Maverick City Music & Kirk Franklin Releases 'Kingdom Book 1'

Music

On Friday, June 17, GRAMMY Award-winning music collective Maverick City Music and 16-time GRAMMY winner Kirk Franklin brought light to the injustices around mass incarceration—and the voices of 1,300 inmates—to center stage with the release of their collaborative album Kingdom Book 1; on the Tribl Records/Fo Yo Soul Entertainment/RCA Inspiration label.

The genre-transcending, 11-track project, recorded entirely from the grounds of a Florida prison, features Maverick City Music and Franklin chronicling the experience, alongside more than 90% of those who remain incarcerated at the location.

Joined by men from all walks of life—different gangs, races and backgrounds—Kingdom Book 1 evolved from an unfiltered message of love and universal acceptance and became a passionate, powerful transcendent moment.

"I think this album is for every fan that loves music, and our hope is that these songs and the stories behind them will serve as a way to raise awareness to the challenges that people face everyday—many of which are forgotten about," Maverick City Music's Jonathan Jay explains. "For me, the most impactful part of this experience was the prisoners' reaction to simply being remembered as humans. It was an overwhelming sense of gratitude and excitement that carried through every day we spent with these men. It was unbelievable, and I think if more people would just become aware of these feelings, they would want to help find a solution for the issues that come with incarceration."

WATCH: Maverick City performs at the 64th GRAMMY Awards

"We want awareness around the topics that affect the community that we represent, as black and brown people, primarily," Maverick City Music’s Tony Brown continues. "It's important that we're able to not just share our songs, but also share the heart and the lives that these songs are coming from. Most of us, in some way, have been impacted by these issues, and as we mature as artists, the things that matter to us the most need to take precedence. This is one of them."

The group recently won a GRAMMY for Best Contemporary Christian Music Album and completed a historic televised performance on the show. Nominated across four categories at the 2022 Billboard Music Awards, with triple nods in one category, the group will take the music and the movement behind Kingdom Book 1 on the road this summer with their headline Kingdom Tour alongside Franklin. Set to kick off on June 1 in Miami, the extensive, 37-date trek hits arenas across the nation through the end of July.

Kingdom Book 1 Track List :
1. Kingdom - Feat. Naomi Raine, Chandler Moore
2. Fear Is Not My Future - Feat. Brandon Lake, Chandler Moore
3. Bless Me
4. Jealous - Feat. Chandler Moore, Lizzie Morgan
5. Talkin Bout (Love) - Feat. Chandler Moore, Lizzie Morgan
6. The One You Love - Feat. Brandon Lake, Dante Bowe, Chandler Moore
7. My Life Is In Your Hands - Feat. Chandler Moore
8. Melodies From Heaven - Feat. Chandler Moore, Maryanne George
9. I Smile - Feat. Lizzie Morgan
10. Why We Sing - Feat. Brandon Lake
11. Take Me Back - Feat. Dante Bowe, Chandler Moore, Ryan Ofei

The Kingdom Tour: Maverick City Music x Kirk Franklin

Maverick City Music & Kirk Franklin Releases 'Kingdom Book 1'

Music

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