Kirk Franklin has issued an apology to the people of Jamaica for his viral 2024 performance on the island.
The “Love Theory” artist performed at the Fun in the Sun concert at the National Stadium in Kingston last year February and things did not went well for the famed gospel singer. Not only did Kirk Frankilin went viral online for his outfit, but also for his choice of dancing during his performance. Fans in Jamaica and worldwide backlash the singer calling his performance not fitting for a gospel artist.
It seemed that Franklin had some time to think about what went down and some eight months later he decided to respond to the criticisms and apologize. In a video posted on his YouTube channel, the singer admitted that he sees how the performance could be “disrespectful” for some people.
“I am aware now that my choice of attire, which as a team we thought was going to be fine — being outside in the weather — was going to be something that would not come across as disrespectful,” he said. “And since I have spent most of my career dancing and moving around and jumping onstage, that I didn’t know that I would ever do anything that would ever offend anyone in any community, but it did. And because it did, I sincerely apologize.”
In the aftermath of the performance in Jamaica’s capital, Kirk Franklin received heavy backlash from the Christian community, who urged him to wear attire they deemed more appropriate to reflect Christian values and to perform with less theatrics. Perhaps the singer has had some time to reflect on the criticisms, particularly some heard on radio talk shows and social media blogs.
“I sincerely apologize, because I never want to get to a place that I can’t learn… that I can’t learn what I need to do better,” he said in the lengthy video apology. “What I can do different to make sure that, as I grow as a man, grow musically, in any aspect, that I’m always being humble enough, and submissive enough, to hear people and their concerns about anything being bigger than the message of Jesus. Because it doesn’t matter what my goal… is, if I’m louder than the message of Jesus then I’ve failed.”
Kirk Franklin apologizes for his outfit during a 2024 performance in Jamaica and admits he was doing too much when he was caught twerking on stage that same year.
(? Kirk Franklin/YouTube) pic.twitter.com/EfiLC687Fg
— The Art Of Dialogue (@ArtOfDialogue_) January 3, 2025
I'm upset that Kirk Franklin can't be his authentic self as the goonified music saint that God made him to be. Let him cook. He can't help he got that dawg in him. pic.twitter.com/8g5BNPdsfD
— Sassington, M.C. (@MissSassbox) October 30, 2024
Following Kirk Franklin’s apology, Jamaicans have been reacting to the controversy on social media. “Kirk, you have been bigger than the message of Jesus for a long time. The fact that love Hollywood more than Jesus has been an issue for a long time. It’s not just about your attire, it’s your heart state,” one person wrote.
