Gospel singer Le’Andria Johnson has had it with the genre and Pastor Marvin Winans and it looks like her expletive-laden rant cost her a spot at Essence Festival.
“You know what I’m tired of though? … I’m tired of being Le’Andria Johnson that y’all know of,” she says on a Facebook Live video. And Ima tell you like this: I could be on a Kirk Franklin level. I could be on a Mary Mary level. Yolanda Adams, Marvin Sapp, Fred Hammon. All the gospel greats … All the R&B. Beyoncé, Brandy. … If I played the game, I could really be on that level. I could, but I’m not ’bout playin’ no games, though.”
She continued by saying she was “tired of this s—” and welcomed getting kicked out of churches because of her swearing. Johnson also affirmed she’ll always be herself no matter what and told venues if they don’t want to book her to go right ahead.
“Essence Festival is a couple of days away and if y’all feel like y’all don’t want me on it, y’all don’t want me on it,” she says.
Johnson also videoed herself blasting pastor and singer Winans for his supposed treatment of her.
“I don’t care whose spiritual father he is,” she says. “He could have been mine but no. He wanted to go past me like I was a peasant! Walked right past me like I was a peasant … and you ain’t even know! I’m a product of you! But it’s all good, though. Now you know.”
“Love, peace and happiness to those who know the truth and who are tired of this Christianity bulls—,” she added.
And as it turns out, her rant got her axed from the Essence Festival over the weekend.
“I’m not gonna be there because the gospel part of the Essence Festival, apparently, me speaking my right — I have an amendment right … and that’s freedom of speech,” she says Saturday at the 3:20 mark. “So my freedom of speech caused me not to be at the gospel part of the Essence Festival. And I’m pretty sure they don’t want me to be there because I said ‘f— Christianity, f— the church,’ I said that. Maybe that’s why they don’t want me to go.”
She maintained she “spoke the truth,” adding, “I do not regret what I said.”
Despite her lack of concern and speaking honestly, fans were split about her rant.
“Ms. Le’Andra do not worry about…. as you aware no one can close a door God has opened….I love you 😍.”
“Shame on you! You need Jesus.”
“I love you just the way you are!”
“U need to be saved! U supposed to be righteous and sing about Jesus and u act like the world.”