Read: Yolanda Adams “Be Still” World Premiere [VIDEO]

America America is an uplifting new collection of patriotic songs and a celebration of the heritage and history that we all share. In addition to nine songs that honor our nation and are works in the public domain, Winans has penned three new original songs- the first single “America America,” “We’re the United States of America,” and the poignant “Ultimate Sacrifice.” The latter is a moving tribute to our troops, acknowledging and thanking them for the personal sacrifices they make each day to protect our freedoms.  A video for the single, shot in New York City and Washington D.C., will be released in the coming weeks.

“The inspiration for AMERICA AMERICA is the time we are living in,” Winans explains.  “Sometimes, we forget that we are all Americans.  At sporting events, when the national anthem is sung, everyone stands – black, white, rich, poor – everyone.” –BeBe Winans

Best known as one-half of the celebrated gospel duo BeBe & CeCe Winans, siblings who are part of the Winans gospel music family royalty, BeBe Winans is also renown as a solo artist, who has worked with innumerable stars of the recording industry.  He is the winner of six Grammy Awards, Ten Dove awards, six Stellar Awards, and Three NAACP Awards, among his many accomplishments.  In addition to launching his own radio show-The BeBe Experience- in 2010, in the fall of 2011, Winans, along with sister CeCe, was honored with the prestigious Hollywood Walk of Fame Star.  The duo’s 2010 album, Still, their first album as a duo in 15 years, is approaching Gold.  The album and singles together appeared on eight charts in total including #2 on the Gospel Album Artists chart; #3 on the Best Gospel Album chart, as well as Top 25 honors on both the Independent Albums chart and Adult R&B Songs chart. Still won two Grammy Awards in 2011. America America is BeBe Winans’ seventh solo release.  It is inspired by the challenges millions of Americans now face on a daily basis.  Throughout the album, Winans pours heart and soul into all-American classics including, “America the Beautiful,” “Lift Every Voice,” “The Battle Hymn of the Republic,” and our national anthem, “The Star Spangled Banner.” “I have seen the power of music,” says Winans.  “If we all come together, we all win.  When our country is united, we find the path to success.”

Read:James Fortune Wants You To “Stay Encouraged.”[Exclusive Interview]

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Rapper Rick Ross has many people upset with the recent release of his song “Holy Ghost.” He has been criticized for twisting scriptures and using God  in the song as a means for committing sins.

The first verse of the song depicts Ross, a self-proclaimed Christian, relishing in the riches of sitting in his expensive Bugatti as he makes a drug deal. Proclaiming that being “dead broke” is the “root of all evil” instead of the love of money, he is attempting to dodge cops and asks for the Holy Ghost to intervene.

Head over to Elev8 for further details.

What do you think? Are his lyrics offensive?

Via mypraiseatl

We posted a video yesterday of a January 29th service at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church where Bishop Eddie Long was crowned a king by Ralph Messer — who claims to be a Rabbi bringing Torah truth to Christians.

“He’s no longer a commoner,” said Messer. “He’s not on the Earth! He’s raised from Earth into a Heavenly realm! He’s raised in a prophetic position…God has made a prophet out of you.”

During the ceremony Eddie Long was also wrapped in a sacred Torah scroll and carried upon a throne. Messer claimed the Torah scroll was 312 years old and “may still have the dust of Auschwitz and Birkenau,” referring to the Nazi extermination camps in Poland where millions of Jews were killed during the Holocaust.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution spoke with several metro Atlanta Jewish leaders who found the ceremony offensive to Judaism, including Bill Nigut, Southeast Regional Director of the Anti-Defamation League.

Rabbi Joshua Heller of Congregation B’nai Torah in Sandy Springs told the AJC that he would never wrap a Jewish person in a Torah scroll, saying he found the symbolism off-putting.

In a statement released through New Birth, Messer said critics misunderstood his intent.

“My message was about restoring a man and to encourage his walk in the Lord,” Messer said. “It was not to make Bishop Eddie L. Long a king.”

Messer added that Sunday’s ceremony “was simply a way of bringing honor to a man who had given his life to the Lord and had given so much to his church, the Atlanta metro area and throughout the world.”

Read the full story at the AJC.

According to St. Louis Today, R&B/gospel singer David Peaston, a St. Louis native has died. Peaston died on Wednesday. He was 54. His cause of death has not been released. Peaston’s longtime battle with diabetes led to the amputation of both his legs, beginning with his right leg in 2004. Speaking with the Post-Dispatch in a 2004 interview, in connection with an event honoring him at the time, he said he was initially angry with himself over his illness.

“I didn’t want to be back in the public. I wasn’t embarrassed or ashamed, but I felt I let myself down and, therefore, I let everyone else down. It was my fault for being sick, and I didn’t want anybody to see me like that.”

Peaston, known for a high-piercing falsetto that was unmatched, was a winner at “Showtime at the Apollo,” where he got his big break, and found national fame with hits such as “Can I” and “Two Wrongs (Don’t Make a Right).” His albums include 1989′s “Introducing…David Peaston” and 1991′s “Mixed Emotions.” The Soul Train Award winner is also well-known for his rendition of “God Bless the Child.” Peaston has also been a big presence on the local gospel scene. Friend Leslie Johnson, a St. Louis gospel singer, said on his Facebook page:

“FB FAM…On tonight my friend, David Peaston, received his complete healing. He is now with God. Please keep his wife Marilyn, their children and his entire family in your prayers.

