Connect with us

Entertainment

Kirk Franklin explains how a near-fight with his mother’s husband led to a decades-long estrangement

Published

on

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JULY 25: Kirk Franklin Performs at The Skid Row Revitalization Project Street Festival on July 25, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Unique Nicole/Getty Images)

Gospel singer Kirk Franklin has long been known for his transparency with fans and his ability to transform life’s challenges into uplifting music.

In 2023, with the discharge of his album Father’s Day, Franklin shared a good more personal look into his life, revealing what it was like to meet his biological father, Rick Hubbard, for the primary time at age 50.

In the accompanying behind-the-scenes featurette, Franklin not only met his father, but additionally reconnected with his estranged son, Kerrion.

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JULY 25: Kirk Franklin performs at The Skid Row Revitalization Project street festival on July 25, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Unique Nicole/Getty Images)
Kirk Franklin opens up about what led to his split from his biological mother, Debra, a 12 months after finding his biological father. (Photo: Unique Nicole/Getty Images)

This meeting also brought public attention back to one other figure – the artist’s biological mother, Debra, with whom he had broken off contact over 23 years ago.

Debra’s appearance within the film marked the primary time in a long time that she and Franklin had been in contact. But the gospel star has never publicly spoken about why he stopped talking to her.

Franklin finally opened up about his mother in an interview for Cam Newton’s “Funky Friday” podcast, recounting how his efforts to help his sister, Swan, caused a rift that has yet to heal.

The Houston-born man said all of it went fallacious when, as a young man trying to get his life together, he tried to help his sister, Swana, and felt his mother put her husband above him and his sister’s needs.

Swana had just been released from prison and was struggling with drug addiction.

“I’m the only one trying to help her,” Franklin recalled. “She needs a lot of help…where is she going to live? What is she going to do?”

Determined to support his sister, the “Revolution” singer began a ministry and “paid these two ladies to just be like mother figures and raise her.”

But despite his best efforts, Franklin quickly realized that he couldn’t handle it on their own and told Newton, “It was more than a 32-year-old boy could handle.”

Overwhelmed, Franklin turned to his family and contacted his biological mother, his aunt Debra, and his other aunt Sandra, hoping they may band together and intervene to support his sister. But once the family gathered, things quickly went from bad to worse.

He described the moment his mother arrived — with a man nobody within the family had ever met.

“She showed up with her new husband,” Franklin said, still stunned by the memory. “Nobody knew who the man was.”

This unexpected addition to the meeting added tension to an already delicate situation.

As the intervention unfolded, Debra’s anger grew, making an already difficult moment even harder.

“My biological mother always had a very short temper,” Franklin explained. “The way she communicated with my sister was not compassionate, it was not healing…it was very difficult to watch.”

Despite the mounting tensions, Franklin tried to concentrate on helping Swan. However, the situation took a dramatic turn when Debra’s latest husband, who had been silent until then, suddenly spoke up.

“You have to call your mom sometime,” he said, addressing Franklin.

Stunned and indignant, Franklin replied, “I said, ‘Sir, I don’t know who you are, but she’s the mother and I’m the child.'”

The situation quickly escalated, with emotions running high, according to Franklin, and the scuffle culminating within the Stella Award winner about to fight his mother’s husband. Franklin described the scene that followed as some of the painful moments of his life.

“My mother did something that broke my heart,” he said, his voice filled with emotion. “She grabbed his hand and said, ‘Come on, baby, let’s go,’ and she walked out of the house with her two kids and stood next to that n***a.”

Franklin recounted how his mother selected her latest husband over her own children, showing the influence this still has on him.

“The fact that she took that man by the hand and didn’t say, ‘Honey, stay there; this is between me and my children…’ It broke me.”

This moment proved to be a turning point in Franklin’s life and commenced greater than twenty years of silence between him and his mother.

“I promised myself… that I would never again be in a situation where you could do something like that to me,” he said.

Franklin decided to cut off all contact with his mother until his biological father got here into his life, a completely different man than the one Debra had told him his whole life was his father.

During a 2023 reunion where she saw her son, the 20-time Grammy Award winner, for the primary time, she denied that Hubbard was the daddy of her famous son, despite two DNA tests being conducted to confirm paternity.

He told Newton he simply did not have the strength to keep trying.

