- 7 hours ago
Sharí Nycole catches up with gospel legend, Kirk Franklin, while he’s on his way to rehearsal for the BET Awards. While Franklin is “on the go,” he shares his excitement about his new single, “Do It Again,” his historic BET Awards honor and all that’s to come with his new YouTube show, “Den Of Kings.”
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00:00Where do I sit with that?
00:01Have you started the line?
00:03What's happening?
00:03No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.
00:06I'm talking about the entendre.
00:13What's going on, Essence family?
00:15It's your girl, Cherie Nicole, here.
00:16And as always, I'm so excited when I get to have amazing conversations with amazing people.
00:21Today, I have the esteemed pleasure of chatting with the icon himself,
00:2420-time Grammy Award-winning artist, songwriter, producer,
00:30Kirk Franklin, always a pleasure.
00:32Kirk, thank you so much, so much you've done for the culture,
00:36so much you've done for gospel music and music in general.
00:38It is an honor to have you, and thank you for this time.
00:40Thank you for having me on your show.
00:42It's an honor to be here.
00:43It's great seeing you again, and I'm excited to get into all the things.
00:49Absolutely.
00:50So before we get into your new single, Do It Again,
00:52I do want to ask you, because you are in a moving vehicle,
00:55where in the world are you coming from, and where are you going?
00:57I just flew in from my home from Texas and just landed here in Los Angeles for the BET Awards,
01:08and we're here for the next few days just getting ready for rehearsals and just all the things.
01:14I mean, rehearsals, talking to press about the new song,
01:18talking about Den of Kings, talking about the merger, talking about the BET event,
01:26and talking about God, man, talking about Jesus and talking about how dope he is
01:29and how, man, you know, there's not a human on this planet that he don't love.
01:37And that's my job, man, to just try to make sure, man,
01:40that there's always a place in culture for the conversation of grace.
01:46I love that.
01:47And you talk about that even in your music, and you talk about that it should go beyond,
01:51as far as gospel is concerned, beyond the confinements and the spaces
01:54where it can challenge and inspire and connect the world in a real way.
01:58When we talk about these spaces and the connection,
02:00and even thinking about the BET Awards as the backdrop in this,
02:04what are some spaces that you still hope and pray God allows you to infiltrate
02:08when it comes to your artistry?
02:11You know, that's very nuanced, and it's a very delicate space to kind of maneuver through,
02:17because there, first of all, has to be an extreme gratitude that after all these years,
02:24God is kind enough to just still allow me even a small place, if it be, or just whatever,
02:30to still try to be at the table to, you know, just to curate and ideate on ideas
02:37that are even coming to life as of now.
02:39So it's like, you know, there's a delicate balance of gratitude and gratefulness
02:45that, you know, here I am now talking to you about three, you know,
02:49three or four beautiful pieces that allow me to have a relevant conversation.
02:56So I am grateful.
02:58And yeah, now, do I still dream?
03:01Do I still want more?
03:02Do I still want to have opportunities to still try to infiltrate?
03:06Yes.
03:06But man, you know, at this very moment, I have to be really thankful for this opportunity
03:15that I have to even sit on this phone with you and to talk about things, you know, tangible things.
03:25I mean, that in itself is such an incredible blessing after 32 years in an industry, you know.
03:31I mean, my first album was at least 32 years ago.
03:35So, Kirk, I see we had to leave the car.
03:37The car service was a little shaky.
03:39So now you are walking around what we know as Beverly Hills,
03:43and hopefully nobody tries to, no paparazzi comes and tries to swarm you.
03:47We're fine.
03:48We're fine.
03:49We're fine.
03:49We're fine.
03:50But I do, I am curious.
03:52I'm curious with your storied, incredible career and your desire to, you know,
03:59be a part of the movement of gospel music that goes beyond the confinements and some
04:03of the limited spaces that we've seen in over the course of decades and kind of challenge
04:07and inspire and connect with the world in authentic ways as you move through.
