Kirk Franklin Protege Prayed for His Collaboration on Kanye West's The Life Of Pablo

Before the world learned that Kirk Franklin and Kanye West would collaborate on Kanye's record, Kirk's protégé, Christon Gray, was praying for the situation.

Franklin surprised people by appearing on Kanye West's album The Life Of Pablo, where he is heard praying on the song "Ultra Light Beams," earlier this year. However, before the gospel musician Kirk Franklin entered the studio with West, he called on his mentee to pray for the project.

"He just hit me up and just asked for prayer that if it was an environment that did not really fit what he's trying to do, that he would have the strength to say no," Gray told Hip Hop DX. "'Cause it is Kanye and they had legends in the room. I wanted to be in the room. Andre 3000 was in there and I was like, 'bruh, can we meet?'"

Franklin and West were first pictured in a studio when an image on Instagram surfaced on Jan. 29. Since then, West has spoken highly of Franklin in interviews and featured the gospel producer, songwriter and artist on his latest album.

In an interview with Hip Hollywood, Franklin revealed how he got involved in the project.

"He asked me to be a part of this one song and it's very clear what I represent. No profanity, or something that is outside of my faith or what I preach," Franklin said. "I'm just here to walk out life with people, and whoever. I'm not a pastor to the stars, I ain't trying to be all that, My job is to just win people to God."

Franklin appeared on "Saturday Night Live" to perform the song with West, singers Kelly Price
and the Dream. For the gospel artist, West is not beyond God's grace.

"As a Christian I'm trying to be what God wants me to be to whoever, and nobody is beyond receiving Him," he said. "Nobody's unforgivable, or unredeemable."


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Tedashii Debuts in Top 20 on Billboard 200

Below Paradise, the latest project from hip-hop artist Tedashii, has debuted at No. 17 on the Top 200 Billboard Album chart while also grabbing the No. 2 positions on the Rap, Independent and Christian charts. This is the highest debut for Tedashii since his first album dropped in 2006.

Below Paradise, Tedashii's fourth career studio release, features such artists as Lecrae, Trip Lee, Crowder, Andy Mineo, Kam Parker, Christon Gray and Britt Nicole.  The deluxe version is available exclusively through iTunes, which includes three bonus tracks that features KB, Dimitri McDowell, and Derek Minor.

Christon Gray Smells Like Roses on R&B Charts

At a time when Christian albums are making tremendous waves on hip-hop and electronic-dance music charts, Christon Gray is making his presence known.

The R&B singer and We Live As Kings rapper’s new album, School of Roses, released Tuesday and debuted at No. 1 on the iTunes R&B charts, above John Legend and Toni Braxton & Babyface.

Perhaps even more impressive, though, is Gray’s ascension to the Top 10 of the iTunes general charts. Currently sitting at No. 8 on the “Top Albums” listing, School of Roses has climbed as high as No. 5.

Gray is in good company in the iTunes Top 10, with Erica Campbell (of Mary Mary) hitting No. 7 with her solo debut, Help, and Kari Jobe’s Deluxe Edition of her latest, Majestic, reaching No. 5.