JoyFest 2013- Gospel Music Festival

JoyFest 2013- Gospel Music Festival

“We wanted our youth to know that there is other type of music that can work for them.  They can come here and enjoy the event and have a clean time”, said the Youth Director, Johnnie M. Grimsley of the St. Paul Baptist Church where Rev. Rufus Baker is the Pastor.  He was referring to the JoyFest 2013 at Six Flags over Georgia.  Joyfest is one of the largest Gospel music festivals in the country.  Some of the greatest gospel artists show up and perform to crowds of thousands.  Some of this year’s artists included Gospel music Hip Hop Artist, Humble Tip from Liberty University, Isaac Curree, Le’Andrea Johnson, Marvin Sapp, and Kirk Franklin.

What Humble Tip, Isaac Curree, and Kirk Franklin have in common is that they mix that Hip Hop flavor, R&B and Gospel music that will keep you on your toes and dancing in your seat and chanting along just like the secular youth at their concerts.  The lyrics tell of the life struggles of these artists and reflect the challenges Christians go through on their walk through this life trying to stay saved in an unsaved world.   According to Candace Walker, Bella Online’s Gospel and Music Editor,http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art181073.asp ,while Isaac Curree was singing his hit song, ‘In the Middle”, he let the crowd know that no matter what, you can trust God when you are going through the middle of a storm. I know that had to be soothing to anyone that was in that crowd that night, especially for the youth of today who are faced with so many temptations as they learn and grow up into being a responsible saved adult.  Le’Andrea Johnson not only sung her hit song “Jesus” but preached also.  Candace said that she testified about how she had to deal with the criticism in the Christian community about how she was pregnant out-of-wedlock while singing the Gospel. Le’Andrea responded to this controversy by telling the crowd that, “ Jesus could forgive your sins and at the end of the day he has the final say”.  She called Marvin Sapp to pray over the crowd and he sung his famous hit, “Never Would Have Made It’, and several others.  Then to wind up the program, Kirk Frankiln came to the stage and sung his hit “Give Me That” which has a Hip Hop, Reggae/Mali sound.  He is so dynamic and smooth!!  

What if you can get a chance to go to a mini JoyFest in your community every weekend?  Well, that is  exactly what "Melodies" will provide when it opens in late 2013/ early 2014.  It will be a restaurant/ gospel music entertainment venue that provides excitement, deliverance, and a clean night life experience fit for heirs of God!  

Beasley Broadcast Group Station(2013, July13). JoyFest Six Flags Over Georgia!  WAEC LOVE860. Retrieved from http://love860.com/content/joyfest-six-flags-0

Franklin, K. (2011). Give Me(ft. Mali Music) [Video file]. Video posted to http://WWW.youtube.com/watch?v=rtXUDx6ZDgk

Walker, Candace(n.d) Six Flags Host Joy Fest 2013. Bella Online.  Retrieved from http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art 181073asp