Kirk Franklin has apologized after his son posted a recording of a heated exchange between the pair to Instagram in which the Grammy Award-winning gospel artist cursed at the younger Kerrion Franklin.
In the video, Franklin can be heard telling his son that he would “put my foot in your ass,” and that he would “break his neck” if he ever disrespected him. When Kerrion responded that he didn’t disrespect him, the call ended.
Kerrion wrote a lengthy caption alongside the video post, explaining that he doesn’t feel safe around his father at all and that the recording highlights the treatment he faces from his father behind closed doors.
This is why I’m done. No father should speak to their children like this. If I have any issues it’s because Of this type of treatment that ii deal with behind closed doors. Hanging up in my face, No apology, no compassion, no effort. Stop telling me to go home to my family I don’t even know where they live. I don’t think I’ll ever trust my father to be alone around him ever again. I didn’t want to do this. I probably won’t release the entire recording because it’s too embarrassing that Im even dealing with this. No matter what ppl think I pray my dad deals with his deep hatred toward me. I don’t feel safe around him at all. This recording is recent it is not from 2018 just to clarify. Im going to learn from these experiences, live my life in peace and make beautiful art
A few hours later, Franklin posted an apology to Twitter.
Franklin explained that his relationship with Kerrion has been rocky for years and said that he’s tried to work through their issues with counseling and therapy. “Many of you know I have an older son named Kerrion Franklin. In May, he’ll be 33. For many years, we’ve had a toxic relationship with him as a family,” he said. “We tried for many years through counseling, through therapy, to try and rectify this private family matter.”
“Recently, my son and I had an argument that he chose to record. I felt extremely disrespected in that conversation and I lost my temper. I said words that were not appropriate and I am sincerely sorry to all of you. I sincerely apologize,” Franklin continued.
The choir director claimed that his son did not play the entirety of the conversation and that the family therapist later joined their call to help alleviate the tense moment. “I want you to know as a father that during that conversation, I called the family therapist and got that therapist on the phone to try and help. He never played that part of the recording. I’m not perfect. I’m human and I’m going to make mistakes and I’m trying to get it right. Please keep me and my family in your prayers.”
Kerrion responded to his father’s apology in a follow-up post. “Plz do not crucify my father. I am not here to bash him across the board. I didn’t even cuss in the recording. Why do ppl ‘assume’ I did something to deserve verbal abuse,” he said. “I just said what he said back to me. my father has been speaking very mean & manipulatively to me for 15 years now.”
After the exchange, Twitter found itself split on the Franklin family drama:
