b. Jan 26, 1970 in Riverside, TX. Gospel producer with many influences: R&B, Hip Hop, modern rock. The world was first introduced to Franklin in 1993 with his self-titled debut, Kirk Franklin & the Family. Widely accepted and embraced by the masses, it went on to spend 100 weeks at the top of Billboard magazine's gospel charts. In less than a decade, Franklin would come to stand as one of the pivotal, defining forces of 20th-century-and-beyond gospel music.
A native of Fort Worth, Texas, he was raised by his aunt, Gertrude Franklin. He developed a talent for music early, playing the piano at age four and becoming music director of his church at age eleven. After getting kicked out of school in his teenaged years, having a girlfriend become pregnant, and after a friend was shot to death he returned to the church. After leading the DFW Mass Choir at the 1990 Gospel Music Workshop of America Convention, he organized "The Family", a seventeen-voice choir, in 1992 and began his recording career.
He has integrated hip hop styles with gospel themes in albums such as The Nu Nation Project and God's Property, which achieved success on the Billboard Pop Album, R&B and gospel charts.
Franklin has collaborated with the biggest names in gospel music, including Tonex, Donnie McClurkin, Richard Smallwood, Crystal Lewis, Pastor Shirley Caesar, Jaci Valesquez, and Willie Neal Johnson. He also has displayed a willingness to collaborate with artists in the secular realm, including Bono, Mary J. Blige, Crystal Lewis, and R Kelly in the hit single, "Lean on Me."
On October 4, 2005, his new long-awaited album Hero was released, with latest single Looking for You.
Franklin's songs are published by Zomba Music Publishing, a division of BMG Music Publishing.
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From Wikipedia:Kirk Dwayne Franklin (born January 26, 1970(1970-01-26)) is an American Gospel music singer and author, and is most notably known as the leader of urban contemporary gospel choirs such as the Family, God's Property and 1NC (One Nation Crew).