Revelations tells the story of African-American faith and tenacity from slavery to freedom. This enduring classic is a tribute to that tradition, born out of the choreographer Alvin Ailey’s “blood memories” of his childhood in rural Texas and the Baptist Church. Continue reading
Mahalia Jackson sings How Great Thou Art. From her first million-copy seller in 1946 until her death in 1972 Mahalia Jackson (born 1911) was the face and voice of gospel music for millions around the world. These television appearances from 1957 to 1962 catch her at her vocal and interpretive peak. Continue reading
The Ben Carson Prayer by comedienne Rita Brent is a direct call to the “Heavenly Father and Black History Jesus” to school Trump’s Uncle Ben on the difference between slaves and immigrants. Please bow your heads with me for our brother, Ben Carson. Continue reading
Heaven, the third album released in September 1988 by brother and sister duo BeBe & CeCe Winans. The single Heaven and the album of the same name reached number one on the Billboard Top Gospel Albums chart. Continue reading
Controversial religious leader Bishop Eddie Long has died at age 63. Rumors that the pastor and founder New Birth Missionary Baptist Church had passed began circulate and were confirmed through an instagram post on Long’s account.
“My heart is heavy, but God is in control. See you in the rapture Bishop Eddie Long. It was my honor to serve New Birth for 12 years,” tweets Byron Cage. Cage is the former minister of music at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church founded and led by Long.
On New Birth’s website, Long is described as:
Bishop Eddie L. Long is known worldwide as a pioneering leader, revolutionary mind changer, a family man, and a caring and loving pastor. As a pioneering leader, Bishop Long is highly regarded for his vision, boldness, and unapologetic courage to walk in the supernatural. As a pastor, he is well respected and loved for his passion to bring souls into the body of Christ and join them to a local church body, and for preaching and teaching messages that change mindsets and encourage hearts. At home, he is a doting husband to his beautiful wife, First Lady Vanessa Long and loving father to his 4 children and 3 grandchildren. At New Birth, Bishop Long is most loved for being the ‘father of many’ – a pastor who loves God, God’s people, and who speaks life and declares, You shall NOT die but live to proclaim the goodness of the Lord!
Kevin Bond, another former minister of music at New Birth, writes on Facebook: “My sincere prayers go out to the Family of Bishop Eddie Long & the entire New Birth Church Family in the passing of Bishop Eddie Long. RIP”
In October 2016, Long told his congregation during a service earlier this month that God had healed him. “I’ve been on a journey and just recalibrating myself.”
The ‘recalibrating’ is likely in part the raw food diet that he adopted. An emaciated Long professed in a video that shocked the world in August 2016. He shared in the video posted on Facebook: “I’m on the medicine that God gave you to feed your immune system to build you up,” he says in the clip. “You know what, if you really want to move through this world and have influence, you gotta be spiritual and you have to walk by his commandments and you have to be healthy.”
There is no word on the cause of death.
Alte Zachen, Choreography by Nadav Zelner featuring dancers Réginald Lefebvre and Alessio Marchini set to Howard A. Robert renowned arrangement of Rocka My Soul in the Bosom of Abraham with costumes by Ofir Hazan. Continue reading
By Walter Rutledge
Once again a Bible Bigot, this time Kim Burrell, has misused scripture to preach hate and exclusion. The article below originally appeared in Harlem World Magazine in the summer of 2010 shortly after the Deitrick Haddon/Tonex twitter scandal broke. For years the gospel industry had made subtle references and caddy “humorous” comments about Tonex’s flamboyant gospel stage show. But there was nothing subtle about their reaction when Tonex decided to live in his own truth. Continue reading
By Walter Rutledge
Once again a Bible Bigot, this time Kim Burrell, has misused scripture to preach hate and exclusion. The article below originally appeared in Harlem World Magazine in the summer of 2010 shortly after the Deitrick Haddon/Tonex twitter scandal broke. For years the gospel industry had made subtle references and caddy “humorous” comments about Tonex’s flamboyant gospel stage show. But there was nothing subtle about their reaction when Tonex decided to live in his own truth. Continue reading
The Dance of the Village Elders are back ! This time we exercise, dance and just have fun through the zoom platform or in-person at R.A.I.N. Nereid 
The Dance of the Village Elders are back ! This time we exercise, dance and just have fun through the zoom platform or in-person at R.A.I.N. Nereid 