Multiple Grammy Award-winning artist, songwriter, and producer Kirk Franklin has released his fourteenth full-length solo album, ‘I Am What I Am’, via Uptown Records and released in East Africa through Universal Music Group (UMG).
The double-disc project features a studio side and a live side, and explores the duality of who Franklin is as a gospel legend and genre-bending multi-generational talent.
For this project, Franklin aims for a broader audience by teaming up with Nigerian superstar Davido on the focus track “Hope In You.” In the statement seen by KBC Digital, UMG called the track “a standout track from the album” and said it serves as the “herald of his much-anticipated fourteenth full-length solo album.”
Not that Kirk Franklin has to worry about gaining an audience in Kenya; Franklin has been a popular Gospel artist in the country for over two decades, with Spotify data from 2024 placing Kenya as the “third-largest African country for streams of Kirk Franklin and Maverick City Music, behind Nigeria and South Africa”.
In this new album, Kirk stays true to his roots while also experimenting with new sounds and genres, pushing musical boundaries with songs featuring Afrobeats, hip-hop, R&B, and more.
The project includes features from Karen Clark Sheard, GloRilla, Jelly Roll, Tim Rogers, Davido, and Tobe Nwigwe.
The 14-track collection showcases two complementary sides of his artistry: seven live recordings rooted in the choir-driven gospel sound that first captivated audiences and seven studio tracks embracing his boundary-pushing musical vision.
The album also includes “This Time,” interpolating Mandrill’s “Children Of The Sun.” Soul overflows from a steeple-sized, chantable chorus driven by Kirk’s uncontainable energy.
Meanwhile, multiplatinum Memphis, TN hip-hop powerhouse GloRilla channels the same spirit with upbeat bars laced tightly with her quotable wordplay.
“This Time” notably showcases another side of the superstar rapper’s artistry, illuminating her versatility on the beat.
Kirk initially preceded ‘I Am What I Am’ with “Thank You For Everything,” featuring gospel legend Karen Clark Sheard of The Clark Sisters, which has since become the fastest-growing record at Gospel radio.
Kirk also performed the song at the 41st Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards for its live television debut.
