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This day, as I begin my Music Series, I am going to open up Kirk Franklin to you in the best way I can. The essence of doing this is to inspire so many people that will be reading this and also get you to know some salient details about the music stars we see and hear about. One of such person that has been an inspiration to my life is Kirk Franklin. He is still my best musician. No wonder I made him my first in this music series. Apart from that, Kirk Franklin will be 40 in two days time (precisely, 26th Jan., 2010). Why not feel comfortable and follow me as I reveal Kirk Franklin to you in the shortest possible time.
He was given birth too as Kirk Dwayne Franklin on January 26, 1970 in Fort Worth, Texas. Kirk is an American Gospel music singer and author. He is most notably known as the leader of urban contemporary gospel choirs such as the Family, God’s Property and 1NC (One Nation Crew).
Early years
Kirk was raised by his great aunt (Gertrude), having been abandoned as a baby by his mother. Gertrude collected and resold aluminum cans to raise money for Kirk to take piano lessons from the age of 4. Kirk excelled in music, able to read and write music. He received his first contract offer at the age of 7, which his aunt turned down. At 11, he joined his church choir and became music director of the Mt. Rose Baptist Church adult choir. Despite his strict religious upbringing, Kirk rebelled in his teenage years, and in an attempt to keep him out of trouble, his great aunt arranged an audition for him at a professional youth conservatory associated with a local university. He was accepted and while his life seemed to be on track for a while, the announcement of a girlfriend’s pregnancy and his eventual expulsion from school for behavioral problems proved otherwise.
Kirk later returned to the church, where he began to direct the choir once again. He also co-founded a gospel group, The Humble Hearts, which recorded one of Kirk’s compositions and got the attention of gospel music legend Milton Bigham. Bigham enlisted him to lead the DFW Mass Choir in a recording of Kirk’s song “Every Day with Jesus.” At 20, Bigham hired Franklin to lead the choir at the 1990 Gospel Music Workshop of America Convention, a major industry gathering.
Career
In the early 90’s Kirk organized “The Family”, a seventeen-voice choir, formed from neighborhood friends and associates. In 1992, Vicki Mack-Lataillade, the co-founder of fledgling record label, GospoCentric 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. It spent almost two years on the Gospel music charts and charted on the R&B charts, and eventually earning platinum sales status. It remained at No. 1 on the Billboard Top Gospel Albums chart for 42 weeks. It was also the first gospel music album to sell over a million units. After releasing a 1994 Christmas album, titled Kirk Franklin & the Family Christmas, the group released Whatcha Lookin’ 4 in 1995. The album was certified 2x platinum and earned Kirk his first Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album.
1997 brought another album; a collaboration with the vocal ensemble God’s Property, aptly named God’s Property from Kirk Franklin’s Nu Nation. The lead single, “Stomp”, featuring Cheryl “Salt” James (of Salt-N-Pepa), was a huge hit, enjoying heavy rotation on MTV and other music channels, charting at No. 1 on the R&B Singles airplay chart for 2 weeks, and even making it in to the Top 40. God’s Property from Kirk Franklin’s Nu Nation was No. 1 on the R&B Albums chart for 5 weeks, No. 3 on the Pop charts, and would go on to be certified 3x platinum. It also brought Kirk another Grammy for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album as well as three Grammy nominations.
In 1998, God’s Property sued Kirk alleging that Kirk induced God’s Property founder Linda Searight into signing an “onerous and one-sided” contract with B-Rite Music. The Nu Nation Project was released in 1998. The first single, an interpolation of the Bill Withers song “Lean on Me” and produced by Kirk and pop producer Dan Shea, controversially featured several mainstream artists, including R. Kelly, Mary J. Blige and Bono of U2. Together with Crystal Lewis, and the Family, “Lean On Me” and the second single “Revolution” (featuring Rodney Jerkins) were considerable hits, and the album contained a version of another 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 Kirk his third Grammy.
In, 2000, The Family filed a multi-million dollar lawsuit for royalties for their work on The Nu Nation Project against Franklin and GospoCentric Records. This saw the end of the “Kirk Franklin & The Family” records, as Kirk went on to become a solo artist, except for his CD Kirk Franklin presents 1NC, which he did in collaboration with 1NC, and was released that same year.
In 2001, Franklin ventured into new territory, scoring and producing the soundtrack for the film Kingdom Come. The soundtrack featured gospel artists Mary Mary, Crystal Lewis, and 1NC, as well as secular artists Az Yet, Jill Scott, Shawn Stockman of Boyz II Men and others. A notable song from the soundtrack was “Thank You” (Kirk Franklin feat Mary Mary).
2002’s The Rebirth of Kirk Franklin 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, Tobymac, Crystal Lewis, Jaci Velasquez, Papa San, Alvin Slaughter, and Yolanda Adams. This was Kirk’s first major release not to get him a Grammy Award.
