Is Kirk Franklin Dead Or Alive? Did Kirk Franklin Pass Away? Where Is Kirk Franklin Now?
by Rajalaxmi
Updated Feb 10, 2023
Is Kirk Franklin Dead Or Alive?
Kirk Franklin is one of the most influential gospel singers and songwriters of the past two decades. Initially starting his music career in the late 1980s, he quickly rose to fame for his innovative fusion of traditional gospel music and hip-hop, R&B, and pop music. His powerful, soulful voice and inspirational lyrics have resonated with countless people around the world and have earned him Grammy Awards, multiple platinum albums, and numerous awards from the Gospel Music Association, including 11 Dove Awards, 8 Stellar Awards, and numerous others. Born in Fort Worth, Texas, in 1970, Kirk Franklin was raised by his single mother. He began singing in the church choir at age four, and he started playing the piano at age seven. His early exposure to gospel music molded his style of music, but it was his love of hip-hop and R&B that truly shaped the sound of his music. In 1989, he released his debut album, Kirk Franklin and the Family, which featured his unique blend of gospel and hip-hop. The album was a massive success and won him two Dove Awards. Kirk Franklin is still alive. He was born on January 26, 1970 and is 53 years old.
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Did Kirk Franklin Pass Away?
Kirk Franklin is still alive. Kirk Franklin is an established gospel singer and songwriter who has been making music for over three decades. In 1992, Franklin created “The Family”, a 17-voice choir comprised of his neighborhood friends and associates. That same year, the co-founder of the GospoCentric Records label heard a demo tape and signed the group, which was renamed Kirk Franklin & the Family.
Their debut album was released in 1993, reaching platinum status and staying at the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Top Gospel Albums chart for 42 weeks. This was only the third gospel album to sell more than a million copies. Two years later, they released a Christmas album and soon followed it up with Whatcha Lookin’ 4 in 1996, garnering Franklin his first Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album.
In 1997, Kirk Franklin & the Family collaborated with the vocal ensemble God’s Property to release the album God’s Property from Kirk Franklin’s Nu Nation. The lead single, “Stomp”, featuring Cheryl “Salt” James from Salt-N-Pepa, was a huge success, charting at No. 1 on the R&B Singles Airplay chart for two weeks and even making it into the Top 40. The album was No. 1 on the R&B Albums chart for 5 weeks, No. 3 on the Pop charts, and was certified 3x Platinum. It also brought Franklin two more Grammy Awards and three Grammy nominations, solidifying his place in gospel music history.
Where Is Kirk Franklin Now?
Kirk Franklin might be in Los Angeles, CA. Kirk Franklin is a Grammy-winning gospel artist and songwriter who rose to fame in the 1990s with the release of his first album, Kirk Franklin & The Family. In 1996, Franklin recorded the song "Joy" with Whitney Houston and the Georgia Mass Choir, which was included on the best-selling gospel album of all time, the soundtrack to The Preacher's Wife. In 1998, Franklin released The Nu Nation Project, which topped the Billboard Contemporary Christian Albums chart for 23 weeks and the Billboard Gospel Albums chart for 49 weeks, and brought Franklin his third Grammy. This album featured the single "Lean on Me" which featured several mainstream artists, including R. Kelly, Mary J. Blige, and Bono of U2 together with Crystal Lewis and The Family. In the same year, Franklin made a guest appearance on the hit television sitcom Sister, Sister.
Unfortunately, the success of The Nu Nation Project was followed by a lawsuit by God's Property in 1998, alleging that Franklin had induced their founder into signing an "onerous and one-sided" contract with B-Rite Music. In 2000, members of The Family filed a multimillion-dollar lawsuit for royalties on the album against Franklin and GospoCentric Records. This saw the end of the "Kirk Franklin & The Family" records and Franklin continued with his newer group One Nation Crew, releasing Kirk Franklin Presents 1NC. Despite these legal issues, Franklin has remained a successful gospel artist and was reunited on stage with The Family at the 25th Annual Stellar Awards show taping in Nashville in 2010. Kirk Franklin has become a major influence in the gospel music industry. He has been credited for bringing a new sound to gospel music and for bringing the genre to a much wider audience. He has also been recognized for his humanitarian work, including his involvement with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America and his work with the International Justice Mission.
Is Kirk Franklin Alive?
Kirk Franklin is still alive. Kirk Franklin is an internationally renowned gospel singer and songwriter who has made history within the modern gospel music scene. He released his 10th album, The Fight of My Life, in the United States on December 18th, 2007. The album debuted on the Billboard 200 at No. 33 and achieved Number 1 on both the Billboard Top Gospel and Top Christian albums charts, as well as No. 7 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Chart. The lead single off the album, "Declaration, was released on October 23rd and peaked at No. 35 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Chart.
In 2005, Kirk Franklin was invited to Oprah Winfrey's show to talk about his successful recovery from pornography addiction. He later wrote his own book The Blueprint: A Plan for Living Above Life's Storms which became a bestseller. From 2010 to 2016, Franklin was the host of the BET original series Sunday Best and the musical co-host of GSN's The American Bible Challenge.
In 2011, Franklin released his 11th studio album called Hello Fear, featuring the single "I Smile". The single charted on the Billboard Hot 100 and became his first appearance on the chart in six years. In 2013, Franklin signed artists onto his label, Fo Yo Soul Recordings, which became an imprint with RCA Records. Two of his signings, The Walls Group and Tasha Page-Lockhart, earned a whopping 10 nominations at the 30th Stellar Awards.
In 2015, Franklin released his twelfth studio album, Losing My Religion. The lead single off the album, "Wanna Be Happy?", was released on August 28th and was widely acclaimed, with Vinson Cunningham referring to him as a “hype man” in The New Yorker. To this day, Franklin still continues making music and recently collaborated with Tori Kelly on her album Hiding Place which was released in September 2018. Kirk Franklin has been a musical force ever since. In the 2000s, he released a string of hit albums, including Hero, The Rebirth of Kirk Franklin, and Hello Fear, that all featured his trademark sound, which featured uplifting and inspirational lyrics to go along with his powerful voice and amazing musical production. He has also had several collaborations with other gospel and R&B singers, including Mary Mary, Yolanda Adams, CeCe Winans, and others.
Is Kirk Franklin Dead Or Alive - FAQs
Kirk Franklin is a gospel singer, songwriter, and record producer.
Some of Kirk Franklin's most popular songs include "Stomp," "Brighter Day," "Lean on Me," "Why We Sing," "Silver and Gold," "A God Like You," "I Smile," "123 Victory," "Lean on Me (Remix)," and "Gonna Be a Lovely Day."
Kirk Franklin has won 13 Grammy Awards and 12 Stellar Awards and has been nominated for numerous other awards. He has also earned 23 gold records and 7 platinum records.
He is the founder of Fo Yo Soul Recordings, an independent record label, and has also been involved in a number of television and film projects. He wrote the theme song for the movie “Joyful Noise” and was a consultant for the gospel-themed movie “The Fighting Temptations.”
Kirk Franklin is known for creating an uplifting and inspiring message in his music.