See the previously announced performers here!

*Kaboom* and that’s all….for now.

Torrence

So after hearing about Legacy The Jesus’ allegations his former Pastor Ma$e (Mason Betha) misused money he received from his church to fund his rap career, I reached out to Legacy to see what he had to say. And he had A LOT to say. Catch up with the first part of the story here.

Legacy The Jesus was a member of Ma$e’s church for a little bit over 3 years from 2004 to 2008.  Here he is, word for word.

So you were around for his foray into G-Unit and what did you think about that?

To be honest sir, I had no problem with him in G-Unit because I understand sometimes in order to gain the audience that you’re trying to target, at some point you have to make sure you’re with the with the right people who can target that audience so I thought if he could conduct himself respectfully, and have a major backing like 50 Cent co-signing him, cause at the end of the day all these mainstream rappers, they have a measure of faith, they just don’t know how to live it. But when you become those people…see, Jesus he went everywhere but he didn’t compromise. He blended in, he was around those people but he didn’t become them.  I think his mistake was not getting around 50 Cent. I don’t have a problem with 50 Cent, I have a problem when he became Murda Ma$e.

How did he announce that to you guys. How did you find out that he had become Murda Ma$e?

Well see that’s the thing. I’m an artist. You can’t get too much past me musically. I had a conversation with certain people from the congregation who was a little upset but they didn’t get all the mixtapes.  They didn’t listen to “Crucified for the hood.” They didn’t listen to all the stuff that I knew about that he was putting out while in G-Unit. So I’m looking like ‘hold up, we investing and helping you fund your projects and you talking about you going back in to music so when you get in an arena you can have 30,000 lift their hands and confess their lives over to God. How you gonna do that with this content? I don’t make gangsta music, but I too, I make music for gangstas. I understand where they came from. I’m from that era, but I’m not gonna promote that lifestyle.

So he would make actual appeals to the congregation, specifically for the music or was he just kind of taking it?

Of course. No, he made actual appeals. He would say “it don’t matter what they say on the song, it matters what I say.” In particular, when he got on that Fat Joe remix, everybody was like what he doing on that.  I didn’t have a problem with the Fat Joe Lean Back Remix. I thought it was hot. But he came in the church cuz so many people were confused as to why he was going back into music. And he’s like “it don’t matter what they say, it matters what I say.” And I was with him on that, but then when he starts saying what they saying and doing what they doing. I have a problem with that and anybody should.

A lot of people are saying that you said he stole money, but you’re saying he inappropriately used it?

Here’s what I will say. People can say a lot of what they want, that’s only one portion of if. Like I said, I’m not gonna air everything out. Here’s how we’re gonna gauge if I’m telling the truth. If you ask Ma$e questions and he don’t respond, he’s hiding something. I’ll wait to see how he takes it, but here’s what I will put out. I can go in a lot of directions factually about the money and how it was handled. But I’m gonna stick to this category of music. If you pulled members into a backroom when you were first coming back in music, and you’re asking them to make investments so you can fund your mixtapes and all your projects because his label situation with Diddy was funny style at that point. But he was having to put out his own material, so that takes money. It takes money to push and market yourself. If you get us back there and you’re asking us to make a donation or offering to fund these projects and after funding it, I listen to what’s being said on these records, that’s a problem. Because now, you’re misappropriating funds. Because I didn’t sow into that for you to say you got “big tittie hoes dancing the club on they tippy toes.” I’m just like “hold up.” And I’m losing friends behind that. People calling my phone saying ‘what’s up with ya pastor dawg.” And I’m over here arguing. “c’mon you don’t know what he’s doing, he’s trying to infiltrate the camp.” I’m over here tryna cosign him and I’m losing friends.

Yeah, I can see where that would be an issue.

It’s very personal bro. It’s not a publicity stunt. I met my wife at that church. I got family in there. I got people in there who’s very confused and left behind that. People left, you understand what I’m saying? You got the best position to go out here and do something great and that’s what you do with it? And now you coming back for the 3^rd time? Nah bruh, sit down man. Get back in the house with that man. And I’m gonna be the one to say it, because a lot of people really feel like they don’t want to talk about it cuz he’s a pastor. They don’t want to disrespect God. I’m in right standings with God so I can say whatever I want about Ma$e. Ma$e aint God. If your people around you aint checking you. I’ll do it for em.

 Whoa, I hear that. You said he took you guys to a backroom, so you were a part of the inner circle?

No, that was an announcement he made to the entire congregation.  The people had a choice to go back there.

