VELEKA B. KICKS OFF NEW SEASON OF THE VELEKA B. PROJECT PODCAST WITH INTERVIEW WITH MELVIN CRISPELL, III

As a new season of the Veleka B. Project Podcast kicks off, our very own Veleka B. got into an inspiring conversation of passion, legacy, and divine musical journeys with the remarkable Melvin Crispell, III. His story is not only about the triumphs of a young artist climbing the sacred echelons of gospel music, but it also reflects a universal relevance—highlighting the influence of heritage, the highs and lows of pursuing dreams, and the profound impact of music that echoes with the soul’s rhythm. In a cozy studio, laughter and warm greetings fill the air as Veleka B. welcomes Melvin Crispell, III. Known for his victory in BET’s “Sunday’s Best,” Melvin’s story begins in Brooklyn, woven deeply into the fabric of gospel music through his late parents, Melvin and Tunesha Crispell, esteemed figures in the community. Their legacy, steeped in the rich tones of choir music and songwriting for legends like Hezekiah Walker, provided Melvin with a foundation as robust as it was melodious. Moving to the South as a child introduced him to new influences, shaping his unique sound—a vibrant blend of his northern roots and the soulful essence of the South. Melvin’s journey to stardom was not without its trials. Despite the familial legacy, his parents initially resisted the idea of him joining “Sunday’s Best.” During the conversation, he explored the tension between the weight of legacy and the pull of personal aspiration, a crossroad many aspiring artists can relate to. Melvin’s eventual decision to join the competition—encouraged by a family member’s simple yet profound advice to “try”—marked a pivotal moment. His story encapsulates the anxiety and exhilaration of stepping onto a national stage, where he not only competed but shone, his talents unfolding under the intense lights and expectant eyes of the audience and judges alike. Melvin’s ascent is meteoric, elevating from a competitor to a Grammy-nominated artist. His second album, No Failure, garnered critical acclaim and a Grammy nod, affirming his place in the pantheon of great artists. He also shared that his song, “The Love He Shows,” from his latest project, was born from a spontaneous melody that became a testament to his evolving artistry. Melvin remains a humble student of his craft, eager to absorb, learn, and transcend. As the interview ended, Melvin’s excitement about his upcoming project, Covered, illustrates his commitment to honoring those who paved the way. His story is a resonant reminder of the cyclical nature of influence and inspiration in music. Veleka B.’s admiration and enthusiasm for Melvin’s journey mirrors the collective anticipation of his fans and the gospel music community. Melvin’s parting words, hopeful and filled with gratitude, invited the audience to stay tuned, promising more heartfelt melodies and powerful performances. Melvin Crispell, III’s journey offers not just a glimpse into the life of a gospel artist but serves as a staple of hope and a celebration of heritage. It’s a story that connects with anyone who believes in the power of legacy, music’s beauty, and faith’s enduring strength. Click here to listen to Melvin Crispell, III’s interview on the Veleka B. Project Podcast and keep reading for the full interview below. — Veleka B.  Hello family! It’s ya girl Veleka B. And I am excited for a brand-new season of the Veleka B. Project. What a great way to start off this season with an amazing, amazing Gospel Artist. His name is Melvin Crispell, III. Some of you guys know him from season nine BET’s Sunday’s Best. My homie has some vocal abilities. And he’s just a man of God. So let me just go ahead and bring my guy, my friend on. Hello Melvin. Melvin  Hello! Veleka B.  I’m so glad that you are in the building with me on today. We have some amazing things going on. We were discussing earlier his latest project. His last project was dropped on June the 16th – My birthday! There was so much going on that day. We are excited to have you in the building. Introduce yourself to the people who may not know who you are. Melvin  Well, yes. First, let me say thank you so much for having me here. It’s an honor to be here with you. My name is Melvin Crispell, III. I am 26 years old. Originally from Brooklyn, New York, but I currently reside in Charlotte, North Carolina. Veleka B.  