Up next in 10
🔥 Uncover the hidden truths as #KirkFranklin bares his soul in this 🔥 BOMBSHELL interview on #SwayInTheMorning! 🎙️ Dive deep into a story of betrayal, secrets, and a life-altering revelation that shook the world of gospel music's icon. Kirk Franklin's Raw Truth: Betrayal & Family Secrets Unveiled reveals the turbulent journey of a man who stood at the pinnacle of success, yet grappled with a past shrouded in lies. 🤯
From confronting protestors to unveiling the identity of his biological father, Franklin opens up about the challenges he faced within his family and community. Watch as he shares his raw and unfiltered experiences, and the emotional rollercoaster of a lifetime spent searching for approval and truth. 🎤
Expect the unexpected as Franklin drops truth bombs that will have you questioning everything you thought you knew about the Gospel legend. Don't miss this exclusive peek into the heartache and triumphs of Kirk Franklin, only on #SwaysUniverse.
👀 Subscribe NOW for more explosive content and hit the bell to be the first in the know! Don't forget to check out our social media for all the latest updates and exclusive behind-the-scenes content. This is more than just an interview; it's a revelation that will leave you stunned! #RoyalFlush #dee1 #hiphop #socialchange #gospelmusic 🌟
CHAPTERS:
0:00 - Kirk Franklin’s Controversial Past
3:59 - Maternal Bonds: Kirk Franklin's Mother
8:41 - Discovering Kirk's Biological Father
15:29 - The Bombshell Documentary
17:17 - Kirk Franklin's DNA Confirmation
19:51 - Live Performance: Kirk Franklin Concert
22:20 - Discussing Paternity Disclosure Timing
24:55 - Emotional Reunion: Kirk Meets Son
27:15 - Kirk Franklin's Sense of Duty to Mother
31:00 - Viewer Interaction: Caller Jackie
35:49 - Viewer Interaction: Caller Dedrick
Show More Show Less View Video Transcript
0:00
Father's Day a Kirk Franklin story
0:03
I didn't expect to get emotional
0:08
but we have Kirk Franklin here today to
0:10
talk about that particular moment this
0:12
was a moment in the documentary where
0:15
you will find that Kirk Franklin his
0:17
entire life this man has been on this
0:18
planet for 53 years
0:21
three years come on man the life
0:24
expectancy hundreds of years ago was
0:26
only 21 years he's been on this planet
0:29
for 53 years the majority of his life
0:32
you have witnessed this man
0:35
be totally transparent and reveal with
0:38
his soul his heart and his spirit all
0:41
the trials and tribulations that he has
0:43
gone through in his life and he always
0:45
shows up on Sunday
0:47
and I mean that figuratively he always
0:49
shows up throughout the controversy the
0:53
heaviness the judgment
0:55
the Judgment that this man gets I
0:58
watched the clip the other day of these
1:01
Christians who approached him on the
1:03
street as he was outside of his car
1:05
probably giving love to people on the
1:06
street and they start questioning him
1:09
about how he Pastors in the messages and
1:12
how he presents it and not being
1:14
according and aligned with the Bible or
1:15
the word of God
1:18
and Kirk I For the Love of mankind who I
1:21
know
1:22
you know under all of this can get in
1:25
your ass if you wanted to
1:28
he could whoop your ass if he wanted to
1:31
you know there's so many people that
1:34
approached him and I saw him handle this
1:36
man with such dignity who wouldn't even
1:38
shake his hand
1:40
wouldn't even shake his hand and Kirk
1:42
Franklin said after the concert man
1:43
let's just sit down and go over a
1:45
scripture
1:46
and it just and this was before I saw
1:48
the documentary and then I watched the
1:50
doc I'm sorry I'ma talk about this and
1:52
then we'll talk to Kirk Franklin yeah
1:53
cause I didn't see it so yeah tell me
1:55
what this is about it was four years ago
1:57
it was it was it was well no it's really
1:59
been yeah yeah it's been almost four or
2:01
five years ago I was in some City and
2:04
there was a guy outside of one of my
2:05
concerts boycotting me and well well not
2:08
but well he was outside protesting me
2:10
saying that my performances on the BET
2:12
Awards and the different artists I work
2:15
with that I'm not biblical that I'm not
2:17
in God's Will and and I just invited him
2:19
to come sit with me after the concert
2:21
and let's just kind of walk through the
2:23
scriptures kind of get understanding and
2:25
just kind of see where he's coming from
2:26
and I was trying to shake his hand and
2:28
he wouldn't shake my hand because he
2:29
said I wasn't a Godly Man and so you
2:31
know yeah but that was that was four
2:33
years ago before all of this but you
2:35
know more than Manchester I'm I'm
2:37
thankful you know that you would open up
2:39
your doors to me King you know and queen
2:41
thank you all for allowing me to come
2:42
through yeah man and I appreciate that
2:44
so you know yeah you know I mean what
2:46
happened then that's that's been
2:47
happening my whole life that's in your
2:49
whole life and that's what I looked at
2:50
that's been happening your whole life
2:52
yeah from stomp on I mean I was kicked
2:54
out I'll never forget being getting a uh
2:56
an HBCU uh a very conservative HBCU
3:02
um over 20 years ago and I was playing
3:04
the uh students
3:07
um one I I was premiering one of my
3:09
albums uh at this HBCU and that that was
3:12
very conservative
3:14
um and it was off the album called The
3:16
Rebirth the Kirk Franklin yes which is a
3:18
very churchy album yeah and the uh
3:21
president of the university in the
3:22
middle of me playing music cut my music
3:24
off in front of all the students and and
3:27
it was really embarrassing and that was
3:28
over 20 years ago so it's like you know
3:30
it's kind of been you know you know just
3:32
you know the the the it's been the path
3:36
that God chose for my life and so you
3:38
know I can't sit around and complain
3:40
I've got to accept the you know to just
3:42
the path but you know you know because I
3:44
want to be a victim yeah yeah
3:46
yeah and um so yeah yeah and you keep
3:49
going and you keep going and it doesn't
3:52
stop it doesn't stop with people outside
3:54
your family I was saying to have the
3:56
heaviest ahead right and when you watch
3:59
this documentary the clip I just played
4:01
