When you think of Gospel hip hop, Kirk Franklin is a name that rings more bells than churches.

One amongst many prominent leaders of the Gospel hip hop movement, Kirk Dwayne Franklin aims his music towards the "lost generation".

Ordained minister turned entertainer, Franklin closely relates to the younger generation. Having strayed away from the word of God several times during his lifetime, Franklin was engaged in numerous amounts of turmoil during his youth.  Franklin, born in Fort Worth, Texas was adopted at the tender age of three by his great aunt Gertrude after his then teenage mother decided to give him up. Gertrude pushed young Franklin's musical talents that led him to be the famous musician he is today. 

With songs such as; Stomp (1997), Looking for you (2005), and I smile (2011), there is no wonder why he is able to successfully gain the attention of today's youth. Catchy lyrics, upbeat tempos, and Franklin's manic energy has allowed him to achieve mainstream success. 

Franklin has pushed the bar by collaborating with artists that are far from being linked to the genre of Gospel such as; R.Kelly and Mary J. Blige.

Some Christians believe this to be a mockery of the gospel. Some will claim this to be detrimental to his career. The three time Grammy Award winner has proven that these collaborations have only allowed him to achieve greatness and increase his musical value.

Franklin expressed to the Los Angeles Times, "I'm trying to change the way people look at Gospel music. It's not corny, and it's not hokey. We're not just running around here with some choir robes on, yelling, and screaming. It's not about that anymore, kid." 

From being a co-host on season two of The American Bible Challenge and performing on The King's Men Tour; Kirk Franklin has solidified his spot in the entertainment world and will continue to climb the ladder of success regardless of whether naysayers approve of it or not.