The Rebirth of Kirk Franklin

1	Intro 2:09
2	Hosanna 5:07
3	Caught Up 5:57
4	911 / T.D. Jakes 4:41
5	The Blood Song / Crystal Lewis 5:36
6	Brighter Day 5:40
7	My Life, My Love, My All 6:22
8	Lookin' Out for Me / Willie Neal Johnson 5:53
9	He Reigns (The Medley) / Papa San 4:27
10	Interlude 2:37
11	Don't Cry 6:08
12	The Transition 0:46
13	Always 6:45
14	When I Get There 5:41
15	Interlude 0:43
16	Outro (The Blood) / Alvin Slaughter 5:11
17	[Untitled Track] 0:04
18	[Untitled Track] 0:04
19	[Untitled Track] 0:04
20	[Untitled Track] 0:04
21	[Untitled Track] 0:04
22	[Untitled Track] 0:05
23	Throw Yo Hands Up / tobyMac 4:28

Barnes & Noble

When talking about gospel star Kirk Franklin, the term "rebirth" is something of a redundancy -- after all, Franklin continues to reinvent himself, whether it's as a child prodigy/music minister, a multi-platinum solo artist, or a Svengali steering gospel choir God's Property onto MTV's heavy rotation. Franklin now invites listeners to witness the latest transformation with the autobiographical Rebirth of Kirk Franklin. Known for blending traditional gospel, urban hip-hop, and Latin styles into a unique, cohesive style, on Rebirth Franklin adds spoken-word vignettes into the mix with dramatic effect. One of the most touching is the opening intro, in which a woman begs her mother to take her baby "one last time," while her impatient boyfriend honks in the background -- we're reminded that Franklin's own mother abandoned him as an infant in the care of his great-aunt. Elsewhere, "911" is a powerful dialogue between Franklin and Bishop T. D. Jakes in which the former shares his distress over the September 11th attacks. On the musical front Franklin continues to break new ground, whether he's artfully weaving Rich Mullins's "Awesome God" into the Latin-tinged "He Reigns" or melding harmonica, opera, hard rock, and rap in "Throw Yo Hands Up," which features dcTalk's tobymac. Other special guests include Pastor Shirley Caesar, Jaci Velasquez, Crystal Lewis, Donnie McClurkin, Trin-i-tee 5:7, Alvin Slaughter, and the late gospel great Willie Neal Johnson. With this incarnation, Franklin remains a force to be reckoned with. Lisa Zhito

All Music Guide

This project is as close as it gets to having a true, bona fide masterpiece. The artistic genius of Kirk Franklin weaves through each of the 17 songs included on this gem. The title of this project, The Rebirth of Kirk Franklin, says it all. Musically speaking, he has been born again. The project effectively mixes live tracks recorded in Houston, TX, in early 2001, with some stellar studio tracks. Many naysayers have unjustly criticized Franklin for departing the successful formula of this self-titled debut project, which included the mega-hit "Why We Sing." Well, in that regards, he has returned to the traditional/contemporary-flavored mix of his early work, only with a more progressive feel. Franklin has never been noted or recognized for his singing ability, a fact that he readily recognizes, sticking ever closely to his spoken-word rap. He relies on his talented background vocalist, along with the all-star list of special guests, to take care of the vocal chores. Featured throughout are such artists as Donnie McClurkin, Crystal Lewis, Jackie Velazquez, Shirley Caesar, Richard Smallwood, the late Willie Neal Johnson, Yolanda Adams, and Bishop T.D. Jakes, among others, with the latter joining Franklin on the track "911." There is also a hidden bonus track entitled "J Train," featuring Franklin and DC Talk's Tobymac. The true brilliance of Kirk Franklin shines again. ~ Tim A. Smith, All Music Guide