3 on the Pop charts, and would go on to be certified 3x platinum. 1 on the R&B Albums chart for five weeks, No. God's Property from Kirk Franklin's Nu Nation was No. 1 on the R&B Singles Airplay chart for two weeks, even making it into the Top 40. The lead single, " Stomp", featuring Cheryl "Salt" James (of Salt-N-Pepa), was a big hit, enjoying heavy rotation on MTV and other music channels and charting at No. 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 album was certified 2x platinum and earned Franklin his first Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album. Two years later, after releasing a 1995 Christmas album entitled Kirk Franklin & the Family Christmas, the group released Whatcha Lookin' 4 in 1996. 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. 1 on the Billboard Top Gospel Albums chart for 42 weeks. It spent almost two years on the gospel music charts and charted on the R&B charts, eventually earning platinum sales status. In 1993, the group, now known as "Kirk Franklin & The Family", released their debut album, Kirk Franklin & The Family. In 1992, Vicki Mack-Lataillade, the co-founder of fledgling GospoCentric Records label, heard one of their demo tapes and was so impressed she immediately signed up Kirk & The Family to a recording contract. In 1992, Franklin organized "The Family", which was a 17-voice choir, formed from neighborhood friends and associates. 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 Convention, an industry gathering.
Impressed, Biggham enlisted him to lead the DFW Mass Choir in a recording of Franklin's song "Every Day with Jesus". 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. When he was aged 15 he witnessed the death of a friend by shooting, after which Franklin returned to the church, where he again directed the choir. He continued under her tutelage and ultimately became the pianist for the choir. įranklin studied music with Jewell Kelly and the Singing Chaparrals at Oscar Dean Wyatt High School. He was accepted, but later he had to deal with a girlfriend's pregnancy and his eventual expulsion from school for bad behavior.
Kirk franklin live in houston professional#
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. Rose Baptist Church adult choir at 11 years of age.
He did join the church choir and became music director of the Mt. Īt the age of seven, Franklin received his first contract which his aunt turned down. Kirk excelled and was able to read and write music while also playing by ear. Gertrude recycled aluminum cans to raise money for Kirk to take piano lessons from the age of four. The true brilliance of Kirk Franklin shines again.A native of Fort Worth, Texas, Franklin was raised by his aunt, Gertrude, having been abandoned as a baby by his mother. Jakes, among others, with the latter joining Franklin on the track "911." There is also a hidden bonus track entitled "J Train," featuring Franklin and DC Talk's Tobymac. Featured throughout are such artists as Donnie McClurkin, Crystal Lewis, Jackie Velazquez, Shirley Caesar, Richard Smallwood, the late Willie Neal Johnson, Yolanda Adams, and Bishop T.D. He relies on his talented background vocalist, along with the all-star list of special guests, to take care of the vocal chores.
Franklin has never been noted or recognized for his singing ability, a fact that he readily recognizes, sticking ever closely to his spoken-word rap. Many naysayers have unjustly criticized Franklin for departing the successful formula of this self-titled debut project, which included the mega-hit "Why We Sing." Well, in that regard, he has returned to the traditional/contemporary-flavored mix of his early work, only with a more progressive feel. The project effectively mixes live tracks recorded in Houston, TX, in early 2001, with some stellar studio tracks. Musically speaking, he has been born again. The title of this project, The Rebirth of Kirk Franklin, says it all. The artistic genius of Kirk Franklin weaves through each of the 17 songs included on this gem. This project is as close as it gets to having a true, bona fide masterpiece.
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