Kirk Franklin
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Kirk Dewayne Franklin (born January 26, 1970) is an American
gospel Gospel originally meant the Christianity, Christian message ("the gospel"), but in the second century Anno domino, AD the term (, from which the English word originated as a calque) came to be used also for the books in which the message w ...
musician. Franklin is one of the best-selling gospel music artists, his accolades include 20
Grammy Awards The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious a ...
. ''
Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...
'' dubbed Franklin as a "Reigning King of Urban Gospel", and is one of the inaugural inductees into the
Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame The Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame is located in Atlanta, Georgia, and was inaugurated in January 2021. The goal of the monument is to honor African Americans, and Black people internationally, for their achievements in entertainment. Th ...
. He also lead lead the known ensembles, which had helped to define much recognition, such as The Family,
God's Property God's Property was a Gospel music, gospel choir known for its collaborations with Kirk Franklin, and other recording artists. Music career In 1992, God's Property Choir was organized and founded by Linda Ray Hall-Searight (a public school mus ...
, and One Nation Crew (1NC).


Early life

A native of
Fort Worth, Texas Fort Worth is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the county seat of Tarrant County, Texas, Tarrant County, covering nearly into Denton County, Texas, Denton, Johnson County, Texas, Johnson, Parker County, Texas, Parker, and Wise County, Te ...
, Franklin was raised by his aunt, Gertrude, having been abandoned as a baby by his mother. Gertrude recycled aluminum cans to raise money for Kirk to take piano lessons from the age of four. Kirk excelled and was able to read and write music while also
playing by ear Playing or learning by ear is the ability of a performing musician to reproduce a piece of music they have heard, without having seen it Musical notation, notated in any form of sheet music. It is considered to be a desirable skill among musical p ...
. At the age of seven, Franklin received his first contract which his aunt turned down. He did join the church choir and became music director of the Mt. Rose
Baptist Baptists are a Christian denomination, denomination within Protestant Christianity distinguished by baptizing only professing Christian believers (believer's baptism) and doing so by complete Immersion baptism, immersion. Baptist churches ge ...
Church adult choir at 11 years of age. In his teenage years, Franklin rebelled against his strict religious upbringing, and in an attempt to keep him out of trouble, his grandmother arranged an audition for him at a professional youth conservatory associated with a local university. He was accepted, but later he had to deal with a girlfriend's pregnancy and his eventual expulsion from school for bad behavior. Franklin studied music with Jewell Kelly and the Singing Chaparrals at Oscar Dean Wyatt High School. He continued under her tutelage and ultimately became the pianist for the choir. When he was aged 15 he witnessed the death of a friend by shooting,Kirk Franklin
. Rock on the Net. Retrieved August 19, 2012.
after which Franklin returned to the church, where he again directed the choir. He also co-founded a gospel group, ''The Humble Hearts'', which recorded one of Franklin's compositions and got the attention of gospel music legend Milton Biggham, musical director of the
Georgia Mass Choir The Georgia Mass Choir is an American Gospel music choir from Macon, Georgia. Early years The ensemble, which numbers 150 members, was founded in 1983 by Rev. Milton Biggham, the lead vocalist and songwriter for the group. He put together the gr ...
. Impressed, Biggham enlisted him to lead the DFW Mass Choir in a recording of Franklin's song "Every Day with Jesus". This led to Biggham hiring Franklin, just 20 years old at the time, to lead the choir at the 1990
Gospel Music Workshop of America Gospel Music Workshop of America is an international music convention founded by Rev. James Cleveland. GMWA membership Active GMWA Membership ranges from professional and amateur Gospel vocalists to instrumentalists, composers, arrangers, di ...
Convention, an industry gathering.


