By Ruth Ferguson, NDG Editor
When you think of urban gospel music the first name that comes to mind is Kirk Franklin. He virtually created the genre that features a strong hip hop flavor to praise. It has not always been an easy journey because for traditionalists this was a hard transition for some. But Franklin pressed on and now he finds himself looking back over a career that has lasted for over 20 years and seen him feature beyond writing songs to writing a book and from singing on TV to hosting a successful gospel music competition show.
After nearly 20 years leading the gospel music charts, when asked what memories stand out, Kirk Franklin could not narrow it down to just one.
“At this point they all have had such a major impact on your life. Whether it is the first church you played in, the first time you played Six Flags at home, or the first time you could move out of the hood in Riverside. The memories are not just musical, they are about what they did for your life.”
Franklin has a new album out, “Losing My Religion”, but his latest tour is not simply to promote the new album.
“It is about the celebrating the music, celebrating the people who have celebrated the music with you. They supported you, kinda been there from day one,” and of course he added it is “for God.”
Recently Franklin wrote a very intimate and heartfelt post on Instagram to his wife and how much he missed her. It was not the kind of transparency you expect to see from a gospel artist trying to maintain a certain image – it was real.
“I enjoy just being real and sharing. Maybe it is the gift God gave me as a song writer, but I feel very comfortable in sharing my heart and who I am with people,” Franklin shared. “The road can get hard and lonely. You want to be able to go through life with her and hold her hand.”
Never one to rest on his laurels, Franklin spoke to NDG by phone while in Los Angeles in between shows on his tour. He did not share any secrets but he was in town for meetings related to a new potential project.
“It is always me trying to open other doors. I am always grinding, to push the ideas forward. I am always trying ideas,” Franklin stated.
Franklin is very excited to come home in the middle of this tour. First to see his family and sleep in his own bed. But secondly because he can’t wait to bring his Twenty Years in One Night Tour World Tour to his local family and fans. They have watched his career, but Franklin promised this show is special.
“They have never seen me like this! They have never seen me span my career in one night. This is the best one by far,” Franklin emphasized.
Fans have a chance to see for themselves Sunday night at the Majestic Theatre at 7:30 p.m. Visit LiveNation.com for tickets.
[…] NDG has spoken with Franklin several times over the years, including our interview when he looked back over his career. […]