“After everything I’ve been through… it’s good, it’s good for me,” he said, sounding resigned. “There’s nothing else to do.”

He also shared a gem with viewers: “At some point, you have to save what’s still together. … You can’t give them everything just to have them break up,” emphasizing the difficult balance between love and self-care.

Franklin’s fans expressed their deepest sympathy for the singer who brought much joy to their lives through his music.

One YouTube viewer he commented“Man, I can feel the pain in his voice! Kirk still hurts deeply about this,” while one other said, “Every time I hear about his upbringing, I feel so much sadness for the little boy inside him. At this point, he’s beyond caring. The little boy inside him is forever destroyed.”

Another shared, “Kirk, it’s her loss. Go ahead and just pray for her,” and one more said, “She’s talking about the wall that many of us have put up. My god, that’s me with my relationship with my father.”

Dozens of individuals shared similar stories of how their moms had hurt them of their lives.

The dramatic experience of losing his mother again and regaining his father also influenced Franklin’s approach to parenting.

He has made it a priority to rebuild his relationship with his eldest son, Kerrion, whom he had when he was a teenager and homeless. The two had a very public falling out in 2021. Their strained relationship made headlines when Kerrion released a recording of Franklin cursing at him during an argument that they had on the phone.

However, while working on the Father’s Day project, the 2 began to take steps toward rebuilding the father-son bond.

The “My Life, My Love, My All” singer can be the daddy of Caziah Rashad Franklin, his youngest son with wife Tammy. Caziah recently got married, and his father published photos from the marriage and wrote a long post concerning the couple’s love.

The post on this joyous occasion may be seen as a sign that he’s breaking the cycle of dysfunction that began with his separation from his mother.

Fans online have also been showing their support for Franklin, who has buried his longtime musical collaborator, Shaun Martin August 17 in Dallas, Texas. Martin, a multiple Grammy Award winner who he suffered He suffered a stroke over a 12 months ago and died on the age of 45.


This article was originally published on : atlantablackstar.com
Continue Reading
Advertisement
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Entertainment

Former Bad Boy artist Shyne reveals his true feelings about Diddy’s role in sending him to prison following Mogul’s recent arrest

Published

on

By

Former rapper turned politician Moses “Shyne” Barrow has broken his silence on the recent arrest of Sean “Diddy” Combs.

The Belize-born artist, once an integral a part of Diddy’s Bad Boy Records, has publicly shared his thoughts for the primary time on the music executive’s recent legal troubles.

Though he’s made it clear that Diddy’s legal troubles “don’t make him happy,” the “Bad Boyz” chart-topper stays adamant that his former boss “ruined” his life.

Former Bad Boy artist Shyne blames Diddy for his 10-year sentence for a 1999 nightclub shooting. (Photo: Prince Williams/WireImage; Paras Griffin/Getty Images)

Shyne’s statement got here just days after Combs was arrested on federal charges including extortion, human trafficking and prostitution, which resulted in Diddy being denied bail twice.

The case has made headlines, with many wondering about Diddy’s past. Not only are people bringing up his infamous “Freak-offs” and “Diddy Parties,” but in addition his infamous connection to an incident at a New York nightclub in 1999, where Shyne was partying with the Bad Boy founder and his then-girlfriend, Jennifer Lopez, before gunfire injured two people.

Shyne had no idea how his life would unravel after that night. His profession was cut short, and his life as a free man was marked by first-degree assault, possession of a weapon and reckless endangerment. The chart-topping star was sentenced to 10 years in prison in 2001 for his role in the altercation. He was eventually released in 2009 and deported to Belize.

Fast forward to 2024, and the 2 men appear to be on completely different paths. Shyne is now the leader of the opposition in the Belize House of Representatives, while Diddy faces charges that would land him a life sentence. Shyne shared his thoughts on his former boss’ case at a press conference in Belize.

“When I was an 18-year-old kid who wanted to do nothing but make my mother and Belize happy and be recognized for my talent and take over the world,” Shyne recalled in an interview with Channel 5 Belize. “I defended him and he turned around and called witnesses to testify against me.”

Shyne’s face remained impassive as he explained the role Diddy played in his legal struggles. “He contributed to… basically sent me to prison. That’s the context in which this (relationship) should always be described. I’ve forgiven. I’ve moved on. But let’s not pretend I was in Miami for Thanksgiving and Christmas.”