 Ahh, I understand.

He said “if I have any real investors that’s on my team. After service, come back in the backroom, I want to share something with you. And then we went back there because I was like, I was believing in him. So of course, I went back there. And I made investments. Big ones!  I was making some big investments!

 What kind of investments were you making?

Personally, thousands into that ministry. It got to the point where sometimes so many people were in competition to see who was giving more. It was like las Vegas in there, people started gambling. And I think I would sit next to people and they would really capitalize their names on these offerings. He would read it himself and say “oh this guy’s a big giver, I’m gonna holler at him.” People were in competition to see who could give the most.  It was sometimes where literally I’d put a thousand dollars at a time in an envelope and didn’t even put my name. Because I wwasn’t there for “I want him to know that I’m a big giver.” So I’m just saying for me, I’m not a millionaire, thousands a dollars at a time, and hundreds at a time over a period of 3 years, I’ve invested thousands into that ministry personally. So yeah, I’m an investor.

And you made mention, that depending how much or how little you were investing would determine the kind of attention you’d get from him?

I’mma tell you something. You can quote this. I remember there was a time when we had a Pastor’s appreciation Day, this is when I was making my way out.  We were all putting in for him to buy that Lamborghini. See I don’t have a problem with my pastor in a Lamborghini, as long when he gets it, he don’t drive past me in it.  We’ll put you in there, but don’t act all fly now like you can’t talk to nobody. People would literally announce who they were and what they were putting in the bucket. I didn’t like that either. “oh I’m putting 5 grand, and so forth and so on.” There was one guy who came up there and said something like “I’m putting this amount in there.” And ya boy Ma$e would say “god didn’t tell you to put that in there.” Ya boy Ma$e, ya man son said “God didn’t tell you to give me that.” And I’m just like “What you mean?” You’re not reading the same bible I’m reading when that lady came with 2 mites.  And for me, this is musical, and for nobody to say nothing and he keeps smiling his way back in the game? Ma$e owes those people an apology, if he don’t apologize, anything he put out, I’m on his neck, I’mma put the pressure on him and squeeze him to the point where he realizes he owe people an apology. Treat people better man. Don’t do that, don’t pick and choose. God didn’t do that. I’m on his neck. Quote me. He’s gotta have a response record or he gotta come out and apologize or anything he put out I’m on his neck.

 Do you think a diss track was the way to go?

Oh it wasn’t even a diss track.  I’m telling you more than I said on the track. The track was in love. 

 (He makes an unclear mention of the track causing him to get a lot of phone calls and how he didn’t expect all of this.)

Because then we had questions, it definitely opened up the door.

He’s not hot. How is it a publicity stunt? Ma$e is doing free verses right now.  Ma$e is calling people saying “yo let me get a verse on your record for free just so I can get my name out.” He’s not hot. C’mon now, it aint no publicity stunt. Ma$e can rap but he’s not hot. If you can find somebody who’s paying for a Ma$e verse right now, call me, I’ll reimburse ‘em. Nobody’s paying for a Ma$e verse. Everything he’s doing right now is to get himself back hot. That record was very nice. I was nice to Ma$e. I even said a little prayer for the guy. However, if you’re gonna act like what I’m saying is false. I’ll  prove it. And he won’t say nothing.

So you have proof?

C’mon man. I could have 100 people at the radio station tomorrow. That’s my proof.  I got people. I don’t gotta pull out statements and records. I’ll get people. But I don’t want to put them in that cuz theyre scared. This is my fight. This is a personal thing. And in hip hop this is an outlet to where people battle. We from a battle era. Ma$e knows about that. If what I’ms aying is false, prove it. Say something back. Tell me I’m lying. He won’t do that. He will dodge you and everybody else and smile. Aint nobody smiling with you now. You’re gonna have to answer to this.

So what do you have to say re: young people who leave the church because their leaders fail them, and yeah, I got to know where you got that name from?

They should want to, but that’s the problem when people make their pastors and mentors their God. You’re supposed to look to Jesus. That’s why I’m “legacy the Jesus.” I’m not Jesus. But I want people to always remember. This is who you look to. I chose that name because that’s who I wanna model myself after. I chose that name because so many other rappers choose other people to model themselves after. I want to be the Jesus to the rap game, because so many people don’t want to minister  to that culture. Please don’t label me as a gospel artist. I don’t want to be in that box.

I know, that was a lot but if I would have cut anymore out, you guys would have blasted me in the comments saying you could tell I wasn’t telling the whole story! Ha! (You guys are tough!)  So what do you think about Legacy’s allegations. Do you believe him? Anybody heard the lyrics he was referring to?  I’m trying to get in touch with Ma$e and hopefully he’ll have something to say too.

