Hezekiah Walker, also known as ‘the hip-hop pastor,’ is a renowned gospel singer, composer, and choir leader who has played a significant role in attracting a younger audience to gospel and choir music. Hailing from New York, Walker’s upbringing in the Fort Greene housing projects of Brooklyn shaped his musical journey. In his early twenties, while serving as a Pentecostal minister, he founded his first gospel group, the Love Fellowship Crusade Choir. Beginning with the independent label Sweet Rain, Walker and the choir released albums like I’ll Make It (1987) and Oh Lord We Praise You (1990) before establishing a fruitful collaboration with A&M-supported Verity. His debut album Focus on Glory (1992) marked the start of a series of Top Ten Billboard gospel recordings under the Verity label. Throughout his career, Walker, accompanied by various versions of Love Fellowship, continued to release powerful live-recorded albums, including the Grammy-winning sets Live in Atlanta at Morehouse College (1994) and Love Is Live! (2001). Following the success of Souled Out (2008), Walker transitioned to RCA Inspiration for Azusa: The Next Generation (2013). Recognized for his impactful contributions, Walker was inducted into the Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame and went on to release the sequel to Azusa in 2016 under eOne.