Category Archives: Popular radio

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DeVon Franklin to Produce Gospel Music Star Kirk Franklin Biopic, Asking For Suggestions For Who Should Play Kirk!

Hello World,

Kirk Franklin is one of my favorite gospel music artists of all time! His music, testimony and the way he lives out his faith has encouraged me despite the street preacher’s recent rebuke of Kirk Franklin outside of his Long Live Love tour performance in Jacksonville, Florida. (After the rebuke, Kirk met up with the street preacher to discuss their differences which is another reason why I think Kirk is a messenger from God. I’m not sure that other gospel artists would have engaged the street preacher in the same way particularly after the man condemned him to hell and wouldn’t even shake his hand after Kirk extended his hand in peace…)

Due to Kirk’s innovation, reach and longevity in the gospel music industry coupled with his inspiring life story, Kirk Franklin is a biopic in the making. That’s why I was excited to find out from Deadline that his life story will be brought to the silver screen! From Deadline:

EXCLUSIVE: Sony is taking us to church with an upcoming biopic about multi-platinum gospel singer Kirk Franklin. The film, currently untitled, is being produced by former Sony exec DeVon Franklin via his Franklin Entertainment banner, while  Franklin will serve as an executive producer through his label Fo Yo Soul Entertainment.

Brian Ivie (The Drop Box ) has been tapped to write the film which will follow 14-time Grammy-winning artist from his humble beginning through his meteoric rise to fame as he changes the face of gospel music and battles his demons in the process. Ivie most recently wrote and directed the Emanuel, a documentary about the 2015 Charleston church mass shooting.

For more, go to Deadline.com.

Via his Facebook page, DeVon is asking who should play Kirk in the biopic?!!

While they do favor, rapper Plies is not a candidate, DeVon says! LOL

They sure do look like though, right? Somebody suggested Kevin Hart. Well, they have their height in common although Kirk is reportedly one inch taller than Kevin at 5’5.

But via his Instragram page, Christian actor Jorel Quinn says he can do Kirk justice and I have to agree…

 

View this post on Instagram

 

Someone said there’s a biopic on @kirkfranklin in the works, produced by @devonfranklin 😌 💡 💭 🙏🏾🙋🏾‍♂️

A post shared by Jor él Quinn (@jorelquinn) on

What y’all think? Can Jorel be Kirk in the untitled biopic?

So if you have a casting suggestion for Kirk Franklin, hit up DeVon and Kirk up on their social media @DeVonFranklin & @KirkFranklin. They may just take you up on your suggestion!

Any thoughts?

 

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McDonald’s ICGT & RCAI Name Winner in Atlanta Weekend Featuring Donald Lawrence, Kierra Sheard, Sir the Baptist and More (PHOTOS)!

Tour host and media personality Lonnie Hunter engages grand prize winner Aarion Rhodes (L-R)on stage prior to her showstopping audition at the first-ever Golden Voice Talent Showcase. The showcase is offered in select markets of the 13th Annual McDonald’s Inspiration Celebration Gospel Tour and is in partnership with RCA Inspiration.

Hello World,

This past weekend, McDonald’s USA brought the first-ever Golden Voice Talent Showcase and in-depth Master Class to Atlanta as part of the 13th Annual McDonald’s Inspiration Celebration Gospel Tour.

This is the first time the Golden Arches has offered a two-day empowering and educational experience as part of its free nationwide tour. The tour is an extension of McDonald’s Black & Positively Golden campaign, an initiative that shines a brilliant light on Black excellence through the areas of empowerment, education and entrepreneurship. The Golden Voice Talent Showcase and Master Class were produced in partnership with RCA Inspiration.

GOLDEN VOICE TALENT SHOWCASE: The power-packed experience kicked off with the Golden Voice Talent Showcase Friday night at the Riverside Epicenter. Twenty-four hopefuls from as near as metro Atlanta to as far as Rochester, NY, auditioned before a crowd of gospel music fans and judges, including musical powerhouses Donald Lawrence, Kierra Sheard and Sir the Baptist. RCA Inspiration Vice President of Marketing Damon Williams joined the judging panel, giving aspiring singers feedback on their performances. In the end, Atlanta-native Aarion Rhodes, blew away the judges and onlookers with a traditional gospel hymn. She took home the grand prize, which included opening for the McDonald’s Inspiration Celebration Gospel Tour concert the following day in her hometown.

MASTER CLASS: The following morning, the showcase judges joined tour host Lonnie Hunter for an in-depth Master Class, held at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church. The panelists gave an intimate crowd an inside look into the music business.

CONCERT:The exciting weekend culminated with a much-anticipated, explosive concert featuring performances by Donald Lawrence, Kierra Sheard, Sir the Baptist, Tye Tribbett, Keke Wyatt and DJ Standout. The event was hosted by Lonnie Hunter and drew approximately 6,000 attendees to New Birth.

Atlanta-native Aarion Rhodes took home the grand prize at the first-ever Golden Voice Talent Showcase. As part of the prize, Rhodes got to open the Atlanta concert of the 13th Annual McDonald’s Inspiration Celebration Gospel Tour on June 22. The showcase is offered in select tour markets and is in partnership with RCA Inspiration.

DJ Standout, Kierra Sheard, Donald Lawrence and Sir the Baptist (L-R) join grand prize winner Aarion Rhodes (Center) on stage after the first-ever Golden Voice Talent Showcase. The showcase is offered in select markets of the 13th Annual McDonald’s Inspiration Celebration Gospel Tour and is in partnership with RCA Inspiration.

