The Review:

Artist, mogul, fashion designer, singer, songwriter, father of three, hip hop legend, Kanye West has released his newest album last weekend. After many many pushbacks, it’s on all kinds of streaming platforms (Spotify, Tidal, Apple Music, Hoopla Digital…?). It is a Christian hip hop album; a first for Mr. West. Though, one thing I would like to point out for those reading that might think otherwise: this has indeed been a long time coming. The Sunday Service performances began in January of this year, which were initially anticipated to be for a period of two or three weeks. This has now turned into a regular occurrence every Sunday. He has also denounced secular music, admitted that he once considered quitting rap because it was “the devil’s music”, and announced that all of his music moving forward will be Christian. I can empathize with fans feeling like this was quite sudden, but there’s been enough proof available to show this was always a possibility. Even without all of this, Gospel singer Kirk Franklin appeared on “Ultralight Beams” and there’s more than enough gospel music sampled throughout his albums that this was a possibility. That being said, Jesus is King will have an interesting place in Kanye’s mythos.

The production on Jesus is King is more engaging than Kanye himself is. There are a lot of organs played, synths are all over the place, and the gospel influence is more prominent than any other project of Mr. West’s. It is still Kanye on the boards, thankfully, but he’s not alone. The album’s production credits include Pi’erre Bourne, Timbaland, Ronny J, and Francis and the Lights. Before its release, there was a general fear that the content of the songs would be mostly sung. Again, this is not the case, which resulted in some hard hitting instrumentals like “Follow God” and “Selah”.
After hearing the album in full, I can tell the purpose of the production on this record is to put those rapping/singing on a pedestal. When someone is on the mic, they’re using their time to preach, so to speak. So, when you’re going to be preaching to the choir (pun intended), you’re going to want the music backing what you’re saying to be just as epic. Thus, there are moments where the production sounds quite grandiose. For example, the commandeering snare drums on “Selah” during Kanye’s second verse or the loud hypnotic synths on “On God”. I would also say other big moments include the way Ty Dolla $ign’s smooth vocals were layered on “Everything We Need” or Ant Clemons being backed by a choir throughout the chorus of “Water”. It all fits the theme of the album quite well. I just wish it outweighed my thoughts on the songwriting on this album because it just isn’t there the way it is in the production.

On a lyrical front, the album’s themes tackle familiar Christian ground. Kanye preaches the Word of God and encourages the listener to live their life as a good Christian. Kanye does this by making many references to the Bible, as a lot of Christian music does. There are examples of this everywhere on the record. Most of them are good intentioned at best and platitudinous at worst. Part of that is knowing what you’re getting into when you listen to Christian music in general. Just listen to the entire second verse of “Water” or the verse on “Closed on Sunday”. Lines like, “I know Christ is the fountain that filled my cup” off of “God Is” or “His life shine the brightest in the dark” off of “On God”, the latter of which is a reference to Jesus being the Light of the World. There’s no need to go through all of them. Genius has them all covered if you feel so inclined to search up the album.
Here and there, Kanye also throws in some pretty clever references to A Tribe Called Quest and his own works, including the unreleased Yandhi. Most of the songs that would make up Yandhi are actually reworked onto this album. So, in a sense, we did get Yandhi, but it was rewritten into a Christian album and all the cursing was omitted. However, the first few lyrics on the album’s first proper track, “Selah”, tell you what this album’s conflict is:

“God is King, we the soldiers
Ultrabeam out the solar
When I get to Heaven’s gates
I ain’t gotta peak over” (“Selah”)

Yes, through the album, he tries to convey uplifting and empowering messages to the listener of being a good Christian, but he will take any opportunity to tell you he’s holier than thou. It is classic Kanye, but it also a conflict when you’re making a Christian hip hop record. Singing about God and the Scripture, I would imagine one would need to show some humility (or enough of it, really) to truly convince the listener that he has changed enough and/or was saved. Kanye doesn’t do that enough on Jesus is King because, well, it’s Kanye West we’re talking about here…

“Before the flood, people judge
They did the same thing to Noah
Everybody wanted Yandhi
Then Jesus Christ did the laundry” (“Selah”)

“Before the ranch, I had horses in the garage” (“On God”)

“I’ve been tellin’ y’all since ’05
The greatest artist restin’ or alive” (“On God”)

“Switch my, switch my attitude
I’m so, I’m so radical
All these people mad at dude” (“Everything We Need”)

“Told the devil that I’m going on a strike
I’ve been working for you my whole life
Nothing worse than a hypocrite
Change, he ain’t really different
He ain’t even try to get permission
Ask for advice and they dissed him
Said I’m finna do a gospel album
What have you been hearin’ from the Christians?” (“Hands On”)

Really, I get it, if these lyrics weren’t on the album, what would distinguish Kanye from any other Christian hip hop artist if not for the sound of his voice and, maybe, the production? These lyrics tell me that his ego is still very present on this album. Why wouldn’t they be? It’s who he is. Instead of a car collection full of Ferraris, he’s got a ranch that spans thousands of acres. He still proclaims to be the greatest artist of our generation. The hip hop braggadocio is there, which is a conflict when Christian music is often about showing humility. Though, they also tell me a few things, Bible bars aside. They tell me that Kanye feels persecuted at every corner for his political and religious beliefs as if being a Christian conservative is a “radical” concept. It isn’t. What’s radical is his support of a president who actually doesn’t care about black people, wanting to abolish Amendment XIII, and his beliefs on slavery being a fucking choice. That’s what he’s being persecuted for. Not for making a gospel album instead of the next great hip-hop album. That’s beyond the conversation.

