Kirk Franklin and GloRilla Bridge Generations With New Single “This Time” Ahead of Upcoming Album I Am What I Am

The 20-time GRAMMY Award-winning music icon continues to push gospel beyond traditional boundaries, joining forces with Memphis rapper GloRilla for a collaboration rooted in joy, faith, and musical freedom.

Some artists follow the sound of a generation. Others help shape it. Kirk Franklin has spent decades doing the latter, and his latest release proves that his creative vision continues to evolve.

The 20-time GRAMMY Award-winning artist, songwriter, producer, and gospel music trailblazer has officially released his new single, “This Time,” featuring multiplatinum Memphis rapper GloRilla, via Uptown Records.

The collaboration arrives ahead of Franklin’s highly anticipated fourteenth full-length solo album, I Am What I Am, scheduled for release on October 30.

For an artist who has never allowed traditional expectations to define his musical identity, this latest chapter feels like a continuation of the very foundation he helped establish: faith without limitations and music that speaks beyond the walls of the church.

When Gospel Meets Memphis

“This Time” is a celebration from the opening note.

Interpolating Mandrill’s “Children Of The Sun,” the record brings together vibrant horns, rhythmic handclaps, soulful arrangements, and the unmistakable energy that has made Franklin a defining voice in contemporary gospel.

Then comes GloRilla.

Known for her commanding delivery and unmistakable Memphis sound, the rapper steps into a different musical space, offering upbeat verses that complement Franklin’s spirited production.

Rather than forcing two musical worlds together, the collaboration allows both artists to bring their individual identities to the record.

For GloRilla, it is another opportunity to showcase her range. For Franklin, it reinforces something he has demonstrated throughout his career: gospel music has never needed to remain confined to one sound, audience, or generation.

And that is what makes this collaboration worth paying attention to.

A New Chapter, Same Unmistakable Kirk Franklin

The upcoming album, I Am What I Am, follows the release of “Thank You For Everything,” featuring gospel legend Karen Clark Sheard of The Clark Sisters.

The record has generated significant momentum at gospel radio, becoming the fastest-growing song at the format, according to the release announcement.

Franklin also brought the song to the stage during the 41st Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards for its live television debut, while its accompanying music video premiered on BET Her.

With Karen Clark Sheard and GloRilla appearing on the project’s early releases, Franklin is already demonstrating the musical range that has defined much of his career.

There is something particularly meaningful about an artist who helped introduce gospel to an entirely different generation continuing to create space for the voices shaping music today.

Franklin is not simply revisiting the sound that made him a household name. He is continuing to build on it.

Expanding the Legacy

The release also arrives amid a new business chapter for Franklin.

As reported by Variety, the gospel icon has secured a partnership with Uptown Records alongside his own Fo Yo Soul Entertainment and TRIBL Music Group.

The partnership brings together established music industry platforms as Franklin prepares to introduce his next body of work.

Throughout his career, Franklin has challenged conventional ideas about what gospel music should sound like, who it should reach, and how it can exist within mainstream culture.

From church choirs to international stages, his influence has extended far beyond genre classifications.

And with “This Time,” he continues that conversation.

At Snubb3d Magazine, we have always believed that music is at its most powerful when it creates connection, challenges expectations, and gives artists the freedom to tell their stories authentically.

Franklin’s latest collaboration reflects that spirit.

Two artists. Two generations. Different musical backgrounds. One record that reminds listeners that joy, faith, and creativity do not have to exist in separate spaces.

“This Time” featuring GloRilla is available now on all major digital streaming platforms.

Kirk Franklin’s fourteenth solo album, I Am What I Am, arrives October 30.