Kirk Franklin
CL Holly (CC BY 2.0), via Wikimedia Commons
Kirk Franklin is an American gospel music artist, songwriter, rapper, and record producer born in 1970. He has established himself as a major figure in contemporary gospel music, earning recognition as a leading voice in urban gospel. Franklin has garnered 20 Grammy Awards throughout his career and received the distinction of being named to the Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame as one of its inaugural inductees. Early in his career, he directed and performed with several notable gospel ensembles, including the Family, God's Property, and One Nation Crew (1NC), helping to shape the modern gospel sound.
