Kanye West Pledges His Life to a Higher Power on ‘Jesus is King’ Album

Oct 26, 2019 by Andrew Symes

From Billboard:

[…] Jesus is King sounds like the baptism of a reformed individual who has come to Jesus. From the jubilant praise heard on the opening track “Every Hour” to the “Hallelujah” chants on “Selah,” the tone is set for a Sunday-worthy soundtrack. Inspired by Bible verses like Ephesians 2:8-9 (“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.”) and John 3:16 (“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life”), the project expresses an anointed attitude of gratitude; it sounds downright radical coming from the lips of Kanye West…

…But for an audience who has consistently “cancelled” West, the messenger for enlightened wisdom seems like a misfit — especially when the messenger was wearing a MAGA hat not too long ago. While change is integral to an artist’s professional and personal evolution, this verse-quoting, all-loving Kanye will take some time to get used to, even when his curse words have been cast away.

While West has been known for his share of missteps, he’s continuously stood firm (Yeezys laced) and rapped hard in his truths — even when his message was falling on confused ears. Jesus Is King may not fill up the pews at Church but it could touch a listener in need of an alternative solution or a spiritual remedy. With another album titled Jesus Is Born due on Christmas, it’s evident that there’s an outpouring of religious wisdom flowing out of West — and just like ‘Ye opting for a life led by God, it’s the listener’s choice to press play and abide by his new blessed bars.

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See also: Worship as foundation of counter-cultural witness, by Andrew Symes, Anglican Mainstream.