On October 4, 2005 Hero was released in the United States. The album was certified gold on December 2, 2005 and platinum on December 14, 2006 by the Recording Industry Association of America. It made No. 1 on both the Billboard Top Christian and Top Gospel albums. The first single, “Looking for You”, was a hit, as was the follow-up “Imagine Me”, which made it onto the R&B Charts. In December 2006, Kirk Franklin won two 2007 Grammy Awards, for Hero. Additionally, Hero was the 2007 Stellar Awards CD of the Year.
Kirk Franklin’s 10th album, The Fight of My Life, was released in the United States on December 18, 2007. 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 Chart. The first single, “Declaration (This is It),” was released on October 23, 2007 and peaked at No. 35 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Chart. The album features guest appearances from Rance Allen, Isaac Carree, tobyMac, Da’ T.R.U.T.H., Doug Williams, and Melvin Williams. The song “Jesus” was released as the album’s second single in 2008 and was sent to Urban AC radio on July 15 2008.
Personal life
On 20 January 1996, Franklin married long time friend Tammy Collins. When they wed, they each had one child from previous relationships: Kirk’s son Kerrion, born in 1988, and Tammy’s daughter Carrington, born in 1989. Together, they have had two children: Kennedy, born in 1997 and Caziah, born in 2000. In 2006, Franklin appeared together with his wife on The Oprah Winfrey Show on the subject of pornography. During the show, entitled Famous Gospel Singer Admits His Addiction to Porn, he admitted to struggling with a porn-addiction for many years. Kirk stated in the interview that he sought help through Christian counseling and finally became free of the addiction. As of the interview, he had been clean for over seven years.
Awards
1993 Dove Awards – Traditional Gospel Album of the Year: Kirk Franklin & the Family and Traditional Gospel Song of the Year: “Why We Sing”.
1996 Dove Awards – Contemporary Gospel Album of the Year: Whatcha Lookin’ 4
1997 Grammy Awards – Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album: Whatcha Lookin’
1998 Dove Awards – Urban Album of the Year: God’s Property and Urban Song of the Year: “Stomp (feat. Cheryl ‘Salt’ James)”
1998 Grammy Awards – Best Gospel Album By Choir or Chorus: God’s Property
1999 Grammy Awards – Best Contemporary R&B Gospel Album: The Nu Nation Project
2000 Dove Awards – Urban Song of the Year: “Revolution”
2000 Stellar Awards – Artist of the Year, Song of the Year: “Lean On Me”, Producer of the Year: The Nu Nation Project, CD of the Year: The Nu Nation Project, Contemporary CD of the Year: The Nu Nation Project, Music Video of the Year: “Lean On Me”, Contemporary Choir of the Year: The Nu Nation Project and Rap Hip-Hop Gospel CD of the Year: The Nu Nation Project
2001 Dove Awards – Urban Gospel Album of the Year: “Kirk Franklin Presents 1NC” and Urban Song of the Year: “Nobody” by Kirk Franklin & 1NC
2002 Dove Awards – Urban Recorded Song of the Year: “Thank You” for Kirk Franklin & Mary Mary
2002 Stellar Awards – Urban/Inspirational Performance of the Year for Kirk Franklin and Mary Mary: “Thank You”
2003 Dove Awards – Contemporary Gospel Album of the Year: The Rebirth of Kirk Franklin
2003 Stellar Awards – Artist of the Year: The Rebirth of Kirk Franklin, Song of the Year: “Hosanna”, Producer of the Year: The Rebirth of Kirk Franklin, CD of the Year: The Rebirth of Kirk Franklin and Music Video of the Year: “Hosanna”
2006 Dove Awards – Urban Gospel Album of the Year: Hero and Urban Song of the Year: “Looking for You”
2006 Grammy Awards – Best Gospel Song: “Imagine Me” and Best Contemporary R&B Gospel Album: Hero
2006 American Music Awards – Favorite Contemporary Inspirational Artist
2006 BET Award – Best Gospel Artist
2007 Dove Awards – Urban Recorded Song of the Year: “Imagine Me”
2007 Stellar Awards – CD of the Year: Hero
2007 BET Award – Best Gospel Artist
2009 Urban Music Awards – Best Gospel Act
This is how much I can reveal to you. I have done well to make you see how Kirk Franklin grew up, his journey into music, his pornography addiction how he got out of it and his awards. I guess you have been inspired by his story. Is there anything you have to say? I’ll be waiting to read your comment.
In conclusion, Kirk has won five Grammy Awards, thirteen Dove Awards and fifteen Stellar Awards. You can read about his songs and videos to get the full picture of this article about a Kirk Franklin.
Love you still
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January 26th, 2010 at 22:50
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Adesoji Adegbulu, Adesoji Adegbulu. Adesoji Adegbulu said: ~ Happy 40th Birthday Kirk Dywane Franklin. We love u, ur music. http://adesojiadegbulu.com/music-001-kirk-franklin/ [...]