Sir the Baptist
William James Stovall, better known by his stage name Sir the Baptist, is an American artist and songwriter. He has worked as producer and writer on two GRAMMY Award-winning albums, two GMA Dove Awards winners, two Stellar Awards winners a BMI [Film & TV Awards|BMI Award] as songwriter, and is BET Award-nominated artist.
Early life and ancestry
Baptist was born James Haven Stovall and raised in the Bronzeville neighborhood on Chicago's South Side as the 20th child of the late family patriarch, Dr. James Benton Stovall. His father was born in 1924 on the land his family farmed and owned slaves, he later became a traveling pastor and Christian apologist, during the Great Migration. His mother Patricia Ann Harris, is a transatlantic missionary from roots of Sierra Leone who served communities in 17 countries with Baptist as he toured America and Europe.Baptist was the 13th generation to be baptized. His ancestors practiced the Baptist tradition on their transatlantic journey during the English Separatist movement in the 1600s. With his Stovall bloodline, the Protestant Reformation to the Church of England during the separation from the Roman Catholic Church can be traced back for centuries. The first recorded baptism in Baptist's bloodline can be traced to George Stovall II in the year 1555, in Guildford, Sussex Co., England.
Career
Stage name
Born into the Stovall lineage, his name, "Baptist" was adopted as a ceremonial name deriving from his father's occupation as a Baptist preacher. His name, Sir, was ascribed during his parochial school years at Leo Catholic High School. Professionally, the epithet "Sir the Baptist" was used because his model for evangelizing Jesus Christ in the wild was adopted from the prophet, John the Baptist. Sir practiced ritualistic baptisms at music festivals in America and at 22 shows across Europe.Baptist worked as Director of Digital Marketing and Media for McDonald's campaigns at Leo Burnett Company, Inc. His work ranged from digital marketing, to writing music scores for a film that featured Meghan Markle, to jingles with Ira Antelis. After a dispute over the ownership to his publishing rights with the agency, he became homeless, and drove for Lyft until he signed a deal with Atlantic Records/Warner Music Group in New York City with Craig Kallman, Julie Greenwald and Michael Kyser.
Baptist's conversion to Christianity was due to a marijuana experience, and that his debut release Saint or Sinner was a blueprint to the urban Christian believers. He has toured Europe with Nelly, Mary J. Blige, and August Alsina.
Artist collaborations
Baptist has collaborated with musical artists Anthony Hamilton, Donald Lawrence, Kierra Sheard, Killer Mike, Twista, Michelle Williams, Tony Bennett, Pharrell Williams, Musiq Soulchild, Brandy Norwood, Estelle, Tori Kelly, Elle Varner, D.C. Young Fly.Brand partnerships
Baptist has partnered with companies, agencies, and lifestyle brands Facebook, Apple, Google, Lexus, Glenfiddich, Samsung, McDonald's, W Hotels, Lyft, WeWork, Toyota, Tidal, Yeti, Converse, Vans, Macy's, The Chicago Bears, The Recording Academy, Save the Music Foundation">Save the Music Foundation">Save the Music Foundation, Fat Tire and Pandora.Humanitarian work
As a humanitarian, he builds luxury mission homes for missionaries of the Christian faith. He is the Chaplain of Innovation, the majority shareholder and architect of Christian website tymple.Discography
Singles
- Creflo Almighty Dollar – 2015
- Wake Up – 2015
- Raise Hell – 2015
- What We Got – 2016
- Movin – 2017
- He Heard My Cry – 2018
- I Still Love You – 2019
- Me & God – 2019
- Bossa Nova – 2019
- Switched Partners – 2019
- Kingdom Come – 2019
- Can't Help Myself – 2020
- Scream & Shout – 2020
- Jesus In The Ghetto – 2021
- Adam & Eve'n – 2021
Albums
- Saint or Sinner – 2017, Atlantic Records
- Godfidence: Kingdom Bae – 2020, tymple
- The Baptist – 2024, tymple
Awards
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result |
| 2016 | BET Hip Hop Awards | Impact Track of the Year | "Raise Hell" | Nomitated |
| 2019 | GMA Dove Awards | Traditional Gospel Recorded Song of the Year | "Deliver Me " | |
| 2019 | GMA Dove Awards | Traditional Gospel Album of the Year | "Goshen" | |
| 2020 | GRAMMY Awards | Best Gospel Album | "Goshen" | Nomitated |
| 2020 | Stellar Awards | Song of the Year | "Deliver Me " | |
| 2020 | Stellar Awards | Producer of the Year | "Goshen" | Nomitated |
| 2020 | Stellar Awards | Urban/Inspirational Single of Performance of the Year | "Deliver Me " | |
| 2021 | GRAMMY Awards | Best Gospel Album | Kierra | Nomitated |
| 2021 | GMA Dove Awards | Contemporary Gospel Album of the Year | Kierra | Nomitated |
| 2021 | NAACP Image Awards | Outstanding Gospel/Christian Album | Kierra | Nomitated |
| 2021 | GMA Dove Awards | Contemporary Album of the Year | Kierra | |
| 2021 | BMI Trailblazers of Gospel Awards | Song of the Year | "Deliver Me " | |
| 2023 | GRAMMY Awards | Best Roots Gospel Album | The Urban Hymnal | |
| 2023 | GRAMMY Awards | Grammy Award for Best [Spoken Word Poetry Album|Best Spoken Word Poetry Album] | The Poet Who Sat By The Door | |
| 2025 | GRAMMY Awards | Best Gospel Performance/Song | "Church Doors" | Nomitated |