Kirk Franklin Defends His Relationship with ‘Brother’ Kanye

*Kirk Franklin caught flack from many colleagues and Christians when Kanye West revealed that the gospel singer would be featured on his new album, “The Life Of Pablo.”

According to a New York Times review of the record,  the first song on the album, “Ultra Light Beams” features Franklin praying, and Kanye has referred to the track as “a God dream.”

“You know this album is really a gospel album and the first song ‘Ultra Light Beams’ said ‘this is a God dream’ — and this is something, like all y’all 20,000 people here right now, that couldn’t happen without God really holding me down,” West told the Madison Square Garden audience, E! News reports. “I’ll forever appreciate Jay-Z for that, I’ll forever appreciate Adidas for that, and I’ll forever appreciate my wife and her family for supporting me.”

Kirk says he was heavily criticized for participating on West’s album, and now he’s defending his relationship with the tortured rapper saying, “Kanye is not me. I am not him. He is my brother I am proud to do life with.”

You can check out Kirk’s lengthy IG message below, in which he addresses those quick to judge and condemn.

Kanye is not me. I am not him. He is my brother I am proud to do life with. No sprints, but Marathons; like most of us are on. Before one song was released, I was crucified because my brother asked me to take a picture. Again “no Kanye, you’re not good enough”? No. That is a dangerous message I believe we send to the world when our posture is they have to meet certain requirements before they are worthy to kiss the ring. It says people are not redeemable, forgivable or candidates for grace. That my friend is religious. I will not turn my back on my brother. I will love him, prayerfully grow with him. However long he’ll have me, and however long the race takes. To a lot of my Christian family, I’m sorry he’s not good enough, Christian enough, or running at your pace…and as I read some of your comments, neither am I. That won’t stop me from running. Pray we win.

A photo posted by Kirk Franklin (@kirkfranklin) on Feb 13, 2016 at 10:11pm PST

Kirk also joined Kanye Saturday night on SNL to perform “Ultralight Beam” alongside Chance the Rapper, Kelly Price and The-Dream. Check it out below:

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