04:12And as you're beyond that 30-year mark in your own career, how do you hope your work
04:15and your ministry and your artistry really speaks to being able to do that?
04:20Wow.
04:20Wow.
04:20Wow.
04:20Wow.
04:21That's, that's, that's a beautiful question.
04:23And, and, and there's so many layers.
04:26And it is, I think that I just really am striving, especially in this season of my life and career.
04:32I just want to really try to be.
04:33Bring your, bring your, so we can see your face.
04:36We lost your whole face.
04:37We were just getting the Kirk chest.
04:38Perfect.
04:40The Kirk chest.
04:41Kirk chest is diabolical.
04:43Okay.
04:44All right.
04:45Um, I just really want to move intentionally in this, this season of life is because
04:50I just want to make sure that the intent of the purpose of why I do what I do, that it
05:00is clear, you know, that I am here on the earth and, you know, in the existence to, to
05:07do one important thing to just make God's name great, to just tell the world how dope God
05:12is, to just really be super intentional that whatever we curate, whatever we ideate, that
05:17it leads people to this, to this vertical journey.
05:20Even if the ideas start horizontally, um, that there's a platform, there's a moment, there's
05:27a space that we communicate that people think about the bigger things of life, why they're
05:33created.
05:34What is, what, what about life after this life?
05:36What, what is, what is the solution to real happiness?
05:39What, what is, what is the need that we have for real fulfillment?
05:42The material things and relationships or sex or money or drugs, whatever these, these,
05:49these things that as, as our species continue to seek the purpose of the happiness that we
05:55all pursue, that I try to do my job with compassion, with humility and with vulnerability that I am
06:03telling people not from the position of a, of a physician, but from the position of a patient.
06:09And, and, and, and that's the goal of my life, whether it's music, whether it is any other
06:15thing that we curate, but whatever medium it is, that the conversation is a relevant conversation
06:20with every human being about how dope God is.
06:23Hmm.
06:24Interestingly enough, when, when I was asking you about, uh, where you were, where you were
06:28going and you mentioned you're in LA and you mentioned BET and all these other things.
06:31And one of the things you didn't really put emphasis on or, or mentioned at all is the fact
06:35that you're going to be honored with the BET ultimate icon award.
06:39And I sit back and I, and I, I think about just how humble you have to be to skip over
06:46that completely and tell me about everything else.
06:49And I know for someone like yourself, who's so accomplished and who's worked so hard, it
06:55might be a little challenging to, to give yourself that pat on the back of that good job.
06:58But is there a way that you can, can bring to light to us just how it feels for BET to
07:06put that icon, that word, that term in front of your name, especially considering how much
07:11you've meant to not only the BET brand, but also the BET awards.
07:16I'm going to ask with you.
07:17I'm so nervous about the performance.
07:19I'm so nervous about trying to, trying to, trying to, just, you know, you know, just
07:23like, that's the only thing on my mind.
07:25Only thing on my mind is just remembering the, all of the things I got to do musically and
07:30performance wise.
07:31So it's like everything else, to be honest with you, secondary is because, you know, that,
07:36that, you know, that is who I am, you know, or, or, you know, that's, that's a major part
07:42of my calling in life, you know, is I like to get on stage and really strive to be excellent,
07:47you know, and so, you know, as much as God's will, there's for me to do that.
07:51So that's really what's on my mind.
07:53I'm humbled.
07:54I'm humbled by the moment.
07:55I'm humbled by the opportunity.
07:57I just want to make sure that I don't get up there and mess up because I'm so nervous,
08:03you know?
08:03So that's kind of where my focus is right now.
08:06That mess, guys, ladies and gentlemen, first time hearing it first, Kirk Franklin gets nervous
08:11before performances.
08:12Definitely doesn't show when he's on the stage, but apparently.
08:15Every, every time.
08:18I don't care if it's at a high school gym.
08:20I don't care if it's at an AARP meeting.
08:23Wherever I am, I'm nervous when I pull up.
08:27Yes.
08:27So I know you know apples are a thing for you.
08:30Do you eat an apple to help you with your nervousness?
08:32What is your go away nervous routine?
08:35That, that is so fun.
08:36There's nothing you can do.
08:38There's nothing that I can do to take away the nerves.
08:40The nerves are always there.
08:41And y'all going to leave me alone with these apples.
08:43Y'all going to, y'all going to stop coming for me with my little apples.
08:47I'm going to go with you one more time.
08:51What is so funny is that I never would, I never would have thought that my apple thing
08:55would have ever become a thing.
08:57It is so cute and funny now that it's such thing.
09:01That's hilarious to me.
09:02Kirk, you come on the camera and you're literally chewing an apple and you expect us to not pay
09:06attention to that.
09:07And that's something you do all the time.
09:09I think it's very cool.
09:10I think it brings apple awareness.
09:12There's a lot of health to eating apples.
09:14I think you're saving lives.
09:16So I, I commit you.
09:18What, what apple at a time, one apple, saving lives, one at a time, saving lives, one at
09:24a time.
09:24I got a couple more questions for you, Kirk.
09:25I'll let you get back in the vehicle.
09:27Okay.
09:27That way you can kind of focus and we get your head room.
09:29Cause I know it's tough to walk and talk.
09:31There we go.
09:32I can see your face.
09:33I'm ready.
09:34So, so beyond the apples, I have to get into your new single, do it again.
09:37But it keeps going out on these beautiful people.
09:40Do they have wifi?
09:41Get out of the car.
09:43Okay guys.
09:43So we're back now.
09:45This is, this is a documentary we're doing with Kirk Franklin.
09:49We're giving you the day in the life vibes.
09:51And I was asking him about, before he had to get back in the car and out of it to get
09:56a good signal.
09:56I was saying to Kirk that I was listening to your new song, do it again.
10:01And I was listening with my sister.
10:03Her name is Deanna.
10:03And I'm listening.
10:04And I said, Deanna, I said, do you hear, do you hear the genius in this record?
10:08I said, you could take, you can pull out segments in this song versus that sound like
10:14their own separate bridge.
10:15It literally sounds like you, like you bridged together several bridges and made a record.
10:21It's unbelievable.
10:23I do want to ask you first, um, your, your intention as far as editorial, what did you
10:29want to ensure that people walked away with?
10:31And secondly, I wanted to ask you from a musical standpoint, where in the world was your brain?
10:37Cause it had to be somewhere off of this planet and out of this world.
10:41You know, I'm going to be very honest with you, so we can get your face.
10:44There we go.
10:45I'm going to be, I'm going to be very honest with you is that my process is not that thought
10:54out.
10:54It's, it's, it's not that, it's not that methodical.
10:57I'm not that good where, where, you know, I'm, I'm thinking deeply through that.
11:03Um, I'm going to be honest with you is I have emotion.
11:06I have an feeling.
11:07There's a divine inspiration that God gives.
11:10And when that happens, I just move with that.
11:12You know, like I don't have this, this, this creative genius that some people really think
11:19I have, man.
11:20Listen, the bottom line is, man, this is God giving me these ideas that I can sit around
11:25because I remember even working on this song.
11:27I sat around hours and hours and nothing was coming from heaven.
11:32There were no melodies from heaven.
11:34There was no melodies.
11:35Nothing was popping.
11:36Nothing was popping.
11:37And I got discouraged.
11:38I got frustrated and it just was not popping for me.
11:42And, and around about five o'clock Saturday evening, the idea of the song just kind of
11:47started to just come with the little piano riff.
11:50Dun, dun, dun, dun, dun, dun, dun, dun, dun, dun, dun, dun, dun, dun, dun, dun, dun, dun, dun.
11:56And, you know, and then after that, later on, you know, God's got to give me the idea of the, I know, I know, I know.