Kirk Franklin found out who his real
4:05
father is it's biological it's
4:07
biological let me say that better word
4:09
with who is biological father is
4:13
um Kirk Franklin your relationship with
4:15
your mother Deborah right yes sir has
4:18
been a challenged one
4:19
you know you were adopted as a youth you
4:22
find out in this documentary you didn't
4:24
hang out with a lot of family you were
4:26
really lonely yes sir growing up the
4:29
piano it's just what delivered you yes
4:31
sir right yes sir can you talk about
4:33
that's a beautiful way to put it yeah
4:35
man you know um yeah and and I only want
4:37
to talk about it briefly because let me
4:39
tell you the biggest thing that I found
4:41
out Sway and queen just even from me
4:44
doing this moment book because I was in
4:46
the middle of working on an album yeah
4:47
when this happened I mean I had a whole
4:49
nother title for that I have a whole
4:51
nother plan it was my first time working
4:53
the album that I had a full-time
4:54
videographer with me I had never in my
4:57
career head then I thought that would be
4:58
cool too so I just happened to have a
5:01
camera
5:02
in the middle of all this that was
5:03
happening there was a camera right there
5:05
and so I invited and you know art
5:07
imitates life for Creative so you know
5:09
we don't separate what we're going
5:11
through from what we're doing creatively
5:13
so it's like if I was writing music and
5:15
this was happening at the same time but
5:16
it's going to impact both right and so I
5:19
I wanted to capture these moments
5:21
because that's also really I was able to
5:24
hide behind the camera to get the
5:26
courage Stephen and capture the moments
5:28
you know what I mean you know to even
5:29
deal with if that kind of makes sense
5:31
you know to deal with it on your own you
5:33
know it it would have been a little bit
5:35
more daunting but to kind of hide behind
5:38
the lens too as I'm finding out okay you
5:40
know are you my daddy you know to go see
5:42
this lady that I haven't seen in over 23
5:44
years because I was unraved like I said
5:46
I was adopted by 64 year old woman when
5:48
I was four Gertrude Gertrude Gertrude
5:50
God bless Gertrude and you know and and
5:52
she recycled uh cans and newspapers to
5:55
pay for my piano lessons we want
5:56
government Aid and you know the
5:58
government cheese and all that coming up
5:59
and Deborah would come through yeah
6:01
that's your mom that Deborah would come
6:03
through two or three times a year and
6:04
you know that's what happens a lot of
6:05
times in these Urban marginalized
6:06
communities a lot of times you can be
6:08
adopted by someone but still every now
6:10
and then run into your body your
6:12
biological parents which which even
6:14
makes the trauma more more alive and
6:16
well because you never get to heal
6:18
because they're they're always coming in
6:20
and out in and out in that where where
6:22
in normal adoption situations you know a
6:25
child is in a system and they never
6:27
really see their parents but a lot of
6:28
times black and brown kids man I'm gonna
6:30
tell you something since this
6:31
documentary I cannot tell you
6:33
how this is opened up yeah man the
6:36
experiences of so many people yeah you
6:38
have no idea how many times I'm stopped
6:40
you have no idea how many men grown you
6:43
know just just just dudes you know you
6:46
know you know real dudes Wall Street
6:48
dudes you know Hood dudes you know that
6:50
it's like tears is because it it is part
6:54
of the American story of our people
6:57
being displaced you know and and just
7:00
the fragmentations of our souls as
7:02
individuals right and so you know
7:05
um this is definitely our story and you
7:08
know I hated a man that didn't even
7:10
deserve to be hated because I met him
7:12
when I was six then same again till I
7:14
was 13 and then I got a
7:17
um a random call when in 2017 said it
7:19
was down to cancer and I and I wouldn't
7:21
make peace with him and and that's the
7:23
man that I thought was my dad in my
7:25
whole life you'll buy a lot you thought
7:26
he was your biological because that's
7:28
why I was told because that's what
7:29
Deborah told me that's what that's what
7:31
he don't call your mother your mother
7:33
well I've I've never called my mother
7:36
because Gertrude was my mom okay you
7:38
know you know you know Gertrude has
7:40
papers on me okay you know the Gertrude
7:42
gave me her legal name okay and so you
7:44
know you know that's Mama you know you
7:46
know Deborah was always Deborah and you
7:48
know and I don't mean that in any
7:49
disrespect I don't mean that in any harm
7:51
you know
7:52
um you know it's because she's a black
7:54
woman and I think we're always at every
7:55
point we still got to respect the Queens
7:57
yes you know what I mean absolutely
7:58
that's what I feel about how to be yeah
8:01
okay thank you
8:05
so we always got to respect the black
8:07
queens you know at any cost yes at any
8:09
cost uh concur yeah yeah yeah so so you
8:12
know I didn't know her as mama and uh
8:15
and I hadn't seen in over 23 years so
8:17
when this thing came up you know I got
8:21
courage behind the camera having my guy
8:24
go with me just to be able to address
8:26
these things and so uh they were
8:29
happening in the middle of creating
8:31
music and they were in the middle of me
8:33
uh seeing my life be deconstructed in my
8:36
in in in in my own hands and I had no
8:40
control of it yeah you know and so let
8:42
me let me give people to because I got a
8:44
little emotion I don't know where that
8:45
came from but I I just
8:48
when I see you find out who your real
8:50
your biological father was in that
8:52
moment I wanted to play that you know I
8:55
recently had a friend of mine who's over
8:57
50 who found out that his father that he
9:00
believed was his biological father his
9:02
whole life was not his in a way he found
9:04
out was through ancestry.com right and
9:07
then the whole family had to come with
9:10
the truth at that point your situation
9:13
is really peculiar to me because I'm
9:15
watching this you grew up in a small
9:16
environment a small community everybody
9:18
knew everybody and all along citizens
9:21
