Over the past half decade, contemporary Gospel has been one of the fastest growing segments of popular music, and, other than Kirk Franklin, no act is more responsible for popular acceptance of the genre than Mary Mary. Consisting of sisters Erica Atkins-Campbell and Tina Atkins-Campbell, Mary Mary has brought a fusion of gospel themes with soul and hip-hop sounds that has resulted in exceptional music that has crossed not only the Gospel/Soul boundary, but has even brought a level of pop radio acceptance to God-based music. The Atkins sisters were raised in Inglewood, California, the middle daughters of an Evangelical minister and part of a well-known singing clan locally. They began singing in the church choir as young children, while learning about the progression of Gospel music beyond traditional boundaries by listening to albums by the Winans, Commissioned, and others.

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