Kirk Franklin thanks family, fans and his Aunt Gertrude, who adopted him as a little boy, in moving 2025 BET Awards speech

During his Ultimate Icon Award acceptance speech, Franklin thanked many people, including his aunt who adopted him after he was abandoned by his parents as a little boy.

Kirk Franklin reminded everyone where he comes from and who has helped him along the way during the 2025 BET Awards show.

During the live show on Monday, June 9, the 55-year-old gospel legend received the Ultimate Icon Award and brought down the house with a medley performance of some of his biggest hits including “Revolution,” “Stomp,” “Melodies from Heaven” and “I Smile” featuring Tamar Braxton, Muni Long, Salt from Salt-N-Pepa, Jamal Roberts, and D.C. Young Fly. 

Before his performance, which closed out the show, the gospel performer began his emotional acceptance speech by thanking Gertrude, a “64-year-old woman who chose to adopt a 4-year-old boy nobody wanted.” 

“I never felt the love of a mother or a father,” he continued. “The only time I felt love was when I sat behind the piano and wrote songs to Jesus. People loved my songs and the more I wrote, the more people listened. Thank you to all of you who still listen.”

Franklin, who first came onto the scene in the late 90s with a genre-bending version of hip-hop and gospel music, has been open about his past, personal struggles, and family life. Opening up about his upbringing 10 years ago in a blog post, the Fort Worth, Texas native explained how his aunt, Gertrude Franklin, a 64-year-old widow at the time, adopted him after his biological parents abandoned him around the young age of three. He eventually went on to take her last name. He referred to her then as  “the angel that raised me as a kid.” 

During his speech, Franklin also thanked “every group, singer, musician,” who listened to his music, in addition to his wife of 29 years, Tammy Franklin.

“You sit here with me while your father, one of my heroes, is fighting for his life. Thank you. I will never be able to repay you for giving me a legacy. You gave me Caziah, my young leader. Carrington, my best friend. Kennedy, twin. And you partnered with the mother of my oldest, Kerrion, whom I love with all my soul.”

Franklin also thanked Rodney Hill for saving “my life and my career.” 

“Thank you my soul family for covering me,” he continued.

He also didn’t mince words when he said the award doesn’t make him a “perfect person”.

“I am not perfect. I fail. I sin. I am not a perfect Christian. I’m not a perfect husband. And we all know I’m not a perfect father, not even a perfect artist, because I can’t even sing, which makes this award even more amazing,” said the urban gospel artist.

The gospel star was honored with the Ultimate Icon Award during the awards ceremony, along with fellow music legends Mariah Carey, Snoop Dogg, and actor and comedian Jamie Foxx.