PRAYZEHYMN Online | where gospel music lives [All About The Benjamins]

By J. MATTHEW COBB
Founder, Editor-In-Chief of PRAYZEHYMN Entertainment

THE WORDS OF SISTER DIANE WILLIAMS' (Cosmopolitan Church of Prayer Choir) remix of "Jesus Can Work It Out" best describes the new wave of financial prosperity and material gain in the Gospel world: "I kept on singing and I kept on coming, He gave me back everything, brand new car and some bling-bling". Who would have thought that years since the original version, which swept the country with its bible-narrative focus in 1981, we would be treated to fresh ad-libs of a personal testimony declaring wealth and economic stability beyond the pages of the gospel. Seems like cash money nowadays speaks in large volumes - and with a great technical eye, you may easily observe the root of all evils being highly exalted in the gospel world. You see it in the press releases, you see it at the concerts, you even see it all on the Christian networks or television shows like TBN, BET, Celebration of Gospel and the Stellars. Ashleigh Dennis of the PRAYZEHYMN Fellowship commented on the alarming crisis: "When we look at the fashions worn by gospel artist," she exhorts, "we can see them flaunting their wealth, everything is so flashy now-a-days. And don't get me wrong, I am not against prosperity, but I don't believe that it should be a focal point in the things that we do." While teleevangelists like Dr. Creflo Dollar, Dr. Leroy Thompson, Kenneth Copeland, Jesse Duplantis and the infamous Rev. Ike continue to brand their sought-out messages preaching on financial prosperity, it seems like even the most conservative and even the upright churches are beginning to embrace a lifestyle of the rich and famous. Sad to say, being money hungry is the "in-style" thing now. Need some proof?

Booking any well-known gospel artist under the $10,000 dollar mark is not an easy task. And we are only talking about one appearance in one day. Information from the agencies and music management groups was compiled to give accurate details on artist fees. Below are just a few estiamtes on artists demanding top dollar.

T.D. JAKES: $50,000
In the 90s, churches waited in line to book the heavyweight preacher. Since his appearance on the TIME Magazine, many spotlights on the Trinity Broadcasting Network and sold-out conferences with attendees reaching the 50,000+ mark, Bishop Jakes of the Potter's House of Dallas, TX, felt it was time to demand top-dollar for just one appearance.
KIRK FRANKLIN: $25,000
Whatcha lookin' 4? Hopefully not your wallet. Just to hear Kirk yell a few times and run across a stage with a background choir and band, you need to fork up at least 25 grand. You do the math?
SMOKIE NORFUL: $15,000
After grabbing a Grammy award for Best Gospel Male Performance in 2005, his standard rates now exceed the norm. Before "I Need You Now", Norful was $5,000 on tops. Now that he's seen the top, his rates are larger than life. Can anyone seriously book this fella?
YOLANDA ADAMS: $12,000-$15,000
With Grammys resting in her trophy case and a number of projects crossing the gold-selling point, Adams' price tag on her musical gift reaches over the 10,000 dollar mark.
MARY MARY: $12,000-$15,000
After "Shackles" swept the music world on their debut project, Mary Mary has proving to be a steady artists in terms of consistency and popularity. We are still not sure how much it will cost to only book one Mary.

ISRAEL & NEW BREED: $10,000
Israel is a very popular artist that circulates both the Contemporary Christian and Gospel circuits. His brand of praise-and-worship has highly influenced a new generation of artists to bend traditions and to express originality in their works. Top of the line performances also force this amount to this level. By himself, probably $8,000.

Other important mentions:
DONNIE MCCLURKIN: $10,000 and up.
The big guy is a pastor, singer, choir director, songwriter, producer, author, television host, actor...you expected him to demand a good fee for his craft.
J. MOSS: $8,000
Big hits means a big price on booking engagements for J. Moss. The mega-producer and hit-maker whom has graced projects from Hezekiah Walker to Karen Clark-Sheard demands a good price for one appearance.

And even local aggregations, community choirs and even lesser-known solo artists are increasing their rates in order to compete and to extend their survival rate and the caliber of their image. Check these numbers out.

RICKY DILLARD & NEW G: $12,000
KIM BURRELL: $10,000 and up
KIERRA "KIKI" SHEARD: $8,000-$10,000
DEITRICK HADDON: $8,000
TED & SHERI: $8,000
STEPHEN HURD: $5,000-$7,000
VASHAWN MITCHELL: $4,000
MICAH STAMPLEY: $4,000

Sometimes these numerical figures are not as impressive or shocking to read, especially when you consider individual travel expenses (airline tickets are not cheap), guest musician salaries and the thought that there is a returnable profit from putting together an organized concert. But, when you realize that most of these fees are just a fixed value of the talent and excludes lodging, major travel expenses, instrument costs, rental of concert facilities, quality advertising, and a good meal, the artist fees alone are too steep and hard to overlook. And it's very hard for little guys to make it in an industry that has an aggressive mentality and attitude like this, when the gospel industry is still considered to be a third-world genre. For gospel artists to demand top dollar like this in its infant stages of its organization, it is ludicrous.

On a serious commentary note, if that's what the gospel is all about - living in luxurious mansions, rolling around in Bentleys and Rolls Royces, then I guess it is alright to see the house of prayer as being a den of thieves. The words of Sean "P.Diddy" Combs & the Bad Boy Family ring out aloud: "It's all about the Benjamins, baby/Wanna be ballers, shot-callers/It's all about the Benjamins, baby/Brawlers -- who be dippin in the Benz wit the spoilers/It's all about the Benjamins baby/On the low from the Jake in the Taurus." Before you book these or any artists, make sure you have the dough.