Taking the stage as one of the headlining acts at the 65th anniversary of “Fun in the Son,” an annual music event in National Stadium, Kingston, Jamaica, musician Kirk Franklin caused quite the stir.
Sponsoring the event is Best Dressed Chicken, think of them like the Jamaican version of Chick-fil-A wherein they put faith at the forefront of their business, who is owned by another faith based company, Jamaica Broilers Group.
For some reason, Franklin decided to put on a dance number that turned off many in the crowd, with reports of people leaving during the performance.
Kirk Franklin performing in Jamaica 🇯🇲 pic.twitter.com/2CSFUC52Wf
— The Tropixs (@Tropixsofficial) April 21, 2024
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While wearing a tank-top and cut-off shorts is no surprise on the tropical island nation of Jamaica, it was Franklin’s thrusting and gyrations that put people off who compared it to an Usher or Chris Brown concert, not a celebration of Jesus festival.
The event’s sponsors have made it as clear as day that the festival is about Jesus, and it is meant to thank Him for His faithfulness to their respective companies. They says as much in their mission statements and core values:
“At The Best Dressed Chicken, we remain true to our core values of integrity, fairness and commitment to serving our people with only the highest quality products. We are grateful for the Lord’s guidance and favour over the years, and we look forward to a bright future with our team members, families, communities and beloved nation. Thank you for choosing us as your trusted source of delicious and nutritious protein products,” their website reads.
Jamaica Broilers Group also puts their faith forward in their company’s core values stating, “At Jamaica Broilers Group, we are committed to staying true to the core. Our core values are based on Judeo-Christian principles and form the foundation on which our business is built and on which we are encouraged to conduct our lives. This is how we determine what is expected of us in fulfilling our obligations to our customers, shareholders, employees, contractors and communities. Our policies and procedures reflect these principles and as they are the bedrock of our culture—they are ours to own, protect and live without compromise.”
Despite these companies making it clear what kind of content and performances are expected at the “Fun in the Son” event, Franklin clearly didn’t get the memo, and even drew the ire of one of the executives in charge of Jamaica Broilers Group.
In a statement to The Christian Post, Jamaica Broilers Group President and CEO Christopher Levy says, “When we engage an artist, it is with a degree of trust that the artist will be aware of and sensitive to their audience. We expected more from Mr. Franklin.
“We are cognizant that each of us are working through our relationship with the Lord, and we prayerfully support his growth,” Levy adds.
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James Lasher is Staff Writer for Charisma Media.
