AT2W

Since the mid-eighties, the Winans family brought in a different style of gospel music and changed the whole way gospel music artists performed in the church, similar to secular artists.  Many gospel artists began to eagerly desire to share the wealth of what the Winans family was already enjoying through BeBe and CeCe, the Winans brothers (Marvin Winans, Sr., Ronald, Carvin and Michael, Winans, Sr.), the ex-wife of Marvin Winans, Sr., Vickie Winans, Debbie and Angie Winans, then Phase II (the offspring of the Winans brothers, Marvin, Jr., Carvin III, Juan and Michael, Jr.).  Now, two family members of Phase II are signed under the label owned by P. Diddy of Bad Boy records.  Even Marvin Winans, Jr. has changed his contemporary gospel into a more secular style that does not identify with the church, at all.  Church music artists no longer wanted to identify with what they called traditional gospel music, but make quick money and gain profits from the world through their contemporary gospel songs and performances. People began to use the Winans usual excuse whenever church people disagreed with their style, “We want to reach the world“, knowing good and well, by becoming contemporary gospel artists, they were not necessarily out to reach the world, but make the same sort of income like secular artists while sharing the fame.  Growing up in the 1980′s one could go to a church service and began to see amateur artists acting and singing like the Winans family, instead of being themselves, it was so sickening.   No longer was it trying to be like Walter, Edwin or Tramaine Hawkins, but the popular thing was for one to change the way they would dress or style their hair, similar to the Winans family.  So, growing up in the black church during the time of Rev. James Cleveland’s death, the King of Gospel, you would recognize black gospel as hip-hop gospel or gospel jazz music.  Church people felt comfortable to now identify with gospel music and encourage younger generations to make the same sort of money like the Winans family.   Gospel artists made deals with music producers who were managers of secular artists and even made music with secular artists, which made it a billion-dollar industry, is what Pastor Shirley Caesar boasted on a Bobby Jones special, years ago.