Den of Kings

Gathering legends including Snoop Dogg, The Game, Matt Barnes, Deon Cole, and Big Boy in the "Den of Kings," Kirk Franklin led a session dedicated to transparent and honest discussions about the challenges of modern manhood. Kirk Franklin set the stage by introducing the central query: "Am I man enough". He explained that "everything that you do is like a credit card" and at some point, the statement for that debt will come. Kirk Franklin noted that the identity of a man in 2025 is "so complex," covering what it means to be strong, sensitive, vulnerable, and real in a public space where men are "always questioned and judged".

Kirk Franklin’s contribution to this dialogue was crucial, both as a host and as a participant who shared profound personal experiences. He shared that the "Den of Kings" originated from his personal 55th birthday dinners, motivated by his lifelong curiosity and lack of siblings, aiming to create a "safe space" for real dialogue. He further emphasized the importance of this space, acknowledging that he and his partners "financed it our own" without external backing to ensure the conversation could happen authentically.

A key focus of the discussion was the cultural barrier against vulnerability, particularly crying. Kirk Franklin recalled leaning on his father-in-law, an "alpha male big dude" who stepped in when Kirk Franklin got married around age 25 because he didn't have a father. Kirk Franklin, who describes himself as a "very sensitive man" who was adopted by a woman and is "very in touch with my femininity as a man," tried to lean on him to cry. He noticed the older man struggled to hug him, realizing that being vulnerable was "not part of that generation" and his father-in-law was unable to "tap into kind of feel my pain". The Game later shared that he was beaten down by his father if "a tear fell".

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Kirk Franklin steered the conversation into the difficulty of navigating relationships, confessing that he thought getting married at 25 would fix his porn addiction. He found that marriage did not fix him, leading him to realize he was trying to "divorce the love I never got from my mama". He shared that his wife was his "foundation," and upon this realization, he humbly submitted to the fact that he would "never win their heart like she does" because of the time he spent away from his children. Kirk Franklin shared that he started "putting her on the front page," a move acknowledged by Matt Barnes.

When asked about the difficulty of maintaining a brotherhood and trust among men, Kirk Franklin shared his observation: "y'all create like y'all's own fraternity and I love that now". He expressed envy for this brotherhood, noting that in his world, they "don't have fraternities like that".

The men discussed the historical tendency for Black men to avoid medical care. Kirk Franklin emphasized the importance of this dialogue, explaining that it is inspiring to hear that even those on the world's biggest stages still have to navigate emotions, fatherhood, and health. Kirk Franklin’s contribution was not only to facilitate but to offer solutions, urging the men watching to "run your race," because the grass is greener where you water it. He assured viewers that God "don't say no to nobody" and that the legends at the table survived trauma, providing a voice to the next generation of kings. He closed by directing a powerful message to women, asking them to remember their power and remind their men they are still kings, even if they are "barely making ends meet" or "picking up trash". Kirk Franklin’s final words reaffirmed the importance of perseverance: "you don't walk out of the movie just because you're on a part you don't like you got to stay and get to the good part".