Marvin Sapp

For most gospel artists, being part of Fred Hammond's hit-making group Commissioned would have been the pinnacle of their career, but for Marvin Sapp it was merely the beginning. After busting out on his own, Sapp started making gospel history — his album Thirsty hit #2 on the Billboard Pop Albums chart, the highest placement ever by a gospel artist, and his overwhelming outpouring of praise "Never Would Have Made It" hit the Gospel, Pop and R&B charts with its roof-raising, church-on-Sunday goodness. Of course, Sapp's spiritual songbook has a more modern-sounding side, too — "Magnify" is powered by some thumb-slappin', funkified bass and a horn section that sounds like it could've come off an Earth, Wind & Fire album. And if you've got a jones for a jazzier feel, check out the cooler-than-a-fan piano runs that punctuate Sapp's slow-burning song of faith "Miracle." In Next Steps, Sapp's spiritual groove gets fueled by funk and soul.

No one would ever dream of questioning Marvin Sapp's bona fides — he's been singing in churches since he was a toddler, and today he's the pastor for the Lighthouse Full Life Center Church in his hometown of Grand Rapids. But even though he's got seriously deep gospel roots, he didn't become an unprecedented crossover sensation by keeping his ears closed to other sounds. Even back in his Commissioned days, he was turning out spiritual but smooth R&B hits, like "Irreplaceable Love," that were more Tony! Toni! Toné! than Mighty Clouds of Joy. The chattering rhythm guitar and fat, funky beat of "Reign Jesus Reign" sure don't sound like something out of a hymnal either. And the serpentine synthlines and hypnotic groove of "Nothing Else Matters" sure do make for the most sanctified slow jam you've ever heard. In Deep Cuts, Marvin makes magic happen with some soulful, spiritual pals.

As a man of the Lord, Marvin Sapp knows for sure that nobody goes it alone in this world, and some of his greatest musical milestones have occurred in collaboration with other gospel greats. On the jazz-juiced "To Know You Lord," Pastor Sapp knows just when to lay back and let the miraculous, Stevie Wonder-like pipes of Tonéx leap in to lead us toward the light. Alongside Hezekiah Walker and D.J. Rodgers, Sapp testifies with a mighty voice and heart full of soul on the supersized anthem of faith "God Favored Me, Pt. II." And reaching back to his stint in Commissioned, the jumping, electro-funk feel of "I Can't Live Without You" makes it sound like somebody slipped the church keys to a new jack swing crew.

Just as Marvin Sapp reaches out with arms wide open to the congregation at his Grand Rapids church, he makes music designed to introduce as many people as possible to the ways of faith. He's accomplished that goal like no other gospel artist before him, scoring hits that connect with followers in the pop and R&B camps as well as the Christian community. Whichever side of Sapp's sound makes you stand up and shout, we've got it covered right here, from the hip-hop-inflected groove percolating under "Power" to the late-night jazz-club vibe of "For the Rest of My Life" and the soul-drenched, choir-fueled, hit gospel ballad "The Best In Me." We've put together the most powerful moments from Sapp's journey of joy, so all you have to do is step in and let the spirit wash over you.