Introduction
Music is hugely regarded as the universal language that traverses cultural boundaries and language barriers. It plays different roles in society including: telling stories, educating, and entertaining. There are various forms of music which are unique to different groups of people. African American Music is one of forms of music which boasts of a very rich history.
The importance of music to the African American community has been huge from the slavery days up to this day. Many genres of music such as rhythm and blues, jazz, gospel and soul can trace their roots to the Southern plantations where black slaves toiled in the 19th Century.
Smith declares that music was the soul of black people and it as the way of communicating oral tradition and instructive messages about everyday life activities (1203). This music has over the decades evolved and today the African American song tradition is merged with other forms of music to form a new sound. This sound is popularized by most of the mainstream gospel music artists.
One of the most popular gospel artists of the new millennium is Kirk Franklin and his contribution to contemporary gospel music is unparalleled. This paper will set out to document the musical contribution of a popular personality in African American song tradition, Kirk Franklin. In particular, the paper will discuss how his music builds on tradition and helps address social realities.
Overview of African Gospel Music
African American creation in Christian, centered sacred music began to separate itself in the forms of spirituals, shouts, lined-hymns, and anthems in the early as 1800’s. From the good sounds of Shirley Caesar and the Gospel Keynotes to the dancing, different vocals of Kirk Franklin, gospel music does more than just sound good; it literally moves its listeners (Petrie 1).
Whether it’s singing and clapping with the choirs or tapping along with the performers or simply raising hands to the rhythm of the music, gospel is one genre of music that needs to be both seen and heard. Gospel music was once defined as religious; however, gospel has passed by those limits to become an impacting force in American music and popular culture.
The gospel music of the African American can trace its roots to the years immediately following the Civil war which resulted in the liberation of slaves. The music has undergone numerous changes from being performed in a cappella to the incorporation of musical instruments.
Cleveland notes that by the 1950’s, gospel music had experienced significant changes and it was typical to hear guitars and brass accompanying the choirs. As a result of the huge demand for gospel music, performers began to record steadily so as to meet the demand (Jackson 185). Contemporary gospel music was first popularized by Edwin Hawkins whose hit song “Oh Happy Day” combined elements of gospel with Rhythm and Blues.
Kirk Franklin’s Contribution
Kirk Franklin is generally regarded as a pioneer of the genres of gospel and Christian Hip-hop. He was born in Texas and was raised by his great-aunt who instilled in him a strong church background from his childhood years (Smith 551). As a child, Franklin’s musical talent was apparent and he could read and write music by ear. He joined the Rose Baptist Choir at the age of 11 and became the director of music in later years.
However, Franklin broke away from the church as a teenager due to negative peer influences. It took the untimely death of a close friend for him to return to the church where he sought love and strength. He also began to compose and perform music which was heavily influenced by his childhood struggles.
Gospel music has never seen anything like the “Kirk Franklin Phenomenon”, combining gospel music with Hip Hop. Kirk Franklin’s style of music changed the culture of gospel with the release of his debut album. Kirk Franklin and the Family, his first gospel album sold more than a million copies.
This was his attempt to broaden the range of the traditional gospel audience and Kirk Franklin was willing to take heat from the doubters as long as it didn’t get in the way of delivering the inspired message (Harrington 1). Interestingly, the contemporary music that Kirk Franklin is famous for has some traces of the old African-American folk songs that were sung by slaves in the 19th century.
As during the early years of black music, the music by Kirk Franklin today’s music still represents a way of communicating values and tradition. Through his music, Franklin extensively borrows from scriptures that offer hope and solace especially in times of despair (Waldron 36).
Franklin’s success has help push gospel closer to the mainstream while attracting the crucial under-25 audience. That’s always been a much search after how people under-25 make up most of the bad going around, but according to Franklin, it’s a crucial but spiritual, as well (1).
Kirk Franklin told the Washington Post in an interview “We’ve got to stop preaching to one another because the purpose is not to keep ‘the message’ in the church because the church already knows it”. Franklin goes on to say that the Jesus message needs to get out to the young people that don’t go to church.
And a lot of those people don’t go to church not because they don’t love Jesus, but because they’ve seen the churches do the community such a disservice” In terms of finances and other crazy problems.
As a result, Franklin has combined contemporary rhythms and a lasting message into what’s been described as “heavenly hip-hop” (1). Franklin’s music plays a major role in lifting the spirits of people in the same way the spirituals lifted the spirits of the slaves in the 19th century and the protestors during the civil Rights Era.
When composing songs, Franklin tries to stay in touch with what’s going on in the world. Like Andre Crouch 30 years earlier, Franklin has had a lot of criticism for adopting what some might call the devil’s music to deliver the Lord’s message.
“It’s a concept of knowing that we as African American people have always been moved by a beat,” Franklin explains. “I think a lot of what these young people listen to is not really the message but the beat; unfortunately, those beats are often poisoned by lyrics that are really destructive, and you can’t listen to those lyrics over and over again and not have it affect you (Harrington 2).
Dr. Deforia Lane, author of Music as Medicine and the director of music therapy at University Hospitals of Cleveland, told Jet magazine, “As a people we have used music since the days of slavery to reinforce our faith, to remind us of the things that are important, to focus on the positive as opposed to what is right in front of us and to be able to concentrate on the faith of what we cannot see.
