Kirk Franklin — Songs and Biography

History and Sound

Kirk Franklin grew up in Fort Worth, Texas, and became known as a gospel choir director.

With The Family, he recorded music in which the dialogue between the lead vocalist and the choir plays an important role. Later, “Stomp,” released with God’s Property, brought this sound closer to hip-hop and funk. In “I Smile,” the same principle works more gently: Franklin guides the song with short lines, while the choir carries the main melodic narrative.

Albums and Recordings

“Revolution” from the album “The Nu Nation Project” shows how Franklin builds a song around drums and short choir lines. In “Lean on Me” from the same album, by contrast, the different tones of the guest soloists and the smoother melody are important. With Franklin, these approaches often coexist on a single album. That is why his recordings are worth hearing both as gospel and as an example of how choral singing entered into dialogue with contemporary pop music.