Kirk Franklin was adopted was told that
9:24
another man was his biological by his
9:26
mother Deborah that was untrue and it
9:29
was a funeral uh that took place where
9:31
family members were there and a member
9:33
of the community showed up and told
9:36
people that he dated once Kirk
9:39
Franklin's mom his name was Rick Mr Rick
9:42
right and then the rumbling start
9:44
happening there was a girl that sings In
9:46
My there's a girl that sings with me at
9:48
that the Church of that funeral her
9:49
dad's the pastor her dance the pastor
9:51
she heard it yeah and her dad is Mr
9:54
Rick's homeboy yeah they childhood
9:56
friends and so you know and and limit
9:58
table was not in the documentary that
10:01
was also painful
10:03
what's up what was what was in the what
10:05
was not in the documentary but we got
10:06
footage of
10:08
is that the man that I lived my whole
10:10
life hating that was my father yeah when
10:12
I went to his family to let his family
10:14
know
10:15
that Dwight is not my daddy and when I
10:18
told them who my biological father was
10:21
they know him
10:25
they know him they all were in the same
10:28
way to the same high schools they all
10:31
know each other and that's what even
10:33
pissed me off and broke me down even
10:35
more
10:36
like No Cap I'm not I'm I'm 10 because
10:39
it's a small community they all knew
10:41
well it's I don't know if they knew I
10:44
don't know if they knew is because I
10:46
don't want to call anybody lies I don't
10:48
you know you know you know you know I
10:50
don't you know I don't want to call
10:51
anybody cap Gods I don't want to do that
10:53
you know what I'm saying I don't want to
10:55
call anybody
10:56
I'm just saying that I I just am the
11:00
victim of it of it but I have the
11:03
responsibility to not have the posture
11:05
of a victim and do you know how
11:07
difficult that can be just the dichotomy
11:09
of because people are looking at you you
11:11
want to cry but you can't you know what
11:13
I'm saying you know you want to be mad
11:15
but you can't you want to you know shake
11:17
your fists and like God why me but you
11:19
can't because people are looking for you
11:21
to have the answers you know and so you
11:24
know you know where do you go when you
11:27
need the answers that everybody's
11:28
looking to you for and and I and I find
11:32
myself in this conundrum for you know
11:35
really because this just happened this
11:37
just happened 12 weeks 12 weeks ago
11:39
this just happened to the July 3rd well
11:42
well well well
11:45
um I first heard about it at the end of
11:46
April and then you know things started
11:48
to unravel a little bit quickly in May
11:50
but then around by June I guess when it
11:53
all yeah start coming yeah of this year
11:55
Heather this man is finding out this
11:58
information the whole church is talking
12:00
it's Melody background Melody Melody
12:03
comes to Kirk said hey this is what I'm
12:06
hearing yeah right
12:07
at some point you build up the courage
12:10
to come to cope and confront the man
12:13
that was allegedly your biological
12:16
father and you captured that on video
12:19
Yeah and and and my man Chris right over
12:23
there you were there Chris that's my man
12:24
that's the man that captured all the
12:26
footage you did a good job no he did a
12:28
great lighting the angles the way you
12:30
captured you we were in the room you did
12:33
a good job bro no yeah man and and you
12:35
know in in you know he and and again he
12:38
wasn't prepared for that yeah he was
12:40
capturing me making an album you know
12:42
what I'm saying this one somebody I flew
12:44
in from NYU you know what I'm saying you
12:45
know you know you know from you know
12:47
from USC film school you know you know
12:49
this this is a great talented young man
12:51
that you know that that that was thrown
12:54
into this situation and he's in the room
12:56
where all this is happening and you can
12:58
see him going I can't believe this is
13:00
happening you know what I'm saying you
13:01
know and and and
13:03
um but again the biggest story is
13:07
this is not just Kirk's story it's not
13:10
Kirk's story well this is our story and
13:13
and I don't want to even make even this
13:17
to be so micro that we forget that
13:21
people in this country that have the
13:23
same hue
13:25
have to have have had to go through the
13:28
same deconstruction of their identity
13:31
people finding out you know even from
13:33
Kerry Washington and you know you know
13:36
you know but but even stories that are
13:37
even worse you know there have been
13:38
people you know that found out on their
13:40
parents death bed you know another truth
13:42
and and and and and and and I just want
13:45
to be able to say to those people I want
13:47
to be able to say to everyone
13:50
that that is going through this
13:52
experience is that we have to make a
13:56
decision
13:57
to win wounded
14:00
to win wounded
14:03
a lot of times we try to wait to get
14:05
well before we get up and finish the
14:07
race we want to sit and complain about
14:10
who knocked us over what they did wrong
14:12
to us and all those things are true all
14:15
of those things are true and and and and
14:17
and and God not only at times
14:19
concealment Fair life can be unfair
14:23
can be unfair and we cannot wait for the
14:26
Heavens to align everything correct to
14:30
make every wrong right on this side of
14:31
life but we can trust God's heart when
14:35
we don't understand his hand
14:37
and you gotta run and win wounded Kirk
14:42
Franklin is here
14:44
888-742-3345 I know it's a bigger story
14:47
but I want to know yours too and I think
14:50
people need to hear how you feel
14:53
out because that's a part of the bigger
14:55
story from that they're gonna get
14:57
direction and relatability and it'll
14:59
help them heal too because I feel for
15:01
you wow I feel empathy for you and um
15:05
it's okay you ain't got to say it I'll
15:07
say it
15:09
888-742-3345 I've been homeless I bathed
15:12
in a church bathroom 119 Grammys had a
15:16
career that was beyond my imagination
15:17
I've survived death several times
15:20
endured public shame but nothing could
15:23
compare me for what God had in store for
15:25
me in 2023.