Career


With groups (1992–2000)

In 1992, Franklin organized "The Family", which was a 17-voice
choir A choir ( ), also known as a chorale or chorus (from Latin ''chorus'', meaning 'a dance in a circle') is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform or in other words ...
, formed from neighborhood friends and associates.W. K. McNeil, ''Encyclopedia of American Gospel Music'', Routledge, Abingdon-on-Thames, 2013, p. 132 In 1992, Vicki Mack-Lataillade, the co-founder of fledgling
GospoCentric Records GospoCentric Records was an Inglewood, California based Gospel music record label, started as an independent label by Vicki Mack Lataillade and Claude Lataillade in 1993. The label rose to prominence in the 1990s, largely on the runaway success o ...
label, heard one of their demo tapes and was so impressed she immediately signed up Kirk & The Family to a recording contract. In 1993, the group, now known as "Kirk Franklin & The Family", released their debut album, ''
Kirk Franklin & The Family ''Kirk Franklin and the Family (Live)'' is the debut album released by Kirk Franklin. This is also the debut album by Franklin in collaboration with his seventeen-voice formed choir, the Family. It was released on June 29, 1993, and it was his f ...
''. It spent almost two years on the gospel music charts and charted on the R&B charts, eventually earning platinum sales status. It remained at No. 1 on the ''Billboard'' Top Gospel Albums chart for 42 weeks. It was only the third gospel music album to sell over a million units after Aretha Franklin's ''Amazing Grace'' and BeBe & CeCe Winans' ''Addictive Love''. Two years later, after releasing a 1995 Christmas album entitled ''
Kirk Franklin & the Family Christmas ''Christmas'' is an album by Kirk Franklin & the Family. Serving as their first and currently their only Christmas album. Synopsis ''Christmas'' is the second album by Franklin and is also the second album released by Franklin in collaboration ...
'', the group released '' Whatcha Lookin' 4'' in 1996. The album was certified platinum and earned Franklin his first
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious ...
for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album. In 1996, Franklin's song "Joy" was recorded by
Whitney Houston Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an American singer, actress, film producer, model, and philanthropist. Commonly referred to as "Honorific nicknames in popular music, the Voice", she is List of awards and no ...
and the
Georgia Mass Choir The Georgia Mass Choir is an American Gospel music choir from Macon, Georgia. Early years The ensemble, which numbers 150 members, was founded in 1983 by Rev. Milton Biggham, the lead vocalist and songwriter for the group. He put together the gr ...
. With production by Houston and Mervyn Warren, the composition was included on the best-selling gospel album of all time, soundtrack to ''
The Preacher's Wife ''The Preacher's Wife'' is a 1996 American Christmas fantasy comedy-drama film directed by Penny Marshall and starring Denzel Washington, Whitney Houston (in her last film released during her lifetime), and Courtney B. Vance. It is a remake of ...
.'' GospoCentric's new sub-label, B'Rite, in partnership with
Interscope Records Interscope Records is an American record label based in Santa Monica, California, owned by Universal Music Group through its Interscope Geffen A&M imprint. Founded in late 1990 by Jimmy Iovine and Ted Field as a $20 million joint venture ...
brought another album in 1997, a collaboration with the vocal ensemble
God's Property God's Property was a Gospel music, gospel choir known for its collaborations with Kirk Franklin, and other recording artists. Music career In 1992, God's Property Choir was organized and founded by Linda Ray Hall-Searight (a public school mus ...
, aptly named ''
God's Property from Kirk Franklin's Nu Nation ''God's Property'' is a collaboration live album by God's Property, as well as Kirk Franklin's fourth album. It was released on May 27, 1997. Recorded as a live-in-studio project in July 1996. At the time of its release, urban contemporary gospe ...
''. The lead single, " Stomp", featuring Cheryl "Salt" James (of
Salt-N-Pepa Salt-N-Pepa (sometimes stylized as Salt 'N' Pepa) is an American hip-hop, hip hop group formed in New York City in 1985, that comprised Salt (rapper), Salt (Cheryl James), Pepa (rapper), Pepa (Sandra Denton), and DJ Spinderella (Deidra Roper). ...
), was a crossover hit, enjoying heavy rotation on
MTV MTV (an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable television television channel, channel and the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group sub-division of the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global. Launched on ...
and other music channels and charting at No. 1 on the R&B Singles Airplay chart for two weeks, even making it into the
Top 40 In the music industry, the Top 40 is a list of the 40 currently most popular songs in a particular genre. It is the best-selling or most frequently broadcast popular music. Record charts have traditionally consisted of a total of 40 songs. "To ...
. ''God's Property from Kirk Franklin's Nu Nation'' was No. 1 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart for five weeks, No. 3 on the
Billboard 200 The ''Billboard'' 200 is a record chart ranking the 200 most popular music albums and EPs in the United States. It is published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists. Sometimes, a rec ...
, and would go on to be certified 3× platinum by the
RIAA The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
. It also brought Franklin another Grammy for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album, as well as three Grammy nominations. '' The Nu Nation Project'' was released in 1998. The first single, " Lean on Me", produced by Franklin and pop producer Dan Shea, featured several mainstream artists, including R. Kelly,
Mary J. Blige Mary Jane Blige ( ; born January 11, 1971) is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, actress, and entrepreneur. Often referred to as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Hip-Hop Soul" and "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Qu ...
and
Bono Paul David Hewson (born 10 May 1960), known by the nickname Bono ( ), is an Irish singer-songwriter and activist. He is a founding member, the lead vocalist, and primary lyricist of the rock band U2. Bono is known for his impassioned voca ...
of U2 together with
Crystal Lewis Crystal Lynn Lewis (born September 11, 1969) is an American contemporary Christian and jazz singer and songwriter. Lewis has been nominated for several Grammy Awards, and has won multiple GMA Dove Awards. Additionally, she has released numerous ...
and The Family. " Lean on Me" and the second single "Revolution" (featuring
Rodney Jerkins Rodney Roy Jerkins (born July 29, 1977), better known by his stage name Darkchild, is an American record producer, rapper, and songwriter. He has collaborated with a broad range of popular artists. Jerkins has won two Grammy Awards from 19 nomi ...
) were considerable hits, and the album contained a version of a Bill Withers song " Gonna Be a Lovely Day". '' The Nu Nation Project'' went on to top the ''Billboard'' Contemporary Christian Albums chart for 23 weeks and the ''Billboard'' Gospel Albums chart for 49 weeks and brought Franklin his third Grammy. Also in 1998, Franklin had made a guest appearance on the hit television sitcom '' Sister, Sister''. On November 2, 1998, God's Property sued Franklin. The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles
Superior Court In common law systems, a superior court is a court of general jurisdiction over civil and criminal legal cases. A superior court is "superior" in relation to a court with limited jurisdiction (see small claims court), which is restricted to civil ...
, alleges that Franklin induced God's Property founder Linda Searight into signing an "onerous and one-sided" contract with B-Rite Music. In 1999, Kirk Franklin disbanded the Family, after the acclaimed, The Nu Nation Tour. He would shortly record, ''Kirk Franklin presents 1NC,'' which would be released in August 2000. Also in 2000, a select amount of The Family filed a multimillion-dollar lawsuit for royalties for their work on ''The Nu Nation Project'' against Franklin and GospoCentric Records. The album was recorded prior to the lawsuit. On January 16, 2010, at the 25th Annual
Stellar Awards A Stellar Award is an award presented by SAGMA to recognize achievements in the gospel music industry.Sagma
The Stel ...
show taping in
Nashville, Tennessee Nashville, often known as Music City, is the capital and List of municipalities in Tennessee, most populous city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County in Middle Tennessee, locat ...
, Kirk Franklin & The Family reunited briefly on stage to perform songs made popular by them in the 1990s. Both The Family and God's Property, would reunite in 2023 for The Reunion Tour, which also featured The Clark Sisters, Tye Tribbett, and Israel Houghton. The two choirs would also record a video for Silver and Gold during that same time.


