Kirk Dewayne Franklin (born January 26, 1970) is an American gospel musician and one of the best-selling gospel artists of all time. Born in Fort Worth, Texas, he was raised by his aunt after being abandoned as a baby. Franklin began leading church choirs at age 11 and emerged in the early 1990s as a pioneering force in contemporary gospel music. He has won 20 Grammy Awards and is known for blending traditional gospel with hip-hop and R&B elements, revolutionizing the genre and bringing it to mainstream audiences.