Music icon Kirk Franklin was recently presented with an honorary Doctorate of Music from Morris Brown College in Atlanta, Georgia. Having struggled with his education growing up, the 19-time GRAMMY® Award-winning producer, songwriter, and artist, has had his musical talent recognised in the academic world with this honorary degree.

Dr Kevin James, president of Morris Brown College, said that the honorary degree given to Franklin reflected the immense influence he has had in the music world, and his unwavering dedication to inspiring others. Franklin addressed the graduating class with a powerful message that emphasized resilience and the importance of faith in overcoming life’s challenges.

On his Instagram, Kirk Franklin wrote: “I could bore you with the stories of embarrassment about how my lack of education became the antagonist of my soul…. Gertrude had a fourth grade education, the daughter of cotton field workers, and I her son failed through the system with ADHD and abandonment issues too extensive to write. But today I see the world as my class room and my faith as my final. I had no idea that my dissertation would be 3 decades of one extensive song written as a tribute to Jesus, Gertrude, Tammy, my children, those that birthed me but couldn’t love me, and to you…. Those of you reading this, supporting me even when you didn’t fully understand me.”