Who Is Kecalf Cunningham? Meet Aretha Franklin’s Youngest Son

Kecalf Cunningham, also known as Kecalf Franklin, is an American gospel rapper and the youngest son of Aretha Franklin. He was born on March 28, 1970, to Aretha and her road manager, Ken E. Cunningham. Kecalf performed with his mother and later became involved in the legal dispute over her estate. He is also the father of several children, including musicians Jordan, Victorie, and Grace.

Quick Facts

Kecalf Cunningham’s Early Life

Kecalf Cunningham was born on March 28, 1970, in the United States.

His mother was Aretha Franklin, and his father was Ken E. Cunningham.

Kecalf is the youngest of Aretha’s four sons. He grew up in a family closely connected to music and later became a musician himself.

Detailed information about his childhood is limited because Aretha kept much of her children’s personal lives private.

The Meaning Behind Kecalf’s Name

Kecalf Cunningham has an unusual first name that comes directly from his parents.

The first part, KEC, comes from his father, Ken E. Cunningham. The second part, ALF, comes from his mother, Aretha L. Franklin.

Together, the initials form the name Kecalf.

Who Is Kecalf Cunningham’s Father?

Kecalf’s father is Ken E. Cunningham.

Ken worked as Aretha Franklin’s road manager around the time Kecalf Cunningham was born. Ken and Aretha never married.

Aretha’s sister and backup singer Brenda Franklin-Corbett later spoke positively about Ken’s influence on Aretha. She said he was interested in music, art, and books and helped Aretha make positive changes in her life.

His Mother, Aretha Franklin

Kecalf’s mother was Aretha Franklin, one of the best-known American soul singers.

Often called the Queen of Soul, Aretha was a singer, songwriter, and pianist. Her music included songs such as Respect and Ain’t No Way.

She was also the mother of four sons: Clarence, Edward, Teddy, and Kecalf.

Aretha died from pancreatic cancer on August 16, 2018. She was 76.

After her death, her sons described her as the matriarch and rock of their family.

Kecalf Cunningham has continued to honor his mother’s memory through public appearances and social media posts.

Kecalf Cunningham’s Brothers

Kecalf Cunningham has three older maternal half-brothers: Clarence Franklin, Edward Franklin, and Ted White Jr., better known professionally as Teddy Richards.

Clarence Franklin

Clarence was born on January 28, 1955, in Detroit, Michigan.

He was named after Aretha’s father, minister and civil rights activist Clarence LaVaughn Franklin.

Clarence wrote songs, including material that his mother recorded.

Court records later reported that he had been diagnosed with an undisclosed mental illness and had lived in assisted-care facilities.

He did not participate in the later court dispute between his brothers over Aretha’s wills.

Edward Franklin

Edward Franklin was born on January 22, 1957, in Detroit.

He became a gospel singer and performed with his mother. He also recorded a version of This Christmas with Aretha.

Edward later joined the legal case involving the handwritten documents that Aretha left behind.

Teddy Richards

Ted White Jr. was born in February 1964. He later became known professionally as Teddy Richards.

His father was Aretha’s former husband and manager, Ted White.

Teddy became a singer-songwriter and guitarist. He spent many years playing backup guitar for Aretha and also developed his own music career.

Kecalf Cunningham’s Education

Reliable information about Kecalf’s education is not publicly available.

The collected sources do not identify a confirmed school, college, university, or degree.

His education later became relevant to Aretha’s estate because her 2010 handwritten document reportedly required Kecalf Cunningham and Edward to complete business classes or earn a degree before receiving certain benefits.

The later 2014 document did not contain the same requirement.

His Gospel Music Career

Kecalf followed his mother into music.

He has been described as a gospel rapper and Christian musician. Some sources also describe him as a singer and songwriter.

His music reportedly includes Christian themes, Bible stories, and tributes to his mother.

One report says Aretha acted as his business manager when he started his music career.

However, a complete list of Kecalf’s albums, singles, record labels, or commercial achievements is not well documented.

Performing With Aretha Franklin

Kecalf Cunningham performed with his mother on several occasions.

One report says he appeared with Aretha during a Radio City Music Hall concert in 2008.

He also attended Aretha’s 72nd birthday celebration in New York City with her and music executive Clive Davis.

In 2017, Kecalf appeared with his mother during the unveiling of Aretha Franklin Way, a street named in her honor.

He was also photographed onstage at the BET Honors in 2014.

Who Is Kecalf Cunningham’s Wife?

Kecalf is reported to be married to a woman named Kafi Franklin.

This information comes mainly from secondary biography reporting. Newer reporting about Kecalf and the Franklin family does not provide much information about his marriage.

Their wedding date and detailed relationship history are not publicly established in the collected sources.

How Many Children Does Kecalf Cunningham Have?

The exact number of Kecalf’s children is unclear.

One source says he has six children, including five daughters and one son. Another describes him as the father of three children. PEOPLE more cautiously says he has several children.

Three of his children are clearly identified in the available information:

• Jordan Franklin
• Victorie Franklin
• Grace “Gracie” Franklin

Because the sources disagree, it is safer to say Kecalf has several children rather than give an exact number.

