WATCH: Kirk Franklin & Maverick City Music “Bless Me” Live From Vevo Studio

Kirk Franklin shares the new live video performance of “Bless Me” with Maverick City Music, recorded live from Vevo Studio. The track is from their collaborative project titled Kingdom Book 1, which is available now.

Taking the idea of “prison performance” to another level, the genre-transcending project made entirely from the grounds of a Florida prison, features Maverick City Music and Franklin recording the experience alongside more than ninety percent of those who remain incarcerated at the location. Joined by men from every walks of life – different gangs, races, and backgrounds – Kingdom Book 1 evolved from an unfiltered message of love and universal acceptance and became a passionate, powerful movement that embodies the collective’s core beliefs of inspiring and helping others.

“I think this album is for every fan that loves music, and our hope is that these songs and the stories behind them will serve as a way to raise awareness to the challenges that people face everyday – many of which are forgotten about,” Maverick City Music’s Jonathan Jay explains. “For me, the most impactful part of this experience was the prisoners’ reaction to simply being remembered as humans. It was an overwhelming sense of gratitude and excitement that carried through every day we spent with these men. It was unbelievable, and I think if more people would just become aware of these feelings, they would want to help find a solution for the issues that come with incarceration.”