Shyne suggested that he and Combs aren’t as close as some might think. Despite his forgiving heart, he made sure to set the record straight about their relationship.

“So let’s not lose sight of the cold, hard facts,” Shyne said. “This is not someone I vacationed with and he and I had this wonderful, intimate brotherhood with. This is someone who destroyed my life and I have forgiven him and moved on.”

For years, Shyne has worked with Diddy to bring resources to Belize, but Diddy has clarified that their partnership is strictly business-related.

“Don’t distort it like we’re boom bally. This is someone who ruined my life,” he continued.

Shyne’s evolution from rapper to politician has not gone unnoticed. When The Shade Room published press conference, many praised him for his grace and wisdom in handling the situation, with one commentator noting, “Shyne is the true definition of someone who will sit back and let God do the work.”

Another person said, “This man has really grown. Holding on to bitterness and resentment only hurts you, not the perpetrator. Let life deal with people. Karma never loses its address.”

“Forgiving someone without an apology is powerful,” said a 3rd comment.

Not everyone was impressed. Some wanted him to admit his role in his death.

“First of all, you ruined your life…let’s take responsibility,” the Shade Room commentary admonished. “That’s the problem, people not taking responsibility for their actions and how it leads them to destruction.”

Despite his troubled past, Shyne stays focused on his future and the well-being of his country. “Nobody has to fail for me to succeed,” he said, further evidence of his growth.

Meanwhile, the producer behind the success of artists like Mary J. Blige, The Notorious B.I.G. and The Lox is facing legal troubles. His legal team had proposed a $50 million bail to secure his release, but a judge denied the request, citing concerns about witness intimidation and flight risk. The music mogul will remain behind bars in Brooklyn as his trial approaches.


This article was originally published on : atlantablackstar.com
Continue Reading

Entertainment

Pharrell Williams ‘Irritated’ by Celebrity Political Endorsements

Published

on

By

Pharrell Williams shouldn’t be a fan of celebrity political endorsements. In an interview with Hollywood ReporterThe multi-faceted star shared her more “humanist” view of politics and her opinion on the music and entertainment industry’s involvement in elections.

“I’m more of a humanitarian. I like people who try to help others. I’m not sure I’ll ever vote for the far right. I won’t,” he reportedly said with fun. “But I’m not really into politics. I do like some of the politics; I think education is important. We have a nonprofit called YELLOW (whose mission is equality through education), and then there’s another 501(c)(3) that helps black and brown entrepreneurs called Black Ambition—those are the things I lean into. I’m not an activist, but I believe in action.”

As hundreds of men and girls rally to support Vice President Kamala Harris within the 2024 presidential election, Williams revealed his mixed feelings about celebrities publicly endorsing political candidates. When asked if he would allow any party to make use of his music of their campaigns, as Beyoncé did with Harris, Williams said no, adding that he sometimes “gets irritated” by celebrities getting involved in politics.

Featured Stories

“Sometimes I get annoyed when I see celebrities trying to tell you (who to vote for). There are celebrities I respect who have their own opinions, but not all of them. I’m one of those people (who says, ‘What the hell? Shut up. Nobody asked you,'” he explained. “When people come out and start thinking they’re righteous, they roll up their sleeves and go around with a sign saying, ‘Shut up!'”

In recent years, celebrity endorsements have turn into a key a part of each parties’ political campaigns. While Williams apparently has no plans to endorse anyone this election cycle, he publicly endorsed former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in 2016. Similarly, he sent former President Trump a letter demanding that he stop using his song “Happy” at one in all his rallies.

“Politics is not my field of expertise,” he said, at a Clinton rally in 2016“But I am a human being. I am a human being with a family, a human being who shares this Earth with other people. These elections are simply too important. I could not sit on the sidelines and just remain silent.”

Social media users were quick to criticize the Louis Vuitton menswear creative director for his seemingly contradictory comments.

“I respectfully disagree, Pharrell. The voices of the informed can educate,” one user wrote on X.

“That’s a privileged approach, lol,” said one other as well as.

Regardless of your opinion on celebrity political endorsements, Williams’ statement reminds us how vital it’s to do your research and fully understand the ballot before casting your vote.

