Kirk Franklin, known to many as the Puff Daddy of gospel music, has a new album out titled “The Nu Nation Project,” and once again Franklin has put together a great one.Most people know Franklin from his 1998 hit song “Stomp” which he did with the group God’s Property. Franklin, known for his contemporary style of gospel music, combines gospel, R&B and hip-hop in an effort to spread the word of God to a younger audience.The fourth album from this Grammy award-winner is a collection of 14 inspirational songs ranging from traditional gospel to the newest genre in music, hip-hop gospel.The LP starts out with Franklin answering questions from critics who have charged him with commercializing gospel music and making it too extreme. Many people have said that Franklin is just trying to make money and has lost sight of what gospel music is about. Critics point to the fact that his music videos are being played on MTV and they don’t think that this is the proper place to spread the gospel.The first single released from the record, “Lean on Me”, is a song done by R&B superstars R. Kelly and Mary J. Blige, along with Bono from the Irish mega-group U2 and Crystal Lewis. The combination of these artists, along with the choir, creates a song that makes you feel like all your problems will go away as long as you have a friend to lean on. This is a beautiful tune with a great melody and Crystal Lewis steals the show with her dynamic voice. The track “Something About the Name Jesus” is more of a traditional gospel song. It captures the feeling of being in church on a Sunday afternoon and makes you want to jump up and give praise.”Revolution” is a single that you could mistake for a typical hip-hop song if it were not for the lyrics. Franklin uses a great beat to grab the listeners’ attention and sends the message for believers to prepare for a new beginning.”You Are” is a song that gives ovation to Jesus. This one also falls under the umbrella of traditional gospel music and is one of the highlights of the album.Franklin, a minister and a native of Fort Worth, Texas, never sings on this record, but raps numerous times. What he does best on his latest release is produce and engineer beats and melodies that evoke a mix of different emotions. This is an LP that any music lover will appreciate and is a must have for gospel fans. There are a lot of songs that are easy to sing along with and the music is uplifting and inspirational. This album is one you should run to the store and grab.