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No one would fault Kirk Franklin for taking some time to rest. But more than a decade after bursting on the national scene with his revolutionary sound, Franklin—the top-selling gospel artist of the SoundScan era—still seems to be in almost constant motion, spending the last few years writing, producing, working with youth ministry, and lending his talents to efforts as diverse as The Hopeville Tour and The Gospel movie soundtrack. Days before the release of Hero, which debuted at No. 1 on Billboard magazine's Gospel and Christian charts, Franklin spoke to Christian Music Today about his past struggles, working with Stevie Wonder, and his dreams for his new label, Fo Yo Soul Entertainment.

This seems to be your most personal album yet. Is this an accurate perception?

Kirk Franklin Why do you say that?

As I listen and read the liner notes, it seems like you've shared very personal thoughts.

Franklin Well, I just really felt led to do a horizontal album. Christian music can be very vertical, which is very important—those "us and Jesus" songs. But I really felt God leading me to do an album with more of a horizontal way of representing Jesus—Christ in the culture. And that's what I'm hearing God pull from me.

In the song "Let It Go," you're very open about struggles in your life, especially the hurt in your family life growing up. Why did you choose to be so open, and how did you get to the point of willingness to share that?

Franklin I just felt like it was time. It's amazing—there are things that you feel like you would never talk about, but God puts you in a place where he just frees you—and not only frees you, but puts a burning inside of you. And so that's where I've been.

I don't know how I came to be willing to share about that. I honestly think that it's just a very natural thing for me to talk too much, and I just believe that God wired me that way and used that as a conduit just to share.

It seems like on this album you collaborate with a lot of artists who've had personal struggles as well.

Franklin Hmmm.

That really seems to come through. Was that intentional?

Franklin I don't necessarily know if I tried to work with artists who have had personal struggles. These are just people that I've developed friendships with that I enjoy their gift. I just wanted to marry them with certain songs that are very close to me.

Talk about the song "Why." You've made some very specific references to political situations, like the war in Iraq. What was the writing process like for that song?

Franklin God just gave me the idea one day. I was sitting at the piano at the house, and God just kind of was dropping some ideas in my heart. As I started writing them out, working on a song, they just felt really on the edge. And I thought, Oh, man, I really need to get some accountability on this, make sure this is cool to say. And so I just called my pastor and was reading the lyrics to him, and he was like, "Oh, man, that's cool, I like that." He was like, "Good, say it, say it."

You're talking about Tony Evans, who's been a friend and mentor.

Franklin Yeah.

Were you nervous about the way the song would be received? You've been to the White House and performed for President Bush. Did you ever have a moment where you thought, I don't want to be a prophet?

Franklin No. For me, writing the song was just me doing what was on my heart to do. And when you're in the middle of it, you're not thinking about doing anything else.

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