Twenty-four contestants eagerly await the announcement of the night’s top performers at the first-ever Golden Voice Talent Showcase. The showcase is offered in select markets of the 13th Annual McDonald’s Inspiration Celebration Gospel Tour and is in partnership with RCA Inspiration.

DJ Standout spins during the 13th Annual McDonald’s Inspiration Celebration Gospel Tour pre-show in Atlanta. The tour is an extension of McDonald’s Black & Positively Golden campaign, which celebrates Black excellence through education, empowerment and entrepreneurship.

Hip-hop gospel artist Sir the Baptist performs during the 13th Annual McDonald’s Inspiration Celebration Gospel Tour concert in Atlanta. The tour is an extension of McDonald’s Black & Positively Golden campaign, which celebrates Black excellence through education, empowerment and entrepreneurship.

Famed gospel vocalist Kierra Sheard performs during the 13th Annual McDonald’s Inspiration Celebration Gospel Tour concert in Atlanta. The tour is an extension of McDonald’s Black & Positively Golden campaign, which celebrates Black excellence through education, empowerment and entrepreneurship.

Vocal powerhouse Keke Wyatt performs during the 13th Annual McDonald’s Inspiration Celebration Gospel Tour concert in Atlanta. The tour is an extension of McDonald’s Black & Positively Golden campaign, which celebrates Black excellence through education, empowerment and entrepreneurship.

Legendary music director and producer Donald Lawrence performs during the 13th Annual McDonald’s Inspiration Celebration Gospel Tour concert in Atlanta. The tour is an extension of McDonald’s Black & Positively Golden campaign, which celebrates Black excellence through education, empowerment and entrepreneurship.

Gospel music vocalist Tye Tribbett performs during the 13th Annual McDonald’s Inspiration Celebration Gospel Tour concert in Atlanta. The tour is an extension of McDonald’s Black & Positively Golden campaign, which celebrates Black excellence through education, empowerment and entrepreneurship.

Atlanta-area McDonald’s Owner/Operator John Hurt delivers remarks during the 13th Annual McDonald’s Inspiration Celebration Gospel Tour concert in Atlanta. The tour is an extension of McDonald’s Black & Positively Golden campaign, which celebrates Black excellence through education, empowerment and entrepreneurship.

Any thoughts?

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BET Announces Top 20 Contestants of ‘Sunday Best’ – Premieres Sun. June 30th at 8/7c!

Hello World,

Returning from its four-year hiatus, America’s most inspirational singing competition, “Sunday Best,” makes its triumphant return to BET on Sunday, June 30that 8/7c with two brand-new back-to-back episodes. The well-established gospel show welcomes back Grammy Award®-winning music legend Kirk Franklin as host, gospel songstress and host of “Get Up Mornings,” Erica Campbell as a judge; and added two Grammy-Award® nominated artists Kelly Price and Jonathan McReynolds as new additions to the panel. With a brand-new stage and exciting themed challenges, this season has narrowed down the competition to 20 finalists.

The new season kicks off for the first time ever with in-person auditions in front of the judges, with no audience.  The contestants have to show their true talent, with no smoke and mirrors, by performing acapella with no band support, as they narrow the field from 20 to the top 10.  For the first time the contestants were able to use an online submissions process, after which the team lead a global search for this year’s contestants, leading up to the much-anticipated live auditions in Dallas, TX, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, GA, and Detroit, MI, Lagos, Nigeria and for the first time-ever London, England and Johannesburg, South Africa, which were open to select international contestants. The top 20 contestants are:

  • Antonio Santora, 31, Durham, North Carolina
  • Ashley Barnes, 24, Memphis, Tennessee
  • Brielle Frage, 21, Avenel, New Jersey
  • Cornelius Edwards, 33, West Palm Beach, Florida
  • Chelsey Barnes, 22, Memphis, TN
  • Emorja Roberson, 27, South Bend, Indiana
  • Jamal Roberts, 22, Meridian, Mississippi
  • James Thompson, 23, Derby UK
  • Jason Warrior, 23, Chicago, IL
  • Joshua Copeland, 37, Salisbury, Maryland
  • Kayva Offord, 27, Orange, Texas
  • Keyla Richardson, 22, Pensacola, Florida
  • Lakeesha Rice, 36, Greensboro, North Carolina
  • Linda Williams, 52, University Heights, OH
  • Melvin Crispell III, 21, Charlotte, North Carolina
  • Opal Staples, 38, Chicago, IL
  • Roy Moye, 26, Wichita, Kansas
  • Tiffany Andrews, 35, Newark, New Jersey
  • Tiffany Moore, 35, Augusta, Georgia
  • Yoonjung Park, 32, South Korea

Jesse Collins, CEO of Jesse Collins Entertainment (BET Awards, The New Edition Story), serves as executive producer of season nine of Sunday Best along with showrunner Josh Greenberg (The Sing-Off, Lip Sync Battle).  Dionne Harmon (The Bobby Brown Story, Hip Hop Squares) and Jeannae Rouzan–Clay (Dear Mama, Black Girls Rock!) and are co-executive producers.

For updates and more information about “SUNDAY BEST”, please visit BET.com/SundayBest. Join the conversation on social media by logging on to our social media platforms using the hashtag: #BETSundayBest.

Any thoughts?