Kanye collaborator Kirk Franklin plays the Kings Theatre on Tuesday.Photo: Christian Lantry courtesy of RCA Inspiration Kanye is not me. I am not him. He is my brother I am proud to do life with. No sprints, but Marathons; like most of us are on. Before one song was released, I was crucified because my brother asked me to take a picture. Again "no Kanye, you're not good enough"? No. That is a dangerous message I believe we send to the world when our posture is they have to meet certain requirements before they are worthy to kiss the ring. It says people are not redeemable, forgivable or candidates for grace. That my friend is religious. I will not turn my back on my brother. I will love him, prayerfully grow with him. However long he'll have me, and however long the race takes. To a lot of my Christian family, I'm sorry he's not good enough, Christian enough, or running at your pace…and as I read some of your comments, neither am I. That won't stop me from running. Pray we win. A po posted by Kirk Franklin (@kirkfranklin) on Feb 13, 2016 at 10:11pm PST Kirk Franklin has been a major star of contemporary gospel music for more than two decades, but it’s his recent collaboration with Kanye West that has put new light on the Texan. Having been friends with the rapper for years, Franklin directed the choir and contributed a short sermon on “The Life of Pablo” opener “Ultralight Beam,” and even performed it on “Saturday Night Live” the same night as Yeezy’s now infamous meltdown. “Kanye’s no different than any other person trying to figure out what it means to be young, black and successful,” Franklin tells The Post. “People have to grow, stumble and fail, but he has to do it in front of a camera. It’s not normal!” Ahead of his show at Kings Theatre next Tuesday, where he’ll be playing material from his latest album “Losing My Religion,” here’s what you need to know about the eight-time Grammy winner. He was a rebellious teenager. Now 46 years old, Franklin admits to getting high and drinking, until the death of a close friend changed him. “He was the good kid, but his father’s gun fell out of the closet and killed him,” Franklin says. “I was just 15 at the time.” He was once addicted to pornography. In 2005, he went on “Oprah” to discuss his affliction. “I was also sleeping around with a lot of girls and hurting a lot of people,” says Franklin. “I didn’t want to just have faith come through in my music — I wanted to live it in my life.” His work with the choir on Kanye’s album took very little time. Franklin taught the nine-member “Ultralight Beam” choir their parts in seven minutes. “It was quick,” laughs Franklin. “Kanye heard it and he loved it. He actually wanted me to do more. He was like, ‘Can you do this? Can you do this?’ But I felt like I [had] fulfilled my purpose.” He’s been criticized for working with Kanye. Some from the Christian community have heavily criticized Franklin for working with Kanye, whom they regard as a blasphemer (not least for calling his 2013 album “Yeezus”). “It was very hurtful, but my mission is to be a light for everyone.”
family↧