This album would have been a better listen if Kanye spoke about his specific experiences with God rather than rap this plethora of platitudes that plagues the record. He does show vulnerability with lines like “He saved a wretch like me” off of “Selah”, but I think expanding on that vulnerability would have led to better moments on Jesus is King. For example, where did Kanye find God? What about it was so special? What does God mean to him in context of his career and what did it mean before? Why now of all times and what was that moment that signaled a change within him? What did this change feel like? These could have all been song topics, but instead, we were given a surface level approach to Christian hip hop with above average production. There is a better Christian rapper on Jesus is King with one of the best verses on the whole thing: No Malice. If you want a good Christian hip-hop album, check out his debut, Hear Ye Him. Him and his brother, former Clipse member and G.O.O.D. Music label head Pusha T, give the best performances on the album. Push attributes his success to Jesus, but also acknowledges his past as a drug pusher. He plays on the idea of judgement, but knows he’s no one to judge and isn’t changing soon. It’s menacing and he raps as if with a snarl. No Malice then speaks on his transgressions as a drug dealer and how he was saved. He closes his verse with the line, “Just hold onto your brother when his faith lost”. How touching. Their verses weren’t very long, but if they were, I’m sure they’d be even better. Actually, let’s touch on that…

          Jesus is King is only 23 minutes long and it shows. While Kanye put his mark on the music landscape last summer by producing albums that clocked under 30 minutes, this album feels unfinished. Knowing this album is Yandhi in its current form means Kanye has worked on it since last September. It’s ridiculous. He’s had so much time to flesh it out. Some of the songs here are glorified interludes. Can you call the verses on “Everything We Need” actual verses? They didn’t reach ten bars. “Follow God” ends rather abrupt. So does “Closed on Sunday”. “On God” could be a little longer. “Jesus is Lord” could be the outro to “Use This Gospel” in place of having that out-of-place Kenny G saxophone solo. It almost sounded copy/pasted onto the song. It isn’t that it sounded bad; on the contrary, it’s quite pleasant. It just doesn’t make any sense on the track. “Every Hour” could be cut significantly and used as the intro to “Selah” instead of being a separate track. A lot of these songs aren’t even complete ideas. It’s quite astonishing to see him flounder on these songs when Kanye has always been a perfectionist.

Jesus is King is the worst album of Kanye West’s career. It isn’t because it’s a Christian album, but due to a few creative directions he and the record take. He takes a songwriting route filled to the brim with platitudes instead of getting as personal as he did on his last album, ye. He delivers an unfinished album that could have spent more time in the studio if this is what he had to give after a year. He shows a little vulnerability at certain points, but his ego gets in the way of the message this record wants to tell. That doesn’t mean this album’s positives aren’t easy to pinpoint. The performances from all the featured guests involved are stellar, especially Pusha T and No Malice coming together for the first time since 2013. The production is pretty and, at times, compelling. The samples used are great and Kanye’s skill as a producer shouldn’t be doubted.

The worst thing about Jesus is King isn’t Jesus. No. It’s Kanye.

5/10

Listen to Jesus is King on Spotify, Tidal, Apple Music, and Hoopla Digital.

The Pairing:

When I used to go to church on Sundays with my family, all I could ever think about during the homily was what the hell we were gonna eat after. I remember going once to La Camaronera, another time to La Carreta, and even El Rey de las Fritas. Cuban families generally keep it pretty Cuban, but Jesus is King doesn’t scream Cuban Sunday lunch. My girlfriend, Emily, suggested I pair this album with a Cracker Barrel. The thought was ludicrous, but the joke stuck the landing and I found myself inspired. American comfort food was definitely the cuisine to pair with this album, but where? There are many choices, but my favorite is a Miami staple since the ’80s. The dish I wish to pair with Jesus is King is the Corned Beef Rueben from Roasters ‘n’ Toasters.

Their Rueben sandwich is not to be slept on. It’s packed with generous helpings of corned beef, tasty Swiss cheese, tangy sauerkraut, and Russian dressing (or pink sauce, as I’ve always called it). All in between two slices of delicious toasted rye bread. No, you can’t get Chik-Fil-A on Sundays, but Roasters ‘n’ Toasters opens on Sundays until 3:30. Always a nice wholesome spot for some good sandwiches and comfort food.