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10 Reasons Kanye West’s ‘Jesus Is King’ Album Is Making History

10 Reasons Kanye West’s ‘Jesus Is King’ Album Is Making History

West
Well, it seems West did win back some former fans and he has attracted a slew of new followers as his latest album, “Jesus is King,” is a mega success. FILE – This April 20, 2019 file photo shows Kanye West performing at the Coachella Music & Arts Festival in Indio, Calif. West has unveiled his “Jesus Is King” IMAX film featuring a gospel choir performing at artist James Turrell’s dramatic Roden Crater in the Arizona desert. West showed the 35-minute film off to fans at an event Wednesday night at The Forum in Inglewood, Calif. (Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP, File)

One thing’s for sure, Kanye West keeps people guessing about his next move. It’s an understatement to say many were shocked and confused when West became a MAGA-loving Trump supporter. Many praised him for speaking out about his mental health issues. Then, West started his spiritual revival Sunday Services where music is used to “heal” people spiritually. Now, West has dropped another album and people wondered if his fans who had abandoned him over his erratic behavior and new conservative views would come back. Well, it seems some of them did and he has attracted a slew of new followers as his latest album, “Jesus is King,” is a mega success.

Here are the 10 things you should know about “Jesus is King.”

Making Records

With the release of “Jesus Is King,” West make entertainment history. It’s his 9th consecutive no. 1 album, a tie with Eminem’s record.

Released on October 25, West’s gospel-inspired album “Jesus is King,” reached No. 1 on the Billboard charts, his ninth consecutive album to debut at No. 1. According to Billboard, West is now tied with Eminem for the most consecutive No. 1 on the Billboard 200 charts.

“The new album breaks a personal record for West — ‘Jesus is King’ has given the rapper his biggest streaming week ever, at 196.9 million on-demand streams of its tracks, according to Billboard,” CNN reported. “The album also boasts the second-largest sales week of the year for an R&B/Hip-Hop album, selling more than 100,000 copies, second only to Post Malone’s album ‘Hollywood’s Bleeding.’”

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More Gospel Music To Come

In a recent interview with Zane Lowe for Apple Music’s Beats 1, the rapper and fashion designer said he will drop an album titled “Jesus Is Born” on Christmas Day.

“I believe because God has given me a gift that I pray for and so many people love,” West told Lowe, “that if I stop doing it, he might start to take all the things away.”

Doubters

There are some who aren’t buying into West’s full-blown entry into the gospel area — but they are still impressed by the music.

One of the doubters are Grammy Award-winning rapper Lecrae, who  weighed in on Kanye West’s new album during a recent interview

“I think he’s a polarizing figure, obviously,” Lecrae told CBN News. “I think he says what’s on his mind and he’s unmoved by what opinions you might have of him based off of what he feels compelled to say. At this juncture in time, I believe he’s compelled to tell people about Jesus.”  

“I believe he’s compelled to say, ‘I found a new faith and I’m serious about it.’ And he’s not really worried about the backlash of those who want him to talk about the content that he used to talk about. He’s not worried about the backlash from those who say he’s insincere; he’s not worried about the backlash from others who say he’s using this as some sort of political play,” Lecrae continued.

“Even if he’s not sincere, I have no way of knowing. Even if Kanye was my best friend, I don’t know what’s going on in his heart, only God knows that. So even if he’s insincere, the Gospel message is very clear and evident, and God’s going to get His glory with what he’s saying in that project,” the faith-focused rapper concluded.

Born Again Christian

West’s latest album was inspired by his recent move to become a Born Again Christan. 

“West started hosting Sunday Service events at the top of the year that feature gospel music and, more recently, sermons. He has professed to being a born again Christian and said he found healing after he was diagnosed as having bipolar disorder. His profession of faith has since drawn both criticism and praise,” Christian Post reported.

