Released in 1998, the song greatly helped ascend Kirk Franklin's album The Nu Nation Project.

[1] The Nu Nation Project went on to top the Billboard Contemporary Christian Albums chart for 23 weeks and the Billboard Gospel Albums chart for 49 weeks, and brought Franklin his third Grammy.

[2] Released as the first single in 1998, "Lean on Me" helped catapult The Nu Nation Project to becoming a 2× platinum gospel album.

[2] The song was a collaboration with artists Bono, Mary J. Blige, Crystal Lewis, Tamela Mann, and R. Kelly.

[5] Kirk performed "Lean On Me" at the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles on 24 February before a TV audience of 1.5 billion people alongside Bono, Gerald Levert, Crystal Lewis, and Mary J.