Kirk Franklin - The Fight Of My Life

By Peggy Oliver

Fo Yo Soul Entertainment / Gospocentric

Whether taking time to develop new artists or setting trends in contemporary gospel, Kirk Franklin always speaks his mind about how Christ continues molding and shaping his walk, while conquering demons left and right. The Texas-born, Gospel talent extraordinaire and servant, puts on his musical boxing gloves again for The Fight Of My Life.

Franklin didn't exactly experience a glamorous family life as neither parent was around, and he strayed from his church upbringing yet became musical director at his local congregation before becoming a teenager. He has also admitted addiction to pornography, a struggle which he has beaten for several years. The Family, with whom he started his recording journey, was birthed from an appearance at a GMWA convention. Franklin has also worked alongside Pastor Shirley Caesar, Richard Smallwood, and Crystal Lewis, amongst many others. A long list of videos and hits include the one that started it all in 1993, The Reason Why We Sing to last year’s Imagine Me. Recently, TV viewers watched Franklin host the BET’s American Idol gospel equivalent, Sunday Best.

The monster radio smash and Fight’s opener, Declaration (This Is It) feeds off Kenny Loggins' pop masterpiece, This Is It, co-written by Michael McDonald. There are original lyrics starting with doubt, eventually lending to improved mental focus: “You’ll be waiting and debatin’, here it is ya’ll, All our stuff from your past shake it off y’all.”

Men of Standard’s Isaac Carree and Rance Allen vocalize toe-to-toe for Little Boy in a melting pot of gut wrenching blues in modern day sauce. A bunch of questions are directed towards the church about lack of purpose towards faith and priorities. Remembering the scripture, “Lord, help my unbelief” (Mark 9:24). Help Me Believe, cries out to let go of our strength. Franklin seals the poignant ballad declaring, “the curse is over, the yoke is destroyed.”