For the past couple decades, the Gospel music genre has been growing, but R&B music is rapidly taking a nosedive into a bottomless pit. Not too long ago, R&B music dominated the urban charts and radio formats, so how did this happen?

Today’s Gospel has caught up to a degree. Some of the urban Gospel is so close to R&B, the gap is closing yearly. Remember how back in the day, we only had a few of contemporary Gospel songs? Songs like “Oh Happy Day” by the Hawkins Singers was played on “Soul Train” and at certain parties. Then there was “The Mighty High” by THE MIGHTY CLOUDS OF JOY at the height of disco that rivaled THE O’JAYS or THE MANHATTANS; and who could forget “No Charge” by SHIRLEY CAESAR? That song was played on radio like a GLADYS KNIGHT or MAVIS STAPLES joint. One thing is for sure with those songs, they were exceptions and yet we never confused those artists with being R&B artists.

Then came the 80s and THE WINANS and BEBE & CECE WINANS and then KIRK FRANKLIN and MARY MARY had folks in the night clubs getting their drink-on and praising the Lawd at the same time.

Now, with the advent of Hip-Hop Prayze which is in most cases nothing but a slick hip-hop track with interchangeable lyrics. It’s easy to take the word “Baby” and replace it with “Jesus” so you

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