Mary Mary's Erica Campbell Releases New Video for Controversial Single 'I Luh God' [MUSIC VIDEO]

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Christian artists have been pushing the envelope of what is acceptable lately, with artists like Lecrae and Andy Mineo leading the way into territory that is part hip-hop, part "soul music", and still 100% Christian. And now Mary Mary's Erica Campbell has proven that she is ready to jump on board and go full-speed ahead in this new direction with her new single, "I Luh God." Her new music video for the song debuted this week.

With its reliance on a drum machine and synthesizer for its back beat, the song "I Luh God" will surprise Erica Campbell's longtime fans with its lack of a traditional "gospel" feel. This single is, in fact, more representative of the new "trap" style of music, which uses rap beats but does not necessarily feature rapping. This style is a throwback to a bygone era of hip-hop (think: Salt n' Pepa.) 'Trap' music is also representative of evolving methods to create R&B that sounds both nostalgic and new.

"I Luh God" is one of two brand new songs that were included on on Erica Campbell's Help 2.0 album, a collection of remixes from her award-winning solo effort, 2014's Help. And while "I Luh God" might fit well with the vibe of Help 2.0, it might not necessarily fit in neatly with the fan base and brand that Erica and Tina Campbell have built with their duo, "Mary Mary." Indeed, Erica Campbell's original Help was a record that, for the most part, toed the line between R&B and a traditional Gospel feel. While there was certainly room for experimentation, there was still quite a bit of bring-the-house-down, altar-call anthems (the title track is a great example) on that album.

Perhaps even more surprising than Erica's choice to venture into 'trap' music territory (she is, after all, the same artist that helped bring us "Shackles", the most danceable praise song of all time) is the way that the video looks. It doesn't look like any of hers or Mary Mary's previous music videos; from the outfits to the lip-sync style, it looks more like something that one might find on MTV in 1995.

Despite the less traditional aspects of the song, the lyrics are decidedly Christian. The hook is simple and disarming. "I love God. You don't love God? What's wrong with you?" Erica Campbell asks listeners with a smile. She sings also of forgiveness, God's blessings, and living a life worthy of Christ's calling.

While lovers of mainstream music may embrace the song, it remains to be seen whether Christian music fans will do the same. The video drew mixed reactions from fans when it debuted on June 10th on the Yolanda Adams show. The full video is below:

 

Will fans embrace "I Luh God"? Should they? Leave your reaction below.