Seven-Time GRAMMY® Award Winner Kirk Franklin Releases 12th CD, Hello Fear in Stores March 22, 2011

Franklin Joins Steve Harvey on the Gospel Comedy Tour

NEW YORK, Feb. 22, 2011 -- Multiple GRAMMY®, Stellar and Dove Award winner Kirk Franklin releases his 12th CD, Hello Fear, on March 22, 2011.

Hello Fear is an innovative musical offering that showcases Franklin's growth and maturation both creatively and personally, while still boasting his creative genius of combining various styles and genres of music into his own unique, definitively gospel sound. He has teamed again with five of the most sought after vocalists in the music industry—Isaac Carree, Anaysha Figueroa, Nikki Ross, Charmaine Swimpson and Eric Moore—to create the inimitable harmonies for which his music is known. The result is a Kirk Franklin masterpiece. Hello Fear is produced by Franklin and co-produced by Shaun "Harold" Martin and executive produced by Kirk Franklin, Jazzy Jordan, Jessie Hurst and Carla Williams.

Two singles from Hello Fear have been released simultaneously to gospel and urban adult contemporary radio. "'I Smile' is a fun, urban upbeat melody I wrote," said Franklin. "It is a declarative statement that I'm not going to live my life based on how I feel. I will live my life based on God's Word. "'I Am' is about exchanging all of my weaknesses for God's strength," Franklin noted. "This song is also about declaring what God says about me and not my situation."

Hello Fear also includes the infectious "Give Me," featuring dynamic newcomer Mali Music; "The Altar," a powerful traditional song, featuring Marvin Sapp and Beverly Crawford; and "Something About The Name Jesus (part 2)," featuring Rance Allen,John P. Kee and Marvin Winans. This 13 track tour de force will again raise the standard of 21st century contemporary gospel music.

"I titled this album Hello Fear because—with everything going on in the world—it is the word and the feeling, that paralyzes all of us on some level right now," said Franklin. "In my own life, fear has been a shadow that has followed me since I was a child. But the season of running from it is over. I am turning around and speaking directly to it."

"Over the years, I've had the unique opportunity of watching Kirk produce some of his albums," said Jazzy Jordan, Executive Vice President/General Manager of Verity Gospel Music Group. "I am always amazed at the finished product. Kirk's music gets better and better. He is masterful, and always delivers a project full of hit songs. Hello Fear is both timely and timeless. It's an honor to work with him. He's a brilliant producer and artist. His fans will love this album."

On March 19, Franklin joins Steve Harvey at the Philips Arena Theater in Atlanta for the first stop on the "Steve Harvey and Kirk Franklin Gospel Comedy Tour" (see tour dates below).

For additional information on Hello Fear and Kirk Franklin, please visit, www.kirkfranklin.com.

Steve Harvey and Kirk Franklin Gospel Comedy Tour