Most notably, contemporary gospel artist Kirk Franklin kicked the door wide open for the marriage of hip-hop sonics and gospel messaging 20 years ago. Several mainstream rappers have released gospel-influenced songs and even entire gospel albums. Prominent rap producers like Timbaland, Pharrell and Zaytoven developed their musical chops in the church and brought influences into their work other producers, like Pimp C, pulled Hammond B3 organ chords, hand claps and choir vocals straight from the sanctuary to add soul to their tracks. The cult of personality factor for West can’t be ignored, but what he’s doing is hardly unprecedented: Blending hip-hop with gospel isn’t radical.
The “Jesus Walks” rapper is a master of creating spectacle, but it’s surprising that his pivot to spirituality has whipped up quite such a frenzy. Here's a Recap of Kanye West's Three-Day 'Jesus Is King' Festivities We also know a Jesus Is King documentary is planned for IMAX release October 25th, and that Kanye has announced he’s no longer recording secular music. What we do know is that the music exists - West has performed at special Sunday Service experiences and played the album in intimate listening sessions since Friday, the intended release date.
There’s speculation about why the project was delayed: the label isn’t happy with the concept, Kanye isn’t finished with final mixes or sequencing, something isn’t cleared but there’s been no official public reason given, just “First Lady” Kim Kardashian West’s occasional less-than-reliable updates. Of course, Kanye being Kanye, that didn’t happen. West was expected to offer a formal presentation of his new spiritual growth via his ninth solo studio release, Jesus Is King, on Friday September 27th. Fans and critics have been debating whether Kanye has truly found his higher calling, or just created another platform to serve his ego. Kanye and his monotone Yeezy gear-clad choir flip soul, R&B and hip-hop classics to gospel by changing lyrics and message. Or, if rumors prove true, church founder.Īfter the delayed and eventually scrapped Yandhi project in 2018, the center of West’s focus in 2019 has been the compelling but controversial Sunday Service: an elevated, traveling praise and worship service - call-and-response, music-centered worship that became increasingly prominent in evangelical ministries over the last 20 years - that’s kind of Hillsong meets hip-hop. It appears that 2019 is the year of Kanye West as revivalist.
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