The king of gospel hip-hop, Kirk Franklin, performed earlier this week at the Marian Anderson Awards event in Philadelphia honoring poet Maya Angelou and television pioneer Norman Lear.
"The Marian Anderson Award, created in 1998 -- five years after Anderson's death -- is awarded to those who have used their positions of influence to further humanitarian causes and issues. Past winners include Harry Belafonte, Gregory Peck, Elizabeth Taylor, Quincy Jones, Danny Glover and Oprah Winfrey,'' according to the Philadelphia Daily News story.
Singer Nicole Cabell and showman Ben Veren also performed with the Philadelphia Orchestra. Broadway's Carol Christine Hilaria Pounder hosted the event.
