Kirk Franklin is a multi-platinum gospel and contemporary music artist, whose focus is on God and taps deep into the gifts He gives. Kirk unites audiences across gospel, hip hop, pop and R&B. His incredible rhythms and rhapsodies or spoken word style have led to albums that top Billboard’s Gospel and Christian charts. He has also been consistently on the R&B/Hip Hop Top10 chart. Kirk’s album “Hello Fear” has exceptional stylistic qualities and lyrically affirms dominion over fear and other storms of life.

Today, Kirk is the New York Times bestselling author of “The Blueprint: A Plan for Living Above Life’s Storms.” He advises that you should pursue your dreams without losing yourself in the chase; do some lifescaping to eliminate the “weeds” that hold you back; declare your life to be drama-free; get past your fears so you can live and love fully and pass the baton to future generations through leading by example.

“I struggled with always feeling as if I was living under a cloud of fear,” says Kirk, who has risen above fear and other storms to become a great success story. Kirk is the Host and Executive Producer of the gospel talent show “Sunday Best,” the highest-rated gospel program in BET history. He is a trendsetter who has garnered nine Grammy Awards; an American Music Award; 39 Stellar Awards; 16 Dove Awards; eight NAACP Image Awards; two BET Music Awards, a Soul Train Award and others.

A native of Fort Worth, Texas, he was raised by his grandmother, Gertrude, as his mother abandoned him as a baby. Gertrude collected and resold aluminum cans to raise money for Kirk to take piano lessons from the age of four. Kirk excelled in reading and writing music, while also playing by ear. At age seven, Kirk received his first contract, which his aunt turned down. He became Music Director of the adult choir of his church at eleven.

His albums include “Kirk Franklin & The Family,” “Kirk Franklin & The Family Christmas” and “God’s Property from Kirk Franklin’s Nu Nation”, with the lead single, “Stomp”, featuring Cheryl James of Salt-N-Pepa, was a massive hit. In 1996, his song “Joy” was recorded by Whitney Houston and the Georgia Mass Choir, now part of the best-selling soundtrack to the movie, “The Preacher’s Wife”. “Nu Nation Project” was released in 1998. He also released “Kirk Franklin Presents 1NC” with One Nation Crew.