Three-time GRAMMY® Award-nominated artist, producer, and innovator Deitrick Haddon is celebrating the silver anniversary of Chain Breaker, the groundbreaking album that helped redefine the sound of contemporary gospel at the turn of the millennium-with the release of Chain Breaker 2.5 via ManHaddon Ministries / Tyscot Records.
Originally released before Billboard introduced a Gospel Airplay chart, Chain Breaker nevertheless produced multiple enduring radio staples, including "Anybody Here," "We Worship You," and the title track "Chain Breaker." Fusing urban rhythms with choir-driven worship, the double-disc project became a defining soundtrack for inner-city youth choirs and praise teams nationwide-pushing gospel music into new sonic territory.
"It was really exciting because nobody was making gospel like this when I did the album," Haddon recalls. "Chain Breaker was the song that shifted the sound in gospel music. We pushed some boundaries."
Twenty-five years later, Haddon continues that spirit of innovation. Chain Breaker 2.5, releasing this Friday, reimagines six songs from the original album, trading its rock-edged intensity for a sleek, contemporary urban groove. The project features all-star guest appearances from gospel legends Fred Hammond, Hezekiah Walker, and John P. Kee, alongside contributions from hip-hop hitmaker Zaytoven on keys and rapper T. Church.
The album's most iconic track, "Anybody Here," receives two fresh treatments. Rising gospel powerhouse Jekalyn Carr joins Haddon for a quartet-inspired Southern Soul mix, while DJ Malaski and Angel Chisholm appear on a street-styled version aimed at a new generation of listeners.
Chain Breaker 2.5 also introduces new material, including the acoustic pop-leaning "Find Jesus" and the progressive, uplifting "Back to Life." The project revisits early Voices of Unity history with a new rendition of "Hold On 2 Your Faith," featuring original soloist Damita alongside vocal powerhouse Tasha Page Lockhart, a former member of the choir.
Throughout his career, Haddon has placed more than two dozen songs on Billboard's Gospel Airplay chart, including four No. 1 hits: "A Billion People," "Open Door Season," "Here Comes the Joy," and "Never Be the Same." His catalog also includes beloved classics such as "Sinner's Prayer," "Well Done," "Heaven Knows," and "He's Able." The Top Ten hit "Love Him Like I Do" paired Haddon with Ruben Studdard and Mary Mary, while other notable collaborations have included Moby, Usher, Q Parker, and Faith Evans.
In addition to earning three GRAMMY® nominations, Haddon has received multiple Stellar Gospel Music Awards and a Dove Award for Urban Album of the Year for Church on the Moon. His creative reach extends beyond music into film, with starring roles in Blessed and Cursed (2010) and The Fallen (2022).
With Chain Breaker 2.5, Deitrick Haddon honors a landmark moment in gospel history while once again pressing forward-reintroducing a generation-defining sound to today's listeners and reminding the industry that innovation remains central to gospel's future.
Listen: https://DHVOUCB25.lnk.to/E1f7DJ
