DJ Clark Kent Was More Than a Producer and Sneaker Collector

God doesn’t call the qualified, he qualifies the called. Rodolfo A. Franklin, a.k.a. DJ Clark Kent, was called.

Clark was a husband, father, brother, Brooklynite, friend, coach, mentor, advocate, designer, sneaker collaborator, connoisseur of excellence, leader, competitor, listener, provider, connector, and—by the way—an A&R, producer, and DJ. He was the epitome of a genuine human being who would lead every interaction with, “How can I help you?” or, “What can I do for you?” This spirit is the reason why he is revered by many and it’s why his impact is truly beyond words.

Born on Sept. 28, 1966, Clark came of age in Brooklyn, where he became a champion for artists from his home borough. Alongside his groundbreaking work in the hip-hop industry, he earned a reputation as a sneaker collector long before it became mainstream. After a private and courageous three-year battle with colon cancer, Clark passed away last Thursday. Friends and family are left heartbroken, but his legacy of kindness, talent, and dedication will endure for generations to come.

Clark was part of many culture-shifting moments, including through his role in shaping the careers of icons like Jay-Z and Biggie, artists whose influence profoundly impacted our world. Yet it’s telling that when people remember Clark, they don’t lead with these high-profile contributions; they speak first of his remarkable, one-of-a-kind character, as so many have in the week since his passing. The impact of Clark the human was even greater than the cultural legacy of the icons he helped introduce to us. Understanding this gives you a clear picture of the extraordinary person Clark was.

He built a family that extended far beyond his household. Just when you thought your story was unique—how Clark listened to you, helped you, and made you feel truly seen—his passing revealed that he did the same for countless others. He connected with each person so deeply that it felt impossible he could be doing this for anyone else. Yet, he was. And he did.

Early in my professional career, when I was the entertainment marketing manager for Nike in New York City, Clark and I would have in-depth conversations regarding how to navigate an industry with countless disingenuous agendas and people. He could sense when a moral compass was off. His ability to read people was something that I quickly wanted to adopt to discern not only who should have access to my energy, but also where to place my faith—putting it in God rather than in man. The way Clark dealt with these situations was masterful, he never allowed for anything to divert him from having his moral compass facing north.

When I was at Nike I had the opportunity to make the “112 Pack” happen for Clark, which was his first ever footwear collaboration. It opened up many more doors for him to create in a sneaker industry that he was very much responsible for making what it was. This was an individual who could speak more knowledgeably and passionately about footwear and its impact than those who were getting paid six-plus figures at these footwear companies. It’s a shame that no one opened the door before me, but it was such an honor that I was able to help my brother with fulfilling his dreams of designing footwear. This should be a reminder for many of us that we need to know our true value, be unapologetic about ensuring that our voices are heard and acknowledged accordingly, and make sure that the doors that need to be opened are opened.

I was privy to Clark’s battle with cancer early, and in our many conversations regarding it, he would not allow cancer to be the focus. Not because he was defeated, but because he wanted to milk every minute he had left of pouring into others and giving away all of his gifts while he was still alive.

We will never know if his circumstances would’ve been different if he would’ve allowed more into his fight against cancer. I do know that he is the reminder that we are all here on borrowed time, and given gifts that are meant to be shared abundantly with others without looking for something in return, and not hoarded for one’s self.

DJ D-Nice did a Sunday SCQool tribute to Clark after his passing that was so reminiscent of the live Instagram sessions D-Nice did during the pandemic. During his tribute, you felt D-Nice helping to get us through yet another difficult time with the loss of Clark. The amount of love present in the tribute was a reflection of the finest, biggest, most genuine, pure soul that we will probably ever witness.

Music is the best language ever created, per Clark, and he so had a way with words. Whether it was providing context on what made an album a classic or how he would navigate a party with his selection of music. I have so many fond memories of standing in the DJ booth with him while he burned down a party. He would play “Stand On The Word” by the Joubert Singers at the peak of his set, step away from the turntable while playing it, and make the face he made when he knew he was taking us to another place that was even beyond that of church. He knew music was healing and he was blessing us all.

God’s Favorite has shown us that stewardship is the truest form of wealth. To his family, Kesha, Kabriah, and Antonio—we love you and are so grateful that you shared him with us. Now it’s our turn to pour into you as Clark poured into all of us.

I hope everyone he touched will now feel the responsibility to ask themselves, “What would Clark do?” I hope we will be ready to be there for each other, ready to help in any way we can. While we cannot replace a spirit so grand, we can do our best to fill that space with love.