Kanye West: Born-Again Christian or Cult Leader?
Rap megastar and founder of the $1.5B Yeezy clothing company Kanye West is expected to release his ninth studio album and IMAX film this Friday, titled Jesus is King. Apparently, West is now "saved" and almost quit rapping because it's "the devil's music." He says that he will only make "secular music" from now on. West has been touring the country with a full gospel choir and doing Sunday Services, free public gospel concerts. He even performed with a gospel choir at Coachella. This is quite the reversal for West, who wrote these brilliant and tasteful lyrics for his 2016 album, The Life of Pablo:
"Now if I f**k this model
And she just bleached her asshole
And I get bleach on my T-shirt
I’mma feel like an asshole."
What do you all think? Is this sudden conversion to Christianity legitimate or just a publicity stunt? Or more likely, is this all a huge money grab? Apparently, his film, “Jesus Is King” plays exclusively at IMAX theaters for one week, with tickets ranging from $10-$19.75, but runs only 35 minutes (including credits). That's $1.12 for ever two minutes. Additionally, isn't it extremely hypocritical for a Christian to sell merch which says "Jesus is King" for $150 on his website?
UPDATE: The album is out and I listened to it. Not bad, but not nearly as good as his previous work (but better than last year's project ye), but it sounds like he is very dedicated to Christianity and this music reflects it.
$1.5 billion for a sneaker company? That's pussy shit. I got $1.7 billion just for being bad at my job...
It is most certainly hypocritical to sell 'Christian' merch for $150, then again I have a relative who runs a private church and uses the donations to make TVs and airplane parts...Religion=business except for those who subscribe.
Does God not want you to do well, so long as you advance His Kingdom?
I hope this thread becomes fun.
I don’t think we need to look at Kanye. Just look at the pastors of mega Churches.
Religion is a business. Always has been. Just look at the popes - several of them ran it profitably enough to have multiple mistresses.
Spirituality - what you personally believe in and practice, or as my Christian friends would say “having a relationship with God” is internal and doesn’t need to be shown to anyone else
Well said, +1
He is really a bizzare fellow.
Everyone can relate
He's been religious since the beginning so this isn't some major shift. He caused quite a stir with Jesus Walks:
"They said you can rap about anything except for Jesus
That means guns, sex, lies, video tape
But if I talk about God my record won't get played
Huh?"
He was known for it "That was Brooklyn's Jesus
Shot for no fuckin' reason
And you wonder why** Kanye wears Jesus pieces**?" - The Game
On his last album, he's started to show a lot more remorse for his previous lifestyle (as it seems everybody does): "Niggas is savage, niggas is monsters
Niggas is pimps, niggas is players
'Til niggas have daughters, now they precautious
Father forgive me, I'm scared of the karma
"
As to whether it's a grab for money or fame, I'd say he's lower on fame than money for the first time in his life so I doubt it's the money. I'd wager that he's looking to find more of a muse through the Holy Father, since Yandhi never came out and he can't seem to finish anything lately.
In the end, people like you love to hate on anyone claiming to be religious because it's so easy to point out how they're not perfect, ignoring all the work they're putting in to right their lives (in his case diagnosed mental issues even). It's surely a process and he's made gains and losses for years, but to write up a post calling him a born-again christian or money grabber just seem so far from reality I feel like you just heard about him three weeks ago.
Love speaking about him tho so thanks for the opportunity!
I think that "only making secular music" from now on would hurt him pretty badly financially, no?
He's hardly the bread winner though in his marriage lets be real. He could go to just farting in a microphone and still be set for life.
Also, no, I'm a long-term fan, I just wanted to frame this in a way that would make it more appealing to a broader audience. He does say that he was "saved" recently, within this year, and that he wasn't a Christian before? That's interesting. Also, on the leaked version of Jesus is King, Kanye raps "Told the devil that I'm going on a strike, I've been working for ya my whole life." so I think he probably had a more troubled relationship with Christianity before and is now all in.
You think a guy who called himself Yeezus is religous, lmao. And he didn't write Jesus Walks FYI, Rhymefest did. Rhymefest and Consequence wrote a bunch of Kanye's early stuff (what we know as "old kanye"). Once he stopped working with them his music visibly fell off. This album is going to be a weed plate just like Yeezus and Ye were.
Rhymefest also wrote Black Skinhead, which was on Yeezus.
Kanye West is a great man, a really good guy. We have been great friends for at least a decade. I will have him in the white house soon again.
These new trolls are way funnier than theaccountingmajor ever was. I laughed
Trolling is GAY
Publicity Stunt Leader
...............
Kanye has always claimed to be a Christian. I really don't think this is a rebranding, yet. He's inspired by it, probably starting with the MAGA stuff and juggling ideologies around more. I would think there's a good chance this whole thing doesn't make it more than a year.
Does anyone remember when Cartman started a Christian rock bank? This is exactly what kanye is doing. Kanye is Cartman.
Only of the all-time great episodes and a very interesting parallel lol.
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