15:29
the documentary is Father's Day a Kirk
15:32
Franklin story
15:34
some practice and just so powerful we
15:37
got the reunion toward us with Kirk
15:39
Franklin coming too right
15:41
turn your mind together yes sir yes sir
15:43
yes sir we're out right now you know it
15:45
it it feels a little weird to be trying
15:47
to promote stuff right now but I got you
15:49
you know you know but but you know what
15:51
I mean it's like I I'm grateful and I'm
15:53
thankful to be out on the road uh with
15:55
with Incredible people just just kind of
15:58
encouraging people in this you know kind
16:01
of dark season of people in right now
16:02
you know you know myself the incredible
16:04
Tye Tribbett the incredible The Clark
16:07
Sisters you know Tamela Mann David Mann
16:10
Israel Houghton you know I'm saying full
16:13
band full singers you know what I'm
16:15
saying you know my little short behind
16:16
running around on stage you know you
16:19
know you know you know and you know you
16:21
know you're just kind of dancing through
16:22
my storms yeah man you know and I need
16:25
it right now you need it right now we
16:27
need it right now man we need it right
16:28
we all need it Kirk Franklin is um God
16:31
has an another plan for him and he's
16:34
bringing a lighter conversation that's
16:36
bigger than just him you'd be surprised
16:38
with people going through yeah yeah
16:40
you'd be surprised what they're going
16:41
through you reading those headlines you
16:42
coming to your conclusions based on some
16:44
media slant you'll be surprised what
16:46
people are going through yeah but when
16:48
they stay the course and stayed a path
16:49
and you understand their purpose you
16:51
know they built for it but they are
16:53
human and he is human in this
16:55
documentary you're gonna find out that
16:57
Kirk Franklin didn't know who his
16:58
biological father was he was lied to his
17:01
entire life about that hated a man
17:04
um unwarranted because of what he
17:06
believed are untrue I'm sure he feels
17:08
bad about that but yeah yeah yeah yeah
17:10
yeah
17:11
and again you know all of this is still
17:14
fresh it's still Fresh So I want to be
17:16
gentle with you okay uh you found your
17:19
biological father he took a test gave it
17:22
the test to you so you could have well
17:24
he gave you a sample of his DNA so if
17:27
you wanted to take it he gave it to
17:28
Melody he gave it to Melody Melody gave
17:30
it to you you had it it and found out he
17:32
was over 99
17:33
positive to be your father that was the
17:36
clip we played earlier in the show when
17:38
the first moment you found out you
17:40
wouldn't approach your auntie
17:42
us and Mama and your mother Aunt Sandra
17:45
who you hadn't spoke to in years who was
17:48
insistent that you call her Aunt Sandra
17:50
on the phone
17:51
we don't have to go into that part yeah
17:53
these are black queens yeah these are
17:55
the respect you've got the black queens
17:56
no matter what I gotta respect the black
17:59
queens and you got everybody in one room
18:03
Heather he got the Auntie the mother
18:06
Deborah
18:07
and the father Rick all the biological
18:10
the biological father
18:13
yeah because I I'm under the belief
18:16
system that and I I can be wrong but I'm
18:18
under the belief system that there is a
18:21
supplier in the carrier right when it
18:23
comes to birth and so God allowed this
18:26
man to supply yeah yeah you know but and
18:28
allowed Deborah Miss Deborah to carry
18:31
but that doesn't necessarily mean these
18:33
are the people who oversee God also will
18:36
allow fortunately right yeah and
18:38
unfortunately true and so you needed
18:41
Miss Gertrude and you needed you know
18:43
certain people in your life but so we
18:45
respect them as our biological
18:48
suppliers and carriers you know as you
18:50
mentioned so that's why I say that no no
18:53
no that's very kind of you and and at
18:55
the same time I do want people to also
18:58
know that when you are in in these
19:00
position and positions of being
19:01
biological supplies and providers
19:04
kiss deserved truth they deserve the
19:06
truth they they deserve the truth
19:08
because you know man you have no idea
19:12
how it is to live your whole life
19:14
yearning like like like I remember uh
19:18
when Tam and I started dating and and I
19:21
and I took her on a trip to uh Oakland
19:24
when the while we sing album came out
19:27
and and you know and it was a big
19:28
crossover record I had no idea it was
19:30
going to be that but it ended up because
19:31
of record so you know the concert
19:33
started coming in bigger and there was a
19:36
sold out concert I did in Oakland mm-hmm
19:38
he was at the jicama Town business
19:41
the Paramount Theater downtown Oakland
19:44
on Broadway go ahead and speak on it I
19:45
got you and it was sold out it was sold
19:47
out and Tam is on the side of the stage
19:49
and and I'm telling you what Tammy told
19:51
me so everything I'm saying to you is
19:53
what she has said to me in this healing
19:55
space she said that when I when I came
19:57
off stage I came up to her and I asked I
19:59
said how did I do you know how was it
20:01
and she said she said to herself this is
20:04
the most arrogant I've ever been
20:06
for in my life this she's like
20:09
this know that he just did good I
20:11
mean look at all these people you know
20:12
and she said it wasn't until I married
20:14
you and I was around you and I realized
20:17
now he don't know
20:19
like he's really looking for the
20:22
approval yeah he don't know and I've
20:25
lived my whole life looking for the
20:28
approval because when you don't like my
20:30
therapist told me I'm my therapist I've
20:32
I've been I've been going the same
20:33
therapist now for over 20 some years
20:35
yeah
20:37
problems you got that therapist rich
20:42
Dr acho Shout Out doctor uh he said he
20:45
said and he's Nigerian and he said and
20:47
I'm gonna try to do my Nigerian thing he
20:49
said he said Kirk you know what your
20:50
problem is
20:51
he said your problem is is that as a
20:54
little boy you digging you didn't get to
20:57
let the breast of your mother he said
20:59
every little boy has to let the rest of
21:02
them a day they must be connected to the
21:05
rest of their mother he said the reason
21:06
why you're not connected to anything is
21:09
because you were never connected to the
21:11
rest of your mother
21:13
and that's heavy bro that's heavy and
21:15
people think that a certain amount of
21:18
success or certain amount of accolades
21:19
is a connection it ain't a connection a
21:23
lot of times it can make you feel even
21:24
more disconnected yeah it's because now
21:27
you're trying to figure how to live up
21:28
to all of this and again you know don't
21:31
