MARVIN SAPP

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Country	USA
Genre	CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIAN MUSIC

Bishop Marvin Louis Sapp (born January 28, 1967) is an American Gospel music singer-songwriter who recorded with the group Commissioned during the 1990s before beginning a record-breaking solo career.

Early life and education

Born and raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Sapp began singing in church at age four. In third grade he met MaLinda Prince, his future wife.

He was a student at the unaccredited Aenon Bible College in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Solo career

In 1996, Sapp decided to establish himself as a contemporary gospel solo artist and has recorded seven albums. Sapp first achieved crossover fame with the release of "Never Would Have Made It" from the album Thirsty in 2007. It peaked at No. 14 on the U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, No. 82 on the Billboard Hot 100, and also at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Gospel Songs chart. Thirsty debuted at No. 28 on the U.S. Billboard 200, No. 4 on the U.S. Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, and also No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Top Gospel Albums. It has been certified gold by the RIAA due to the album selling over 500,000 copies, making it Sapp's best selling album of his solo career, and has so far sold over 712,000 copies. In 2009, Sapp won all seven Gospel Stellar Awards that he was nominated for.

Sapp recorded Thirsty's follow-up album, Here I Am, on October 16, 2009, at Resurrection Life Church in Wyoming, Michigan and released it on March 16, 2010. With its release, Sapp became the all-time highest charting gospel artist in Billboard's 54-year history of tracking album sales. By selling approximately 76,000 copies of Here I Am its first week out, the album debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart, making Here I Am the highest-charting album ever by a gospel artist. Here I Am's lead single, "The Best in Me," which was co-written by the album's producer, Aaron Lindsey (Israel Houghton), peaked at No. 14 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, No. 1 on Billboard's Gospel Songs chart and reached No. 20 (with a bullet) on Billboard's Urban AC chart. On January 15, 2011, Marvin Sapp topped the list of winners during the 26th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards

Personal life

Sapp is the widower of MaLinda Prince Sapp, who served as the administrative pastor at his Lighthouse Full Life Center Church. MaLinda died September 9, 2010, from complications of colon cancer. Marvin Sapp had three children with MaLinda: Marvin L. II (b. August 30, 1994), MiKaila D. (b. September 8, 1997), and Madisson (b. June 9, 1999).

Stalking

In the early 2010s following the death of his wife, Sapp experienced harassment from a stalker: Dr.