Gospel music legend Kirk Franklin who has been married for 24 years with three children, reveals on a Own TV special, how he helps his youngest son prepare for college and reflects on why it’s important to “pass the baton” to your children. He has previously revealed his difficulty of becoming a young father and and how he was a player. He also recently connected to his Father before he passed away.
Kirk Franklin was very candid on his journey with his Father:
I received an anonymous call that my biological father, who I never knew, has 3-6 months to live. I've lived my entire life hating this man. He and my biological mother gave me up for adoption, and it left me never feeling good enough....to this very day," Franklin revealed in a post on Facebook with a photo of him kissing his father's shaven head.
"I took my hate for him and used it as fuel to be the best father I could be for my own. But what I did wrong, is I never took that fuel, and turn it into forgiveness....and that is wrong. Wrong for him, me, and the God I proclaim to represent. How can I preach what I don't practice? So I flew to Houston to do that. It's painful, it's a process, but how disappointed I would be in myself for this man to leave this earth without being forgiven. He deserves to receive what God gives me everyday. Pray for him, and for me. God this is hard...I weep as I write,"
OWN Spotlight:
Five celebrity Black fathers from diverse backgrounds showcase the joys, fears and fulfillment that being a dad brings as they shift the narrative for a more accurate representation of Black fatherhood.
" They Call Me Dad" is an inspirational one-hour special that celebrates Black Fatherhood and the special bond dads have with their children, giving viewers exclusive access to a group of famous black fathers away from the spotlight and doing the most admirable thing imaginable - being a loving dad. Through a series of deeply personal profiles, the special follows five celebrity Black fathers from diverse backgrounds, in their homes and unguarded, as they showcase the joys, fears, and fulfillment that being a dad brings while also shifting the narratives for a more accurate representation of Black fatherhood. From braiding hair to coaching sports teams to difficult conversations about how to deal with law enforcement, viewers will get to see parenthood from a father's perspective. The special will feature the renowned spiritual leader and author Bishop T.D. Jakes; two-time Super Bowl champion Malcolm Jenkins, DJ and social media phenom, D-Nice, Grammy Award-winning recording artist Anthony Hamilton and Grammy Award-winning gospel recording artist Kirk Franklin, as they each showcase their unique parenting styles and explore the different roles that a father plays in his childrens' lives as they grow up from hero and mentor to provider and protector. Additional guests include Meagan Good, Laila Ali and Sarah Jakes Roberts"
Preview
Full Episode