Kirk Franklin took a reflective look back at some of his most viral moments of 2024 in a new video posted to his YouTube channel on Dec. 30. In an honest and transparent moment, the gospel artist acknowledged that his fusion with Hip Hop struck a nerve with fans who criticized some of his collaborations deemed too secular for the saved and righteous.

He first noted that, “There were a lot of questions and controversy about the Will Smith performance this year [2024] at the BET Awards.” Franklin joined Smith for the live performance of “You Can Make It” featuring Chandler Moore and Sunday Service Choir at the awards show in June. The single, whose theme is redemption and perseverance, marked Smith’s return to music following a 19-year break. It also saw the movie star chart a Phoenix rising from the ashes-inspired comeback amid blowback from his 2022 Oscar controversy when he slapped Chris Rock during the live telecast.

At times, a portion of the stage was surrounded by a ring of fire and backlit with red lighting. Franklin joined Smith halfway through the song with an encouraging word about tough times not being everlasting.

The NAACP Image Award winner also acknowledged the backlash he received for working with GloRilla on the track “RAIN ON ME” with Kierra Sheard, Maverick City Music, and Moore. “There’s questions and controversy about me working with Miss GloRilla and her lyrics and are they conducive to the Christian community,” he said.

Adding, “I think that when we talk about working with people that do not live in the [gospel] ecosystem that we are accustomed to, it is very difficult to find their hearts and discover what their motives are from a distance. We have to be close.”

In his defense, he further explained that his collaboration is not an act of abandoning his faith. “When we’re invited into their world, it’s very important that we don’t have to compromise our messaging … We’ve gotta be able to do life with people so that they can get the residue of the message that we’re trying to share.”

In the past, Franklin faced similar criticism when he worked with Kanye West on “Ultralight Beam” from the rapper’s album The Life of Pablo, “Mercy” with Trip Lee and “We Win” with Lil Baby. In the 2024 recap video, he shared, “Whenever I’m invited, like I have my entire career, I try to do my best, and I may fail at times, but my goal is to make sure that the church does not just exist within the walls but that it exists in the world.”

Hear what else Franklin had to say about his 2024 reflections in the full video below.