Kirk Franklin on finding his biological father at age 53
Kirk Franklin has shared the emotional moment he met his biological father for the first time at age 53 and how it prompted the him to patch things up with his own son.
Gospel megastar Kirk Franklin is getting ready to release his next album, 'Father's Day'.
The singer released a documentary leading up to the release where he shared meeting his biological father for the first time at the age of 53.
The Grammy winner started the documentary by sharing details about his childhood and how his mother gave him up for adoption.
"I was born Kirk Smith. I was raised in a neighbour called Riverside, a low-income community," he said in the doc.
Kirk says he was adopted when he was four years old by a distant relative who was 64 at the time.
"There was never a time that I don't remember not knowing I was adopted," he shared.
"I don't remember having birthday parties, I don't remember cakes, and candles and gifts. I wasn't raised with siblings, I wasn't raised with cousins, I wasn't raised with relatives, I lived by myself. I was raised alone. It was horrible," said Kirk Franklin in the YouTube documentary.
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The 'Lean On Me' hitmaker says what gave him comfort as a young boy who was given up for adoption was playing the piano and praying.
The musician said he started working on the album in March and for the first time, he had a behind-the-scene camera person following the process.
But, little did he know that it was during the recording of this album that he would get to meet his biological father.
He explained that he was working with a lady called Melodie, whom he had known since she was young.
In April, Melodie called him and said she wants to reveal something to him; details of how there was a funeral at her church where one of Kirk's aunt's was being buried. It was at this funeral where Melodie's father reunited with his childhood friend, Rick Hubbard, who revealed that he once dated Kirk's mother.
Kirk reveals in the documentary that shortly after that, rumours began to circulate in the church that the man was Kirk's father because they looked alike.
After taking paternity tests, it was revealed that he indeed is the father.
Kirk shared the touching moment the two of them met for the first time and embraced.
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After mending the relationship with his biological father, Kirk also reconciled with his own son.
Last year, a recorded phone call between Kirk and his son Kerrion went viral. Kerrion recorded Franklin cursing at him in an argument. It is not clear what the argument was about. Franklin can be heard saying words such as “put my foot in your a**", "break your neck", and “mother f****ing a**”.
In the 'Father's Day' documentary, the gospel star shared the moment he went to meet with his son to ask for forgiveness.
Below is the short clip of the two of them making peace.
READ: Kirk Franklin receives backlash after cursing his son in leaked phone call
Kirk's album comes out on October 6.
The YouTube documentary was released on 15 September and has over 1.1-million views.
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Image courtesy of YouTube screenshot.