to do what it was that I wanted to do, and it worked!

ELEV8: You went with a ballad for your new single and video “The Winner in Me.” It’s a beautiful clip. But who’s the pretty little girl who gets the autograph at the end?

Coko: Everybody asks me that! I don’t know her!

ELEV8: What?! You’re supposed to lie and say it’s your baby cousin or your niece or something.

Coko: (laughs) No, you won’t get no lies here! I don’t know her. She was a little girl that, I guess they hired in Chicago. She was very pretty. She was soooo sweet!

ELEV8: The video sort of portrays an unhappy side to fame. Watching American Idol, it seems everybody’s competing to get what you already have. So how much of a downside could there possibly be to having thousands of people love you and think you’re the absolute best?

Coko: I mean, that’s great to have people lovin’ you, but then there’s a flipside. You have people always in your business. Your privacy is gone. You never know who is being your friend for you. It’s always some kind of ulterior motive for why somebody wants to be cool with you, and a lot of other things that you have to worry about. You have to worry about topping the next record and just stayin’ on point. So, you know, while it’s always good to have all the fans lovin’ you, there’s still a flipside with a whole lot of negative to it.

ELEV8: So now that you have this status, how do you pick your friends?

Coko: I don’t have a lot of friends!

ELEV8: Awww, but that’s no way to be.

Coko: It’s a GREAT way to be! That way I keep people out my business! The people I do have as friends, they’re not in the industry. They’re people that I’ve had in my life for years. And honestly, I talk to a lot of people, but I keep a lot of people at a distance as well.

ELEV8: The title song “The Winner In Me” seems autobiographical. Was it written specifically for you?

Coko: Actually, “The Winner In Me” was not written for me. My pastor actually wrote that song for his wife. We were having a function and he had my mother singing it. She was in the house rehearsing and I heard it. I was like “That’s my song! I need that song!” I asked him about it and he said “Of course!” But it wasn’t written specifically for me.

ELEV8: Well, you sing it like it was.

Coko: Yeah, I felt that thing!

ELEV8: Wait. What about the lyric “the pleasing of my fans and friends still had demands on me”?

Coko: Okay, I did change that. Yeah!

ELEV8: But you sold it. I’m tellin’ you.

Coko: Thank you!

Stay tuned… there’s a part two to this interview where Coko gives some more behind-the-scenes insight on her latest album The Winner In Me. Plus, Coko tells the story behind the R&B album that almost was but never got a chance to be.

You can purchase The Winner In Me online at iTunes, Amazon.com, and other digital retailers, as well as anywhere gospel music is sold. For more info, visit her official website www.cokosplace.com or follow @CokoClemons on Twitter.

Written by Mark Chappelle Coston for Elev8.com.
Add him on MySpace or follow @MarkChappelle on Twitter.

The interview continues here:

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW — Part Two:
Coko Talks Lost Music And Recording Her New Album

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2010 Gospel Grammys Bring Triumphs And Upsets

Mark Chappelle Coston — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 14:00:46 +0000

This year’s ceremony for the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards was touted as the most exciting ceremony in years, drawing in more than 25 millions viewers. However, unless those viewers visited Grammy.com, they probably didn’t find out about the latest pack of winners in the Gospel music field (most awards are presented in an earlier ceremony that isn’t televised). However, the honor is no less prestigious and we celebrate with these artists who are being recognized worldwide. Check out some of the highlights from this winners in this field:

Best Gospel Performance:
“Wait On The Lord” – Donnie McClurkin featuring Karen Clark Sheard

Donnie McClurkin previously won three Grammy awards. After much too long a delay, Karen Clark Sheard finally won two Grammy awards with her sisters Jacky, Dorinda, and Twinkie, plus an additional Grammy for being the writer of their song “Blessed and Highly Favored.” This should provide a nice momentum for Karen as her new album All In One is slated to be released on April 6, 2010.

