Kirk Franklin Says Son Hasn't Taken Responsibility

The gospel singer discussed his strained relationship with Kerrion Franklin during an appearance on Big Boy's Neighborhood.

Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in R&B

Kirk Franklin Says Son Hasn't Taken Responsibility

Grammy-winning gospel singer Kirk Franklin said his estranged son, Kerrion Franklin, has not taken responsibility for their fractured relationship. Franklin made the remarks on Big Boy's Neighborhood on October 26, saying he still loves his son.

Why it matters

The comments revisit a family conflict that became public in 2021, when a leaked phone recording captured Franklin cursing at his son and making threats. Franklin has since apologized for the recording and said he will never expose his son publicly.

Kerrion Franklin is 38 years old, and the conflict traces to a leaked March 2021 phone recording. The source does not indicate whether the two have had any recent contact or reconciliation.

The players

Kirk Franklin

Kirk Franklin is a Grammy-winning gospel singer whose music and public profile have made him one of the best-known voices in contemporary gospel.

Kerrion Franklin

Kerrion Franklin is the son of Kirk Franklin, and the two have been at the center of a publicly discussed family estrangement since a 2021 recording surfaced.

The details

Franklin discussed the family conflict on Big Boy's Neighborhood, saying he came to learn that Kerrion was auditioning for a reality TV show during the 2021 incident. In a 2023 Page Six interview, he described the leaked recording as contributing to the worst two years of his life.

March 2021: A leaked phone recording of Kirk and Kerrion Franklin becomes public.
2021: Kirk Franklin discusses family pain on The Real.
2023: Franklin describes the leaked recording as the worst two years of his life in a Page Six interview.
October 26: Franklin revisits the estrangement on Big Boy's Neighborhood.

Public Feud Revisited

Franklin's remarks return to the March 2021 leaked recording that first brought the father-son conflict into public view. Nearly four and a half years later, the dispute is still being discussed in interviews rather than settled.

Listeners who follow Franklin's music can still access his catalog through standard platforms, and the interviews are available through the stations that aired them. The conflict itself does not change how or where his music is available.

The takeaway

Family disputes that play out in public can outlast the news cycle that first revealed them. Franklin's comments show that an apology does not always close a conflict, and that time alone may not resolve it.