Solo artist (2001–present)

In 2001, he produced the soundtrack for the film '' Kingdom Come''. The soundtrack included gospel artists
Mary Mary Mary Mary is an American urban contemporary gospel duo formed in 1998, consisting of sisters Erica Atkins-Campbell and Trecina Atkins-Campbell. Their name is inspired by two biblical figures: Mary, mother of Jesus, and Mary Magdalene. They ar ...
, Trin-i-tee 5:7,
Crystal Lewis Crystal Lynn Lewis (born September 11, 1969) is an American contemporary Christian and jazz singer and songwriter. Lewis has been nominated for several Grammy Awards, and has won multiple GMA Dove Awards. Additionally, she has released numerous ...
, and Franklin's group 1NC, as well as mainstream artists Az Yet, Jill Scott,
Tamar Braxton Tamar Estine Braxton (born March 17, 1977) is an American singer, songwriter, actress and television personality. Braxton began her career in 1990 as a founding member of The Braxtons, an R&B singing group formed with her sisters. The Braxtons r ...
,
Shawn Stockman Shawn Patrick Stockman (born September 26, 1972) is an American singer, songwriter and record producer. He is best known as a member of the vocal group Boyz II Men. In addition to Boyz II Men, Stockman was a member of the group Black Men Unit ...
of
Boyz II Men Boyz II Men ( ) is an American vocal harmony group from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, best known for emotional ballads and a cappella harmonies. Formed in 1985, they have been a trio composed of baritone Nathan Morris, tenor Wanya Morris, Wanyá Mo ...
and others. In June 2000, a live recording of new material was done at Lakewood Church, and after over a year of production, '' The Rebirth of Kirk Franklin'' was released in February 2002. It topped the Gospel Albums chart for 29 weeks, was No. 1 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and was certified Platinum. The album featured collaborations with Bishop T.D. Jakes,
Shirley Caesar Shirley Ann Caesar-Williams (Birth name, née Caesar; born October 13, 1938), known professionally as Shirley Caesar, is an American Gospel music, gospel singer. Her career began in 1951, when she signed to Federal Records at the age of 12. Thro ...
, Willie Neal Johnson,
TobyMac Kevin Michael McKeehan (born October 22, 1964), better known by his stage name TobyMac (styled tobyMac), is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. His road band is known as Diverse City. Widely regarded as one of the most ...
, Crystal Lewis, Jaci Velasquez,
Papa San Tyrone Thompson, (born July 1, 1967)
better known as Papa San, is a Jamai ...
,
Alvin Slaughter Alvin Martin Slaughter (born July 17, 1955) is an American gospel musician, worship leader, and singer-songwriter. Career Slaughter is based out of New York City, where he was a member of the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir until the early 1990s, w ...
, and
Yolanda Adams Yolanda Yvette Adams (born August 27, 1961) is an American gospel singer, actress, and host of her own nationally syndicated morning gospel show. She is one of the best-selling gospel artists of all time, having sold over 10 million albu ...
. In 2004, Franklin launched a new label called Fo Yo Soul Entertainment and had signed a new distribution deal with
Zomba Label Group RCA/Jive Label Group (sometimes stylized as RCA/JIVE Label Group) was an American record label group, owned by Sony Music Entertainment and representing the merger of the RCA Music Group and JIVE Label Group. The umbrella group was formed in 200 ...
. On October 4, 2005, ''
Hero A hero (feminine: heroine) is a real person or fictional character who, in the face of danger, combats adversity through feats of ingenuity, courage, or Physical strength, strength. The original hero type of classical epics did such thin ...
'' was released in the United States. The album was certified Gold on , and Platinum on , by the
Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
. It reached No. 1 on both the ''Billboard'' Top Christian and Top Gospel albums. The first single, "
Looking for You "Looking For You" is a gospel song by Kirk Franklin from his 2005 album ''Hero''. The song contains a sample from "Haven't You Heard," which was written by Patrice Rushen, Charles Mims Jr, Sheree Brown, and Freddie Washington. Chart performance ...
", was a hit, as was the follow-up "Imagine Me", which made it onto the R&B charts. At the
2007 Grammy Awards The 49th Annual Grammy Awards was a ceremony honoring the best in music for the recording year beginning October 1, 2005, and ending September 30, 2006, in the United States. The awards were handed out on Sunday, February 11, 2007, at the Stapl ...
, Franklin won two Grammys for ''Hero''. Additionally, ''Hero'' was the 2007
Stellar Awards A Stellar Award is an award presented by SAGMA to recognize achievements in the gospel music industry.Sagma
The Stel ...
CD of the Year. Franklin's 10th album, '' The Fight of My Life'', was released in the United States on . The album debuted on the ''Billboard'' 200 at No. 33 with 74,000 copies sold in the first week. It reached No. 1 on both the ''Billboard'' Top Gospel and Top Christian albums charts, and also peaked at No. 7 on the ''Billboard''
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a music chart published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine that ranks R&B and hip-hop albums based on sales in the United States and is compiled by Luminate. The chart debuted as Hot R&B LPs in the issue dated January 30, ...
Chart. The first single, " Declaration (This is It)," was released on , and peaked at No. 35 on the ''Billboard'' Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Chart. The album features guest appearances from
Rance Allen The Rance Allen Group was a gospel music group formed in Monroe, Michigan, and based in Toledo, Ohio, named after its lead vocalist, Bishop Rance Allen. The group was formed by vocalist, guitarist, pianist, and songwriter Rance Allen (b. Monro ...
, Isaac Carree, TobyMac, Da' T.R.U.T.H., Doug Williams (singer) and Melvin Williams (singer). The song "Jesus" was released as the album's second single in 2008 and was sent to Urban AC radio on July 15, 2008. In January 2010, after Haiti had a devastating earthquake, Franklin got an ensemble of gospel artists together to sing the song he wrote, called "Are You Listening". They included
Yolanda Adams Yolanda Yvette Adams (born August 27, 1961) is an American gospel singer, actress, and host of her own nationally syndicated morning gospel show. She is one of the best-selling gospel artists of all time, having sold over 10 million albu ...
,
Jeremy Camp Jeremy Thomas Camp (born January 12, 1978) is an American Contemporary Christian music, contemporary Christian singer and songwriter from Lafayette, Indiana. He has released eleven albums, four of them RIAA certification, RIAA-certified as Music ...
,
Shirley Caesar Shirley Ann Caesar-Williams (Birth name, née Caesar; born October 13, 1938), known professionally as Shirley Caesar, is an American Gospel music, gospel singer. Her career began in 1951, when she signed to Federal Records at the age of 12. Thro ...
,
Dorinda Clark-Cole Dorinda Grace Clark-Cole (born Dorinda Grace Clark; October 19, 1957) is an American Grammy Award-winning gospel singer, songwriter, musician, talk show host, and evangelist. Clark–Cole is best known as a member of family vocal group The Clar ...
,
Natalie Grant Natalie Diane Grant (born December 21, 1971) is an American singer and songwriter of contemporary Christian music. She received the Gospel Music Association's Dove Award for Female Vocalist of the Year four consecutive years, 2006–2009, and ...
,
Fred Hammond Frederick William Hammond (born December 27, 1960) is an American gospel singer, bass guitar player, and record producer. He is regarded as one of the most popular figures in contemporary gospel music. He is known for using a variety of differ ...
,
Tamela Mann Tamela Jean Mann (née Johnson; born June 9, 1966) is an American gospel singer and actress. She began her career as a singer with the gospel group Kirk Franklin and the Family. Mann was a primary vocalist on several tracks while with Franklin's ...
, David Mann, Mary Mary,
Donnie McClurkin Donald Andrew McClurkin Jr. (born November 9, 1959) is an American gospel singer and minister. He has won three Grammy Awards, ten Stellar Awards, two BET Awards, two Soul Train Awards, one Dove Award and one NAACP Image Awards. He is one of t ...
, Bishop Paul S. Morton, J. Moss,
Smokie Norful Willie Ray "Smokie" Norful Jr. (born October 31, 1975) is an American gospel singer and pianist. Career Norful is best known for his 2002 album, '' I Need You Now'' and his 2004 release, '' Nothing Without You'', which won a Grammy at the 47th ...
,
Marvin Sapp Marvin Louis Sapp (born January 28, 1967) is an American Gospel musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. Early life and education Born and raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Sapp began singing in church at age four. In third grade he ...
, Karen Clark-Sheard,
Kierra Sheard Kierra Valencia "Kiki" Sheard-Kelly (born June 20, 1987) is an American gospel music, gospel singer and evangelist. She is the daughter of gospel singer Karen Clark-Sheard and COGIC Presiding Bishop John Drew Sheard Sr., J. Drew Sheard and the g ...
,
BeBe Winans Benjamin "BeBe" Winans (born September 17, 1962) is an American gospel and R&B singer from Detroit, Michigan. He is a member of the noted Winans family, most members of which are also gospel artists. Winans has released nine solo albums, seven ...
,
CeCe Winans Priscilla Marie Love, known professionally by her stage name as CeCe Winans, (born October 8, 1964) is an American gospel singer who has garnered 17 Grammy Awards, the most for any female gospel singer; 33 GMA Dove Awards, 19 Stellar Awards, ...
, and Marvin Winans. In 2005, Franklin appeared with his wife on ''
The Oprah Winfrey Show ''The Oprah Winfrey Show'' is an American first-run syndicated talk show that was hosted by Oprah Winfrey. The show ran for twenty-five seasons from September 8, 1986, to May 25, 2011, in which it broadcast 4,561 episodes. The show was taped i ...
'' to discuss how he ended his
pornography addiction Pornography addiction is the scientifically controversial application of an addiction model to the use of pornography. Pornography use may be part of compulsive behavior, with negative consequences to one's physical, mental, social, or financial we ...
. In 2010, he published ''The Blueprint: A Plan for Living Above Life's Storms'', a book in which he recounts the family difficulties experienced during his childhood, and how he got out of a sexually active life and an addiction to pornography. Franklin served as the host and co-executive producer of the
BET Black Entertainment Television (BET) is an American basic cable channel targeting Black American audiences. It is the flagship channel of the BET Media Group, a subsidiary of Paramount Global's CBS Entertainment Group. Originally launched ...
original series '' Sunday Best'' and the musical co-host of GSN's '' The American Bible Challenge'' with
Jeff Foxworthy Jeffrey Marshall Foxworthy (born September 6, 1958) is an American comedian, actor, writer, and radio and television host. He is a member of the Blue Collar Comedy Tour, with Larry the Cable Guy, Bill Engvall, and formerly Ron White. Known f ...
. Franklin's 11th studio album called '' Hello Fear'' was released on March 22, 2011. The album features
Marvin Sapp Marvin Louis Sapp (born January 28, 1967) is an American Gospel musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. Early life and education Born and raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Sapp began singing in church at age four. In third grade he ...
, Mali Music, Marvin Winans, John P. Kee, and
Rance Allen The Rance Allen Group was a gospel music group formed in Monroe, Michigan, and based in Toledo, Ohio, named after its lead vocalist, Bishop Rance Allen. The group was formed by vocalist, guitarist, pianist, and songwriter Rance Allen (b. Monro ...
. The first single, "I Smile", peaked at No. 85 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, making it his first appearance on that chart in six years. In 2013, Franklin began signing artists onto his label, Fo Yo Soul Recordings, which became an imprint with
RCA Records RCA Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Group Corporation. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside Columbia Records (its former longtime rival), Arista Records and Epic R ...
, and he has signed acts such as The Walls Group and artists like
Tasha Page-Lockhart Tasha Page House (born March 21, 1983, as Natasha Marie Page) is an American Christian R&B and urban contemporary gospel artist and musician. She won the gospel singing competition, ''Sunday Best'', in season six of BET. She started her music c ...
. These two artists received ten
Stellar Award A Stellar Award is an award presented by SAGMA to recognize achievements in the gospel music industry.Sagma
The Stel ...
nominations at the 30th Stellar Awards. The Walls Group won seven awards, while Page-Lockhart won three of her own, and Franklin won two more for his label. In September 2015, Franklin announced his twelfth studio album, ''
