Track Listing

1. Intro
2. Declaration (This Is It)
3. Little Boy
4. Help Me Believe
5. Hide Me
6. How It Used To Be
7. He Will Supply
8. Jesus
9. I Am God
10. It Would Take All Day
11. A Whole Nation
12. Still In Love
13. I Like Me
14. Chains
15. Still (In Control)
16. The Last Jesus

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #23786 in Music
• Released on: 2007-12-18
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Dimensions: .23 pounds

CD Description
Kirk Franklin is the top selling urban Gospel act of all time, and for good reason! He continually reinvents himself and has an uncanny ability to speak directly to the hearts of his listeners, who are as diverse as the musical genres that he seamlessly incorporates into his music ministry. His forthcoming release, 'The Fight Of My Life', is possibly the most compelling body of work to date. It examines the most difficult battle that anyone can face: the battle with one's self. Song by song, Kirk delves into the internal struggles that we face as believers, and more universally, as people. 'Little Boy', which features Rance Allen addresses the plight of our youth in today's materialistic and harsh society. 'I Like Me' is a compelling chant of affirmation, also directed toward our youth, featuring acclaimed Gospel rapper Da T.R.U.T.H. The song boldly encourages young people to love themselves, perceived flaws and all. 'Help Me Believe' is a beautiful ballad that demonstrates the need for one's faith to be renewed, usually in the midst of life's most turbulent storms. Also included in this awesome collection of songs is 'The Last Jesus', which reminds us all that Christ lives within us and we must remember that, at any given moment, we may be the only "Jesus" that they see. Of course, no Kirk Franklin release would be complete without his signature praise-party starters, and Kirk serves up a double-dose here! 'Declaration (This Is it)' samples the famed Kenny Loggins classic 'This Is It' and brilliantly brings the familiar into modern musicality with Franklin's masterful innovations! Not stopping there, Franklin also presents 'Jesus', which is poised to become a bold universal anthem, with production that rivals any urban song currently on the radio. 'Jesus' picks up where Franklin's last smash, 'Looking For You' left off and propels the listener into another praise chant, 2008-style! 'The Fight of My Life' is a clarion call for all those who are disturbed about the social ills that plague our planet, and a beacon of light for those who earnestly yearn for another way. Franklin has done it again!

Customer Reviews

A brash bass-weighty track,
A brash bass-weighty track, posturing on the street corners of the genre - check out `Little Boy'. A positive confession is here with `Declaration - This Is It, affirming the faint'. A pensive ballad makes a show with `Help Me Believe'. Oh, and a churchy piano ballad features in `He Will Supply'. And with the above mentioned songs all done by track 7, you'll know it's definitely Kirk. He is now well established as the elder statesman in his field and there's a sincerity and maturity that exceeds previous recent albums. And I do sense a more powerful anointing, especially in the lyrics department.

I do like `How It Used To Be' though it sounds strangely familiar. `I Am God' is on the crossover rock tip. `It Would Take All Day' is sweet enough but not as tasty as `Still In Love' with a 1980s feel, reminiscent of the innocent funk cuts made for radio. The jazz/gospel slow-mo `Chains' sits well in either foreground or background. And throughout the album Kirk's spoken vocals are kept fairly low and are helpfully unobtrusive to proceedings.

Yes, there are several flags that shout `Franklin' at us but this is an extension of the fare one might expect of him. There are some new pointers and ideas, all backed up lyrically and sprinkled with a dusting of sincerity. This is Kirk taking a step back and letting his girlie choir get on with it, with results.

Kirk Franklin: The Go-To Artist when life is Hard
I have never been the biggest Kirk Franklin fan. In fact the last CD I purchased of his was The Nu Nation Project, and even that belongs to the wife. So why buy this release. Well I was intrigued by the cover photo of this CD, and the fact that Kirk has had addiction problems made me curious. So what do you get on this CD? Well I think that Kirks' strength on the CDs that I have, including this one, are the quality of his mid, to slow tempo songs. Particularly when they address the struggles that the Christian walk can bring. Songs such as `Still (In Control), 'He Will Supply' & 'It Would Take All Day'. 'Help Me Believe', 'Hide Me' and 'Chains' are encouraging, uplifting anthems that you find yourself singing in the shower, or at your desk. These are Kirk's bread & butter, which he does extremely well, and are a strong suite of this CD. Kirk also takes a departure from his usual offerings with 'I Am God', and 'I like me'. And for me they both work. The former is a Rock/alternative, which features Toby Mac ( formerly of DC Talk) with the added benefit of strings and a Choir, and string section, which sounds like a traditional worship song, given a new twist. The latter features 'Da T.R.U.T.H, of Cross Movement Records, with a Funky clapped beat. I'm also really feeling 'Still in Love ' which is a bright & breezy Roller-skating jam that is brilliant.
Where I think this CD falls down is in the more up-tempo songs. They aren't awful, but they don't really stand out, particularly against the quality of the slower, mid tempo, efforts. 'Little Boy' is too predictable, and Kirks' effort to sing/rap doesn't work. The song only picks up when the hook/chorus kicks in with other/better vocalists. 'Declaration (This Is It)' which has a great video to boot, also falls flat. 'A Whole Nation' while a worthy song that deals with an important issue (Father, and the lack of their involvement in a child life) would have worked better without, Kirks chatter. These minor issues do not distract from a good CD that, for me, due mainly to the quality of the slower, mid tempo songs, is a four Star release.

Something for everybody
Love this Album, has included different styles; some old school/traditional gospel, contemporay, R&B, rap, and rock.