Marvin Sapp facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Marvin Sapp
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Sapp performing in 2013
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Marvin Louis Sapp
January 28, 1967 Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S.
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| Spouse(s) | MaLinda Prince Sapp (m. 1992, d. 2010) |
| Children | 3
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| Musical career | |
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| Years active | 1990–present |
Bishop Marvin Louis Sapp (born January 28, 1967) is an American Gospel music singer and songwriter. He first sang with a group called Commissioned in the 1990s. Later, he started a very successful solo music career.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Marvin Sapp was born and grew up in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He started singing in church when he was just four years old. In third grade, he met MaLinda Prince, who would later become his wife.
He also studied at Aenon Bible College in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Marvin Sapp's Solo Music Career
In 1996, Marvin Sapp decided to become a solo gospel artist. He has recorded many albums since then. He became very well known after releasing the song "Never Would Have Made It" in 2007. This song was from his album Thirsty.
"Never Would Have Made It" became very popular. It reached number 1 on the Billboard Hot Gospel Songs chart. His album Thirsty also did very well. It reached number 1 on the Billboard Top Gospel Albums chart. Over 500,000 copies of Thirsty were sold, making it his best-selling album.
In 2009, Marvin Sapp won all seven Gospel Stellar Awards he was nominated for!
His next album, Here I Am, came out in 2010. This album made history! It sold about 76,000 copies in its first week. This meant it debuted at number 2 on the Billboard 200 chart. This was the highest a gospel artist's album had ever charted in Billboards history. The main song from Here I Am, called "The Best in Me," also reached number 1 on Billboards Gospel Songs chart. Marvin Sapp continued to win awards, topping the list at the 26th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards in 2011.
Marvin Sapp's Family Life
Marvin Sapp was married to MaLinda Prince Sapp. She was also a pastor at his church, Lighthouse Full Life Center Church. Sadly, MaLinda passed away on September 9, 2010, due to complications from colon cancer.
Marvin and MaLinda had three children together: Marvin L. II (born in 1994), MiKaila D. (born in 1997), and Madisson (born in 1999).
Staying Safe from Harassment
After his wife passed away, Marvin Sapp faced some difficult times. In the early 2010s, he experienced harassment from a person who was bothering him. This person, a medical student named Teleka Patrick, moved to Kalamazoo, Michigan, and tried to contact Sapp many times. She sent him messages and videos, even claiming he was her husband.
On August 25, 2013, Sapp shared that this person had entered his home without permission and spoken to his teenage children. To protect himself and his family, Sapp filed a personal-protection order with the court. He showed the court over 400 pages of messages from the person that he had never replied to. The court approved the order on September 17, 2013, to keep the person away from him and his children.
This situation became public when the police investigated the person's disappearance in December 2013. Police confirmed that Marvin Sapp was not involved in her disappearance. Later, in April 2014, the person's body was found, and her death was ruled an accident.
Biopic Film About Marvin Sapp
In April 2022, it was announced that a movie about Marvin Sapp's life would be shown on TV One. The film is called "Never Would've Made It: The Marvin Sapp Story," named after his famous song. In the movie, Chaz Lamar Shepherd plays Marvin Sapp, and Ambre Anderson plays his late wife, Dr. MaLinda Sapp.
Marvin Sapp's Albums
- Marvin Sapp (1996)
- Grace & Mercy (1997)
- Nothing Else Matters (1999)
- I Believe (2002)
- Diary of a Psalmist (2003)
- Be Exalted (2005)
- Thirsty (2007)
- Here I Am (2010)
- I Win (2012)
- You Shall Live (2015)
- Close (2017)
- Chosen Vessel (Live) (2020)
- Substance (2022)
- Then and Now (2024)
Awards and Recognitions
Marvin Sapp has won and been nominated for many important music awards.
Billboard Music Awards
| Year | Nominee / Work | Award | Result |
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| 2021 | Marvin Sapp, "Thank You For It All" | Top Gospel Song | Nominated |
BET Awards
| Year | Award | Result |
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| 2008 | Best Gospel Artist | Won |
| 2010 | Best Gospel Artist | Won |
GMA Dove Awards
| Year | Award | Result |
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| 2008 | Male Vocalist of the Year | Nominated |
| 2009 | Artist of the Year | Nominated |
| Male Vocalist of the Year | Nominated | |
| 2011 | Artist of the Year | Nominated |
| Male Vocalist of the Year | Nominated | |
| Contemporary Gospel Recorded Song of the Year ("The Best In Me") | Won |
Grammy Awards
Marvin Sapp has been nominated for eleven Grammy Awards, which are very prestigious music awards.
