A red-suited Kirk Franklin and gospel collective Maverick City Music took the 2022 BET Awards stage with a spiritual performance. Joined by a choir and live instruments, together, the musicians and singers delivered a powerful performance of their religious tunes.
Their two-song set began with the song “Kingdom” from Maverick City Music and Kirk Franklin’s latest album Kingdom Book One. The praise and worship session continued with Kirk Franklin’s 1995 classic “Melodies From Heaven.”
Kirk Franklin attends the 2022 BET Awards at Microsoft Theater on June 26, 2022 in Los Angeles, California.Later in the night, Kirk Franklin was announced as the winner of the Dr. Bobby Jones Best Gospel / Inspiration Award, for his song “We Win” with Lil Baby. Instead of accepting the award, the acclaimed musician invited Maverick City Music on stage and passed the group the torch, declaring them the rightful awardees.
Their joint album, Kingdom Book One, was recorded in a prison and 1,300 inmates participated in its creation.
“Walking past these brothers who were singing my songs on the way to the performance was really, really humbling,” Franklin detailed to Rolling Stone. “To hear the hope and freedom in their voices even though they were in situations that are extremely challenging … that’s why we do what we do, and that’s what the music is for.”
Watch Kirk Franklin and Maverick City Music perform “Kingdom” and “Melodies From Heaven” above.