Torrence

So apparently, one of Pastor Mason Betha’s (aka Ma$e) members is claiming Ma$e is doing some shady business when it comes to his church and his music.  First a quick bit of  background for my hardcore church folks who don’t remember how it all began.

Ma$e used to be a mainstream/secular rapper back in the late 90’s on Diddy’s (that’s his name still right?) Bad Boy Records and had a few hits.  Right at the height of his career (I think it was 1999) he got saved and quit the music business to become a preacher/pastor down in Atlanta. (I hear he also has a churchin Phoenix, AZ now.) Then, in 2004  Ma$e returned as a “clean” rapper, still on Bad Boy and let’s just say, things had changed.  I guess after a 5 year hiatus and the slight change in style/content, people weren’t feeling him anymore and the album went away just as fast as it came. I actually liked “Welcome Back” but I’m no hip-hop head like that so what do I know?!

In 2005, out of nowhere Ma$e tried to be down with 50 Cent’s G-Unit records crew and quite frankly that was quite a mess.  You couldn’t tell if he was still a preacher or not, and he looked a little like 50’s First lady or at the very least, his adjutant in that “Window Shopper” video.  (C’mon, riding in the passenger’s seat while 50 drives, sippin on a milk shake he buys for you as you walk with him down the boardwalk?…i’m just sayin…) Needless to say, the G-Unit thing never worked out.

Anyway, one of Mase’s former church members, a gospel rapper named Legacy The Jesus (I’m gonna pray for a better stage name for him TODAY) is claiming that Mase was tricking members of his congregation into giving him money to try to fund another foray into the rap game.

“That’s the biggest problem man,” Legacy said of Mase’s decision to return to the game under his old moniker “Murda Mase.” “Because I believed in his vision because I was an artist myself and I always thought it’d be great if we had somebody to get co-signed by these major artists out there and come out, and even though you amongst them, it doesn’t necessarily mean you have to represent what they represent. And you can do it respectfully. He didn’t have to bash. I saw and believed in what he was doing. Oh, he got 50 co-signing. That’s what’s up … and he telling the church we gonna do this. We’re gonna do that but then you go back to Murda Mase.”

So I take that to mean that the people giving him money thought he would keep his music clean as their pastor. But this quote probably makes my eyebrow raise the most:

“Yeah, that’s why most people leave churches behind,” he replied. “You can’t tell me dog, ‘Hey man, be faithful to your wife’ and I’m your pastor but I see you in the strip club with 5 hoes on your lap and your high. That’s a false prophet. You’re not living by what you’re saying and people can take that out of context and that is what it is. I don’t expect Mase to be perfect but I definitely expect him to live by what he’s saying. You can’t go out there doing that bro because people get deceived.It became a hustle for Mase after a while dog. I can’t and I won’t say too much in the interview because I want to make sure people understand they got to follow the music. I don’t want to take away any interest from my projects and stuff but a lot of stuff will be said. But what I will say is that it became almost like a hustle after a while where he was gauging who he would talk to based around how much they were giving, that’s a problem for me,” he added. “Because all throughout the Bible, there were people who had the least but gave the most. It’s easy for a dude with a million dollars to give a thousand. It’s hard for a dude with a hundred dollars to give 30. It don’t matter how much you give. The point is that person was giving out of what he had and for you to gauge your conversations based around the amount of people giving, that’s a problem so that’s what I meant.”

Pastor Ma$e makes it rain? Say what? I’m in the process of reaching out to Ma$e and the folks over at Mason Betha Ministries to find out what in the world is really going on. BET.com also has an interview with Legacy the Jesus scheduled too for his take. Is this some new gospel rapper trying to use Mase to get some shine?  I don’t know, but I want to find out. What do you think?

Torrence

For the original story, click here.

It’s that time again! Celebration of Gospel (or COG as we call it in the industry, so lazy we are) 2010 is taping in Los Angeles, CA on Saturday, December 12, 2009! We’re going back to the Orpheum theater and this show is shaping up to be hot! It’s about to be a “family affair” and you can see why as you check out who’s scheduled to perform.

Keep checking back for more info, but here’s who’s performing so far!

