NOT THE FINAL ROUND

One of the biggest-selling artists in the faith community, Kirk Franklin is a veritable ringmaster who continually surrounds himself with the best and the brightest of all genres. As such, he easily crosses boundaries of style and classification—his latest opus, The Fight of My Life, is no exception.

The album is chock-full of great songs, and great performances. The anthem “Declaration (This Is It!),” built around the original Kenny Loggins classic “This Is It,” is a fighter’s proclamation that he will survive anything the world throws at him. The beat-driven romp “I Like Me,” with guest rapper Da’ T.R.U.T.H., is a godly celebration of self, despite all of our flaws—because God loves us best. The smooth R&B track “Chains,” showcasing the dynamic vocals of Melonie Daniels, Nikki Ross, and Sheri Jones-Moffett, cries out to Jesus for rescue from the things that would steal our joy.

Song by song, Franklin peels away the hurts of life in a fallen world. All along the way, he calls on the Lord for love and for strength, and celebrates the hope available in Christ. The Fight of My Life is about the fights we all face—and a compelling reminder that God is always in our corner.

-- Chris Well