12:01And so, and so, and you know, it just, there's, there's, there's, there's, there's no, there's no, I'm going to sit down and create five or six bridges and I'm going to flip people on their head.
12:14And I'm going to make them think.
12:15And I'm going to make them think, I don't know what I'm doing.
12:18I've, I've never known what I'm doing.
12:21I'm not going to even cap.
12:22There's no, even no need to try to pressure.
12:24I, I can't even cap on y'all, man.
12:26I, I never know what I'm doing.
12:29Songwriting for me is the most divine moment.
12:33If I have ever had any moments of questioning the existence of God, it all goes away with songwriting.
12:39Because I see God take nothing and make something.
12:44It's very ex Nilo, very ex Nilo, something out of nothing.
12:48And I've seen in my entire career from take me to the King, to why we sing all of these songs.
12:55Don't be something just come out of nowhere.
12:58It's come out of nowhere.
13:00You know, you know, it's not like I'm sitting with the Bible, reading all the old Testament.
13:07And then a song come.
13:08No, no.
13:10You know, they, it just comes.
13:12And I'm so grateful that after all these years, man, God is so kind to my little behind, man, that he will still loan me some joints.
13:21It just blows my, it blows my mind.
13:25I think because he knows he can trust you with them.
13:27I do want to ask you about Den of Kings because I'm excited about this dinner conversation series you're, you're hosting and you got your first episode dropping on the 15th Father's Day.
13:42On fatherhood, you've got DC Young, Fly Country Brain, Lou Young, DeVale Ellis, this incredible group of men coming together.
13:51Some of them have experienced deep loss.
13:53All great fathers, all great fathers, and they share their, they share their fatherhood journeys on their social medias.
13:59We've been able to experience them being transparent on camera and on radio and yourself for many years.
14:05So my first question is why this particular group, although I understand why I know you have specific intention.
14:10And then also from a heart posture perspective, what do you hope we draw from you all when it comes to black men and black fathers?
14:18And, and, and every episode is going to showcase another group of men.
14:24And so that's what we're excited about.
14:26And this just came from an idea of people have always enjoyed me at dinner tables.
14:34One, one, one, one thing is that all my whole life, whatever I'm traveling and, and, you know, it's one of my favorite things is I love to get people together and eat as little as I am.
14:46I love getting together and just going somewhere and eating and having conversations like, like, like, like, you know, and, and I think some of it stems from me not having family and being raised without family and not having, you know, siblings and dinner tables and mothers and fathers that I love to sit and to just spark controversial conversations.
15:06I love to kind of, you know, kind of light the flame and then kind of hide my hand, you know what I'm saying?
15:12You know, yeah.
15:15It's, if you let me finish this interview, I'll take care of you.
15:18Thank you, sir.
15:19Yeah.
15:20Um, I'm sitting somewhere.
15:23Look, I told you the people, they're going to get you, Kirk.
15:26You're not going to be able to hide from these people.
15:27You got the Kirk chest.
15:28It's talking out loud.
15:30Everybody knows your voice.
15:31It's over with.
15:32The Kirk chest is crazy work.
15:36It is crazy work, my guy.
15:39That Kirk chest.
15:40That is so funny.
15:42Yeah.
15:42So Den of Kings grew from those conversations, grew from, um, um, is, I have all of my guy friends live in Atlanta.
15:52I live in Dallas and all of my guy friends live in Atlanta now.
15:55And I flew to Atlanta to have dinner with my guy friends.
16:00And, and after that, they was like, you know what, man, this should be, this should be a thing.
16:04You should do a thing.
16:05And so, uh, with the merger that I did with Insignia, one of the, uh, moments that I wanted to curate is I wanted to curate a show that, that, that, that, that, that we have a chef and we have food and we have dinner.
16:19And we invite men around the table to eat and talk man conversations, uh, from suicide to depression, to marriage, to sex, to money, to power, to influence, fatherlessness.
16:34I mean, whatever the conversation and it's fun and it's gauging and it's so well produced.
