After announcing that he will be establishing a $300,000 fund to benefit minority medical students at the Regional Medical Center at Memphis, gospel artist Kirk Franklin and his label, Gospo Centric, were sued for $5.5 million by five members of Franklin's former backing band, The Family, the "Dallas Morning News" reports.

In their lawsuit, LaKeisha Grandy, Terri Pace, John Gray, and Dalon and Carrie "Mousie" Collins accuse Franklin and his Los Angeles-based record label, Gospo Centric, of fraud and breach of contract. The suit, which was filed on May 2 in Los Angeles Superior Court, alleges that the five went unpaid for their work on Franklin's double platinum 1998 CD, "The Nu Nation Project," according to the "Morning News."

In a statement quoted in the "Morning News" article, Gospo Centric Records' attorney Peter Haviland said, "I have never seen a more frivolous lawsuit. These individuals don't represent The Family. We understand that other members want absolutely nothing to do with this suit."

A similar lawsuit was filed against Franklin and Gospo Centric Records by gospel choir God's Property, with whom Franklin recorded "Stomp," a 1997 crossover hit. in 1998, the group accused Franklin of inducing them to sign a one-sided contract with an offshoot of Gospo Centric Records, B-Rite Music. The group also accused Gospo Centric of not paying them for their work on the 1997 album, "God's Property From Kirk Franklin's Nu Nation."

• Kirk Franklin
• God's Property

With his "Nu Nation Project" in stores, Kirk Franklin is getting ready to hit the road after the holidays for an extensive U.S. tour.

• 12/26 - New Orleans, LA @ UNO Lakefront Arena
• 12/27 - Memphis, TN @ Mid-South Coliseum
• 12/28 - Columbus, GA @ Columbus Civic Center
• 12/31 - Hampton, VA @ Hampton Coliseum
• 1/1 - Philadelphia, PA @ Apollo Of Temple
• 1/2 - Washington, DC @ MCI Center
• 1/12 - Fayetteville, NC @ Cumberland Co.Civic Ctr.
• 1/13 - Chattanooga, TN @ Memorial Auditorium
• 1/14 - Richmond, VA @ Richmond Coliseum
• 1/15 - Greensboro, NC @ Greensboro Coliseum
• 1/16 - Columbia, SC @ Carolina Coliseum
• 1/17 - Charlotte, NC @ Independence Arena
• 1/19 - Huntsville, AL @ Von Braun Civic Ctr.
• 1/20 - St. Louis, MO @ Fox Theater
• 1/21 - St. Louis, MO @ Fox Theater
• 1/22 - Cleveland, OH @ Cleveland St. University
• 1/23 - Detroit, MI @ Cobo Arena
• 1/24 - Cincinnati, OH @ Crown
• 1/26 - Rochester, NY @ Blue Cross Arena
• 1/27 - Buffalo, NY @ Marine Midland Arena
• 1/28 - Baltimore, MD @ Baltimore Arena
• 1/29 - New Haven, CT @ New Haven Coliseum
• 1/30 - Boston, MA @ FleetCenter
• 1/31 - Albany, NY @ To Be Announced
• 2/2 - Fort Wayne, IN @ Fort Wayne Expo Center
• 2/3 - Saginaw, MI @ Saginaw Civic Center
• 2/4 - Columbus, OH @ Battelle Hall
• 2/5 - Chicago, IL @ University Of Illinois
• 2/6 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Pittsburgh Civic Arena
• 2/7 - Milwaukee, WI @ Milwaukee Arena
• 2/11 - Portland, OR @ Rose Garden Arena
• 2/15 - Seattle, WA @ Key Arena
• 2/17 - Sacramento, CA @ ARCO Civic Arena
• 2/18 - Oakland, CA @ Oakland Arena
• 2/19 - Universal City, CA @ Universal Amphitheatre
• 2/20 - Universal City, CA @ Universal Amphitheatre
• 2/21 - San Diego, CA @ San Diego Sports Arena
• 3/4 - New York, NY @ Madison Sq. Garden Th.
• 3/5 - New York, NY @ Madison Sq. Garden Th.
• 3/6 - New York, NY @ Madison Sq. Garden Th.
• 3/7 - New York, NY @ Madison Sq. Garden Th.
• 3/10 - Wichita, KS @ Century II Conv. Ctr.
• 3/11 - Kansas City, MO @ Convention Center
• 3/12 - Oklahoma City, OK @ Myriad Arena
• 3/13 - Dallas, TX @ Dallas Conv. Ctr. Arena
• 3/14 - Houston, TX @ Compaq Center
• 3/16 - Little Rock, AR @ Barton Coliseum
• 3/17 - Macon, GA @ Macon Centreplex
• 3/18 - Augusta, GA @ Augusta-Rich. Civic Ctr.
• 3/19 - Birmingham, AL @ Birm.-Jefferson Coliseum
• 3/20 - Jackson, MS @ Mississippi Coliseum
• 3/21 - Nashville, TN @ Municipal Auditorium
• 4/6 - Atlanta, GA @ Fox Theatre
• 4/7 - Atlanta, GA @ Fox Theatre
• 4/8 - Atlanta, GA @ Fox Theatre
• 4/9 - Asheville, NC @ Asheville Civic Center
• 4/10 - Indianapolis, IN @ Pepsi Coliseum
• 4/13 - Montgomery, AL @ Acadome
• 4/14 - Orlando, FL @ UCF Arena
• 4/15 - Tampa, FL @ USF Sun Dome
• 4/16 - Jacksonville, FL @ Jacksonville Coliseum
• 4/17 - Miami, FL @ Miami Convention Center
• 4/18 - Tallahassee, FL @ Civic Center

