The impeccably funky "Stomp," from 1997's God's Property from Kirk Franklin's Nu Nation, parlayed a sample from Funkadelic's "One Nation Under a Groove" into a party jam for all occasions the next year, he balanced pop-adjacent accessibility with the anti-racist gospel-rap of tracks like "Revolution." Franklin's 2002 autobiographical masterpiece, Hero, personalized his crusade: Admissions of insecurity ignite the crescendoing "Imagine Me," while a Tears for Fears "Shout" sample accompanies lyrics about pornography addiction in "Let It Go." Franklin's rap-informed approach to gospel also made him an attractive collaborator for star MCs who were seeking a more spiritual path-in 2016, he appeared on Kanye’s Life of Pablo and Chance the Rapper’s Coloring Book. 3 on Billboard's R&B/Hip-Hop chart, introducing Franklin’s preaching-MC persona and demonstrating his knack for introducing hip secular sounds into gospel music. He led an adult Baptist church choir at age 11, then released his debut album, 1993’s high-energy live recording Kirk Franklin & The Family, with a local 17-piece choir. Born Kirk Mathis in Fort Worth, Texas, in 1970, he was abandoned by both parents and raised by an aunt who recycled cans to pay for her four-year-old nephew's music lessons. His knack for combining contemporary gospel with hip-hop, soul, and R&B has resonated with a wide range of music lovers, allowing for unparalleled crossover success.Urban contemporary gospel king Kirk Franklin is his own best case study of music's ability to triumph over trauma.
Franklin continues to follow his passion collaborating with choir groups despite leading a thriving career as a solo artist. He would go on to release a total of eight studio albums including 2005’s Hero and 2011’s Hello Fear, each earning a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album and Best Gospel Album respectively. The album's success served as a sign of things to come for the rising Gospel star, who would continue to achieve crossover success as both a choir collaborator and a solo artist.įranklin launched his solo career in 2002 with the release of The Rebirth of Kirk Franklin. The group’s platinum-selling debut album, Kirk Franklin & the Family, propelled Franklin into the spotlight, topping the charts and becoming a crossover hit. Long Live Love marks Franklin’s 13th studio release and is due out May 31.ġ3-time Grammy Award winning Gospel artist Kirk Franklin rose to fame in the early 1990s, leading the Texas-based choir The Family. The album’s lead single “Love Theory” has continued to dominate the charts since its release, remaining in the number one spot for eight weeks on Billboard’s Hot Gospel Songs chart. A final performance at the Wiltern in Los Angeles, CA will bring the curtain down on August 15.įranklin will be hitting the road in support of his upcoming studio album, Long Live Love. The 25-date “Long Live Love Tour” will see Franklin hit the stage in Austin, TX July 11 before setting out to hit a slew of cities including New Orleans, Atlanta, New York City, and Detroit. Urban Gospel king Kirk Franklin is gearing up to hit the road this summer for an all-new tour in support of his upcoming studio album!
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