My Cultural-Spiritual Experience at the Maverick City Music Concert

This past weekend, I went to the Maverick City Music x Kirk Franklin Kingdom Tour concert in Brandon, Mississippi. I did a quick recap of it on my TikTok, which you can find here.

If you know me, you know why I went to this concert: Kirk Franklin. This man has been an important part of my life both spiritually and culturally. God has anointed him to bless the world with his God-given talent and help to lead people back to Christ. So when I heard that he was going on the tour, I had mixed feelings.

I was very skeptical of buying these tickets at first because of how they listed the lineup (Maverick City x Kirk Franklin). With Maverick City being first, I knew it was their concert, and Kirk would be there for more as support. I did not know MCM at the time, so I wasn’t sure if I should go. However, everyone kept telling me that I would enjoy MCM and the concert. I also know that Kirk Franklin has had a thing for working with newer artists/groups since back in his God’s Property days. So this was not unfamiliar territory for him.

Of course, with this tour information, I went and did some research on this group (or “collective” as they prefer) and their music. In 2018, Maverick City Music was founded in Atlanta by two artists, Tony Brown and Jonathan Jay. The founders wanted to bring overlooked and marginalized Christian contemporary worship leaders into a writing camp to create a new sound. They include many solo artists, some familiar and unfamiliar. [insert photo here]

Some of the main artists in the collective are Chandler Moore (who reminds me of a signing Chance the Rapper), Naomi Raine, Brandon Lake (Tori Kelly’s brother in my head), Maryanne J. George, and Dante Bowe.

This history and lineup do somewhat confirm what I have read about MCM on social media. Their origins remind me of Fifth Harmony — intentional solo artists brought together to form a group or collective. This can be both good, and challenging.

After learning about the history, it was time to dive into the music. People gave me suggestions of songs, and after listening to their entire album… I still wasn’t feeling it. Their sound is more of a Christian contemporary, and I am a gospel girl. There are very few Christian contemporary songs or artists that I listen to. The roots of gospel music run deep for me, so it is usually my preferred sound.

Despite all this, my mind was thinking, “It’s Kirk Franklin… buy the tickets.”

So I bought the tickets.

When I arrived at the concert, I saw a sea of different people, different colors. My skeptical, and somewhat immature, mind believed that the white people were here for MCM and the black people were here for Kirk. Everyone in between would fall under what they were most familiar with. I would later find out how wrong I actually was.

I sat behind a row of a black family from Louisiana. They wore this beautiful shirt with this message on the back:

I was also seated next to this older white couple who were so sweet and ready to hear whoever was coming out.

When the concert started, it opened with the black experience I look for in every show I go to. What I thought was Kirk Franklin’s choir started with the ending vocals of Kanye’s Ultralight Beam, which Kirk features on. These vocals were so heavy, that they ignited a spark in those gospel roots that I mentioned earlier.

As the concert played on, I realized that every song they performed was Christian contemporary mixed with a gospel influence. The mix of the two sounded unexpectedly well together. Their passion for God watered my gospel roots with a new sound that I needed for my taste to grow. The spirit was high in the place and everyone could tell. Keep in mind, that I am in the Bible Belt of Mississippi, so there are more Christians here than not, but it did not feel overwhelming. The spirit felt light like we should enjoy not overthink whether we liked the music or not.

As I looked around during some of these performances, I was amazed at how touched the audience was. You could see people during both genres, just standing there with their hands raised praising God. At times, my people-watching felt impersonal, but it was necessary for my own cultural-spiritual experience. I needed to see that there was no difference when it comes to worshiping God. Sure, we may all have different tastes and preferences, but don’t let that “preference” stop you from having an intimate moment with Jesus.

By the end of the concert, the black family in front of me never sat down for a single song. From Jonathan McReynolds’ opening act to MCM’s “Jireh” to Kirk Franklin’s “Stomp”. They never sat down and they enjoyed every minute. Meanwhile, the older, white couple next to me seemed to be in awe at how amazing both Kirk and MCM are and recorded almost every moment. All around people were introduced to something new and fresh. And after two years of the worst kind of unfamiliarity, it was something we all needed.

I walked into this concert for Kirk Franklin and gospel music.

I walked out of this concert with a newfound respect and understanding of Maverick City Music and Christian contemporary music.

I experienced something greater than both: God’s greatness and love poured into each person on that stage.

To Maverick City and Kirk Franklin, congratulations. You did exactly what you came to do. You brought all of us together for His sake. You did it not for a sound, but for souls. I pray that you continue to do this in Jesus’ name. Thank you for an incredible experience.