Tonight, I dedicate my page to the memory of the Incomparable, “MR. DAVID PEASTON.”

Another friend, Cheryl Pepsii Riley, told eurweb.com:

“David Peaston and I were, in the beginning, the only secular artists doing Gospel traveling plays. Back then there were just about 4 shows out so they stayed out a long time. I met David doing the show “Momma Don’t”. We ended up doing several shows together after that and were official Road Dawgs! I Soooooooooo Loved this Man with the Hearty Laugh, Great Sense of Humor, That Incredible Voice, and He was The Most Amazing Friend!!! This hurts so much. He had a Gift that commanded the Room. David will be sorely missed. My Condolences go out to His Beautiful Wife and Children and All the Many Friends and Fans His Presence has Touched and Blessed.”

Peaston’s mother is the sister of “Rescue Me” singer Fontella Bass. His mother, Martha Bass, was a member of the Clara Ward singers.

Survivors include his wife Marilyn Peaston.

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Partnering with True Entertainment, the production company behind The Real Housewives of Atlanta, the network announced that it is working on a project tentatively titled Preacher Wives that will follow the lives of the “First Ladies” of Atlanta churches, reports the Hollywood Reporter.

In a statement released Tuesday, True Entertainment president, Steven Weinstock, shared his excitement about this unexpected partnership and also the rationale behind the new series:

We are excited to work with TLC to profile the lives of these strong-willed women. With most praise in religious communities directed towards male preachers, we are thrilled to give these remarkable ladies the spotlight they crave and deserve.”

The series will follow the women as they preside over their husbands’ congregations, as well as shadow their private lives and the conflicts that inevitably arise when trying to balance both, reports THR.

It should come as no surprise that TLC has decided to jump into the Wives fray. The Real Housewives franchise has proven to be a goldmine for Bravo, with an estimated $35.6 – $162 million generated in ad revenue within the last two years. With the copy-cat success of VH1′s Basketball Wives and Mob Wives, we should probably expect the same cat-fights and shenanigans from Preacher Wives; only this time, it’s for the Lord.

TLC has yet to announce the airdate.

U2′s lead man shares a powerful perspective of his views on Faith vs. Karma. Check out what he had to say!

You see, at the center of all religions is the idea of Karma. You know, what you put out comes back to you: an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, or in physics—in physical laws—every action is met by an equal or an opposite one. It’s clear to me that Karma is at the very heart of the universe. I’m absolutely sure of it. And yet, along comes this idea called Grace to upend all that “as you reap, so you will sow” stuff. Grace defies reason and logic. Love interrupts, if you like, the consequences of your actions, which in my case is very good news indeed, because I’ve done a lot of stupid stuff…

I’d be in big trouble if Karma was going to finally be my judge. I’d be in deep s—. It doesn’t excuse my mistakes, but I’m holding out for Grace. I’m holding out that Jesus took my sins onto the Cross, because I know who I am, and I hope I don’t have to depend on my own religiosity…

I love the idea of the Sacrificial Lamb. I love the idea that God says: Look, you cretins, there are certain results to the way we are, to selfishness, and there’s a mortality as part of your very sinful nature, and, let’s face it, you’re not living a very good life, are you? There are consequences to actions. The point of the death of Christ is that Christ took on the sins of the world, so that what we put out did not come back to us, and that our sinful nature does not reap the obvious death. That’s the point. It should keep us humbled… It’s not our own good works that get us through the gates of heaven.

As the lead singer of U2, one of the most popular and influential rock bands of the last 30 years, Bono is a figure adored and admired both within and outside of the music industry. As a rock star, his music with U2 has earned him legions of devoted fans across the world, whilst as a humanitarian and crusader for the world’s poor, co-founder of organisations such as DATA and the ONE Campaign, he has gained deep respect from politicians and global statesmen as well as music fans.

Honestly, Octavia Spencer’s win for Best Female Actor In A Supporting Role, was expected, as she’s been the one to beat during this awards season. She’s been on a roll this season, having won awards for her performance at the Golden Globes, the Critics’ Choice Movie Awards and now the SAG Awards. Spencer was honored to be recognized by her fellow actors, and quoted after her win:

“It’s beyond profound,” she said backstage, “because its your peers saying you are the best that you can be tonight.”

I believe Octavia will soon be called Academy Award Winner, because she got The Oscars on lock.

Viola Davis I thought had more competition, and I wasn’t too sure if she would get it, especially since Meryl Streep seems to be the one to beat, and who was the one who walked away with the Golden Globe. But she did it and she won for Best Female Actor In A Leading Role.

Viola quotes after her win

“I feel pretty overwhelmed with my name being called,” Davis said backstage Sunday night when the cast answered questions about the film’s best ensemble win.”

“I just don’t see the ‘best’ thing going on,” Davis said. “It’s hard. Every time I start a new job, I feel like I start with a clean slate. … I feel like everyone is going to find out what a hack I am. And it’s strange to triumph over Meryl Streep.”

I am so happy to see that they BOTH got wins last night, well deserved!!!

In this segment Yvonne Rene speaks about running with God and not from him.

“The View” announced on Wednesday that Jones will appear on the daytime talk show on Feb. 22 to promote an awareness campaign about heart disease among women.