After singing background for everyone from Timbaland and Common to Faith Hill and Sting, the time has come for Tye Tribbett & Greater Anointing to rise to the forefront (hear audio).

There has been an unusual buzz about this project within the industry for quite sometime —ever since The Prince of Egypt Soundtrack, in fact. Now the world is introduced to the ministry of Tye Tribbett & G.A., as the Camden, New Jersey based group is on the scene with their first national release and Sony Gospel debut, titled Life.

Without a doubt, here's another leading candidate for 2004's Best New Artist.

The 16-track project is solid and takes you through a rich musical journey that is far and few between on the music shelf today. Perhaps that's because this style, as Tribbett describes it, is simply M.U.D. (that's Music Un-Defined).

M.U.D. blends styles from pop to rock to hip-hop to jazz to traditional Gospel. All of these can be found on this project and, within many songs, the styles are intermingled.

The youthful group can take it to church —the project begins with "My Soul Loves Jesus", a brief intro that shows G.A. in hymn mode. It's an awesome start to a simply unpredictable project.

From there, Tribbett introduces us to the G.A. Chant, titled "No Way", a catchy track with a simple hook that reminds us that there's no way that we can make it without Christ. This song is guaranteed to be a favorite and will get tons of spins in your CD player because

Life

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it's got all of the ingredients of a hit. With its infectious beat, simple lyrics, and slick hook, you can't help but join in by the end of the song.

Tribbett and G.A. love to party and they keep the love-fest going with the hip-hop infused "Taste N' See". Tribbett co-writes this track with Israel and New Breed's music director Aaron Lindsey. Yes, the musical combination is off the chain and does not disappoint.

Check out "Mighty Long Way", which builds off the old church favorite "Look Where He Brought Me From". Those who love prolific choirs that can flip a beat and jam at the same time, will feel this song from the start. You can never quite predict where this song will end up —and that's the appeal of this track.

Tribbett writes or co-writes virtually every song on this project. As you listen, it's easy to determine that his style can't be confined to one musical genre, and is consistently unpredictable.

That's what makes this project so exciting. On the one hand, you have "Superstar", which is Tribbett's neo-soulistic love ballad to Christ. Not long after that, you have "Struggle", a rock infused track that honestly speaks to the struggle to live a godly lifestyle.

From there, things switch to "Everything Part I", which is one of the few pop/country songs that you'll be singing for a long time. The musical approach to this track is authentic and before you know it, the song will sneak up on you and captivate you. Just as you get used to its pop feel, Tribbett and crew flip to "Everything Part II", a slow jazzy ballad that whisks you into God's presence.

Interview with Tye Tribbett

Gospelflava.com spoke with Tye Tribbett: "My best advice is to do what I had to learn. I had to learn to just be satisfied doing what God said. If God says 'Go sing at a banquet', you'll be fulfilled if there's fifty or five thousand people there because you're doing what God said. You'll feel as good as if you got signed because you're doing what God said. The satisfaction doesn't come with signing...... See full interview. See insider interview.

As an avid musician, Tribbett knows his music. Consequently, it's no surprise that he's backed by one of the nation's hottest bands. Known as SoundCheck, it's comprised of Thaddaeus Tribbett (bass, musical director), Parris Bowens (keyboards), Dana "C-Bazz" Sorey (keyboards), George "Spanky" McCurdy (drums), Leonard "Pudge" Tribbett (drums), Dante' "Telly" Felder (alto sax), Christopher Stevens (trumpet), Curtis Jones (trombone), and Jeff "JYJ" Jones (tenor sax), and they hold it down for the entire album, meshing like a well-oiled machine.

Several members from the band co-wrote songs with Tribbett, further displaying their musical abilities.

Tribbett also has some prime time players joining the project. The vocally prolific Kim Burrell joins Tribbett and G.A. on "You Can Change". This practical song encourages all that we can change and we don't have to be trapped by bad habits and actions that seem impossible to break.

Pastor John P. Kee teams with Tribbett and G.A. on "My Joy". This traditional slow track sees Kee deliver some of his finest vocals and reminds us just how at home Kee is in this environment. Music lovers are going to love the church run that follows this song. Look for it to become a favorite amongst church choirs.

Tribbett's songs speak to the heart of people and acknowledge the practicality of everyday life. Dealing with issues from brokenness to disappointments, he is transparent, and shares his experiences with the listener. In doing so, he offers Christ as the hope and the way to overcome all pains.

Check out "I Can Make It", another neo-soul groove that encourages all that we can make it with Christ. Here, G.A. members Robe Goldstein and Angie White drop lead vocals along with Tribbett. These folks can flat out sing, and that's indicative of the entire G.A. experience. The choir can sing.... Excuse me... they can sang!!

No matter what style, they can adapt and make the style their own.

Tye Tribbett and G.A. are out of the background and are now enjoying their moment in the sun. This auspicious debut project is bound to keep folks talking for a long time. It's an amazing musical experience that aptly describes Life.

There's been a lot of hype about this project, and this is one time where you can believe it.


There are three song snippets available from the Tye Tribbett & G.A. upcoming album, Life. If you don't have RealAudio, be sure to obtain your free RealAudio player software first, by clicking on the blue RealAudio icon on the right.

To download the song snippets, simply click on the highlighted text below, let stream on RealAudio, and enjoy.

• "Mighty Long Way"
  
  
• "My Joy (featuring John. P. Kee)"
  
  
• "No Way (The G.A. Chant)"