• Kirk Franklin
• God's Property

Dru Hill, Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, Mary J. Blige and Kirk Franklin & the Family are among the artists who have agreed to appear at "Soul Train's" inaugural "Christmas Starfest" being held on November 24.

• Babyface
• Mary J. Blige
• Dru Hill
• Kirk Franklin
• God's Property

Kirk Franklin, the man "Vibe" magazine credited with putting the "go" back in gospel music, will make a divine debut on the "Billboard" album charts next week with his new record, "The Nu Nation Project."

• Kirk Franklin
• God's Property
• R. Kelly

Even though she's used to having the spotlight all to herself, Mary J. Blige had no problem hooking up with Kirk Franklin, Bono, and R. Kelly for a benefit song that will pop up next month.

Franklin approached Blige about lending her talents to "Lean On Me," the benefit track that will turn up on Franklin's upcoming "Nu Nation Project" album. Blige pointed to her affinity for Franklin's work, as well as the fact that the song will benefit arson-ravaged churches in the South, as her reasons for joining in on the track.

"We all need a fountain. We all need somewhere to go," Blige told MTV News of the track. "I mean, we're not just walkin' on earth, just walkin' and wakin' up. We got somebody to thank, or something to thank, for wakin' and breathin' in the morning. Think about it."

The work that Blige did with Franklin, Kelly, and Bono will turn up on "Nu Nation Project" in October. Meanwhile, Blige is also working on her next studio album, and expects to release its first single, "No Happy Holidays," in November.

• Mary J. Blige
• Kirk Franklin
• God's Property
• R. Kelly
• U2

Last year, Kirk Franklin "stomped" his way up the charts with his hip-hop inspired gospel. For this year's model, Franklin is putting the finishing touches on a new album, called "The Nu Nation Project," which is due out in September.

The first single from "Nu Nation" is "Lean On Me," an original song penned by Franklin -- not a remake of the Bill Withers classic, and for the track, Franklin has enlisted the assistance of some special guests, including Bono, R. Kelly and Mary J. Blige.

Proceeds from the single, which will be released in August, have been ear-marked to benefit churches in the South that have been ravaged by arson fires over the last year and a half.

• Mary J. Blige
• Kirk Franklin
• God's Property
• R. Kelly
• U2

September 11 [14:00 EDT] -- Jesus in Nikes.

That's how Kirk Franklin describes his recent tour with Nu Nation and the God's Property Choir.

Franklin, who scored a hit with Nu Nation and God's Property with "Stomp," described the groups' recent U.S. tour as being, "like Jesus coming with some Nikes on. He's got some Nikes on. He's got his baseball cap on backwards. He's sitting on the front lawn. He's chilling, and everybody knows he's up in the house. We just trying to create an atmosphere, because we know that society has been turned off by organized religion. We know that the people aren't trying to hear about Christianity. Nobody's really trying to hear about that. We present it in a way that it's not corny, it's not boring, it's not for your grandma."

Speaking of things that aren't for your grandma, Franklin can be heard singing backup on the upcoming album from Salt-n-Pepa.

You'll soon be able to catch Franklin doing his own thing in his next video, "You Are The Only One," and like "Stomp" it features Nu Nation and God's Property.

• Kirk Franklin
• God's Property

August 5 [7:55 EDT] -- With a top ten album under his belt, Kirk Franklin of God's Property appears to be the next music star to cross over into sitcoms.

Last week, Franklin signed a deal with Universal Television to develop, produce, and star in a half-hour show built around his hip-hop-gospel persona.

Ralph Far-Quar, who helped Brandy make the transition from music to T.V., has signed on to assist Franklin.

Franklin and The God's Property Choir are currently residing at number ten on the "Billboard" album chart, after peaking at number three.

• Kirk Franklin
• God's Property