Jordan Franklin

Jordan Franklin is Kecalf’s son.

He has pursued music and reportedly released songs including Good Intentions and Smoke in My Lungs in 2019.

Jordan reportedly had a close relationship with his grandmother Aretha.

He appeared with his sisters Victorie and Gracie at A People’s Tribute to the Queen in Detroit on August 30, 2018.

Victorie Franklin

Victorie Franklin is one of Kecalf’s daughters.

Some secondary reports call her Victoria, but Victorie is the spelling used in PEOPLE and public event captions.

She was reportedly born on April 19, 1999.

Victorie is a singer and songwriter and reportedly graduated from Howard University.

At the 2014 BET Honors, she performed Take Me to the King by Tamela Mann as a tribute while Aretha was present.

She has also shared song covers and tributes to her grandmother online.

Grace “Gracie” Franklin

Grace, also known as Gracie Franklin, has also pursued music.

In August 2021, she performed with Jennifer Hudson at the premiere of Respect, the biographical film about Aretha Franklin.

Grace performed Ain’t No Way, a song recorded by her grandmother.

She later auditioned for American Idol. Her audition aired in February 2022.

Grace did not advance in the competition, but she spoke on the show about her close relationship with Aretha. She explained that despite her grandmother’s worldwide fame, she knew her simply as her grandmother.

Kecalf Cunningham and Aretha Franklin’s Estate

Kecalf became involved in a major legal dispute after his mother’s death.

Aretha died in 2018 without a traditional typewritten will being immediately available.

In 2019, handwritten documents were discovered in her home.

Two documents became especially important. One was dated 2010, while another was dated 2014.

The documents contained different instructions about how Aretha’s estate should be handled.

The 2010 and 2014 Wills

The 2010 handwritten document was reportedly found in a locked cabinet.

The later 2014 document was found in a notebook around the cushions of a couch.

Both documents provided for Aretha’s sons to receive income connected with her music and copyrights.

However, the 2010 document reportedly required Kecalf and Edward to complete business classes or earn a degree before receiving certain estate benefits.

The 2014 document removed that requirement.

It also provided for Kecalf and Aretha’s grandchildren to receive her home in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.

The house was valued at about $1.1 million in 2018, according to reporting cited by PEOPLE.

Kecalf Won the 2023 Will Dispute

A probate trial over the documents began in Michigan in July 2023.

A jury decided that the handwritten 2014 document was Aretha Franklin’s valid will.

The decision supported Kecalf’s position.

After the verdict, Kecalf said he was happy because he wanted his mother’s wishes to be followed. He also described the legal dispute as a long five-year process for his family and children.

A judge carried out the will in November 2023.

Under the 2014 will, Kecalf and his children inherited Aretha’s Bloomfield Hills home.

His Criticism of the Respect Movie

Kecalf publicly criticized the 2021 movie Respect, which starred Jennifer Hudson as Aretha Franklin.

His main concern was that Aretha’s sons and grandchildren had not been properly consulted about her story.

He questioned how a film about his mother could be made without speaking with close members of her family about important details.

Kecalf Cunningham’s Legal Issue

One supplied source reports that Kecalf faced a driving-under-the-influence case after his mother’s death.

However, the collected information does not provide enough reliable detail about the case to give a full account.

Kecalf Cunningham’s Net Worth

Kecalf Cunningham’s personal net worth is not reliably known.

One secondary source estimates it at around $22 million but admits that the figure is not verified. The same source also gives an $80 million figure elsewhere, which appears to confuse Kecalf’s finances with estimates connected to Aretha Franklin.

Kecalf and his children received valuable property through Aretha’s estate, but that does not establish his total personal wealth.

Kecalf Cunningham on Social Media

Kecalf has used social media to remember his mother and discuss issues involving her legacy.

In May 2023, he shared a Mother’s Day tribute expressing how much he loved and missed Aretha.

He also used Facebook to criticize the makers of Respect.

His current official social media usernames have not been clearly established by the collected sources.

Interesting Facts

• Kecalf Cunningham was born on March 28, 1970.
• He is also known as Kecalf Franklin.
• He is Aretha Franklin’s youngest son.
• His father is Ken E. Cunningham, who worked as Aretha’s road manager.
• His name combines KEC from Ken E. Cunningham and ALF from Aretha L. Franklin.
• His three older half-brothers are Clarence Franklin, Edward Franklin, and Teddy Richards.
• Kecalf became a gospel rapper and musician.
• He performed with Aretha on several occasions.
• He appeared at the BET Honors in 2014.
• Kecalf has several children, but sources disagree about the exact number.
• Jordan, Victorie, and Grace Franklin are three of his publicly known children.
• His children have also pursued music.
• Grace Franklin auditioned for American Idol in 2022.
• Victorie reportedly graduated from Howard University.
• Kecalf criticized the 2021 Aretha Franklin biopic Respect.
• He was involved in the legal dispute over Aretha’s handwritten wills.
• A Michigan jury ruled in favor of the 2014 will in July 2023.
• Kecalf and his children inherited Aretha’s Bloomfield Hills home under that will.
• His exact personal net worth is not publicly confirmed.

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