Fantasia & Diane Barrino Barber (her mom)
Anthony Hamilton & Tarsha Hamilton (his wife)
Bebe & Cece Winans
Fred Hammond
Deborah Cox, Kelly Price, Tamia (The Queen Project)
Sherri Shepherd (something in my spirit says she’s not singing, haha)
Donnie McClurkin
Pastor Shirley Caesar
Marvin Sapp
James Fortune & Fiya
Tye Tribbett & Greater Anointing
Dr. Bobby Jones & The Nashville Super Choir
Y’Anna Crawley (20090Sunday Best Winner!)
The Rance Allen Group (I’m passing out just thinking about it!)
P.S.A.L.M. Choir from City of Refuge

Of course Steve Harvey is our host again, we couldn’t have it any other way.  Celebration Of Gospel premieres Sunday, January 10, 2010 on BET! (umm obviously, lol)

Gonna be in the L.A. area and want tickets? Email us at BETRSVP@bet.net or call (202) 608-2617. Of course I will be in the building and want to see you there too!

I’m out!

Torrence

Infidelity or “moral indiscretions” as they’ve been code-worded for the last year or so is nothing new but they seem to be getting messier as the days go by, especially among gospel artists.  Not too long ago, we discussed a situation with gospel rapper The Ambassador where I kind of got a little beside myself and ‘went in” on his label Cross Movement Records for that silly and over the top (that still stands) statement they put on their website where they put his business on full blast and sat him down.  Well as so many of you and others let me know, that label is known for it’s very strict stance on “holy living” for their artists and that’s to be commended.  However, I think there’s something to be said when you’re EXTREME VOCALNESS on being holy, right, etc. doesn’t hold.  Perhaps you should shut up a little bit.  Here’s what I mean:

 As a Christian, artist or otherwise, I do believe and agree that we should try to be the best and live the best lives that we can.  But let’s be honest, some of us are a little harder than others when it comes to how we present our “Christian lives” to others. I’ve noticed a scary pattern lately.  The artists who keep “falling” are the ones who talk the most and strongest about living these extra holy lives.  Yeah, the same ones who criticize young people for listening to “secular music.”  Yeah, the same ones who say you can’t work with an r&b artist. Yeah, the same ones who call out “sissies,” smokers, and drinkers and al of that. Some will probably call this post messy, and for those of you I’m sorry if you perceive it that way, but for years I’ve had to counsel and reassure young people who look up to me who have struggled based off of these kinds of hard core and many times unbalanced teachings. I’ve always said a person struggles the most with the thing they won’t shut up about. Well, when you present yourself as “holier than thou” you had better be! But what I think makes these “falls” worse is that they’re so deliberate and calculated. Sin is sin and I get that, but cheating on your wife, especially with a choir member or fellow artist’s (who used to be your mentor) wife who’s been through something similar, etc. is just a tad bit ridiculous.

 Now to be clear, I sincerely hope and pray for the best for Da Truth, Tye Tribbett, The Ambassador and others who have made mistakes, slipped up and are dealing with their marital issues, but I think this is a lesson to us to stop being so deep and judgmental of folks.  Let’s REALLY LOVE one another and rep Christ and stop making ourselves out to be more than the humans in need of God’s love that we are.  Trust me, it’s better that way.

 One of my favorite twitter followers (and I follow her too) @youthpastorTEE recently said something that really stuck with me, the tweet went a little something like this. “People reject the Christ they ‘can’t’ see BECAUSE of the “Christians” they ‘Can’ see!”

 I’m going to leave it at that.

 What do you think?

Torrence

Today, the ladies of Rizen released their newest CD, “Free.” And it seems they freed themselves of a few members, because I’m almost certain they used to be a 4 member girl group, but I think I missed whatever happened with that.  But it’s all good, it happens. (Anointed, Trin-i-tee 5:7, etc.) And truthfully, from the look of the CD cover, the “sanging one” is still around, so I think we’re good!  I’m stalling, yeah, because umm, yeah, I haven’t had the chance to listen to it, so I’m going to checking it out right along with you.  So take a listen with me and tell me what you think!

Listen Up!: Rizen

I’m out!

Torrence

Last week Lisa Page-Brooks, one of my favorite singers on the entire planet, released her latest solo project “Strong.”  She, to me, is the REIGNING QUEEN of the ad-lib. Now I’m sure you recognize Lisa as the lead singer of gospel’s great girl supergroups, “Witness.”  I was/am a HUGE fan of them as well, but every now and then a singer in a group has to step out and do their own thing, and I’m not mad at that.  (I hear a Witness reunion is in the works for next year, so we’ll be getting the best of both worlds anyway!)

Listen to Lisa Page-Brook’s new CD and tell me what you think. If you like it, go get it because it’s in stores right now!