Amazing, amazing! Before we get all into the great parts of your career, can we get a little background about your family life? Can you let everybody know how did you come into this world? Melvin  Yes. Well, I come from the late greats, Melvin and Tunesha Crispell. Of course, who’ve gone on to be with the Lord, but you know, I grew up in New York. I was heavily influenced by choir music, as my dad was a musician and songwriter for a lot of different gospel artists such as Hezekiah Walker, James Hall, Worship & Praise,and even Timothy Wright, and many others. And my mom was right alongside him. As you know, a psalmist in her own right and a psalmist with a few other organizations such as James Hall, Worship & Praise. So, I grew up around just church. I’m a church boy, [love] choir music, you know on the side, and you know, our home life, especially around the holidays and different occasions. My parents would, you know, play various different types of music, which introduced me to jazz and, you know, blues and different things like that. So that’s really my upbringing. I moved to the south when I was about seven or eight years old. The South has its own sound and its own, you know, it does. And so, I got introduced to that and so I think, you know, just growing up around all these different factors has helped create who I am today. Veleka B.  Amazing, amazing. So, right before you became the person that you are today, on stage. How did you feel about entering a competition like BET’s Sunday Best. How would it feel for you? Melvin  I would say anxiety was at an all-time high for me. My parents actually never wanted me to do Sunday’s Best. You know, we would watch it when I was younger. And I would say, “I want to do it. I want to do it.” And, I guess I never understood their ‘no’s,’ but they were so heavily influenced in the industry. They saw the things that I didn’t see. And so even though you know, I did want to do it. I just kind of put it to the side, you know how you just let something go out of sight, out of mind. But when it started coming back after the hiatus, a few people reached out to me and were like, “Hey, do you know that Sunday’s Best is coming back around? You should try to do something.” And I was like, “Hmm, I don’t know.” And that was just from the thought of, you know, my parents didn’t want me to do it. So, I don’t know if I should take that route. But somebody, a family member came to me and said “What have you got to lose? That [I should] at least try. Even if you don’t win, even if you don’t make it all the way. You never know what’s going to happen.” So, I was like, “Okay, I’ll give it a shot.” And so, once I did my first and second auditions, like literally, everything from that point God just literally dropped it down and just like, kept the ball rolling, and sometimes I still can’t believe it. Veleka B.  That’s amazing. That’s amazing. So, on your second album, “No Failure,” you were nominated for a GRAMMY, right? Your second GRAMMY, right? Melvin  My second GRAMMY, yes! Veleka B.  How does that feel? Melvin  It’s an indescribable feeling. Um, you know, growing up, I’ve always seen [things] like the BET Awards, the Stellar Awards. So many different awards. But you know that the GRAMMYS – it’s like the top-tier music awards. So, to be nominated twice for a GRAMMY. It just, I don’t know how to explain it. It’s just I’m grateful to God that He’s shown me that I am enough, and I have what it takes to really make it in this industry. And really make an impact on the world. So, I’m absolutely honored. Veleka B.  Absolutely. Do you write any of your songs, too? Melvin  I do. This this past [album] “No Failure.” There was a song there. Well, I got to co-write a lot of songs on “No Failure.” But there was one song in particular that came from a random song idea that I was not expecting to make it to the album. And it was called “The Love He Shows.” That was one of those moments where I was just thinking about life and things, different things. And one of those melodies just hit me, and then I kind of like pulled out my phone and recorded it. And when they asked, “Do you have any songs that you’ve written?” And I was like, “Well, I was working on something the other day” and I pulled it out and the team loved it, and I was so shocked. But that was my first song I got to have on an album. Veleka B.  So awesome. Awesome! Now let’s talk about your vocal range and abilities. Bruh! Melvin  (laughs) Veleka B.  