Marvin Sapp Bio Image

Marvin Sapp is an American Gospel music singer, recording with the group Commissioned during the 1990s before beginning a solo career. Sapp is also the Founder and Senior pastor of Lighthouse Full Life Center Church, located in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Early years

Sapp was born and raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan and began singing in church at age four. He spent his teenage years singing with a number of Gospel groups and ensembles before being invited by Gospel singer Fred Hammond to sing with Commissioned. Sapp appears on the group’s albums Number 7 and Matters of the Heart.

Solo career

After the dissolution of the Commissioned in 1995, Sapp decided to establish himself as a contemporary gospel solo artist and has recorded seven albums. Recently, Sapp has achieved crossover fame with the release of “Never Would Have Made It” from the album Thirsty. It has peaked at #14 on the U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, #82 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, and also at #1 on the Billboard Hot Gospel Songs chart. It debuted at #28 on the U.S. Billboard 200, #4 on the U.S. Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, and also #1 on the U.S. Billboard Top Gospel Albums. It has been certified Gold by the RIAA due to the album selling over 500,000 copies, making it Sapp’s best selling album of his solo career and the top selling gospel album of 2008. In 2009, Sapp won every Gospel Stellar Award that he was nominated for.

Personal life

Sapp is married to Malinda Sapp, a local college professor, psychologist, and who serves as the Administrative Pastor at Lighthouse Full Life Center Church. They have three children: Marvin II, Mikaila, and Madisson. On March 21, 2009, Sapp was initiated into the Grand Rapids Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc.