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.”

Flowing on the sophisticated urban tip a la Earth, Wind, & Fire, Hide Me calls us to stand tall even when life depicts unfair moments: “So easy to complain, but complain don’t make it change.

He Will Supply , which could pass as a long-lost church treasure is actually another Franklin original, as his vocal crew captures raw, unassuming church service spreading all over the recording studio walls. Franklin bridges hip-hip blips, old-school R&B jewels with pure female voices, and a children’s choir calling out the name of Jesus.

The near shattering volume driving I Am God is right down featured vocalist Toby Mac’s territory, but there are fragile strokes during the song’s breakdown as Franklin depicts a ping-pong match with the mind: “I gotta get out (there’s no way out).”

Eleven-year-old Donavan Owens represents the child’s perspective on A Whole Nation, regarding missing and irresponsible parents: “it’s a million of ya’ll and only one of me.” Owens also delivers a secure vocal performance, whether soloing or running the vocal vamps.

I Like Me finds Franklin and Da’ T.R.U.T.H. (Cross Movement recording artist) exchanging words of encouragement playfully on the serious subject of self-esteem.

Three lead vocalists convey feverish tension surrounding Chains, a heavy-duty torch song about breaking cycles of depression, divorce, and the like, backed by a lush strings and smoky blues rhythm section.

The above are the highlights amongst a fifteen-song extravaganza that many critics are calling Franklin’s best opus since The Family projects. This is no surprise since his strongest asset is developing riveting choral interpretations and presentations. A versatile vocal band, including Nikki Ross, Myron Butler and even R&B soloist Anthony Evans, handle anything coming in their direction. Occasionally, there’s a bit too much flash, such as portions of I Am God. Yet Franklin should be commended for holding back his flamboyant personality at times, straying from sample-heavy traps, and lyrics that cling to God’s sovereignty in the fight of our lives.