Listen Up!: Lisa Page-Brooks

I’m out!

Torrence

As I was looking at the nominations, I realized that Gospel will be front and center at the awards show and wanted to congratulate the nominees.  So here goes:

Song Of The Year

• “God In Me” – Mary Mary
• “Pretty Wings” – Maxwell
• “Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)” – Beyonce
• “Spotlight” – Jennifer Hudson
• “Turnin Me On” – Keri HIlson f/ Lil Wayne

What’s so hot about the first category I mentioned is that it’s a general category, not a gospel one.  But I think Mary Mary being nominated is TOTALLY appropriate, because I don’t know about you, but that song was definitely a theme for me this past year and I heard it everywhere.  It was in the the church, the club, the cook-out and everywhere else.

Best Gospel Performance Male Female Or Group

• BeBe and CeCe Winans- ”Close To You”
• Fred Hammond f/John P Kee- ”They That Wait
• Marvin Sapp-”Praise Him in Advance”
• MaryMary- ”God In Me”
• Smokie Norful– ”Justified”

Now a lot of y’all complained about the gospel category nominations at this year’s BET Awards and truthfully, I was with you. It was a little random, but I think  this time, most of these are dead on.  Now I’m going to be honest, I don’t know if I’m feeling the Bebe & Cece nomination going up against the others, but ummm, yeah. I guess technically the song was a “hit.” And let’s face it, Bebe & Cece Winans could have put out a CD of them humming the ABC’s in Z Minor and the nostalgic folks would have jumped all over it. There are certain legendary artists who just don’t even have to try because their mans are that real with it.

Best Collaboration

• Keri Hilson featuring Kanye West & Ne-Yo “Knock you Down”
• Keyshia Cole featuring Monica -”Trust”
• Mario featuring Gucci Mane and Sean Garrett – “Break up”
• Mary Mary featuring Kierra (KiKi) Sheard – “God In Me”
• Trey Songz featuring Drake – “Successful”

And there we go again, Mary Mary & Kierra “Kiki” Sheard land another nomination in a general category.  You GOTTA love that!  I’m really excited, because although they’re up against some mainstream R&B and Hip Hop heavyweights, I really think they have a shot in both categories.

Well, that’s it for now. Congratulation to ALL the nominees and I’m looking forward to the show, which airs Sunday, November 29 @ 9pm.  Make sure you watch to see who wins! For more info about the 2009 Soul Train Awards, click HERE.  (since I only talked about the gospel stuff, hehehe)

Click here if you missed Part 1 of my interview with Bishop Thomas Weeks, III and his wife.

So, we’re back with Part 2.  In this portion of the interview, things get a little bit “heavier.”  We discuss Prophetess Glenn’s past abuse, healing and public perception of their relationship.  You’ve got to watch to understand.  I’m keeping this intro short.  Watch!

Now Playing:

"Torrence Talks with Bishop Weeks Part 2"

Bishop Weeks and wife answer some tough questions.

So, what do you think? Has your perception of Bishop Weeks changed at all? (It was not my intention, I’m just curious.) Let’s talk about it!

Til tomorrow, I’m out.

Torrence

Sup folks.  About 2 weeks ago, I went down to Atlanta to talk with Bishop Thomas Weeks, III. I,  like many of you, for the last 2 years have had some questions that I wanted to pose to him. We’re all aware of his extremely public marriage and divorce and the incidents surrounding them.  But after finding out of his recent engagement to Prophetess Christina Glenn, I became more interested in finding out what Bishop Weeks had been up to, especially the who, what and WHY of this new relationship.  What were the both of them thinking?  There was only one way to find out!

I sat down first with Bishop Weeks to catch up and then got to talk to him and his then fiance together (his wife as of Saturday, October 17.)  Our conversation ran a little long, so I’ll have to present it in 2 parts, but think you’ll appreciate me not having you sit through the whole thing in one shot.  You REALLY don’t want to miss Part 2. FULL DISCLOSURE: This interview made me nervous because it was new “journalistic” territory for me, so don’t laugh at the paper in my hand.  I didn’t want to get off track! Turns out I didn’t need to use it much, so hush!  Now enough of my mouth, watch and tell me what YOU think in the comments. Part 2 is directly after the video.

Now Playing:

"Torrence Talks with Bishop Weeks Part 1"

Bishop Weeks discusses where he is today.

Click here for Part 2.

For more info on Bishop Weeks and Prophetess Glenn, go to www.bishopweeks.com

I’m OUT!

Torrence