Marvin Sapp is considered one of the best male gospel singers ever to have graced the stage. For so many reasons, he is most people’s favorite singer and has continued to prove that he deserves to be on the top of the list.
Sapp began singing at the age of four and would metamorphose into a professional singer after several years of relentless commitment and devotion. He is known to have crossed paths with a good number of gospel legends such as Kirk Franklin, Fred Hammond, Benjamin “BeBe” Winans, and many others.
The gospel legend kicked off his professional singing career in 1990 as a member of the gospel group Commissioned. He left the group six years later to go solo under divine leading.
His departure from Commissioned would see him release his first CD titled: Marvin Sapp. Following the success of his debut CD, the singer went on to drop other powerful CDs which he titled as follows – Nothing Else Matters, Diary Of A Psalmist, Here I Am, Thirsty, Grace and Mercy, I Believe, I Win, and Be Exalted.
Best known as Bishop Sapp, the singer is the founder and senior pastor of the Michigan-based influential church, the Lighthouse Full Life Center Church as well as the Bishop of Global United Fellowship, which is situated in North Central Providence.
Marvin is also the founder and president of Grand Rapids Ellington Academy of Arts and Technology (GREAAT), which holds the record as the first performing arts and technology charter school in West Michigan. GREAAT began enrolling 6th– 8th-grade students in 2012 and has been performing wonderfully well ever since.
As a veteran musician, Sapp has received several awards, nominations, and praises for his roles in several capacities. He has to his name Grand Rapids’ highest American honor, the Frederick Douglas Award from the National Association of Negro and Professional Women’s Club, and a special recognition from his hometown for his worthy philanthropic efforts in the city.
The singer’s robust music career has also fetched several awards and nominations from the entertainment industry. To his credit, Marvin has received 22 Stellar Awards, 8 BMI songwriter’s awards for sales, 2 BET Awards, 10 Grammy nominations, 2 Soul Train Music Awards, 2 Dove Awards, and many other local, regional, and national awards from high-profile institutions.
The multi-hyphenated music star is also an author. His writing career boasts about seven wonderful books. His seventh book, which was released in 2015, is entitled: #The Boaz Project.
Marvin Sapp Biography, Age
The gospel artist’s birth name is Marvin Louis Sapp. He was born on January 28, 1967, in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in the United States.
Sapp was raised along with his four brothers in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where he was first exposed to music. He also featured with a good number of Gospel groups in his teenage period until the time he was invited by renowned gospel singer, Fred Hammond, to sing with Commissioned.
Marvin had a brief stint as a student at Aenon Bible College in Indianapolis, Indiana. Unfortunately, he abandoned his studies after he joined the Commissioned to replace Keith Staten. He featured in the group’s albums – Irreplaceable Love, Matters of the Heart, and Number 7 until in 1996 he decided to go solo. His position was then taken over by Marcus R. Cole.
Who Are His Parents?
Marvin Sapp’s parents are Lodena Holyfield (mother) and Henry Lewis Sapp (father). The two divorced when little Sapp was just 10 years old but the songs his mother taught him stayed with him.
Henry Lewis Sapp, a quartet singer and musician from Fort Myers, Florida, died and was buried in 2007 – the same year Marvin lost his musical mentor and spiritual father. His mother, Lodena, was never a singer but Marvin said she was the one who taught him “all the songs”.
Family – Wife, Children
September 9, 2010, would forever remain evergreen in the mind of the gospel singer. On this day, Sapp lost his dear wife, MaLinda Sapp, a co-pastor of Lighthouse Full Life Center Church. MaLinda died of complications from cancer at the age of 43, leaving behind her husband of 18 years and their three wonderful kids – MiKaila, Madisson, and Marvin II.
Prior to her tragic death, she also served as an administrative pastor and as a college professor, licensed professional counselor, and limited licensed psychologist. She was also her husband’s musical manager and the executive producer on many of his albums and recordings.
MaLinda was much loved by many people for her roles in their marriage and ministry. She was once honored along with her husband with the Grand Rapids Symphony’s Celebration of Soul Legacy Award for their roles towards the advancement of the black community in West Michigan.
Three years after her passing, her husband released his Christmas Card CD which featured three children. He has been a good father to MiKaila, Madisson, and Marvin II and has been maintaining his flourishing musical career as well. He recently talked about his intention to get married again as his three kids are all grown.