Losing My Religion "Losing My Religion" is a song by American alternative rock band R.E.M., released on February 19, 1991 by Warner Bros. as the first single from their seventh album, '' Out of Time'' (1991). It developed from a mandolin riff improvised by the ...
'', which was released on November 13, 2015. The first single off the album, "Wanna Be Happy?", was released on August 28, 2015. It was at this point that Vinson Cunningham referred to him as a
hype man A hype man, typically in hip hop music, is a backing vocalist who supports the primary performer with exclamations, interjections, or ad-libs in an attempt to increase an audience's excitement or engagement. Origins Early hype men included Keef C ...
when writing for
the New Yorker ''The New Yorker'' is an American magazine featuring journalism, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry. It was founded on February 21, 1925, by Harold Ross and his wife Jane Grant, a reporter for ''The New York T ...
. Franklin contributed to
Tori Kelly Victoria Loren Kelly (born December 14, 1992) is an American singer-songwriter. She first gained recognition on YouTube before making it through to Hollywood week on the ninth season of ''American Idol'' in 2010 and eventually releasing her debu ...
's '' Hiding Place'' album, released September 14, 2018. They had intended to collaborate on one song, but it turned into a larger project. On January 25, 2019, Franklin released his single "Love Theory" and official music video for the song. "Love Theory" served the first single from his 13th studio album, '' Long Live Love''. Franklin released his second single, "Just for Me", in April 2019. His third single, "OK", was released in May 2019. ''Long Live Love'' was released on May 31. In February 2019, it was announced that BET's gospel music reality competition, ''Sunday Best'' would return from a four-year hiatus. Franklin will reprise his role as host. After
Trinity Broadcasting Network The Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN; legally Trinity Broadcasting of Texas, Inc.) is an international Christian-based broadcast television network and the world's largest religious television network. TBN solicits donations on its Web site, a ...
aired the 2019
GMA Dove Award A Dove Award is an accolade by the Gospel Music Association (GMA) of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the Christian music industry. The awards ceremonies presented annually and have been held in Nashville, Tennessee exce ...
s on October 20, 2019, Franklin commented that his acceptance speech was edited to remove comments he made in relation to the killing of Atatiana Jefferson by a police officer. He stated that he was boycotting the award show going forward as it was not the first time they had edited his acceptance speech to remove "reflections on police violence against Black Americans". GMA president, Jackie Patillo, apologized to Franklin and GMA made an unedited version of the speech available but stated that it was an unintentional action and that they were attempting to reduce the running time to meet a two-hour time-slot. Several other artists supported Franklin's boycott. In 2021, he was among the inaugural inductees into the
Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame The Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame is located in Atlanta, Georgia, and was inaugurated in January 2021. The goal of the monument is to honor African Americans, and Black people internationally, for their achievements in entertainment. Th ...
. On May 21, 2021, Franklin and American rapper
Lil Baby Dominique Armani Jones (born December 3, 1994), known professionally as Lil Baby, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He rose to prominence following the release of his 2017 mixtapes ''Harder than Hard'' and ''Too Hard'' — the for ...
released the song "We Win" for the
soundtrack A soundtrack is a recorded audio signal accompanying and synchronised to the images of a book, drama, motion picture, radio program, television show, television program, or video game; colloquially, a commercially released soundtrack album of m ...
to the 2021 film '' Space Jam: A New Legacy''. On October 14, 2023, Franklin released his thirteenth studio album, ''
Father's Day Father's Day is a day set aside for honoring one's father, as well as fatherhood, paternal bonds, and the influence of fathers in society. "Father's Day" complements similar celebrations honoring family members, such as Mother's Day and, in som ...
''.


