Kirk Franklin came to Kanye West‘s defense on Instagram yesterday (February 13) as many of the gospel singer’s followers have voiced their issues with his appearance on West’s The Life Of Pablo cut, “Ultra Light Beam.”
The pair performed the song live for the first time on SNL yesterday (February 13) and afterwards Franklin posted a picture of himself and West attached to a message for his followers.
“Kanye is not me,” the “Stomp” singer captioned on Instagram. “I am not him. He is my brother I am proud to do life with. No sprints, but Marathons; like most of us are on. Before one song was released, I was crucified because my brother asked me to take a picture.”
The 46-year old God’s Property leader has received a lot of backlash ever since he was spotted in a picture on Instagram alongside West, 2 Chainz and others presumably working on West’s project.
“I will not turn my back on my brother,” Kirk adds. “I will love him, prayerfully grow with him. However long he’ll have me, and however long the race takes. To a lot of my Christian family, I’m sorry he’s not good enough, Christian enough, or running at your pace…and as I read some of your comments, neither am I. That won’t stop me from running. Pray we win.”
Kirk Franklin’s Instagram message to his fans is as follows:
KANYE IS NOT ME. I AM NOT HIM. HE IS MY BROTHER I AM PROUD TO DO LIFE WITH. NO SPRINTS, BUT MARATHONS; LIKE MOST OF US ARE ON. BEFORE ONE SONG WAS RELEASED, I WAS CRUCIFIED BECAUSE MY BROTHER ASKED ME TO TAKE A PICTURE. AGAIN “NO KANYE, YOU’RE NOT GOOD ENOUGH”? NO. THAT IS A DANGEROUS MESSAGE I BELIEVE WE SEND TO THE WORLD WHEN OUR POSTURE IS THEY HAVE TO MEET CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS BEFORE THEY ARE WORTHY TO KISS THE RING. IT SAYS PEOPLE ARE NOT REDEEMABLE, FORGIVABLE OR CANDIDATES FOR GRACE. THAT MY FRIEND IS RELIGIOUS. I WILL NOT TURN MY BACK ON MY BROTHER. I WILL LOVE HIM, PRAYERFULLY GROW WITH HIM. HOWEVER LONG HE’LL HAVE ME, AND HOWEVER LONG THE RACE TAKES. TO A LOT OF MY CHRISTIAN FAMILY, I’M SORRY HE’S NOT GOOD ENOUGH, CHRISTIAN ENOUGH, OR RUNNING AT YOUR PACE…AND AS I READ SOME OF YOUR COMMENTS, NEITHER AM I. THAT WON’T STOP ME FROM RUNNING. PRAY WE WIN.
A PHOTO POSTED BY KIRK FRANKLIN (@KIRKFRANKLIN) ON FEB 13, 2016 AT 10:11PM PST
Now without question Kanye West is my favorite rapper and certainly one has to respect Kirk Franklin and his contribution to Gospel Music. However, it is a slippery slop when you attempt to reach the world by lowering the standard of the church. Colorations of Secular and Gospel Artis will forever be controversial. The church must remember there is yet a high way of Holiness. Kirk may have the purest intention with a wrong method.
Dr. Benjamin Elijah Mays said that Morehouse holds a crown high above the heads of her students that she challenges them to grow tall enough to wear.” So should be the same with the church. Do not come down to the world, but challenge the World to come up to God.
