ABC RadioMarvin Sapp has no intention of alienating any fans with “Listen,” his collaboration with R. Kelly.
The Grammy-nominated gospel artist tells ABC Radio that despite the recent allegations that Kelly is running a “sex cult,” his album was “finished before all of this stuff came out.” Sapp adds that he relied on his faith to decide whether or not to keep the song on his new album, Close.
He says, “I don’t know if the allegations are true or not true. My record company, my attorneys, we talked about pulling the song off the record. I literally prayed about it and I said, ‘Naw. We’re not gonna pull the song off the record because the song’s message is what’s most important.'”
Marvin continues, “The first set of lyrics in the song is, ‘You tried your way/It didn’t work/You put Him second/And put you first.’ And I started listening to the song and I said, ‘You know what? God tries to speak to us through our circumstances and through our situations if we just pay attention and listen.'”
“And I’ve always been a strong believer, based upon my study of scripture, that the message is always bigger than the messenger,” he adds.
The recording artist and pastor adds, “It would be hypocritical of me to remove a song that had such a very strong message. Because the individual that wrote it is flawed. I didn’t do anything. I’m not being accused of anything. “
“Truth or not truth, it is not my position to condemn,” he continues. “It’s my position to pray for. So, that’s why I left the song on the record.”
“Listen” is one of ten songs on Marvin Sapp’s forthcoming album Close, which arrives everywhere this Friday, September 29.
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