Best Gospel Song:
“God In Me” – Mary Mary featuring Kierra “Kiki” Sheard

No one is surprised by the latest award netted by the ladies of Mary Mary. The Campbell sisters have a knack for penning melodies that are as loved in church as they are outside of it. This time, they struck gold with their swag-accessible anthem of praise “God In Me.” Although Clark heiress Kierra Sheard is a featured artist on the song, the Grammy award only goes to its songwriters Erica, Tina, and Warryn Campbell. Their The Sound album has already won them one Grammy for Best Gospel Performance with the lead single “Get Up.” Also, their debut album Thankful won them the Grammy for Best Contemporary Gospel Album the same year it was released.

Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album:
“The Power Of One” – Israel Houghton

Israel Houghton is no stranger to the Grammy awards. He’s won twice before for his albums Alive in South Africa and A Deeper Level, both with his group New Breed. This most recent win is Israel’s first as a solo artist. I’d also like to take this opportunity to wave a good-natured “I told you so” in the face of Israel’s naysayers (of which there shouldn’t be many). I won’t repeat my reasons here, but I gushed about this release which topped my best gospel albums of 2009 list.

Best Traditional Gospel Album:
“Oh Happy Day” – Various Artists

Based on sheer star power alone, it’s no wonder Oh Happy Day: An All-Star Music Celebration beat out stiff competition from Vickie Winans and Donald Lawrence in the Traditional Gospel category. The album invited multiracial artists from varied denominational backgrounds and musical styles to perform traditional Gospel songs and Gospel-themed pop songs. Among the guests who made this collection shine were The Clark Sisters, Jon Bon Jovi, Al Green, Heather Headley, Queen Latifah, Angelique Kidjo, Michael McDonald, Joss Stone, Robert Randolph, 3 Doors Down, and many more.

Best Contemporary R&B Gospel Album:
“Audience of One” – Heather Headley

The most fantastic upset of the year comes courtesy of Heather Headley’s hard fight to claim the Grammy for Best Contemporary R&B Gospel Album. Heather was this year’s “dark horse,” as Audience of One is only her first album as a gospel artist. Her pedigree as the Tony Award-winning Broadway star of The Lion King, didn’t stop her from launching a respectable career as an R&B singer against the odds. Apparently against-the-odds is Heather’s specialty, because again, even with established gospel favorites Sheri Jones-Moffett, J. Moss, Smokie Norful, and Kierra Sheard as her competition, this preacher’s daughter from Trinidad takes home top honors.

To view the complete list of winners in Gospel as well as other categories, visit Grammy.com.

Written by Mark Chappelle Coston for Elev8.com.
Add him on MySpace or follow @MarkChappelle on Twitter.

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VIDEO: Kirk Franklin Haiti Benefit Single Available Now

Mark Chappelle Coston — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 13:00:41 +0000

Last weekend, following the 25th Annual Stellar Awards ceremony held in Nashville, Tennesee, Kirk Franklin banded together a group of gospel music artists billed as Artists United for Haiti to record “Are You Listening: A Love Song For Haiti.” The single was immediately made available for sale on the internet. None of the artists charged a fee to participate, and all net proceeds from the song will be donated to Haiti Earthquake Relief Efforts.

The touching ballad speaks of the helplessness one might feel watching the news of the tragedy unfold from so far away, but assures that help is on the way. The chorus rings passionately, “Is there anybody out there listening? And does anybody know my name? No, my friend we were not there, but we’re here and we care, and yes, we feel your pain.”

“Are You Listening” premiered on the Gospel Music Channel earlier this week. But just in case you missed its debut, you can view the official music video online here:

Among the artists who contributed their gifts to the recording of “Are You Listening” were Yolanda Adams, Jeremy Camp, Shirley Caesar, Dorinda Clark-Cole, Natalie Grant, Fred Hammond, Tamela & David Mann, Mary Mary, Donnie McClurkin, Bishop Paul S. Morton, J. Moss, Smokie Norful, Marvin Sapp, Karen Clark-Sheard, Kierra “KiKi” Sheard, BeBe Winans, CeCe Winans and Marvin Winans.