How? Tell me how did this come about? Listen, everybody thinks I joke [because] I was in the choir at my church and my pastor was like, “Well, Veleka, maybe you should be a part of the marketing team?” And I was like, “Is that an insult or something?” But I am grateful because everybody shouldn’t be in that stand, like for real. Your vocal abilities let’s talk about it, sir. Melvin  Thank you! I hate talking about myself, but I would say I have many different influences. When I was younger, and even still, to this day, I was the kid that you would always want to stop singing because every time you come around, every room you walk in, Melvin is singing something. But that really just contributed to who I am today. I am big about practicing your craft, you know honing in on your skills. That’s literally the reason I sing all day because I want to get better. I feel like there’s always room for improvement. My mom being the same as it was, you know, not even being biased. She was one of the greatest singers of any time. You know, I she didn’t necessarily sit me down and have one on one lessons with me, but I did get the opportunity to travel with my parents so many places where they had to minister and teach and different things and while I’m on the backside of it, you know, from the inside looking out, I still learned so much. And you know, even to this day, I still use a lot of what they taught me while grabbing on to other teachings and everything that they have to offer for me to learn I really [acted like] I’m a sponge so I like to soak in what I can for my advantage. Veleka B.  Okay! This is one of my favorite questions. Who are some of the people that are on your “to-do list” of [people you want to] working with? Melvin  That is a long list, but I’ll pick a couple of them. Recently, I said I want to work with PJ Morton. That’s that’s the one for me. I want to work with Jazmine Sullivan. I want to do a collaboration with Kim Burrell, just so she can embarrass me, and I can learn what I need to learn. I would love to work with Tye Tribbett – there’s just so many people. Just growing up, watching all of these legends, you know, [I had] so many daydreams of me just performing with these individuals. And so now that I have the space to potentially get there, it’s like “Let’s do it!” Veleka B.  Awesome! So, you have an upcoming project? Melvin  I do have an upcoming project. Yes. Veleka B.  Let’s talk about it! Melvin  Yes, so I hope I don’t get in trouble for releasing this. I’m just letting the cat out the bag. My new EP is called “Covered.” We have been doing some releases I think since February. I really wanted to pay homage and give flowers to those who have really inspired me [while] growing up. There’s a lot of different artists that have gotten me through some tough times and didn’t even know it. So, I wanted to make this an ongoing series. So, this is the first installment of “Covered.” But just to name a few, we’re honoring Tye Tribbett. We’re honoring Yolanda Adams, Mary Mary, which is Tina and Erica Campbell. And CeCe Winans and there’s another one I won’t say because I want that to be a surprise. But yeah, I’m just excited. And it’s not necessarily, this is probably a sidebar, but I hear so many people on social media now saying that this person is doing this to try to gain money and do this and that could be true for many different people. But I’m just grateful that God has given me a heart to really love when people actually want to show love to those who paved the way for us to be who we are today. Veleka B.  I’m excited. Listen, when I first heard that you were going to do “God Is”. I was like “Oh, how is he going to do that one?” But you, like the twist that you did on it, it just stays in my head. And that’s what you want! I really, really love it. I can’t wait to hear the entire new project. Is there anything else you would like to tell the audience while we’re on this call now? Melvin  Oh, well, there’s so much more to come from me. So don’t take your eyes off. We’ve got a lot of things in store and I’m planning to be in this industry for a long, long time. So, I’m grateful for this journey. I’m grateful to have everybody who’s watching, even those who aren’t watching, I’m grateful to have you all on this journey with me. So, thank you so much for your love and support. Veleka B.  Absolutely! Guys, I am so honored to be here with Melvin Crispell, III. If you have not checked him out, if you have not downloaded, streamed, purchased, whatever… Follow him. Support him. Like genuinely, this is my first time ever meeting him. In my headspace, from just listening to your music. It’s just like, I don’t give people a classification of “oily” all the time. You are very “oily” and “anointed.” Keep doing what you’re doing. Keep staying saved. Melvin  Absolutely! Veleka B.  Let everybody know how they can follow you really quick, if you don’t mind. Melvin  Yes, absolutely. You can follow me on social media, Facebook: Melvin Crispell, III, on Instagram and TikTok @TheThirdMelvinCrispell and at MelvinCrispell.com to keep up with all things coming. Veleka B.  All right! Thank you, guys, so much for supporting the Veleka B. Project! I am excited to be back for a new season. Stay tuned. We have some amazing, amazing shows coming up. God bless you guys. Let me drop my friend’s picture here really quick. Melvin Crispell, III, is in the building. Thank you, sir!

-XXX-

Fharnell M.