You dropped Alicia from the conversation, so apparently we agree there. Kirk toured with Long Live Love a few years before Usher opened in Vegas and now he's out on another successful run. He and Usher released their first projects around the same time. Do you know how hard it is to maintain a successful career in Gospel music, let alone the number of years that Kirk has? The fact that Kirk is able to do what he does today is a clear sign of his impact and presence in the music industry. In any music show recognizing gospel and r&b together, you don't see Usher without also seeing Kirk. Give that man some respect.