Kirk Franklin’s Benediction And Gospel’s Greatest Collaboration
For Kirk Franklin, this year can be labeled as one divinely-orchestrated reunion beyond his wildest dreams and deepest prayers. The acclaimed producer-songwriter embarked on The Reunion Tour, alongside Tamela and David Mann, Israel Houghton, The Clark Sisters, Tye Tribbett, The Family, and God’s Property— just months after finding his biological father while filming his documentary, Father’s Day. So, to say his emotional strength and faith have been incomparably tested is an understatement.
However, the 53-year-old gospel legend turned his trial into triumph as he realized that “there is a duality to it all—that the God that gives is the same God that takes away.” As he reflected on the reunions that have taken place recently, he acknowledges that with great wisdom comes great understanding—or something like that.
In the midst of this ebb and flow of unlearning and understanding, we spoke with Franklin about his testimony, The Reunion Tour, and had him give the ultimate benediction to this season of homecoming.
VIBE: I just love how The Reunion Tour all came together, just like one great collaboration.
Kirk Franklin: Thank you, thank you. It was intentional, but I just don’t want to act like I was doing it in a silo because I wasn’t. I want to give credit to other people. [The lineup] was a joint collective decision. I had several variations of what [it] could be. And a lot of times it comes [down to] people’s schedules. So as we were just kind of ideating, this ended up being the lineup that seemed very attractive, very exciting. Because with this lineup as you can see, whatever kind of gospel you like, you get.
Seeing you on stage, you’re so vibrant, and your stamina is pristine. How do you maintain that energy throughout the night?
Lord, I don’t know. I’m just a little Energizer Bunny. That’s what I’ve always been. And I’m very grateful for that. I’m very grateful that however God wired me just seems to work. I’m really appreciative of it.
I know that you have a lot of moves. Do you have a choreographer that just helps you curate all that?
Girl, no.
That’s all freestyle.
I’ve been freestyling. I’m just a mover.
Hmm, so on the Story of Fear, you said that you don’t sing. But I’m pretty sure you were hitting a couple notes during the tour. So what’s the truth? Do you sing or do you not sing?
(Laughs) I don’t know. Me no speak ingles. That was funny. I’m sorry, that was funny to me.
I had to ask, because I was like, I know I hear a couple notes coming out that microphone. Don’t play with me.
I ain’t denying that. You know? Ain’t denying that.
You’re hilarious. Would you say that you and God’s Property laid the foundation for acts like Maverick City Music and Sunday Service Collective?
I think that every person lays the foundation for the next person. It’s not unique because I was inspired by John P. Kee, and what he was doing. I was inspired by Thomas Whitfield. One of my great mentors once said that all of us are just links in this great chain. So if that’s the case, then one link can’t take credit for the strength of the entire chain. But then that link is also very important to the strength of the entire chain. I can’t take credit, but [I’m] also a very instrumental part. So the attention, the praise, the glory, I think for me, is always on the chain and not necessarily the links. It’s the greatness of the chain.
When you talk about the chain connecting, you brought back David and Tamela Mann who were in The Family. What was that reunion like?
David, Tam and I remained friends for years. God gave me “Take Me To The King” for her. She’s my sister, been my sister since I was 14, 15 years old.
I love that. Throughout this year, you also had this monumental reunion with your biological father as seen on Father’s Day. Then you had this tour. So do you equate reuniting to forgiveness?
Well, first of all, I think forgiveness is free, but trust is earned. The second thing is my father didn’t do anything to be forgiven for because he didn’t know. I just think that I’m in a multiplicity of seasons right now, and I’m trying to just find my way through because it’s very complex, very nuanced. I’m trying my best to just get through it and try to understand it as much as possible.
Is there a scripture that fuels you? How are you getting through this season of complexity?
It could be a scripture that I run across. It could be a sermon that I hear. It could be something somebody says. I pull from different places and you try to make it part of your diet, just one day at a time.
With that, you said in your testimony during the show that you “win wounded.” What does that mean?
It just means that a lot of times people wait to get better before they finish, trying to get better before they move [on]. But a lot of times you cannot wait [for] this complete healing of hurt or pain to be able to maneuver in the next season of your life, or to be able to get up and try again, to love again, or to fight again. You’ve got to be able to do it sometimes with blood dripping down your arms. It’s that you can’t compartmentalize your process. It’s that sometimes your process is all-inclusive.
How do you go about putting a testimony like that into song? Does it all come from a personal place? Or pulling from outside elements?
I think it’s all of that, everything you said. It’s a blend of so many different things. I think that songs write themselves. As you keep living, and are going through different experiences, the songs come. God just gives us songs to those experiences. I believe that God is the ultimate songwriter. And he’s given me what I need when I need it, even when I don’t deserve it.
I love that. When creating your most recent album, Father’s Day, did finding your biological father help or hinder your relationship with God?
I think there’ve been moments of both. There is a duality to it all, that the God that gives is the same God that takes away. And so you find yourself in that dichotomy.
Before I let you go, in the reunion tour you all sang the “Hey Hey Goodbye” song and that’s how it kind of all culminated. But there was no proper benediction. If you had to give a proper benediction to the Reunion Tour, what would you say?
Oh man, I would say thank you to a God that looks past my mistakes, my failures, and incredibly and miraculously has given me what I do not deserve, to stand on this stage, even when I’m not the most qualified. It’s the greatest symbol of his unconditional love.
That’s perfect.
That felt kind of good, didn’t it?
That did. That was a benediction if I ever had to hear one.
Girl, that had a little gravy on it.
Just a little bit. It was exactly what we needed.
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