Merge Summit Showcase seeking submissions for chance at BET's Music Matters

ReRoute Records' SaulPaul is hosting the Merge Summit Showcase in Austin, Texas during SXSW 2012 where the winner of the positive/inspirational talent competition will have a chance to perform for BET's Music Matters - a program by the network that helped get Mali Music interview and performance spots on their awards and "106 & Park" shows.

Artists should send a video performance link to showcase@themergesummit.com to be considered and receive further details. The deadline to submit is this Wednesday, February 29, 2012. Acceptable genres include Neo-Soul, R&B, Contemporary Gospel, Hip-Hop/Rap and/or Spoken Word. All content must be positive and inspirational.

More details from the press release:

ReRoute Record’s Recording Artist SaulPaul will be hosting The Merge Summit Showcase taking place at the historic Victory Grill on Sunday, March 11th, 2012.

Austin’s own “Musician with a Message” has just concluded a 21 city national tour. While on tour, he was always looking for opportunities for his fellow musicians back home in Austin, Texas. Realizing he couldn’t bring his peers along on tour with him, he decided to bring the opportunities back to Texas.

The first one that he has unveiled is Sunday, March 11th, 2012 at 6pm. ReRoute Records, SaulPaul’s record label, has partnered with Relevé Entertainment and Praise Break Live to produce a showcase unlike anything Austin’s urban music scene has experienced.

The winner of this showcase gets to compete in Los Angeles alongside 11 other artists from all across the US for the chance to win a record deal as well as an all expense paid trip to New York City to participate in a BET Music Matters Showcase.

When asked about why SaulPaul does what he does, he replies that he has always been helping other people. Now through his newly formed record label, he has decided to artists live their dreams. In addition to releasing music, ReRoute Records hosts numerous workshops that educate artists on how to cultivate a career in the music industry.

The workshop ReRoute Records will host will be during the RISE Austin 2012 week on Wednesday, March 28th at Noon. This workshop will also take place at the Historic Victory Grill.

Lecrae reps Christ (and Houston) on BET Hip Hop Awards

Christian hip hop's top selling artist, Lecrae, boldly represented his faith among (and to) his mainstream rap peers in a cypher session during last night's BET Hip Hop Awards.

The not-so-extemporaneous-but-still-freestyle rhyme sessions are always a highlight of the event with fans registering their favorites and "winners" online immediately after they air.

Although the network got the artist's birthplace correct (Houston), they misspelled his name. As a result, the word "Lacrae" was a Twitter Trending Topic instead of "Lecrae."

(NOTE: Dismiss anyone telling you that was an intentional, Illuminati-type slight of someone of faith. On the night the show was taped there were reports that screens inside the venue even displayed errors such as "Little Wayne" instead of "Lil Wayne.")

The MC was highly energetic, weaved hip history and sports-reference punchlines into his verses, and even spoke directly to the evening's affairs with:

"But them awards can't follow you to the grave/you livin' for them whips and chains then you a slave!"

Shortly after his segment aired he Tweeted a link to his I Am Second testimony profile and film.

It was a historic night for Christian hip hop and Lecrae represented his King well.

Sidenote: Lecrae and his team will bring their Man Up Tour event to Houston in just a few weeks on October 22. For tickets and more information visit: www.dasouth.com/manuphouston

Official: 106 & Gone

I found a more official death certificate for BET's "106 & Gospel."

Read it here.

If you're interested in trying CPR, you can sign the online petition here.

The vultures are swirling...

Although the show is still listed on the BET website, other sources (besides me) are now reporting that 106 & Gospel is gone.

Read it here.

I shot an e-mail to their ticket address a few weeks ago and never received a response. Again, not a positive sign.

106 & Gospel Cancelled?

Looks like BET's foray into the gospel youth market is done.

Last weekend's episode didn't air and a source who was supposed to be booked on the show told me he saw an e-mail from one of the producers that confirmed the cut. Guess we'll never see that ep Ambassador was supposed to be on.

The show is still listed on the BET website, but it the Magic 8-ball seems to point to "Yes."

My man Tyren put me onto an online petition to get it back though. If you're interested, you can sign it here.

For me, I'm not too surprised by this change. Despite some seemingly good intentions, it was poorly planned and executed and could never really shed the "cheap Christian knock-off" image from its bigger and better 106 & Park counterpart (which at first seemed like a cheap, black knock-off of MTV's TRL.)

If BET does decide to bring the show back to life, here are a few suggested improvemets:

1) The biggest issue is without a doubt the air day and time. For some reason the “Suits” decided to run this show on Sundays at noon.

Really? A program targeted toward the church crowd is shown at an hour when 90% of the audience is still sitting in their pews?

Why not Sunday afternoon or evening? A Saturday morning or midday would work too. At least give us a re-run. As it was before, its connected core had to rely on a DVR to record and replay the show.

2) “106 & Gospel” also seems a bit incestuously biased with its coverage.

In the first five episodes, the artists that received the most amount of air-time included Kirk Franklin, Mary Mary, Tye Tribbet, iROCC, Kikki Sheard, 21:03, and Tri-ni-tee 5:7 – all people already somehow connected to the network’s existing gospel coverage.

I was willing to lend some grace to a new show trying to catch an audience and gain its footing. But after nearly two months on air they should have really tried to reach past those who already have parking spots on the BET lot.

3) Finally, and I know this is tough, I would ask BET to resist the urge to make “106 & Gospel” a show simply about cultural Christianity.

Leave the silly “church carpet” fashion reports, money-equals-blessings beliefs, and “Jesus-the-Magic-Genie” sentiments on the cutting room floor. Embrace the platform you’ve been given and use it to impart something of true spiritual significance.

BET can do this by offering more opportunities for artist testimonies and devotions. They could also share some actual Scripture and point people toward resources they can use to deepen their faith.

One can only imagine how much more God could move with a willing tool like that at His disposal.

I tried to e-mail the 106@bet.com e-mail address on their website to confirm this but my message was rejected. I can't find a decent "Contact Us" section on their site either. Anyone know of a valid addy?

Why doesn't BET play Tye Tribbet's "Good in the Hood" on 106 & Park?

This is an outstanding song and video. My question is why isn't BET running it on 106 & Park?

I don't mean their Generation Gospel show either. It's already been there (well, at least the first minute a half.) I'm talking about the "real" 106 & Park.

It's professional.

It's uplifting.

It's a message that needs to reinforced.

Tye's already a part of the BET family via the GenGospel show.

And Obama is now president. (Alright, so that's not AS pertinent, but there does seem to be a general air of hope and positivity now, right?)

Here's my fear and frustration with the GenGospel show - that stuff like this will be relegated to the Christian kiddie table and never get to sit with the big boys. How do we prevent that?

The Next Big Thing

The way things are going I swear this will be the #1 joint on MTV and BET in a week.

1. Stupid hook
2. Stupid dance
3. No talent