Page - 119 - in JRFM - Journal Religion Film Media, Volume 06/02

DOI: 10.25364/05.6:2020.2.12 Music Review: Jesus Is King | 119www.jrfm.eu 2020, 6/2, 119–123 Andre L. Price Music Review Kanye West, Jesus Is King US 2019, Def Jam Recordings As any emcee should, Kanye West has developed and matured as a produc- er and lyricist since his 2004 triple-platinum debut project, College Dropout. West’s Gospel project, Jesus Is King, is his ninth studio project and the fol- low-up to his June 2018 release, Ye. After delays, Jesus Is King was released on 25 October 2019. For West, openly talking about Jesus in his music is not new, for he rocked the mainstream hip-hop world in 2004 when he re- leased the single “Jesus Walks”, the final single to be released from College Dropout. Jesus Is King features eleven tracks totaling 27 minutes and 4 seconds, which is short for either a secular or gospel hip-hop project.1 Interestingly, significant changes were made to the track listing order on the album. Kim Kardashian-West announced the tracks and order in August 2019, but the list- ing and order released by Kanye West in October 2019 were markedly differ- ent.2 Such a change could suggest an earlier lack of clarity on what the album was going to be. West did promise that Jesus Is King would be “fully immersed in religion […] with lyrics about God, being saved, and minimal cursing”.3 Jesus Is King employs several aspects of Black Christian worship, from mass choir to melodic organ. West takes the best of the Black gospel tradition, in- fusing it with his own lyrical genius to proclaim what God has done for him, which is best expressed on the track “God Is”, a remake of the classic spiritual. West’s version is still able to touch the soul while allowing you to ride the beat 1 See e. g. Christology: In Laymen’s Terms (The Ambassador, Seventh Street Records/Cross Movement Records, 1999), 1:13:51; Please Excuse Me for Being Antisocial (Roddy Ricch, Atlantic / Dream Chasers Records, 2019), 43:18. 2 TMZ 2019. 3 TMZ 2019.