Kirk Franklin

Open your heart, your soul, your mind. That's what Grammy winner Kirk Franklin wants everyone to do when listening to his latest release The Nu Nation Project his fourth album to date. "This album is the greatest picture of who I am and what I believe," says Franklin, the first gospel or Christian artist ever to reach platinum sales with a debut recording. In conjunction with the release of the Nu Nation Project, Word Publishing will debut the only authorized autobiography of the renowned gospel wunderkind entitled Church Boy: My Music and My Life.

Franklin's rise wasn't one that happened overnight. His was a hard-fought battle from the streets of Fort Worth, Texas. It is a tale of despair and deliverance that Franklin has chronicled in Church Boy, but putting his life story to paper wasn't initially of interest. "Plus I knew it would be difficult because I've had so many painful things that I would have to relive." But when he realized his own saga might help others, Franklin proceeded. The book is not only about his life, but also an honest discussion about issues important to him, including racism in the church and sexual promiscuity.

He was born to a teenage mother, the 15-year-old Deborah Franklin, who initially considered abortion until an aunt intervened. That aunt, 64-year-old Gertrude Franklin, ultimately took in the infant and raised Kirk as her own. It was her piano-playing husband who introduced Kirk to music. At four years of age, Kirk would climb the piano stool and attempt to pound out a song. Noting this, Gertrude collected cans to pay for piano lessons for the youngster. By age 7, Kirk's natural talent lured a recording deal, which Gertrude turned down. Joining the church choir, Kirk rose up the ranks to become music director at age eleven.

Despite his love of church and music, the mother-and-fatherless lad lost his way. He got into fights, entertained too many girlfriends, and in school he skipped his academic courses opting only for the arts, choir, band and drama. Attempting to keep the rebellious teen out of trouble and help focus his talent, Gertrude arranged for an audition for him at a professional youth conservatory associated with a local university. Franklin was accepted and for a while his life was on track. But things unraveled fast after a girlfriend announced her pregnancy. Franklin was soon expelled for behavioral problems. He never returned to school.

In the end music and ministry prevailed. Franklin returned to the church and landed another choir directing position. He also co-founded a gospel group, The Humble Hearts. They recorded one of Franklin's compositions and got the attention of industry legend Milton Bigham. Impressed, Bigham enlisted Franklin to lead the DFW Mass Choir in a recording of Franklin's song "Every Day With Jesus." Next, Bigham hired Franklin to lead the choir at the 1990 Gospel Music Workshop of America Convention, a major industry gathering. Franklin was just 20 years old. He traveled across the country, writing songs for choirs and performing. In 1992, he formed The Family with a group of friends. They produced Kirk Franklin & The Family, which had several record companies vying for the group. The following year, Franklin signed with up-and-coming label Gospo Centric, founded by Vicki Mack Lataillade.

Throughout his career, Franklin has striven to spread the ministry through music. In doing so, he has forged a new genre - Hip Hop Gospel. With the release of The Nu Nation Project, Franklin aims to advance gospel music even further. "There are so many walls that still have to be knocked down," explains Franklin. "There are so many places gospel music can't go because of the lyrical content even though the music is progressive. I love many styles of music, and on this album I wanted to express them all." And express them he does. One track, "Lean On Me", is a star-studded celebration featuring R. Kelly, Bono, Mary J. Blige and Crystal Lewis. The tempo slows down quite a bit with the introspective "Hold Me Now," a song very close to Franklin's heart. "It's real intimate, a very transparent song. It shows some of my scars and feelings about being a Christian in this business. I'm a gospel artist who has to deal with a secular business. I walk a very tight rope. I stay focused through prayer."

Franklin has already taken gospel music to new horizons. His youthful appeal has not only increased gospel music's fan base, but also sales and media attention. Because of Franklin's instant success, the industry has had to reconsider the sales potential of gospel music. Franklin proved this even more when he helped usher in the group God's Property. Their single "Stomp" enjoyed support not only from gospel radio stations, but from many urban outlets as well. The video got major airplay on MTV. The Franklin-produced album reached number one on the R&B and gospel charts and number three on the Billboard Pop Album charts. It also took home a Grammy for Best Gospel Album by a Choir or Chorus.

These days, when not on the road or in the studio, Franklin spends time with his family in Dallas. He married longtime girlfriend Tammy Collins on January 20, 1996, and along with Franklin's two other children (son Kerrion aged 10, and daughter Carrington aged 9) he and his wife recently welcomed 16-month-old daughter Kennedy to the fold. Franklin is set to embark on a major tour to promote The Nu Nation Project and has launched a website "to make the Word as accessible as possible." This is a gentle soul with a giant mission.