want to come be this is my first
21:33
interview okay since all of this so I'm
21:36
I'm
21:37
still a little you know you know you
21:40
know fresh you know it's still fresh so
21:42
you know you know I hadn't gone to any
21:44
PR classes and you know I'm I'm I'm
21:46
trying to get it all right and what I'm
21:48
saying I'm trying to make sure that I'm
21:49
not heavy on Kirk because I've been so
21:52
impacted by so many other people's
21:53
stories too and I'm not trying to come
21:55
here and try to sell the record to sell
21:56
the tour so it's like I'm really trying
21:58
my best to navigate this thing and I'm
22:00
and I'm learning even as I'm sitting
22:02
here talking to y'all and then you know
22:03
I'm worried about if I'm talking too
22:05
much about this and talking about that
22:07
you know I'm I'm trying to figure it out
22:09
because I've never been here before I'm
22:11
normally in control of what I say and
22:13
what I do because I'm I'm well
22:16
plan and prep for that yeah I have no
22:19
idea what I'm doing right now but can I
22:21
so then can I ask your opinion on
22:23
something because you said folks should
22:25
tell people the truth their kids the
22:27
truth and we're all in families and
22:30
there's different like family secrets
22:32
and different things and you find out
22:33
your auntie knew this or your cousin
22:36
knew that when in your opinion then
22:38
would be a good time to tell a child
22:40
well that person who's raising you or
22:43
who has raised you is not your
22:45
biological mother biological father
22:47
because I would think I'm not a parent
22:49
so I don't know but I would think that
22:51
it has to be tough for them to try to
22:53
figure out when do you tell somebody the
22:56
truth yeah and and and and and I can and
22:59
I can only imagine that it's even more
23:02
rough because a lot of this is also
23:04
embedded in the history yeah because the
23:07
same person trying to tell the truth is
23:09
probably the same person that was lied
23:11
to themselves yeah and so you know we
23:13
just continue to pass on this broken
23:16
structure that that that that we've been
23:19
engrafted to and so I believe that the
23:22
first step of it is courage
23:24
encouragement because I think that it's
23:25
courage I think that it takes a a very
23:28
courageous person
23:30
to open up a level of vulnerability that
23:33
you know it's going to heal is because
23:35
you don't want anything done to anyone
23:38
that you know that you've had to live
23:40
through yourself and so I think that as
23:43
you walk with people and as you get time
23:45
to spend time with your child you can be
23:47
able to know that when you guys are
23:49
laughing at certain jokes or laugh at a
23:50
certain Tick Tock moments or whatever
23:52
and you can begin to see that that child
23:54
can comprehend life experiences when
23:56
they when they can comprehend a Buddha
23:58
shaking on on Tick Tock they're able to
24:00
be able to comprehend a conversation
24:02
that they deserve to know it's not your
24:06
right to hide that from that baby that's
24:09
not your right that baby it's not going
24:10
to be a baby always and and it's better
24:13
for wounds to heal younger yeah than for
24:17
people to live 10 or 20 years and then
24:19
have to reconstruct their ideologies and
24:23
their emotions because you always live
24:26
thinking something's wrong you know what
24:28
I mean when you're raised like that
24:29
there's something about you that you
24:31
know ain't right you can feel it's like
24:33
I don't fit in here this is off that
24:36
person don't love me and get and give me
24:39
the Thanksgiving hug the way they did
24:41
that other kid you know like kids can
24:44
feel that kids was like okay those kids
24:46
are getting a different kind of hug in
24:48
it and and and and and and greeting I
24:51
feel like I'm getting on everybody's
24:52
nerves that's how you grew up that's
24:55
insane let me ask you this one of the
24:57
most powerful points in this Doc is when
25:00
is it carry-on yes that's that um Carry
25:04
on Franklin is my firstborn that's my
25:06
son that's my very first child and
25:08
that's the one who's in the dark right
25:10
yes sir
25:12
I'm a father I you know I have a
25:15
daughter
25:16
um
25:17
you went to see your firstborn you guys
25:20
hadn't talked since when or you haven't
25:22
seen them since when well I hadn't seen
25:25
carry on
25:26
physically since 2009 and since 2009 and
25:32
some of this is going to be respectfully
25:34
my son started okay I want to honor him
25:37
yes and allow him to tell his own story
25:40
carry-on's 35. okay and so a lot of this
25:43
when when the time is right for him you
25:46
know I'm just here to let everybody know
25:48
that carry-on has to win yes there's no
25:52
way that I can walk across any stage and
25:54
receive any award in my firstborn dope
25:56
man yeah that's my greatest trophy
25:58
that's my greatest wouldn't it feel like
26:00
you for you to touch his face for the
26:03
first time yeah it was so beautiful I
26:06
hadn't I hadn't touched and held carry
26:08
on
26:09
in so long
26:12
I hadn't touched my baby boy in so long
26:15
just had him in my arms
26:17
you know
26:18
may carry on with tickets to these I
26:21
mean Cara had a passport when he was six
26:23
carry on traveled the world with me that
26:25
was the homie I remember my first album
26:27
came out uh I was I was I was at high
26:31
school signing autographs and Carol was
26:33
next to me and me and my manager
26:34
happened to look down
26:36
carry on and found the pen he signed an
26:38
autographs
26:42
yeah yeah man you know that was that was
26:45
that was that was my man and then you
26:46
know and carrion has had some life
26:48
Journeys that I believe that Karen is
26:50
going to be able to help a lot of young
26:52
black men when the time is right for him
26:55
Karen's got a story and it's going to be
26:57
a beautiful story when God finishes
26:59
writing it but until then I must you
27:01
know do everything I can and let him
27:03
know I'm his biggest cheerleader I'm his
27:06
biggest fan that's my first but that's
27:07
my namesake I have two namesakes they
27:10
gotta win they gotta win they gotta win
27:12
my man Kirk Franklin I appreciate you
27:14
sharing that I will say and I won't
27:17
Linger on it but I was um watching your
27:20
doc with a friend of mine uh Samantha
27:22
and um and she had a member of her
27:25
family I went through something serious
27:26
similar and her she said something
27:30
interesting what is
27:33
and I know this is sensitive you don't
27:34
have to touch on it okay okay
27:38
remember I'm the Oprah porn guy okay
27:41
yeah oh that's right yeah yeah Oprah
27:43
porn guy
27:45
he said it all right
27:48
he said he said it
27:52
Deborah
