Events

Albums That Turned 10 This Year

Published

5 years ago

November 15, 2018

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A decade in any instance is a long time, but in the world of entertainment that time span can seem like a century. In today’s music industry filled with one hit wonders and stories of fame gone bad, many artists don’t make it that long, let alone a decade. A good artist is a master at reinventing themselves through eras all while staying true to who they really are. Though it may seem like a cakewalk, putting out music over a span of time that is both relevant and good is a tough task.

Below are five albums that turned 10 years-old this year by five different artists who are still contributing to the world of music today.

Lecrae, Rebel

In 2008, Rebel was the third album released by Lecrae and most would agree it was project that changed the trajectory of his music career. Rebel was the first Lecrae album to chart on Billboard’s Top 200 albums, as well as multiple other Billboard charts. The project featured much of the (then) Reach Records roster, including Tedashii, Sho Baraka, Trip Lee, as well as other artists like Da T.R.U.T.H and J.R. The track “Go Hard” still goes hard today and the successful single “Don’t Waste Your Life” still holds true. The casual fan may have never heard of Rebel, but the day one Lecrae fans know the album well and cherish it.

Trip Lee, 20/20

Before conceptual albums became all the rage, Trip Lee’s 20/20 was laser focused on seeing the Lord clearer. With one of the most captivating covers at the time, given this was ten years ago, it was hard to not be enamored by this project. Production by the late DJ Official, GAWVI (then G-Styles) and Joseph Prielozny as well as features from CHH heavy weights like Lecrae, Tedashii, Flame, Shai Linne and more made 20/20 a must listen. Though many artists experience a sophomore slump, this wasn’t the case for the second album released by Trip Lee.

HeeSun Lee, Re-defined

At a time when there was hardly any female representation in the CHH genre. HeeSun Lee came along and changed things. The first release from Lee was brash, poetic and soulful. Exclusively produced and released via Jahrock’n Studios in Brooklyn, NY, Re-Defined had minimal features, Chris Belmont (Rock) appeared on a couple of tracks as well as Shanelle Gabriel, but it’s HeeSun Lee that carries this project from beginning to end. She started her career breaking barriers and is still doing the same 10 years later.

**Mary Mary, *The Sound***

The Sound was the fourth album released by gospel duo Mary Mary and arguably one of their most successful albums. The project debuted at no. 7 on the Billboard 200, no. 2 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip Hop Album Charts and no. 1 on the Billboard Top Gospel Albums Charts. Much of the success of The Sound was due to the smash hit “God in Me” featuring Kierra Sheard which the group won a Grammy for. As with all of Mary Mary’s projects, The Sound was produced entirely by Warryn Campbell and also featured hip-hop star David Banner.

Derek Minor (Pro) The Blackout

Back when Derek Minor was known as Pro, The Blackout was his first studio release. His stage name was not the only thing different at the time, his album was released through his label which is now Reflection Music Group, but 10 years ago was named Christ Like Entertainment. Name changes aside, Derek Minor was ahead of his time during this period. At a time when most Christian rappers were taking sermons, making them rhyme and putting them over beats, Derek’s music was and still is informed by his Christian worldview. He had no problems rapping about what he saw in his neighborhood and how his faith shaped his perspective. The Blackout had a lengthy list of features including Willie Will, Coko Korrine, Dorian Lee and more. Although it didn’t shake up the charts, it shook up the genre.

It’s always great to take a look back and reminisce. Music has the unique quality of mentally transporting us to a totally different place— beautiful nostalgia. We should applaud the artists that created the soundtracks to our lives while and appreciate the art they make today. Though some of these projects don’t hold up well 10 years later, songs like “Go Hard” and “God in Me” are timeless and will forever hold a place in many hearts. Cheers to 10 years!

ArtSoul Spotlight

GodKulture Is Bringing Christian Professionals Together Through New Sports Tournament

Published

12 months ago

May 15, 2023

Art Soul

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The Chicago Inter-Church Sports Tournament is a highly anticipated annual event organized by GodKulture. GodKulture is a new community in the Chicagoland area designed to help bring Churches together through fellowship. Their overall mission is to inspire Christian professionals to discover their purpose, develop their leadership skills, and grow their platforms while fostering unity and growth within local churches.