The song gets support from an an all-star choir which includes Shari Addison, Kathy Taylor Brown, John Gray, Bishop Darryl Hines, Stephen Hurd, Karima Kibble, Judith McAllister, Nicole C. Mullen, Jessica Reedy, The Neville Sisters, Troy Sneed, Micah Stampley, Melinda Watts, and Brian Courtney Wilson.

Strictly from a music lover’s perspective, it’s hard to ignore the treasure trove of amazing talent assembled for this effort. The vocal arrangement alone is fairly astounding. Too many times, a song with solely a pair of dynamic voices can turn into a competition for who can deliver the impressive squals and runs that make Gospel audiences go nuts. But even in a room filled with voices that are known to blow off rooves individually, no one artist dominates or steps on another.

In addition to the African-American gospel artists that most people are familiar with, it’s great to hear deftly-placed contributions from CCM artists as well. Established alterna-rock worship leader Jeremy Camp and the soulfully big-voiced Natalie Grant deliver heartfelt leads and help underscore that empathy for Haiti runs just as strong for people without brown skin.

“He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward him for what he has done.” – Proverbs 19:17

Just because our lives in America by and large weren’t affected directly by the emergency in Haiti doesn’t mean we should allow ourselves to turn a blind eye to what’s happening. I’m certain the American public feels brow-beaten by now. Every time you turn on the radio, TV, or internet, there’s another desperate plea for help. However, the simple fact is that the situation is as grim and desperate as described. And depending on where you got your information, it’s worse. But again…

Please understand that $5.00 means so much more to a devastated and hungry family in Haiti than it does to a struggling student in the US who can afford the luxury of a cell phone.

Even if you can’t give money, time, or goods to the cause, you can still put your hands together and pray. James 5:16 says “the effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” and you know someone’s life is waiting for your intercession right as you’re reading this. In whatever way you choose to help, please don’t forget the people of Haiti.

Suggested charities: UNICEF, Red Cross, Compassion International, World Vision, Samaritan’s Purse, or Yéle Haiti.

“Are You Listening: A Love Song for Haiti” is available from digital retailers all over the net, such as iTunes, Amazon, Sony Music Digital, and many others.

Written by Mark Chappelle Coston for Elev8.com.
Add him on MySpace or follow @MarkChappelle on Twitter.

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VIDEO: Lisa McClendon Resurfaces With “Reality”

Mark Chappelle Coston — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 14:00:46 +0000

Je ne sais quoi.

It’s hard to capture in words what it is about singer/songwriter Lisa McClendon’s voice that appeals to the ear. She doesn’t distract the listener with melodramatic squalls, scale-skipping riffs, or over-processed vocals. Her voice connects with you and is familiar. She sounds like someone you know personally, and after hearing her songs, you feel as if you’ve just caught up with a close friend over some really good home cooked food. That’s just what’s getting served up on her new album Reality.

Early in her career Lisa made her mark by simply choosing to tell it like it is, and a surge in popularity confirmed her audience was listening. Her touching raspy alto often draws comparisons to Lauryn Hill and gets her categorized somewhere between neo-soul and gospel.

Buzz generated from her nakedly honest debut My Diary, Your Life was enough to get her signed to Integrity Gospel. The next few years brought us two full-length releases: the definitive Soul Music (2003) and the stirring Live from the House of Blues (2006). She also won nominations for both Stellar and Dove awards, but it’s fitting that Lisa finally returns to her free-wheeling roots as an independent artist releasing the new album on her own label, DG Music.

“The dark side about being on a major label for me, I would say, was that, I had a lot more creative freedom on an independent label. So, now here I am at this bigger label and everybody has somebody to answer to, so they’re only doing their job. So, you do a song that you think is wonderful and great and they go ‘oh well that’s too soulful…that’s too real… that’s too transparent… the church is not gonna get that…that might be offensive.’” – Lisa McClendon, in an excerpt from an interview with EEW Magazine.