27:54
um
27:56
something going on I don't know what
27:59
she's not saying or what she's hiding or
28:03
there's something more to the story than
28:05
her denial
28:06
and do you feel any obligation to help
28:12
figure that out
28:14
well you know more than anything again
28:16
man this is my first interview okay and
28:19
everything is so fresh okay uh
28:23
you know
28:26
um
28:28
yeah
28:31
you know man I I uh
28:37
as as I'm still learning what
28:41
what the impact of not having a mama can
28:44
do and and what's interesting even the
28:47
influence that a mama can still have on
28:49
a a child you know the fact that Deborah
28:53
denied both of those test results
28:56
has deeply impacted how I can even
28:58
receive this truth because of some kind
29:02
of warped way you have a hard time
29:04
believing that it's true because your
29:07
mama won't give it to you yeah it's it's
29:09
like because she don't say it it's like
29:12
well how can I embrace it
29:15
when she don't say it and and and you
29:18
know and I know that that's
29:19
dysfunctional in itself and I've got a
29:21
lot of dysfunctional pieces that still
29:23
have to be worked out and worked through
29:26
and you know sit on the couch and you
29:28
know it's it's
29:32
[Laughter]
29:41
but but I think that I'm I'm I'm I'm I'm
29:45
I'm willing to do this because I heal as
29:49
I reveal yes I mean can you imagine if I
29:53
had to be by myself dealing with all
29:55
this you know if I didn't have music to
29:57
put all this through you know so I'm
29:59
willing to come on you know live radio
30:02
and even take a chance at failing it
30:04
being the most articulate at it because
30:06
I know that I've got to go through this
30:08
yeah you know and and as much as I'm
30:11
broken
30:13
by what my mother
30:15
not only didn't give me that moment but
30:17
when my mother was not capable of giving
30:18
me for 53 years I know I still have the
30:21
responsibility as a black man
30:25
still never speak in any state
30:28
of dishonoring
30:30
The Black Queen in this country they
30:32
they they they are the most overlooked
30:35
the most disrespected uh being in our
30:40
species on this planet the black woman
30:43
you know and I don't know Deborah's
30:45
whole story you know you know I mean I I
30:48
don't know what all she's going through
30:49
but whatever she's gone through had to
30:52
be hell
30:54
for it to be passed on to me
30:57
Kirk Franklin is here man I I love it
31:00
man
31:01
um Father's Day a Kirk Franklin store
31:02
I'm gonna take a few calls real quick
31:04
folks have been
31:07
you know holding Jackie someone who from
31:10
she's from Denver and Jackie said like
31:12
you
31:13
she found her real father a few years
31:15
ago as well Jackie you want to say hi
31:17
hello to Kirk Franklin
31:19
hi Kurt
31:21
um
31:21
I just want to First say that I just
31:24
found out my daughter told me like a
31:26
week ago about your story and all I
31:29
could do I was looking at some of the
31:30
clips and I could just all I did was cry
31:33
for you because
31:34
like you said it's fresh and it's still
31:36
fresh for me as well I was 45 years old
31:39
just three years ago I found my
31:42
biological father and just like you my
31:46
mother denied two DNA tests two and I
31:51
mean the connection is just like it was
31:55
just my it's like you said it's my story
31:58
too your story is my story and I felt
32:02
everything because for 45 years to grow
32:07
and to just know like you said you're
32:09
not you don't feel like the connection
32:12
and just the displacement and nothing
32:16
you know nobody's looking like me and
32:19
things like that and to find out the
32:21
truth and then my mother deny it to my
32:23
face is it's even more heartbreaking to
32:27
just know and to accept it and like I
32:31
said I cry for you and
32:34
I I know exactly I just had to call in
32:39
because I was like that's me I was
32:41
watching I was watching the Clips and
32:43
not I was sitting here crying like it
32:46
just happened so often and it's and they
32:49
do need to tell the truth regardless I
32:52
don't care if they have a parent that's
32:54
parenting them the child deserves to
32:56
know like I want you to know this and
33:01
and queen I am I am honored and humbled
33:04
that you would even want to take out
33:06
time of your busy day to even connect
33:08
with me at such a deep level and I'm
33:11
begging you I'm begging you to hear me
33:12
when I say this I need for you I need
33:16
for you for for you for your baby and
33:20
for the future that is still ahead of
33:22
you it's because there's so much more
33:24
life I need you to live and I need for
33:27
you to do it wounded I don't need you
33:29
you know resting too long in the what
33:32
ifs and the whys and the how comes is
33:34
I'm gonna need you to get up at some
33:36
point
33:36
and only through the rest and the power
33:38
that God has given you as his daughter
33:40
and I need you to get up and I need you
33:42
to change the trajectory of your home
33:45
and your family
33:46
and I need for you to do it as soon as
33:48
possible because we need you on the
33:50
other side because we got to be able to
33:52
tell the story of how we can overcome
33:58
that and I am and unfortunately my
34:01
mother she took courage to the Grave
34:03
with her she just didn't want to live in
34:06
you know the truth or just on it and um
34:09
I also wanted to say sorry I'm so sorry
34:13
yeah yeah I like you said you know I
34:17
don't know her story she didn't want to
34:18
give it to me yeah yeah and that's
34:21
that's unfortunate but like you said I
34:24
will I am picking up come on
34:27
come on Jackie yeah let's get it and
34:30
thank you for your call and sharing
34:32
yourselves with us okay you were citizen
34:34
one more thing appreciate y'all but Kurt
34:38
I've been having my reunion tour tickets
34:40
since pre-sale I heard that story I said
34:44
oh Hallelujah I got this is my brother
34:46
like
34:48
so much in common and I also got that
34:50
ticket when it months ago I've been
34:52
holding it from Endeavor next month
34:58
slow down watch this watch this can I
35:01
meet you wow please yes please thank you
35:04
can I get you I'm gonna get your number
35:06
when you when you when you when you when
35:08
you get off and I'm gonna have somebody
35:09
call you it's because I want to meet you
35:12
um I can just hug you is that okay thank
35:15
you and I want to hug you too thank you
35:17
so much
35:19
gonna take care of you you got a lot of
35:21
callers man can you mind if I go through
35:23
them okay okay you up early to be with
35:26
you man yo Danny that's my first
35:28
interview yeah and they switched you
35:30
know and and they said the sway got a
35:32
little window for you man so it's like
35:34