16:40Like wait till you see this show, this show look like it's already on a major streaming network.
16:45I mean, it is, it is beautiful.
16:47And the way that the conversations flow, wait till you see the first episode, the first episode is going to blow.
16:53And I know everybody says that about things that they curate.
16:56I promise you, you would not, this would never see the light of.
17:01I'm not that kind of guy.
17:02You ain't never seen it.
17:04It ain't never been talked about if it ain't good.
17:06So trust me, there've been songs and projects that y'all ain't never seen.
17:10And we were like, I die.
17:12I die.
17:13So wait until you see this.
17:15It is.
17:16And so, um, you know, as I was thinking about a name for the show, I just really, you know, got inspired to think of an idea, uh, and just a title called a Den of Kings.
17:25And, you know, just, just, just Kings getting together and getting it in.
17:31Amazing.
17:32I cannot wait.
17:34You've always been an open book.
17:35And so I'm, I'm grateful to be able to experience that.
17:39Kings you're going to bring into the conversation.
17:42And before I let you go, Kirk, I do want to ask you, you don't remember this, but this was, this was maybe about three years ago.
17:47I did a radio interview with you and you told me that you were starting an underwear line for short men.
17:53Where do you sit with that?
17:55What was it?
17:56Where do I sit with that?
17:57Have you started the line?
17:59What's happening?
18:00No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.
18:02I'm talking about the entendre.
18:04You're, you're starting a men's underwear line.
18:07Where do you sit with that?
18:09I didn't even mean that.
18:10I didn't even mean that.
18:11That, that made a, that was a download.
18:13But it is a bar.
18:15But that is a bar.
18:16That's not my job.
18:17You're starting an underwear line for little men.
18:20But where do you sit with that?
18:26That was a download that I received.
18:28I didn't even know that was coming.
18:31And the first thing I want to say is, yeah, mama, you ain't got to be funny.
18:36You ain't got to bring that back up.
18:38That was a joke.
18:39This is what you told me.
18:40I know that you typically follow through on your ambitions.
18:42So I would just like to know as you're launching these projects where that fits in.
18:47We just got the name, uh, copywritten for the new, uh, uh, for, for the new underwear line for little men.
18:54And, uh, and, uh, we're going to call it LC.
19:00Can I, can't, bye.
19:03I can't.
19:08Little chiefs.
19:09I'm, I'm so glad, I'm so glad things are progressing with little chiefs.
19:21I think it's going to be incredible.
19:24Kurt, let me tell you something.
19:25It is, it is an honor.
19:29I don't even know what's going to come up with the interview.
19:30We have talked with you in a movie talk.
19:33You have walked down the streets of Beverly Hills.
19:35You've gone back in the car, gone out back out of the car.
19:38It's been crazy.
19:39You're sitting in front of the Beverly Hillshire.
19:42People are probably asking you for selfies.
19:43I don't know, but I do know that you, you're talking about little draws, talking about little draws for little men.
19:49We've talked about, it's been amazing.
19:51That you're coming out with.
19:52I have been so, so edified in this conversation.
19:56I appreciate you.
19:57You are a, you are a shining example of excellence.
20:00We love you.
20:01We honor you.
20:02And we're so happy that the BET Awards in particular are letting the folks know what time it is.
20:06I cannot wait to see you get that award.
20:08You are more than deserving.
20:09And if you have not told yourself good job recently, sir, I pray that you do that because you certainly are deserving of it.
20:18I don't think you told yourself a good job in a while, Kirk.
20:27Well, I'm, I'm, I'm grateful when, whenever I hear it.
20:32So, I appreciate it.
20:33Well, thank you.
20:34Go ahead to your rehearsals.
20:36Get through your nervousness.
20:37And we'll chat again soon.
20:39Talk soon.
20:39Bye.
21:00Bye.
21:04Bye.
21:06Bye.
21:07Bye.
21:07Bye.
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