Group 1 Crew #FASTER EP Releases Today, Features Moriah Peters, Jonathan Thulin, Rachel Lampa

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Aug. 12, 2014 - PRLog -- Five-time Dove Award winning hip-hop/pop sensation Group 1 Crew releases its #FASTER digital EP today from Word Entertainment (https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/faster-ep/id906885919). Featuring special guest vocalists Moriah Peters, Jonathan Thulin and Rachel Lampa, the new recording is the first of two EP’s to be released from Group 1 Crew in the coming months.  #STRONGER is set to release November 4, 2014, while the double EP, #FASTER/#STRONGER, will be a physical CD sold exclusively at retail through Family Christian Stores beginning Sept. 16, as well as sold on Group 1 Crew’s fall tour with Big Daddy Weave.  There will be another full-length recording coming from Group 1 Crew Spring 2015.

At Christian Hot AC/CHR and AC radio now is the lead single from #FASTER, “A Little Closer.”  Already the most added song at CHR this week with the second largest increase in spins, Group 1 Crew’s Manwell Reyes hopes the song will encourage listeners caught up in perfectionism or a legalistic faith.

“For a long time, I felt like my Christianity was based on performance; it was about making sure that I was good enough to be called a Christian,” says Manwell.  “And then I realized that God truly expects us not to be perfect, but to trust in the One who is perfect. I pray that through this song, you will draw a little bit closer to understanding that God loves you where you’re at, and is excited for where you’re going.”

Manwell further talks about the impetus of the new song, the story behind his life that led to the formation of Group 1 Crew, and the hope for the legacy he wants to continue to build with this new music on the “A Life Changed” video that can be seen now at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1biAawCXUo&feature=youtu.be.  The video also features clips of the new music from #FASTER.



The full #FASTER track listing follows:

1. The Wonder Years (feat. Moriah Peters)
2. A Little Closer
3. Heaven (Feat. Jonathan Thulin)
4. Everyday Is A Miracle (feat. Rachael Lampa)
5. Psalm 23

Taking the songs from #FASTER and #STRONGER, as well as its fan favorites, like the No. 1 hits “He Said (featuring Chris August),” “His Kind of Love” and “Dangerous,” on the road, Group 1 Crew joins Big Daddy Weave, Chris August and Dara McLean on the “Beautiful Offerings Tour” this fall.  The tour begins Sept. 12 in Cherryville, PA and travels across the country through Nov. 15 in Cedar Rapids, IA, while hitting cities like Dallas, Cincinnati, Fort Wayne, Madison, WI and more.  The full Group 1 Crew tour itinerary follows, with the latest updates at www.Group1Crew.com:

8/16/2014 Montana Expo Park (w/Audio Adrenaline), Great Falls, MT
8/22/2014 St Luke Ministry, Columbus, GA
8/23/2014 GSW University Storm Dome, Americus, GA
8/30/2014Jim R. Miller Park, Marietta, GA
9/12/2014 The Beautiful Offerings Tour-Bethany Wesleyan Church, Cherryville, PA
9/13/2014Beautiful Offerings Tour- Chesapeake City Park, Chesapeake, VA
9/19/2014Beautiful Offerings Tour - First Baptist Church, Dallas, TX
9/20/2014 Beautiful Offerings Tour - Abundant Life Center, La Marque, TX
9/21/2014 The HUB in Roby, Roby, TX
9/26/2014 Beautiful Offerings Tour - Oasis Church, Tomah, WI
9/27/2014 Beautiful Offerings Tour, Fort Wayne, IN
9/28/2014 The Beautiful Offerings Tour-Judson Erne Auditorium, Columbus, IN
10/3/2014 Beautiful Offerings Tour - Vertical Church, West Haven, CT
10/4/2014 Beautiful Offerings Tour-Chestnut Assembly of God Church Vineland, NJ
10/9/2014 Beautiful Offerings Tour - First Baptist Church, Naples, FL
10/10/2014 Anderson High School, Cincinnati, OH
10/18/2014 Beautiful Offerings Tour - Alexandria Riverfront Center, Alexandria, LA
10/19/2014 Beautiful Offerings Tour- Citronelle HS Football Stadium, Citronelle, AL
10/25/2014 Beautiful Offerings Tour - Truett-McConnell College, Cleveland, GA
10/30/2014 Jewel City Church, Francis, WV
10/31/2014 Beautiful Offerings Tour-Smoky Mtn Center for the Perf. Arts, Franklin, NC
11/1/2014 Marion Cultural and Civic Center, Marion, IL
11/2/2014 Beautiful Offerings Tour - Evangel Temple, Meridian, MS
11/7/2014 The Beautiful Offerings Tour - Coastal Carolina Fair, Ladson, SC
11/9/2014 Sharon High School Auditorium, Sharon, PA
11/14/2014 Beautiful Offerings Tour - City Church, Madison, WI
11/15/2014 Beautiful Offerings Tour - New Covenant Bible Church, Cedar Rapids, IA

* Tour dates subject to change.

About Group 1 Crew:
Group 1 Crew, led by Manwell Reyes, has become one of Christian music’s leading hip-hop/pop focused artists, broadening the parameters of faith-based music with songs that percolate with energy and resonate with the truth of God's grace.  With six Top 5 Billboard Christian CHR radio hits, including three No. 1s ("He Said (featuring Chris August),” "His Kind of Love," "Dangerous"), Group 1 Crew has also earned five Dove Awards; three for Rap/Hip-Hop Album Of the Year and two for the Rap/Hip-Hop Recorded Song ("Movin'," "Walking on the Stars").  Making their national TV debut on "The Mo'Nique Show," their music has been featured in NBC's "America's Got Talent," FOX's "The Simple Life," Style Network's "Kimora Lee Simmons: Life in the Fab Lane," MTV's "Run's House," The CW's "One Tree Hill" and most recently on VH1’s Love & Hip Hop Atlanta.  On Sept. 16, 2014 their song, “Goin’ Down,” will be heard during the premiere of VH1’s Love & Hip Hop Hollywood.

For more information on Group 1 Crew, its touring and more, visit www.Group1Crew.com, www.facebook.com/group1crew, www.Twitter.com/group1crew, www.youtube.com/group1crew.

About Word Entertainment
A leader in the music industry for over 60 years, Word Entertainment, a Warner/Curb company, is a unique, comprehensive entertainment company comprised of multi-faceted artist service departments including publishing, merchandising, booking and online initiatives. Word Entertainment represents some of the top names and brands in music, including About A Mile, Meredith Andrews, Chris August, Francesca Battistelli, Big Daddy Weave, Jason Castro, Patrick Ryan Clark, Everfound, Family Force 5, for KING & COUNTRY, Group 1 Crew, Love & The Outcome, Dara Maclean, Point Of Grace, Sidewalk Prophets and Veridia and is home to 25 Entertainment, Word Distribution (representing Curb Records and Big Idea/VeggieTales among others), Word Print/Church Resources, Word Films, Word Music Publishing and Word Label Group’s Word Records, Word Worship and Fervent Records.