Kirk Franklin Details Working with Kanye West & Chance the Rapper
“I didn’t plan any of this. I didn’t call Kanye, I didn’t call Chance.”
[gallery columns="3"]MTV recently linked up with famed gospel musician and evangelical figure Kirk Franklin for a new documentary. Some of the topics addressed in the segment include Kirk’s reemergence in popular culture in 2016 and his work with and influence on Kanye West and Chance the Rapper. In regards to working with West, Kirk shared:
Some people responded like I was out there twerking and cussing and turning up. But I’m doing me. Who’s to say that someone is so far that God’s love can’t grab them where they are? But we don’t go get them because we don’t want to leave the rules of the church? I got a lot of criticism from a lot of Christians for working with Kanye. A lot of people questioned my integrity. Questioned my spirituality. Questioned my Christianity. It challenged me and it was very painful.
Franklin also spoke on his experiences working with Chance the Rapper:
“I did Pitchfork [Music Festival] last year with Chance and we just kind of built a relationship from there. When I first heard that Chance The Rapper was somebody who even knew my music and knew who I was…” Franklin trails off. “I mean, he knew more about my music than I did. He talked about my influence on him, how he used to listen to my music when he was young in church, and how my music influences his music now. [...] I didn’t plan any of this. I didn’t call Kanye, I didn’t call Chance.”
Watch the documentary above and check out Kirk Franklin’s cover story with MTV here.