Kirk Franklin and GloRilla team up again for new gospel track ‘This Time’
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The song will appear on Franklin’s upcoming double album, “I Am What I Am,” due Oct. 30.
Kirk Franklin and GloRilla are back on the same record.
A new collaboration between the two arrived on Friday (Sept. 25) with “This Time,” a gospel song that pairs Franklin’s choir-driven sound with a verse from the Memphis rapper. Franklin was tapped to host this year’s Stellar Awards, while GloRilla has been teasing her second album. In July, she said a member of Destiny’s Child will appear on the project.
“This Time” centers on getting through hard moments and holding on to faith. Franklin leads the song with his choir before GloRilla steps in near the end. iHeart reports that the song was previewed earlier in the week before its official release.
GloRilla calls herself a “prayer warrior” in the verse and appears to hint at a possible title for her next album. She has talked publicly about working on the follow-up to “Glorious,” but she has not announced an official title.
The song uses Mandrill’s 1972 record “Children of the Sun,” which was also sampled on Shawty Lo’s 2007 hit “Dey Know.”
Franklin previewed the track during an appearance on Fat Joe and Jadakiss’ “Joe & Jada” podcast, and it was later played in full on “The Breakfast Club.”
“This Time” will be part of Franklin’s upcoming album “I Am What I Am,” due Oct. 30. The project has 14 songs, split evenly between contemporary and traditional gospel. It will be Franklin’s first double album, with one half leaning towards contemporary and the other staying closer to traditional gospel.
“This Time” marks the second collaboration between the gospel legend and the Memphis native. Glo previously featured Franklin and Maverick City Music on “Rain Down on Me” from her debut album, “Glorious.”
“Rain Down On Me” earned them the Dr. Bobby Jones Best Gospel/Inspirational Award at the 2025 BET Awards.