After what seems too long a hiatus, she reintroduces herself appropriately with the jazzy lead single “Pause (Selah).” Her voice is still forthrightly engaging as she hypothesizes “if I could put the world on pause.” Returning again to the transparency that first endeared her to the gospel community, the lyrics sound like another page ripped from her diary.

Lisa must be feeling much more comfortable in her skin these days. It’s evident as she lets her earthy beauty and ebullient smile shine through in the artfully crafted music video for “Pause” below:

On the confident “Immabeme (Unapologetic),” she embraces a contemporary R&B style with big beats and proves her music doesn’t cater exclusively to 70’s soul crate diggers. Her freedom is also evident on “Please Help Me Now (A Sista’s Cry)” which takes full advantage of her indie status, donning a throwback hip-hop vibe courtesy of the breakbeat from A Tribe Called Quest’s “Bonita Applebum.”

“Lust or Love” examines sexual temptation in light of the God’s definition of true love. But with a swaying beat that gently thumps underneath, you can’t be certain if you’re hearing a song or a sermon. Gospel music can be one of the best tools for ministry when you’re so into the music that you don’t realize you’re being fed the word of God.

One of the most easily accessible tracks is “Makeover” with its running bassline and heavenly acoustic guitar. The song sweetly makes its point by pointing out coveted things that “may make my outfit look cute, but it won’t make my heart new.”

For Reality, Lisa called on the help of super-producer Herb Middleton. Middleton has been the hit-man behind smashes for Mary J. Blige, Faith Evans, Kenny Lattimore, Usher, and more. On a couple occasions, the production gets so busy that it upstages Lisa’s simplistic charms, but the integrity of her message is never hindered. It’s great to hear from this pioneering voice in modern gospel music. I sincerely hope it won’t be as long before she blesses us again.

For more info, visit her website lisamcclendon.com, her official MySpace page, or follow @LisaMcClendon on Twitter. Reality is available for physical purchase at Best Buy, Target, and Wal-Mart; and available for digital download on iTunes, Amazon, and other retailers.

Written by Mark Chappelle Coston for Elev8.com.
Add him on MySpace or follow @MarkChappelle on Twitter.

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James Fortune And FIYA Back For An “Encore”

Mark Chappelle Coston — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 11:25:46 +0000

Where did James Fortune & FIYA come from? According to Wikipedia, James Fortune attended my alma mater (I graduated from Cal State University Northridge though, so that’s a non-event). He could be the “creation” of a major gospel label looking for a cash cow (but he’s on a hard-working independent label, so that can’t be it). He seems to just have come out of nowhere to start kickin’ [hold-my-mule] and takin’ names.

The title track of his 2004 debut album You Survived earned him a 2006 ASCAP Writers Award. The smash single “I Trust You” from their last album The Transformation repeated that feat just last year. Even if you weren’t necessarily interested, “I Trust You” would not be denied. Their recent appearance on the BET Awards made another splash. Even with FIYA lip-synching to background vocals on a track, they pulled out a great performance.

The new album Encore is a collection of 12 songs produced by Terence Vaughn and Ay’Ron Lewis (who are part of the team behind the success of traditional quartet-turned-duo RiZen). Fortune co-wrote all of the songs, which makes you pay attention to him as an artist and musician. The new disc boasts some high profile collaborations with Kierra Sheard, William Murphy, Isaac Carree and Lowell Pyle of Men of Standard, Nikki Ross, and Anaysha Figueroa. Also on the disc is “You Are Here,” which features Lowell Pyle and Zacardi Cortez made himself extra famous for stomping a mudhole in “The Blood,” a favorite track from the last Fortune & FIYA album.

According to 1800Gospel, a live version of “I Trust You” will be included on both the CD and DVD release. The DVD will not be in stores until May 2010, but the Encore CD is in stores & online everywhere today!

Discography:

You Survived (September 14, 2004)
The Transformation (February 19, 2008)
Encore (January 26, 2010)

Websites:

www.jamesfortune.us
www.myspace.com/jamesfortune

Written by Mark Chappelle Coston for Elev8.com.
Add him on MySpace or follow @MarkChappelle on Twitter.

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