8 Black Celebrities Who Gave Up Careers For God

LoonFormer hip-hop artist Loon, quit the music industry and converted to Islam. The star, who changed his name from Chauncey Hawkins to Amir Junaid Muhadith, released his self-titled 2003 album on rapper-entrepreneur Sean "Diddy" Combs' Bad Boy Records, but since then decided to turn his back on his career to focus on his faith. During an interview with Al-Jazeera, Muhadith said, "Loon is working his way out of my system. (I'm) happy to be accepting Islam, and finding the peace of mind I was always searching for in the music business...Thanks to Islam, I was able to complete my search and now I'm very much at peace. (My) Bad Boy days are over, I'm now what you call a good boy." Loon is currently serving a 14-year sentence for a federal drug charge after being arrested for an offense prior to becoming a Muslim. Perri "Pebbles" ReidIn 1997, R&B group TLC's former manager Perri “Pebbles” Reid left the music industry to focus on God. Reid says God touched her life and changed her during hard times. Later that year, she became known as Sister Perri and founded a deliverance women’s ministry in Atlanta. She said the Perri Ministry was started because God told her to help others. “He told me through this ministry that millions will be delivered and set free. Through the power of the Holy Ghost, they will be delivered from alcohol, drug addictions and abusive relationships,” she said. Ma$eIn 1999, rapper Ma$e Betha decided he wanted to end his rap career to pursue a calling from God to become a pastor. In 2001, he founded El Elyon International Church and Mason Betha Ministries to begin preaching. In 2012, however, he decided to return to rap, saying he realized he may have left the industry too soon. “I didn’t give myself any room to grow, I went from one extreme to another extreme. I was just so gung-ho about what I was learning, that’s all I wanted. I went so hard in one direction that people had things to say and rightfully so,” Betha told DJ Funk Master Flex in an interview with Hot 97. “I don’t blame them for that it’s been 13 years, let’s move on.” Michelle WilliamsR&B singer Michelle Williams technically didn't leave the music industry but her music changed drastically, which she attributes to her faith in God. The singer went from releasing songs like "Bootylicious," the 2001 Destiny's Child hit, to focusing on a gospel music career. “Some people will do gospel when their career fails, but I chose to do it at the height of the popularity of Destiny’s Child," she said. "And I didn’t want to do it because it was a fad. I wanted to do it because it’s in me. It’s in my heart.” Chris TuckerChris Tucker never officially stopped acting, but he took a long break from industry after becoming a devoted Christian in 1997. As a born-again Christian, Tucker was unwilling to portray behavior on screen that compromised his faith. In fact, the only work he would do for over 10 years was in the "Rush Hour " franchise. In 2012, he did accept a role in the Academy Award-nominated film, "Silver Linings Playbook." Some media outlets reported he only took the part in the film because of financial problems. PrincePrince still has a career in music, however, the born-again and devout Jehovah’s Witness decided to leave his sexually charged hits behind him in 2001. Because of his dedication to God, the legend says he rather not perform his raunchy hits like “Head,” “Soft and Wet” and “Gett Off,” these days. Montell Jordan In 2010, Montell Jordan, known for his '90s hit song, “This Is How We Do It,” had planned to release new R&B music, but after the project was delayed multiple times, he decided to leave the industry to focus on his religion. He later joined the Victory World Church in Atlanta, along with his wife Kristin and their kids. “The Lord spoke to me and said, ‘You got to retire, you got to lay that life down,” he said. Jordan is now the Worship Minister at Victory World Church and has released a gospel album called "Shake Heaven" through Victory World Music. Sherri Shepherd"The View" co-host Sherri Shepard said she had to stop her “vulgar” stand-up act because of her faith in God. The comedian said she moved closer to God as her mom was dying and put her past blue comedy acts behind her. “It was dirty. I thought I had to be Eddie Murphy. And it was working. It was very dirty, vulgar and blue. I had a following," she said. "I would get on stage and do an hour. Oh man, I was so blue. But I got a big following. It was very hard to let all that material go because I lost a lot of my following.”

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