One of the staple events of this organization is their Inter-Church Sports Tournament. This tournament is an annual event that takes place each year on Memorial Day. This summer, 2023 marks the fifth year of this innovative event that brings churches and believers together to compete in various sports activities!

GodKulture Founder, Rotimi Kehinde shares the mission of their organization:

“Our vision for this event is to promote unity, fun, and fellowship among church members through healthy sports competitions. This year, we have an exciting lineup of games, including soccer, volleyball, video games, basketball, flag football, chess, ping pong, and many more. We believe these games will provide a fun and competitive environment and create opportunities for people to connect with each other and build lasting relationships.”

Celebrating the 5th year of this tournament, this year’s event promises to be bigger and better than ever!

CATCH A GLIMPSE OF THIS ANNUAL EVENT

4 Things You Should Know About GodKulture’s Inter-Church Sports Sports Tournament

#1) When and where

The Chicago Inter-Church Sports Tournament 2023 is always held on Memorial Day 2023. Many people spend this time at home or visiting friends. However, we believe that you can do a lot more on this special day.

This event seeks to bring together Christians and churches in Chicago together to enjoy fellowship and fun. Check below for the details of when and where this event will take place:

Date: May 29, 2023 (Memorial Day)

Venue: ComEd Recreation Center 434 South Loomis St. Chicago, IL 60608

Time: 9 am – 4 pm

#2) Activities To Expect

The Chicago Inter-Church Sports Tournament features several sports activities that are designed to foster unity, fellowship, and fun among Christians in the Chicago area. (The games begin at 11 am, the pre-game activities begin by 9 am.)

Soccer
Basketball
Ping Pong
Chess
Volley Ball
FIFA 23 (video games)
Fitness Training
Mini Golf

#3) Not Into Sports? Come to Network!

For those who may be concerned about not athletic enough to engage in sports, there will also be time for networking, prayers, worship, and a picnic.

This edition will feature a wide range of sports and activities, including basketball, volleyball, soccer, flag football, tug of war, and relay races. The CICSC provides an opportunity for participants to showcase their athletic abilities while also fostering a spirit of sportsmanship and unity among different churches. It also includes fun activities such as music, food, and games for spectators and participants.

#4) Volunteer Spots Are Available

The Chicago Inter-Church Sports Tournament is a big event! Because of this, they are always looking for volunteers to help the event run smoothly. If you are interested in volunteering, simply click this link to register as a volunteer.

Register Your Ministry Group Today!

Simply click this link to register as an individual or a church. Get your ministry departments together and show up ready to play!

Follow GodKulture on Social Media for more information about their community and coming events:
Facebook | Instagram | YouTube

ArtSoul Spotlight

Jor’Dan Armstrong & Adia Team Up for Chicago Stop of New Tour!

Published

1 year ago

January 10, 2023

Art Soul

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Chicago is headquarters for the ArtSoul Radio team. So, you know we had to hook up our home city with this news! On Wednesday, January 11th, Jor’Dan is bringing his full band and team all the way from ATL to the Chi this week! And he’s bring the incomparable Adia with him! DON’T MISS IT!

This is the night out you’ve been looking for! Hosted at the City Winery in the West Loop, this location will already have the vibe set. Come ready for a night of Gospel Soul with R&B vibes, good food, great atmosphere, a full band, DJ and an all around amazing experience with some of the best people in Chicago.

This is the “night out” to kick off the New Year you’ve been looking for! It will definitely give you the kick you need to help finish off the work/school week and inspiration for year! Tickets start at only $20. So, get your friends together, put on your best outfit and come through!

EVENT DETAILS:

Location: City Winery 1200 W Randolf, Chicago, IL 60605
Time: Show starts at 8pm CST
Cost: Cost starts at $20
Purchase Tickets here: Click here to buy your tickets

ABOUT JOR’DAN ARMSTRONG

Jor’Dan Armstrong has been a leader in the genre style of Urban Christian Inspiration with the R&B sound for over 8 years. He is multi-nominated and award winning artist and his latest single “Call” featuring Erica Campbell recently hit #1 on the Billboard charts! This is his second single to have Billboard success. His single “My God” hit #1 on the Billboard charts and remained there for several weeks!