Throughout his career, Kanye West has never been afraid to talk about God, but this latest era is different. Now, he’s not just mentioning him here and there, he’s praising his name and working overtime to spread the gospel…and now he’s quickly become the king of that genre’s Billboard chart.

Dominating Gospel

Not only does West have a top rap album on his hands, but he’s taking over the gospel charts as well. 

“The 11 tracks on ‘Jesus Is King’ don’t just debut on the Hot Gospel Songs chart this week, they take up the entire top 10, and then some. West is the first person to occupy the highest 11 spots simultaneously, which isn’t tough to believe,” Forbes reported.        

They mark West’s “first placements on the Hot Gospel Songs list with these new smashes, and with 10 top 10s already to his credit, the rapper is suddenly a real player in the genre (at least as far as chart records are concerned).”

Tour Companion

As West readies for his “Jesus Is King” his wife, Kim Kardashian, is preparing to make sure her husband stays mentally fit while on the road, RadarOnline.com reported. 

According to reports, the reality star has hired a secret team of therapists to monitor West to make sure he doesn’t suffer another bipolar episode like he did while on the “Saint Pablo” tour in 2016.

 “Kanye will be watched, even if he doesn’t know about it. He says he’s fine and doesn’t need help but Kim’s nervous so she’s making sure he’s under a watchful eye — or 5. They’ll report to her and if there’s any warning signs she’ll essentially send them in,” a source told RadarOnline.com.

While having a mental breakdown In November 2016 during his “Saint Pablo” tour and had to be hospitalized. West was subsequently diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

Later West said: “So not only was I diagnosed with mental illness, mental illness is something that was used to take my dome down by ten feet. To wash me out, to control me. I do love the fact that I can show the world that I’m sitting here and have been diagnosed, put on medication to make me fat on purpose. They’re trying to kill the superhero. So, I’m trying to show that someone that’s diagnosed can still drive and be the founder of a multibillion dollar organization. Can still be in service to Christ. Can still be a good husband and a good dad. My life does not end with this diagnosis and I will not be stigmatized and discriminated [against].”

Real Redemption?

Is West trying to make amends with the Black community after coming out as a Trump fan? One way, some say, to make good with the Black community is to invoke the name of Jesus. 

“In the Black community, when we have notable figures who have done something to offend or have done something that finds them in a disgraceful position in the mainstream, usually part of their redemption story is to reach back out to the black community through the grace of the church,” Naima Cochrane, music and culture writer and former music executive, noted to WBUR, “because the Black church is known to be unfailingly forgiving, especially to our Black men.”

But, Cochrane argues, West isn’t really trying to win back Black folks, he’s using them by “co-opting the Black church experience for non-Black consumption.”

“He is doing this for his mainstream fans,” she says. “He’s not doing this for us because he’s actually doubling down on the things that pissed us off.”

Trump Backlash

Even though millions are tuning into West’s latest CD, “Jesus Is King,” he is getting heat for his support of Trump — and some of the criticism is coming from the pulpit. 

Not long ago West took his Sunday Service to the popular Atlanta megachurch New Birth Missionary Baptist, courtesy of the church’s pastor, Pastor Jamal Bryant. But that hasn’t stopped Brant from criticizing the rapper.  “Kanye West project is incredible but his politics are indigestible,” Bryant wrote. “The message after the music is just as important. Jesus is king and Trump is a jester. Our theology doesn’t match this administration’s politics…the revolution won’t be televised,” reported Hot New Hip Hop.

West & Company

There are a number of guest appearances on “Jesus Is King” from artists of all genres. There are guest appearances from Clipse, Ty Dolla Sign, Kenny G, Fred Hammond, Ant Clemons, and Sunday Service. 

Name Change

Initially, the album wasn’t going to be called “Jesus Is King.” When West began recording in August 2018, he announced the album as “Yandhi.” He also changed the release date. The project was first to come out September 2018, and then it was to be November 2018. But the album was delayed until now.