This article was originally published on : thegrio.com
Continue Reading

Entertainment

Jennifer Lopez allegedly wants ‘revenge’ on Ben Affleck, revealing how he ‘let her down’ in the bedroom amid embarrassing divorce

Published

on

By

jlo-ben-affleck revenge

Soon-to-be-four-time divorcee Jennifer Lopez is reportedly gearing up to disclose unflattering details about her relationship with Ben Affleck following their recent split.

According to a brand new report, Lopez, 55, who has previously praised their passionate sex life in her music, is now considering changing her praise and should be preparing to release a song that paints a very different picture.

jlo-ben-affleck revenge
Sources claim that singer Jennifer Lopez wants to embarrass her soon-to-be ex-husband Ben Affleck with songs about his poor bedroom performance. (Photos: @jlo/(Instagram; Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

As tensions between them intensify following their breakup, a more essential side of their time together begins to come back to light.

Lopez, who once bragged about watching the “Good Will Hunting” actor have sex in the bedroom while singing sensual lyrics in “The Greatest Love Story Never Told,” appears to be changing his tune on Affleck’s abilities in the bedroom.

“When things were going well between them, J.Lo put Ben and his bedroom skills on a pedestal,” the insider said. revealed to In Touch, “but she’s taken off her rose-tinted glasses and is telling people he was actually a pretty selfish and basic lover.”

This marks a major change from Lopez’s previous tributes to Affleck, in which she appeared to idolize him each personally and physically.

Her latest album, This Is Me… Now: A Love Story, released in February, was intended to have a good time their renewed romance.

Lopez’s ninth studio album featured a companion film that showcased their relationship in a vibrant light. While she produced the project herself, In Touch’s alleged source claims that Affleck played a major role behind the scenes, likely controlling the narrative greater than people realize.

Just two months after the project’s premiere, the couple announced their end of collaboration and have remained separated ever since.

However, Lopez’s tone has reportedly modified drastically. She not praises Affleck’s talent but as a substitute expresses frustrations about their personal lives, especially his mediocre performance in the bedroom, a brand new report claims.

“She’s so pissed she wrote all those sexy lyrics about him,” an alleged insider told In Touch, claiming Lopez is considering writing one other song that exposes Affleck’s flaws.

The person said at the time: “She says she’s now ready to write a breakup song that hits where it hurts most and makes up to him for all the ways he let her down, including in the bedroom.”

Adding that Lopez uses writing as an outlet for her emotions and that her team is fully supportive of the idea, the anonymous spokesperson said, “She’s very emotional and angry right now, and part of the way she deals with her emotions is by keeping a journal and writing. Her team is encouraging her to channel that into songwriting.”

Lopez’s longtime manager Benny Medina and her team are reportedly urging her to pursue the project, though some speculate they’ve been working behind the scenes to break Affleck’s image since their marriage began to unravel.

This alleged manipulation is not any stranger to those that have previously been involved with Lopez’s life.

Her first husband, Ojani Noa, recently spoke to the Daily Mail about the similar treatment he experienced during his marriage to the star.

“(Her people) wanted her to look good for everything that was coming out — the movie, the album, and they didn’t want any bad publicity,” Noa claimed. “They made it sound like I didn’t want to be with her, and it was the opposite.”

There’s no word on whether Lopez plans to officially channel her frustrations with Affleck into recent music. She’s currently promoting her latest film, “Unstoppable,” a project she co-produced with Affleck and his longtime friend Matt Damon. Lopez recently attended the Toronto International Film Festival to advertise the film, although Affleck was noticeably absent.

Despite their split, the duo have remained in touch, reportedly raising their combined family together. Lopez and Affleck were recently spotted at the Polo Lounge at the Beverly Hills Hotel, where they met up with their children — Affleck’s daughter Seraphina, 15, son Samuel, 12, and Lopez’s twins, Emme and Max, 16 — for a family chat.

Art often imitates life, and Lopez’s story suggests she could use this tumultuous time to fuel her creativity. Whether it’s a chart-topping song or successful movie, the fallout from this breakup could encourage her next big hit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mMFIOGsIdA


This article was originally published on : atlantablackstar.com
Continue Reading
Advertisement

OUR NEWSLETTER

Subscribe Us To Receive Our Latest News Directly In Your Inbox!

We don’t spam! Read our privacy policy for more info.

Trending