let's go yeah man I flew back from Vegas
35:36
wow I was like I gotta get back because
35:38
I did one of that debauchery this
35:40
weekend he came here to get cleaned up
35:44
do you want to Revolution
35:45
[Laughter]
35:49
go ahead real quick go ahead Dedrick
35:52
what's up with you Kirk this is Dedrick
35:54
man how you doing what's good King
35:56
you got it man hey bro I just wanted you
35:59
know who this is right
36:01
yeah this is Dedrick Allen
36:04
what city
36:05
Fort Worth you grew up with them Dedrick
36:08
stop that man tell them who you are live
36:11
on there don't do that
36:14
this last time we you know we met in the
36:17
back
36:19
how long ago was this
36:21
yeah Dedrick Allen Riverside yeah
36:24
brother side is from where I'm from
36:26
that's the neighborhood I'm from but you
36:28
know what though even if I don't
36:29
remember is it still good to hear your
36:31
voice still King it's good to hear your
36:32
voice talk to me go ahead d man I'm just
36:36
super bro you know because you know you
36:39
was you played the piano for us you know
36:41
the sunshine choir man that car rent
36:43
Baptist Church yeah yeah yeah hey hey
36:45
hey so you know and I just tell this to
36:47
the world as a kid we didn't understand
36:50
all that she was going through we just
36:53
knew that you couldn't play with us you
36:55
know what I'm saying we would we would
36:56
get done with church and Kirk had to go
36:59
home we didn't understand that we go to
37:00
miss mother woods and get candy yeah
37:02
yeah we didn't we didn't understand why
37:05
he couldn't come with us because she was
37:08
our age but man I just you know we you
37:10
know seeing you riding your bike in the
37:12
backyard we didn't understand why you
37:14
couldn't come out and ride the bike with
37:15
us you know what I'm saying so
37:18
man this was this is when I looked at
37:20
your documentary bro it just brought so
37:23
much Memories Back to Me and understand
37:25
that answer questions to me you know I'm
37:28
saying that we as a kid we didn't know
37:29
the answers to
37:30
you know what I'm saying we didn't
37:32
really get a chance to interact with
37:34
Kirk until Kirk came to Riverside Middle
37:37
you know what I'm saying so that was
37:39
that was deep man and so I just you know
37:42
I you know
37:43
you know hey man this is just this is us
37:45
you know it was a great documentary and
37:48
uh I speak I speak highly of you every
37:50
time I get a chance bro you know I know
37:53
when I see your face well if I see your
37:55
face I'ma start crying I know I know you
37:56
man please forgive me you know Dedrick
37:59
Alex you know my Kelly Allen Lee and
38:01
Allen we all right there in Riverside
38:04
man I you know I Only Wanna I only want
38:06
to cap right now with my head but I know
38:08
if I saw you King I know you're my
38:10
people get this number two Lonnie yeah
38:12
yeah yeah okay yeah thank you for
38:13
calling that kid Dedrick man I
38:15
appreciate Andy you just gave contacts
38:17
hey love you love you Kirk thank you
38:19
thank you brother yeah you're super City
38:22
that's right in the morning I love what
38:23
Dedrick said too because it explains so
38:25
much we just don't know what people are
38:27
going through like you just don't know
38:29
as a kid Express these kids you know
38:31
because it could be mean it could be
38:33
rough you don't know why people can't
38:34
come can't go to the candy store why you
38:36
got to stay on your porch you can't be
38:38
in your backyard and now that Kirk has
38:40
been able as you said you heal as you
38:42
reveal and made sense to someone like
38:44
Dedrick who we didn't know was listening
38:46
who grew up with you and he now oh my
38:48
gosh
38:49
every spot and it's making sense so we
38:52
have to learn it's a lesson in being
38:54
judgmental as well you don't know what
38:56
people are dealing with even his kids
38:58
yeah yeah and that's why the story is so
39:00
much bigger than my story yeah I mean
39:02
you know you know you know it is the
39:04
Black American story it is wrong
39:06
unfortunately and so you know I I I am
39:10
part of a community now you know and and
39:13
and and and and and and I want that to
39:16
make you know to to be very clear you
39:18
know it would be very selfish for me to
39:20
have an opportunity to have a microphone
39:21
that's biggest this one is all over the
39:23
globe and to not speak for the Unseen
39:26
yeah Kirk Franklin Mike you want to uh
39:29
you want Kirk did uh y'all did
39:31
choreography when y'all saw each other
39:32
when you first walked in apparently I
39:34
got a friendship so yeah I love Kurt
39:37
um I've always loved a Kirk for his like
39:39
vulnerability and what he brings
39:42
um so but question for you when you you
39:45
mentioned about the Thanksgiving hug I
39:46
never heard I never thought about that
39:48
in that kind of context right like the
39:50
love is stronger for one kid versus a
39:52
love for the other kid you said you felt
39:54
that the entire time how did that impact
39:56
your other relationships I was curious
39:58
in terms of like friends outside of the
39:59
film even to this day do you have
40:01
vulnerability issues love love is an
40:05
awkward muscle for me that that that
40:08
that that that is always unfortunately
40:10
had limitations most of my life I have
40:13
executed love from from the context of
40:15
performance
40:17
even from Tammy to the kids you know
40:19
what I'm saying you know it's what you
40:20
do for people you you live for the
40:23
response of people
40:24
so you do everything to get a response
40:27
you know let me buy the bigger bag Liam
40:29
tell me about the bigger crib let me buy
40:30
you know the the bigger bicycle let me
40:33
let me buy the bigger thing is because
40:35
you are looking
40:38
you know it's I'll never forget man you
40:40
know and and Gertrude got arrested Soul
40:43
you know but what makes you know that
40:45
once again I I can cover everything
40:47
documentary you know you know Gertrude
40:49
adopted me she was 64 right but Gertrude
40:52
got married again when she was 73 and by
40:55
this time I was 13 when she got married
40:57
and her husband moved in into her home
40:59
and you know a little small trap house
41:01
in the hood right he was in one bathroom
41:02
you know you know I could tell that I
41:06
became more of a nuisance you know how
41:09
you could tell me starting people's
41:10
nerves because you know she wanted to
41:11
kind of now live another season of her
41:13
life I heard a new husband and and I
41:16
could just tell and then you know I had
41:17
all these learning issues I had these
41:19
you know disciplinary issues in school
41:21
so every time I got in trouble in school
41:23
because the block was a more senior
41:25