Jordan has been a leader in this sound for almost 10 years. We are excited to have him coming to our home city this week!

This style has had many names over the years such as Gospel Soul, Gospel Neo Soul, Christian Soul, R&P and the latest trending terms such as Christian R&B and Urban Inspirational music. Jordan has been a leader in this sound for almost 10 years. Now he’s taking it all to a city near you via his “Church Girls Love R&B” tour! Named after the title of his latest album, Church Girls Love R&B, Jor’Dan is using this tour to continue to help continue to build the Urban Inspiration genre by featuring key leading vocals in every city.

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ABOUT ADIA

Award-Winning singer/songwriter ADIA, has just released her newest album, Hold it All Together. Famously known for her collaborations with some of gospel music’s biggest names including Pastor Mike Jr., Kierra Sheard, and Deitrick Haddon, ADIA is one of the industry’s fastest rising stars.

Her newest project, Hold it All Together is sleek R&B sound that gives a new take on what gospel music can be presented to the world. When asked about her inspiration, ADIA says, “This is a very special transparent project for me. I really dug deep on this project as a songwriter. I share my pain, joy, insecurities and liberation.” She continues, “I invite the listener to have a glance at who God has been to me and hopefully empower them to believe that God can ‘Hold it All Together’ for them as well.”

Follow us below on social media for more!

ArtSoul Spotlight

David Michael Wyatt Is Coming To Chicago!!

Published

2 years ago

August 17, 2022

Art Soul

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David Michael Wyatt is rightfully known as “The Velvet Voice”! He has most currently been known for singing on tour with Tobe Nwigwe where he has received praise from artists such as Beyonce, Erica Badu and more! But, now he’s making his own pathway as a solo artist.

On August 26th, the ArtSoul Radio team is partnering up with Aspire Booking to bring David to The Promontory in Hyde Park Chicago! We are excited to have been asked to help create and plan this event while also taking on the full promotion of it for this date. Supporting both local artists and mainstream is our passion and something we have done on a regular basis for almost a decade. So, saying “Yes” to this invitation was easy! Our team is excited about pouring all of our efforts and resources into this partnership to help make it a success!

In addition to David Michael Wyatt, we made sure that the night will include a few top tier Chicago local artists such as Rahkii (a Previous ArtSoul Spotlight artist), Ephraim Bugumba (an Aspire Booking client) and Jasmine Sims (another ArtSoul Spotlight artist). Our host for the night is one of Chicago’s favorite Gospel Radio personalities Keno Greer! It’s going to be a great night! You don’t want to miss it!

While it’s true that David Michael Wyatt has a growing fan base that includes some of the greatest artists we’ve ever seen to grace a stage, this Texarkana native has spent years perfecting his musical talents to get where he is today. This Berklee College of Music alumni, is a singer, songwriter and actor whose music fits perfectly into multiple genres including Gospel and R&B. Wyatt was part of BET’s Sunday Best gospel talent show, has shared the stage with well-known singers such as Kirk Franklin and has been been featured on Grammy Award Winner Israel Houghton’s albums and has entertained leaders such as the previous President-Elect Barack Obama. Outside of his solo endeavors, David can be seen touring with Brian Courtney Wilson and Ledisi.

This is the first in person event ArtSoul Radio has done since before the Pandemic and it has been an exciting experience for us to team up with Aspire Booking so our team can get our creative juices running again by helping to create this event for fans and taking on the full promotion for it.
This is also the first time some of the featured local artists have performed live in Chicago since the start of the pandemic. Needless to say, we’re ALL excited to be back outside y’all!

So, we’re inviting all ArtSoul Radio supporters, and fans of all of the artists being featured to come out to support this event! You don’t want to miss it!

CATCH A SNEEK PEEK OF EACH ARTIST BELOW

David Michael Wyatt