Personal life

On January 20, 1996, Franklin married long-time friend Tammy Collins. When they wed, they each had one child from previous relationships. As a couple, they have two children together. In November 1996, Franklin had a near death experience after accidentally falling from a stage into an orchestra pit during a concert in
Memphis Memphis most commonly refers to: * Memphis, Egypt, a former capital of ancient Egypt * Memphis, Tennessee, a major American city Memphis may also refer to: Places United States * Memphis, Alabama * Memphis, Florida * Memphis, Indiana * Mem ...
, he suffered a head injury which left him in critical condition; he eventually made a full recovery. In March 2021, Franklin's oldest son, Kerrion, released an audio recording of a private conversation between him and his father in which both can be heard using profanities. Franklin subsequently apologized to his fans and followers. In 2023, Franklin met his biological father Richard Hubbard for the first time and reconciled with his son Kerrion in his documentary film ''Father's Day: A Kirk Franklin Story''. Franklin has openly discussed how his faith axed his former
pornography addiction Pornography addiction is the scientifically controversial application of an addiction model to the use of pornography. Pornography use may be part of compulsive behavior, with negative consequences to one's physical, mental, social, or financial we ...
, which began when he was eight years old and continued for over a decade.


Discography


Kirk Franklin & The Family

*'' Kirk Franklin and the Family'' (1993) *''
Kirk Franklin & the Family Christmas ''Christmas'' is an album by Kirk Franklin & the Family. Serving as their first and currently their only Christmas album. Synopsis ''Christmas'' is the second album by Franklin and is also the second album released by Franklin in collaboration ...
'' (1995) *'' Whatcha Lookin' 4'' (1996)


Kirk Franklin's Nu Nation

*''
God's Property from Kirk Franklin's Nu Nation ''God's Property'' is a collaboration live album by God's Property, as well as Kirk Franklin's fourth album. It was released on May 27, 1997. Recorded as a live-in-studio project in July 1996. At the time of its release, urban contemporary gospe ...
'' (1997) *'' The Nu Nation Project'' (1998)


Kirk Franklin and 1 Nation Crew

*'' Kirk Franklin Presents 1NC'' (2000)


Kirk Franklin

*'' The Rebirth of Kirk Franklin'' (2002) *''
Hero A hero (feminine: heroine) is a real person or fictional character who, in the face of danger, combats adversity through feats of ingenuity, courage, or Physical strength, strength. The original hero type of classical epics did such thin ...
'' (2005) *'' The Fight of My Life'' (2007) *'' Hello Fear'' (2011) *''
Losing My Religion "Losing My Religion" is a song by American alternative rock band R.E.M., released on February 19, 1991 by Warner Bros. as the first single from their seventh album, '' Out of Time'' (1991). It developed from a mandolin riff improvised by the ...
'' (2015) *'' Long, Live, Love'' (2019) * '' Father’s Day'' (2023)


Kirk Franklin & Maverick City Music

*'' Kingdom Book One'' (2022)


Filmography

Film Television


Awards

Franklin has received 20
Grammy Awards The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious a ...
and 22
GMA Dove Award A Dove Award is an accolade by the Gospel Music Association (GMA) of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the Christian music industry. The awards ceremonies presented annually and have been held in Nashville, Tennessee exce ...
s. He has also received
BET Awards The BET Awards are an American award show that was established in 2001 by the BET, Black Entertainment Television network to celebrate Black person, Black entertainers and other minorities in music, film, sports and philanthropy. The awards, which ...
,
Soul Train Music Awards The Soul Train Music Awards is an annual music awards ceremony which honors the best in African-American culture, music and entertainment. It is produced by the production company of '' Soul Train'', the program from which it takes its name, and ...
and
Stellar Awards A Stellar Award is an award presented by SAGMA to recognize achievements in the gospel music industry.Sagma
The Stel ...
.


References


Further reading

* * * *


External links

* * * *
Fo Yo Soul Recordings profile

Kirk Franklin 2016 Radio Interview at Soulinterviews.com

Interview (April 2025) by the Oral History of American Music
{{DEFAULTSORT:Franklin, Kirk 1970 births Living people 20th-century African-American male singers 20th-century American male singers 20th-century American singers 20th-century American male writers 20th-century American pianists 20th-century evangelicals 21st-century African-American male singers 21st-century American male singers 21st-century American male writers 21st-century American pianists 21st-century evangelicals African-American Christians African-American pianists African-American record producers American choral conductors American Christian writers American evangelicals American gospel singers Gospel music pianists GospoCentric artists Grammy Award winners Interscope Records artists Jive Records artists Musicians from Fort Worth, Texas Provident Label Group artists RCA Records artists Record producers from Texas Singer-songwriters from Texas Sparrow Records artists Urban contemporary gospel musicians Writers from Texas Zomba Group of Companies artists