block you know everybody was older
41:27
everybody was older like when when I
41:29
would come home from school get into
41:30
trouble the whole block would know
41:32
because back in them days you know you
41:34
get a whooping from anybody yeah you can
41:35
hear it yeah yeah you know what I'm
41:37
saying and then like you said you know
41:39
you know it's the talk you know you know
41:40
you know Sister Johnson gonna tell
41:43
sister
41:44
you know and and so I'll never forget
41:46
being in the kitchen one day and I said
41:48
The Gertrude I said
41:49
when I do something wrong everybody know
41:53
but when I do something right like if I
41:56
play I do something good at church I
41:57
play a song or write a new song as a guy
41:59
you know I say you know you know don't
42:01
nobody don't nobody say nothing you
42:03
don't say nothing and Gertrude I'll
42:05
never forget and she didn't mean no harm
42:07
I know it's her generation but it broke
42:09
me she said when I said that there she
42:12
said oh boy you just want somebody to
42:15
praise you
42:17
yes yes
42:23
somebody say something good about me
42:27
so you end up you know
42:30
you know you you you end up doing all of
42:33
this performing just to get somebody to
42:36
say something good about you and so when
42:39
your love is going through that filter
42:41
you get fatigued quick because you know
42:44
every performer gets tired and you get
42:47
tired because you don't you don't really
42:48
know how to just be you don't know how
42:52
to just be and so I have lived my whole
42:55
life just trying to and then by some
42:58
Divine reason God then also gave me a
43:01
platform of being something different
43:03
yeah and then you especially don't know
43:05
how to be it's because you know if you
43:07
sell a million copies you think a
43:09
million people like you some people
43:11
don't like you they like your music yeah
43:13
but you're so desperate to be like you
43:15
think they like you so if the next album
43:17
go gold
43:18
somewhere thinking half a million
43:21
people don't like you no more
43:22
and that's what you you know really you
43:24
you literally think a half a million
43:27
people don't like you no more
43:29
and so then I bring that home I bring
43:31
that home to my marriage I bring that
43:33
home to my children and so now they got
43:35
you know Jekyll and Hyde in the house in
43:37
Jesus name you know what I'm saying you
43:40
know and then you got religion you know
43:42
you know you know um you know walked out
43:45
into that and and and and we know
43:48
religion ain't relationship you know
43:50
what I'm saying you know tell them you
43:51
got a relationship with God just because
43:52
you religious and so you got all of
43:54
these dichotomies at the same time and I
43:57
have had to live
43:59
in this conundrum most of my life so
44:01
love is a very um difficult but but uh
44:06
again I don't want to get lost in the
44:07
weeds because I I am grateful to still
44:11
be alive yes I'm grateful to still be
44:14
here to be able to try to help somebody
44:15
else yes and you're doing an excellent
44:18
job my brother for your first time to be
44:20
speaking on this and I know your soul
44:23
you have so much humility with it that
44:25
you don't want to make it about you but
44:26
I think it's important that people hear
44:28
what you go through personally
44:31
um and you could be honest about that
44:32
here you could be vulnerable and we
44:34
appreciate that and I love you Kirk
44:37
Franklin for this and for what you do
44:39
but for our community and if those half
44:42
a million don't know that I do you got
44:44
one okay all right all right and so in
44:48
conclusion I know one of the things
44:50
that's big for you to do this it isn't
44:52
about you what
44:54
this is hard I mean you put it out there
44:56
for no you know for people to receive
44:58
and to be healed by you got a new
45:00
project coming out this isn't what this
45:01
is about but he got a beautiful album
45:03
that this influenced and the music is
45:05
going to be healing right we played a
45:07
couple of songs already
45:09
but what do you what do you hope that
45:11
this doc do for folks oh man I I I I I
45:15
hope that the documentary the end and
45:18
the the and the body of work because
45:21
they were having it at the same time is
45:23
that I just you know it was healing me
45:25
and and I hope that they can heal
45:27
somebody else I hope that it helps
45:29
somebody else do their you know sojourn
45:32
through through the complexity of life
45:35
life can be so complex that's why we got
45:38
to be gentle with each other I I that's
45:40
why I you know am confused by cancer
45:43
culture I'm confused by the lack of of
45:46
of of compassion and empathy that we
45:49
have for other humans because we
45:51
ourselves know how complex life can be
45:53
and people of life is so delicate the
45:57
suicide rate is off the charts people I
45:59
mean young people are killing themselves
46:00
and and and and and and and and and Drug
46:03
addictions off the rain alcoholism is
46:05
off the rate and you know and so it's
46:07
it's it's like in in and we make fun of
46:11
people when they're at the lowest
46:12
because the camera everything now and we
46:15
can sit back and Rewind and we can you
46:17
know click and post and joke about
46:19
people that are unraveling right before
46:21
us and life can be such a a compressive
46:26
explosion if we're not careful and so
46:30
I'm hoping that the music and the visual
46:33
of the story can let you see somebody
46:36
who don't have it all together I don't
46:39
have all the answers I don't I'm I'm not
46:42
the superhero in the uh documentary I'm
46:44
not the superhero in the music I I am I
46:48
am a patient I'm not a doctor and and
46:51
and I wrote this album in the hospital
46:54
bed damn you wrote it in the hospital
46:57
bed I want to end the show with needs
46:59
again
47:01
let's handle what needs
47:03
um you're amazing Kirk Franklin yep yeah
47:06
you're an amazing spirited person yep
47:08
you're beautiful brother
47:10
what you going through we gonna go
47:12
through with you you have that courage
47:14
what you're doing now requires courage
47:16
and bravery
47:17
I appreciate you God bless you Kirk
47:20
Franklin thank you keep going stay the
47:22
course brother I don't care if somebody
47:24
say whatever they say to you you always
47:27
got a space right here with us
47:28
absolutely it ain't about this building
47:31
that's just about these relationships
47:33
facts how to build them to be going
47:36
tomorrow I could be going out this
47:37
building tomorrow but you will always
47:39
have a brother in me man Kirk Franklin
47:40
man get this man a round of applause
47:45
[Music]
47:48
foreign
47:48
[Music]
#Arts & Entertainment