As Deitrick Haddon marks the release of Chain Breaker 2.5, gospel artists and fans alike are reflecting on how the original Chain Breaker album - first released in 1999 - became a defining soundtrack for a new era of worship and innovation in urban gospel.
Long before gospel music embraced trap beats or digital choirs, Chain Breaker fused soulful melodies, hip-hop rhythms, and anthemic choir energy into something bold and boundary-pushing. Tracks like "We Worship You" and "Anybody Here" became Sunday morning staples for youth choirs across the country, especially in churches seeking to engage a younger, musically diverse generation.
Several artists now featured on Chain Breaker 2.5 - including T. Church and Jekalyn Carr - have publicly acknowledged Haddon's early work as formative in their own faith journeys and sound development.
"Young creatives saw themselves in that music," said one choir director on social media. "It let us know gospel could be holy and streetwise."
As Chain Breaker 2.5 reintroduces these songs to a new audience, Haddon is doing more than honoring the past - he's extending an invitation for the next generation to write, sing, and worship without fear of pushing musical boundaries.
The heart of Chain Breaker has always been freedom - not just musical, but spiritual. And 25 years later, its message of breakthrough, identity, and unshakable faith still rings true.
