The Ultimate Icon Award, honoring gospel icon Kirk Franklin's revolutionary influence on music and culture, was given at the 2025 BET Awards. The ceremony, which honored Franklin alongside other honorees Mariah Carey, Jamie Foxx, and Snoop Dogg for their contributions to the industry, took place on June 9 at the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles.

In his acceptance address, Kirk Franklin expresses his gratitude to his wife

After an introduction by rapper T.I., who lauded Franklin for bringing gospel and hip-hop closer together, Franklin gave a very heartfelt acceptance speech. He started by thanking Gertrude, the mother who adopted him when he was four years old and gave him the love and stability he had been craving, as reported by People.com. In describing his difficult upbringing, Franklin explained how music became his refuge and a way for him to express his religion.

The majority of Franklin's address was devoted to his wife Tammy Franklin and their children. "Your father, one of my heroes, is fighting for his life, and you're sitting here with me." Many thanks. You have given me a legacy that I will never be able to pay you back for. You gave me my young leader, Caziah. My closest buddy, Carrington. Kennedy, a twin. In addition, you collaborated with the mother of my oldest, Kerrion, whom I adore with all my heart, Franklin stated in his remarks.

Additionally, he admitted that he is not flawless, even if he has won the honor. "I make mistakes and I'm not flawless." I do wrong. I am not a flawless Christian. I'm not a flawless spouse. And this prize is all the more fantastic because, as we all know, I'm not a great dad or even a great artist—I can't even sing!

Concerning Kirk Franklin

Franklin, who has won 20 Grammys, rose to prominence in the 1990s as the King of Urban Gospel. His most well-known works are Imagine Me, I Smile, Lean on Me, and Wanna Be Happy? With his breakthroughs, he is credited with revolutionizing gospel music. In 1993, he published Kirk Franklin and the Family, his first album.

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