Photo: Twitter
He's been in jail since October.
By Sarah Gangraw — Written on Feb 02, 2019
Aretha Franklin's son is behind bars after pleading guilty to drinking and driving.
Kecalf Franklin, 28, was arrested in Michigan on Oct. 27, 2018, for driving under the influence, The Blast reported.
He appeared in court on Dec. 19, where he reportedly pleaded guilty to operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol. Franklin, who has been in custody since October, was sentenced to 93 days in jail and will remain there until Feb. 26.
So who is Kecalf Franklin?
1. He is a Christian rapper.
Kecalf is a Christian rapper and has performed with his famous mother on multiple occasions. The mother-son duo most notably appeared on stage together in 2008 at Radio City Music Hall.
2. His name is an acronym.
Kecalf's name is an acronym of his mother and father's full names — Ken E. Cunningham and Aretha Louise Franklin. His name given at birth is Kecalf Cunningham.
3. His arrest came just weeks after his mother passed.
The Blast
Aretha Franklin died on Aug. 16, 2018. Kecalf's DUI arrest came just weeks after his mother passed away from a pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor at the age of 76.
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4. His family is in deep with the IRS.
The Franklin family is in quite a large sum of debt, according to the Internal Revenue Service. The Franklins reportedly owe millions of dollars in taxes to the government, a debt left to them by Aretha Franklin when she died.
According to legal documents obtained by TMZ, the Queen of Soul owes the IRS over $6.3 million in back taxes from 2012 to 2018, as well as an additional $1.5 million in penalties.
“The IRS has filed its Proof of Claim in the ordinary course of the Estate proceeding,” attorneys for the Aretha Franklin Estate told PEOPLE in a statement. “This is not a liquidated claim and it is disputed by the Estate. The vast majority of Ms. Franklin’s personal 1040 tax obligations were paid prior to her death – something she wished to occur. The Estate is diligently working to resolve any remaining issues."
David Bennett, an attorney for the Franklin estate, told the Associated Press that at least $3 million in back taxes have already been paid to the IRS.
“We have a tax attorney. All of her returns have been filed,” Bennett said. “We have disputes with the IRS regarding what they claim was income. We claim its double-dipping income because they don’t understand how the business works.”
5. He is one of four children.
Kecalf is the youngest of Aretha Franklin's four kids. He has three brothers, Clarence Franklin, 64, Edward Franklin, 62, and Teddy Richards, 55.
Sarah Gangraw writes about all things news, entertainment and crime. You can follow her on Instagram and Twitter.