Gospel legend Kirk Franklin is drawing criticism from conservative Christians in Jamaica for flexing his muscles and gyrating while ministering in a tank top and shorts at “Fun in the Son,” a well-known annual gospel concert sponsored by Best Dressed Chicken, a brand from the company Jamaica Broilers Group, which is known for their commitment to Judeo-Christian values. The company website states, “At Jamaica Broilers Group, we are committed to staying true to the core. Our core values are based on Judeo-Christian principles and form the foundation on which our business is built and on which we are encouraged to conduct our lives.”
The statement continues, “This is how we determine what is expected of us in fulfilling our obligations to our customers, shareholders, employees, contractors, and communities. Our policies and procedures reflect these principles, and as they are the bedrock of our culture — they are ours to own, protect and live without compromise.” Prior to the “Fun in the Son” concert that took place at the Caribbean island’s National Stadium on Saturday, the company, which engages in the production and distribution of poultry products, animal feeds and agricultural items and has significant operations in the U.S., encouraged the public to join them in celebrating 65 years of “God’s faithfulness,” with Franklin, Toby Mac, and several local Christian artists.
“The Best Dressed Chicken is celebrating 65 years of God’s faithfulness to our company, and in light of this, we want to invite Jamaica to join us for a free, family-friendly festival,” the company announced. “We believe God has blessed us, so we want to bless others. We are about transforming the lives of people for Jesus Christ so that they can positively impact the future of our country. Our hope is that this Gospel Festival will change lives by providing spiritually uplifting, wholesome, fun-filled activities where people can celebrate their love of God with their family and friends.” Many concertgoers, however, did not get that message from Franklin’s performance. Reactions to a viral video of Franklin performing at the concert posted on X by The Tropix on Sunday, which has been viewed more than 947,000 times, show some members of the audience were so confused and offended that they walked out.
“I was at the concert, and honestly, he confused me. I was listening to the songs as the females sang, but he distracted me the whole time. I couldn’t connect to the songs after looking at him. He was dancing like I was in an Usher, Michael Jackson, and Chris Brown concert,” wrote one woman who described herself as a “God-fearing chica” on X. “I walked out during his first song! This just didn’t sit well with me how he was behaving on that stage. I thought I was at an Usher concert!” Tasha Brown added in response to another video of Franklin on stage dancing at the concert shared on Facebook by the Jamaica Gleaner.
Others commenting on social media, like Craig Anthony Shim, made vulgar jokes about the gospel star’s performance. “He acting like he at Diddy house,” Shim quipped on Facebook, referencing the cloud of explosive sexual abuse allegations against music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs. Asked about the concerns raised by the concertgoers about Franklin’s presentation at “Fun in the Son” and his apparent departure from the spirit of the company’s celebration of “65 years of God’s faithfulness,” Jamaica Broilers Group President and CEO Christopher Levy told The Christian Post in a statement that the company had “expected more” from Franklin.
“When we engage an artist, it is with a degree of trust that the artist will be aware and sensitive to their audience. We expected more from Mr. Franklin,” said Levy, who is also described on the company’s website as “a follower of Christ” who “attributes his success to an abiding trust and faith in the Lord’s guidance.” “We are cognizant that each of us are working through our relationship with The Lord, and we prayerfully support his growth,” Levy noted.
This isn’t the first time that Franklin has been criticized for what was perceived as improperly representing Christ in a performance. In 2019, a street preacher who identified himself only as Ty from a ministry called Untamed Truth went viral for rebuking the gospel music star for failing to represent the Gospel during a 3.5-minute performance at the BET Awards show. He also accused Franklin of selling his soul to the devil.