Kirk Franklin: Sacred and Secular

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Another critique of Kirk Franklin’s Hero wasn’t as positive. Critic Mike Warren from The Pitch compares Kirk Franklin to George Clinton and Prince, but saying that Franklin’s music is too earthly, otherwise known as secular and not sacred. This critic did no like this part about him, but still thought he was more heavenly than not. Mike Warren also says that Kirk Franklin does a good job balancing sacred and secular, and has a style “that have even the most sacredly reticent music fans gettin’ their praise on” (Warren, 2006).

Thomas Dorsey was basically the creator of the gospel music genre, which started all the way back in the 30’s. Dorsey left his small southern hometown and his preacher father and organ-playing mother for the city life up north in Chicago. He quickly became famous and enjoyed this secular life, playing in clubs and late-night hours. However, he could not keep this up and after moving back home two times, his mother made him stick with strictly sacred music. This didn’t turn out well for Dorsey because all of the churches neglected his songs, because of his secular history and reputation. I think this relates a little but confutes a lot with the life and work of Kirk Franklin. I think that these two musicians relate because they both have had their share of sacred and secular switching and controversies that have came of it. However, I think that because of this new age and how more people are interested in the secular hip-hop genre, it is much different for Kirk Franklin than Thomas Dorsey had it because I do not think a church would deny someone like Franklin to be a part of them because of his public figure and popular reputation. I think Thomas Dorsey did not go into secular because he really wanted to become famous and wealthy because of his two breakdowns from the fast-paced and secular life, but was just curious to the cities up north and to see what kind of opportunities he could have, and remained strictly sacred after the passing of his wife and child. For Kirk Franklin, I do think that he is in it for the money and fame, because of all concerts he does and is more on the secular side because he wants God’s word to be heard by more people, but really I think that he just wants to sell more of his product. (PBS, 2003) For Rosetta Tharpe, I immediately noticed there was more similarity to Kirk Franklin than Thomas Dorsey because of the amount of pictures of her on stage performing and different advertisements that appeared when searching for her, unlike what happened with the searching of Thomas Dorsey. I think Rosetta Tharpe and Kirk Franklin are similar because they both do concerts and are focused on getting the word of God spread to lots of people, which they say is the reason but the underlying truth may be they just want fame and money. Rosetta Tharpe did get into some circumstances where she was basically forced to sing some secular songs per her contract with the record company. This is partially her fault because if she just wanted to sing gospel and the sacred word then she would not be worried about having to get a contact in the first place. (McMullen, 2004)

The whole debate on musicians and other artists going back and forth between sacred and secular messages and words is spoken about in the bible itself. The bible states, “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money” (Matthew 6:24 New International Version). Kirk Franklin is no doubt a follower of Christ and what he speaks/sings is true and from the heart, but the medium in which he is doing so is controversial and not accepted among many of those deep in sacred Christianity and the gospel community.

References

Cliff, M. (2010, March 14). Review: “hello fear” by kirk franklin. Retrieved from

http://thegospelblog.com/review-hello-fear-by-kirk-franklin/

Jessie, J. [PRDirector1]. (2012, May 14). EX Ministries "Error of Man" Special Feature

[Video file]. Retrieved from

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4A5djqHiTC8#t=124

McMullen, C. (2004, February 21). Sister rosetta tharpe’s pioneering sound gains

newfound respect. Retrieved from http://www.theledger.com/article

/20040221/NEWS/402210305

PBS. (2003, June 03). Kirk franklin. Retrieved from

http://www.pbs.org/thisfarbyfaith/people/thomas_dorsey.html

Pendergast, S. (2005, January 19). Gale contemporary black biography: Kirk franklin.

Retrieved from http://www.answers.com/topic/kirk-franklin

Rimmer, M. (2006, January 11). Honest and vulnerable. Retrieved from

http://www.crossrhythms.co.uk/articles/music/Honest_And_Vulnerable/18416/p1/

Warren, M. (2006, April 06). Kirk franklin. Retrieved from

http://www.pitch.com/kansascity/kirk-franklin/Content?oid=2181543