Gospel music has a way of driving us back to Christ. You cannot hear a song like Precious Lord or What A Friend We Have in Jesus and not feel the impact” (Waldron 37). Kirk Franklin music has a way of taking what people are thinking or feeling and giving it voice. That is one of the most important ways that music helps in our healing. Other singers agree that in times of struggle, gospel music can help people cope.
During the difficult times, the gospel, which is good news, will stand firm to encourage us during our ‘never would have made it’ moments. Smith records that music has always been a source of motivation for Franklin’s life (551). The gospel in general, when applied to life’s challenges, will make you stronger, wiser and better. It will give you emotional strength to make it through any crisis you are facing.
Gospel is the music that replaces facts with truth. The facts may be lost jobs and a failing economy, but the truth is ‘God will supply all needs according to His riches in glory. Gospel music is a constant reminder to replace facts with truth. The word of the Lord is truth. Franklin’s music helps sooth the soul during difficult times.
The songs sang by the slaves often revolved around the themes of love, peace, oppression and freedom. These themes were inspired by the social and economic realities of the slaves who sang the songs. The music was characterized by a melancholy and heaviness that reflected on the social conditions that existed at the time. The music by Kirk Franklin continues to be inspired by the socio-economic conditions of the people.
Franklin’s music resounds with strong social themes of economic crisis and discrimination. This is in line with his reality growing up where he joined a gang and had a close friend killed. He wants people to realize that sometimes “a no” can be a good thing. “God closes one door and opens another.
He closes doors; He knows what’s behind that door. You want God sometimes to say no; sometimes God needs to say no. Imagine what would have happened if your parents said yes to your every request as a child. Sometimes a ‘no’ is a ‘not yet’ because you aren’t ready yet. You can find the answer in prayer and realize that all things work together for good.” (37).
Kirk Franklin achieved his goal of getting young African Americans back in church by gospel in hip-hop context. “His crossover is unique in that nobody took the word ‘Jesus’ out of his music”, notes Milton Biggham, the executive director of gospel powerhouse Savoy Records.
Recently, the big news in religious music have gone to white Contemporary Christian artists who sing boring and slow lyrics that could be directed to God or Jesus or just as easily to a mate to strengthen their appeal. However, Kirk Franklin made his mark with hard gospel largely because of the things that other gospel stars lack: charisma, sex appeal, stage presence, ambition, business savvy and street credibility.
Since the emergence of Franklin, other artists have followed thus, making a name for them in the gospel world. Gospel producer-artist Kurt Carr told JET Magazine “Gospel is spiritual music that reminds us that we have God’s peace and favor, even in these difficult times” (Waldron 3).
Kirk Franklin’s gospel music is played at radio stations across the world. His nontraditional approach and urban style has change the way music is song in church. Essentially, his style allowed for the African-American churches to step outside the box thus changing the style of church choirs across the nation. Franklin’s music enables the people to fulfill their desire to express their faith in a dynamic and musical way.
His hip-hop gospel and rap style songs appeals to all ages and all ethnicities. In short, Gospel music is a product of the religion, culture, and history that constitute the African American experience. The flair that Franklin brought to the national stage has catapulted in to a national phenomenon that has forever changed the way Gospel music is viewed.
A key characteristic of Franklin’s music is that it involves a lot of improvisation. As the lead singer to his group, he takes a very active role sometimes singing entire verses and adding dramatic effects. This is an attribute that was common in the early music performed by African Americans.
The music was mostly performed in plantation camps and in the open fields and a key feature was therefore a lack of formality and a lot of improvisation. Smith states that this trait carries on to date and contemporary music singers like Kirk Franklin still incorporates much of the improvisational, rhythmic dynamics of African music (1203).
Discussion
Gospel music has been a force to reckon with in the African American communities. It helped the slaves to endure their hardships and was used extensively in the Civil Rights Movement years (Ramsey 210). While the original gospel music sang by the slaves has faded to the background, its influence continues to be felt in the 21st century through contemporary gospel music artists.
The African American community today is more integrated into the fabric of the larger society than was the case in the nineteenth century. Their music has therefore evolved and today incorporates other styles of music to the traditional spirituals. The music still continues to inspire people and articulate social issues. Kirk Franklin is one individual who has made a huge contribution to African American song tradition.
He has successfully managed to adopt elements of secular popular music into gospel music therefore reaching and inspiring an even greater audience. Kirk Franklin has contributed to the progressive development of gospel music through the addition of rap and hip-hop elements to broaden the appeal of the music and its message especially to younger audiences.
Conclusion
This paper set out to document the contribution that Kirk Franklin has made to African American song tradition. To this end, it has been noted that Franklin’s music has built on the old tradition by incorporating hip-hop and rhythm and blues elements. This has made the music very popular and through his work, gospel music has reached an even wider audience.
Gospel music as presented by Kirk Franklin and other contemporary artists continues to empower people and impact their lives. It can therefore be deduced that through the work of Kirk Franklin, aspects of African American music traditions will continue to survive for many years to come.
Works Cited
Cleveland, Jefferson. Songs of Zion. Supplemental Worship 12. Nashville: Abingdon, 1981.
Jackson, Marie. “The Changing Nature of Gospel Music”. African American Review 29, 1995.
Ramsey, Guthrie. Race Music: Black Cultures from Bebop to Hip-Hop. California: University of California Press, 2004. Print.
Smith, Carney. Encyclopedia of African American Popular Culture, Volume 1. Boston: ABC-CLIO, 2010. Print.
Waldron, Clarence. “In Trying Times, ‘There’s Power In The Music’”. Jet Magazine, 2009.