Kecalf Cunningham is the youngest of Aretha Franklin’s four children. The son of the soul queen got all her children into showbiz at a young age and Kecalf was not left out. He is a gospel rapper and has performed with his mother on several occasions before she passed on 16 August 2018.
Aside from his music career, the 54-year-old rapper allegedly spent time behind bars for driving under influence shortly after his mother’s death.
Kecalf Cunningham is currently married to Kafi Franklin and they share six children including Victoria, a singer and songwriter, and Jordan a music producer.
Take a Look at Some Unknown Facts about Kecalf Cunningham
1. Kecalf Cunningham is the Son of Aretha Franklin and Her Road Manager, Ken Cunningham
Aretha Franklin’s youngest son was born during her relationship with Ken Cunningham which lasted between 1968 and 1976. Kecalf was born on March 28, 1970, at the time his mother’s career was bubbling. However, he has three other half-brothers. His mother had her first child on January 28, 1955, when she was only 12. The child was named after his father, Clarence.
On August 31, 1957, Kecalf’s mother welcomed her second son Edward Jordan. The latter and his older brother were raised by their grandmother Rachel and Aunt Erma.
The singer’s third brother Teddy Richards was born to his mother and her husband Theodore Ted White in February 1964.
Kecalf Cunningham’s name is an acronym of both his father and mother’s full names Ken E. Cunningham and Aretha Louise Franklin. His father
2. The Gospel Rapper’s Mother was Married Twice
Aside from having a child as a preteen, Kecalf Cunningham’s mother married her first husband, Ted White in 1961at the age of 18. The marriage ended in 1969 following an alleged domestic violence issue.
Aretha’s second husband, Glynn Turman on April 11, 1978. After marrying Turman, she became stepmother to Turman’s three children. Aretha Franklin and Turman divorced in 1984.
She was reportedly never married to Kecalf’s father who only worked as her road manager but they lived together for several years. Reports have it that Ken helped Aretha’s career because he was a serious-mind fellow that pointed her in the right direction. There are speculations that Aretha almost married her longtime companion, Willie Wilkerson. The two were previously engaged twice way back in 1988. The engagement was called off in 2012.
3. Kecalf Cunningham is a Christian Rapper
According to reports, the rapper started his music way back in 2008. When he started in the music industry newly, his mother was his business manager. She helped him secure se
He has performed with his mother on several stages but their notable performance was a 2008 concert at the Radio City Music Hall.
In 2017, he also accompanied his mother at the unveiling of Aretha Franklin Way, a street renamed in her honor. The street is located near Madison Street and Comerica Park.
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As a Christian rapper, Kecalf is often called the Shaquille O’Neal of Christian rap. He uses his rap music to spread the word of God through his lyrics and also by telling Bible stories.
4. Kecalf Cunningham Has Been Married to Kafi Franklin and They Have Six Children
Reports have it that the Christian rapper has been married to Kafi Franklin for several years and they share six children. According to reports, he has five daughters and only one son. Three of his children. Victorie, Jordan, and Grace are well known for their involvement in music.
The rapper rarely makes appearances with his wife, which has made people question if they are still married. But in their daughter’s recent photos on Instagram, it seems the two are still together.
5. It Seems All His Family Members are Musical Inclined
Apparently, Kecalf is not the only one that took after his mother in music. During an interview in 1995, his mother revealed how she raised him and his siblings to love music. Kecalf’s brother Teddy plays the guitar and has performed with their mother’s band. He has also played as a backup guitarist for their mother.
His daughter, Victorie is a singer and a songwriter. She has graced the stage on several family occasions. Victorie performed at the BET Honors ceremony in 2015, where she paid tribute to her grandmother with the song I Love Old School Music.
Also, his son Jordan Franklin is a music producer and has produced some songs for Ariana Grande. Kecalf’s daughter Grace is a singer as well and was a contestant on American Idol’s season 20. Grace also performed her grandmother’s song Ain’t No Way at the 2021 premiere of the Aretha biopic Respect. Grace was introduced on stage during the event by Jennifer Hudson who played Aretha in the film.
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6. Cunningham’s Mother Died of Pancreatic Cancer
At the age of 76, Aretha Franklin died following a long battle with pancreatic cancer. She died on August 16, 2018, under hospice care in the presence of her family and friends at her home. Following her death, quite a number of famous people paid tribute to her. She was interred at Woodlawn Cemetry in Detroit.
7. Kecalf Cunningham Spent 93 Days in Jail for DUI
In 2018, shortly after his mother died, Kecalf was arrested for drinking and driving. He was then sentenced to 93 days in jail on a drinking and driving charge on October 27, 2018. He was later released on February 26, 2019.
8. His Mother Reportedly Died Without a Will
Following the death of Kecalf’s mother, her family reported that she died without any estate plan but on the contrary, four different will have been attributed to her. Ever since the four alleged wills came to light, Kecalf and her sons have been alleged in and out of court fighting each other for their mother’s assets.
Barely nine months after Kecalf’s mother died, her niece, Sabrina uncovered three different handwritten wills while she was cleaning.
Hour Detroit magazine reported that the three documents that were found were written between 2010 and 2014 and each had conflicting instructions.
Based on all the documents found, there has been speculation that the Queen of soul wanted all her sons and loved ones to benefit from her wealth.
9. His Half-Brother Edward was Investigated in Regards to the Theft of Valuable Property in His Mother’s Estate
Edward Franklin has been involved in the theft of some valuable property. He was in a battle with the Aretha Franklin’s estate after attempting to receive a court order to force the estate to create financial documents for the soul singer’s estate.
10. What is Kecalf Cunningham’s Net Worth?
Kecalf Cunningham’s net worth has not been revealed yet he was listed as one of the benefactors of his mother’s estate. At the time his mother died, She was allegedly worth $80 million. After she died, it was revealed that she owed the IRS between $5 and $8.
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