After eight months gospel artist Kirk Franklin has finally apologized after angering conservative Christians in Jamaica for gyrating and flexing his biceps while preaching in a tank top and shorts at a popular annual Christian concert. The concert, called “Fun in the Son,” was sponsored by Best Dressed Chicken, which is well known for their conservative Christian values.
Franklin explained in a video that he wasn’t aware he was being “disrespectful.” He explained, “I am aware now that my choice of attire, which as a team we thought was going to be fine being outside in the weather, was going to be something that would not come across as disrespectful.” He also went on to say “I’ve spent most of my career dancing and moving around and jumping on stage that I didn’t know that I would ever do anything that would ever offend anyone in any community, but it did. And because it did, I sincerely apologize.”
“I sincerely apologize because I never want to get to a place where I can’t learn, that I can’t learn what I need to do better, what I can do differently to make sure that as I grow as a man, grow physically or in any aspect, that I’m always being humble enough and submissive enough to hear people and their concerns about anything being bigger than the message of Jesus,” the 54-year-old singer added.
“It doesn’t matter what my goal and intent is, if I’m louder than the message of Jesus, then I failed” he said. Jamaica Broilers Group President and CEO Christopher Levy, who owns Best Dressed Chicken and sponsored the event, was annoyed by the performance. He described himself as a follower of Christ” who “attributes his success to an abiding trust and faith in the Lord’s guidance.”
He said he “expected more” from Franklin. “When we engage an artist, it is with a degree of trust that the artist will be aware and sensitive to their audience. We expected more from Mr. Franklin,” said Levy. “We are cognizant that each of us [is] working through our relationship with The Lord, and we prayerfully support his growth.” The singer agreed with the criticism, saying it was “too much.”
“I play too much, I’m friends with these people, we have fun backstage, and I don’t know how to separate the backstage Kirk from onstage Kirk,” he stated. “Like, I am who I am, whatever I am. These are my people, and we act silly backstage and have fun. And I don’t know how to turn that off, and I got to learn it because I know that it can be offensive to some people,” he explained.
“But sometimes, I just play too much. And in that moment, I was playing too much. I shouldn’t have been playing out there in front of y’all. I should have kept that to myself and have fun with them the way I do when we are acting a fool” he said. “So when you come, I want you to feel like you had a good time, that it was a show that did not compromise the Gospel. And I’m gonna do it every time because guess what? I’m having a good time making you happy.”
“I’ve always believed that God’s music or God’s content should always be able to stand in any space where you spend your money or anything else. If you’re gonna spend your money to watch a mainstream show and be entertained, you should be able to come over here and we also give you the same level of production and engagement,” he concluded.