Jesus Is King
Jesus Is King is the ninth studio album by the American rapper Kanye West. It was released by GOOD Music and Def Jam Recordings on October 25, 2019. It follows a Christian theme, in stark contrast from previous works by West, who described it as "an expression of the gospel". It features guest appearances from Clipse, Ty Dolla Sign, Kenny G, Fred Hammond, Ant Clemons, and the Sunday Service Choir. Production was handled by West himself, as well as Federico Vindver, Ronny J, Pi'erre Bourne, Labrinth and Timbaland, among others.
West began recording the album in August 2018, originally announcing it as Yandhi. The album missed two initial release dates in September and November 2018 under the original title, before being delayed indefinitely due to leaks. West had formed his gospel group the Sunday Service Choir in January 2019, performing gospel songs and covers of songs from West's discography. The song "Water" was performed live prior to release by the group. In August 2019, Yandhi was reannounced as Jesus Is King, but it missed two planned release dates for late September 2019 under the new title.
The final release of Jesus Is King was simultaneous with that of a concert film of the same name, which included a number of the tracks as part of the soundtrack. The singles "Follow God" and "Closed on Sunday" were both released in November 2019, charting in the top 20 of the US Billboard Hot 100. The album received mixed reviews from music critics, with a number of them drawing comparisons between it and West's previous solo album, Ye. Some critics complimented the former's composition, while others expressed negative feelings towards the lyrics and the inconsistency of ideas.
Jesus Is King won the Top Christian Album and Top Gospel Album awards at the 2020 Billboard Music Awards and Best Contemporary Christian Music Album at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards in 2021. It stood as West's record-tying ninth consecutive studio album to debut atop the US Billboard 200. In addition, West broke several Billboard charts' records. The album was a chart topper in nine other countries, including Australia and Canada, while attaining top five positions in the Czech Republic, Finland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. It has been certified gold and silver in the United States and the United Kingdom by the Recording Industry Association of America and British Phonographic Industry, respectively. A companion album, Jesus Is Born, was released in December 2019 by the Sunday Service Choir.
Background and recording
August–November 2018: ''Yandhi'', Chicago and Uganda
Throughout May and June 2018, five seven-track albums produced by West at his ranch in Jackson Hole, Wyoming were successively released as the Wyoming Sessions. American rapper Pusha T's third studio album Daytona was released first, followed by West's eighth studio album Ye, West's collaborative studio album Kids See Ghosts, with Kid Cudi as Kids See Ghosts, Nas' eleventh studio album Nasir, and Teyana Taylor's second studio album K.T.S.E.; all of the albums were released in 2018. In July 2018, Chicago music artist Chance the Rapper announced that West was coming to Chicago to produce for his seven-track debut studio album. West was seen in the city at the end of August 2018, and simultaneously confirmed to Fox News that the two of them were recording music together. West later stated that his recording sessions with Chance the Rapper had helped the former reconnect with his roots and faith in Jesus. The following month, West released the collaborative single "I Love It" with fellow American rapper Lil Pump. Later that month, West visited Colombia to record music with fellow rapper 6ix9ine. West also reactivated his Instagram account after a half-year absence, with indications that he was working with American record producer Ronny J, and Chance the Rapper, alongside the latter's brother Taylor Bennett, and American rapper G Herbo. Through his Instagram, West confirmed that he was collaborating with 6ix9ine and began posting snippets of new music. American singer-songwriter Ant Clemons, who had previously worked with West on Ye and K.T.S.E., was invited to Chicago where he entered a studio room with West, Chance the Rapper, and American conservative commentator Candace Owens. During these Chicago sessions, Clemons recorded his vocals for "Everything We Need” and an earlier version of the track "Selah". West also announced that he was permanently moving back to Chicago, which his wife Kim Kardashian was not aware of until she heard about West's announcement through social media, and that he was actively working on a collaborative studio album with Chance the Rapper titled Good Ass Job. West ultimately did not move back to Chicago and Good Ass Job has yet to materialize.On September 17, 2018, West announced his ninth studio album Yandhi, just three months after the release of his previous solo album Ye, revealing the cover art and initial release date of September 29, 2018. On September 27, 2018, West visited The Fader headquarters to preview new music from Yandhi and invited people to change up the lyrics. Songs previewed included vocals from American singer Ty Dolla Sign and American rappers 6ix9ine, and XXXTentacion; West was awaiting Barbadian singer Rihanna to send in vocals for a track. A working track list for the initial version of Yandhi included "I Love It" with Lil Pump, "We Got Love" with Teyana Taylor and American singer Lauryn Hill, and "New Body", which Trinidad and Tobago-born rapper Nicki Minaj recorded her verse in under an hour after Kardashian coordinated to get her featured on the song. Other tracks included "The Storm", "Bye Bye Baby", "Hurricane", "Alien / SpaceX", "Last Name", "Sky City", "Garden" and "Chakras".
West was the musical guest for the season 44 premiere of Saturday Night Live , slated to coincide with the release of Yandhi on September 29, 2018. Universal Music Publishing Group accidentally leaked that the initial version of the album was to be eight tracks long that same month, with Clemons being shown to have contributed to seven of the tracks. After the album went unreleased, a rescheduled date of November 23, 2018, was announced by Kardashian on October 1 of that year. That same day, West visited the TMZ offices for an interview, admitting that the album was not actually finished yet and that he would be going to Africa in two weeks to continue recording for Yandhi. West talked about recording in Chicago and how he "felt the roots" but wanted to go to further his energy by touching African soil and recording in nature. West said the previous five albums he released in 2018 as the Wyoming Sessions were "superhero rehabilitation" and declared that Yandhi was a "full Ye album," with West comparing it to his critically acclaimed albums 808s & Heartbreak, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, and Watch the Throne, the latter of which is a collaboration with fellow rapper Jay-Z. West stated that "the alien Ye is like, fully back in mode, off of medication."
File:Morning in Murchison Falls National Park.JPG|thumb|right|alt=Morning on Nile in Murchison falls National Park|West recorded at the Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda in October 2018.
On October 12, 2018, West arrived in Uganda and restarted work on the album in a dome-shaped studio set up in the Chobe Safari Lodge at the Murchison Falls National Park. West arrived with around 50 people and recorded for five days. He played new music, including a studio recording of the "We Got Love" remix, for a group of about 100 Ugandan school children during a charity event. In an October 21, 2018, interview, American rapper Quavo stated that his trio Migos had recorded for the album. In November 2018, following a Kids See Ghosts performance with Kid Cudi at American rapper Tyler, the Creator's Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival, West tweeted that he felt Yandhi was not finished, and that he would "announce the release date once it's done," delaying the album indefinitely.
December 2018 – April 2019: Miami and the Sunday Service Choir
In December 2018, West reiterated on Twitter that he was still not taking medications for his bipolar disorder in order to record music on the same level as some of his previous works. Amanda Mull, writing for The Atlantic, described West's erratic tweets as promoting "a dangerous myth" that suffering is required for great art and creativity. That same month, American record producer Timbaland and Argentinian jazz pianist Federico Vindver were recording in Miami when West joined their studio session to make "more healing music" for Yandhi. Clemons was also invited to a record in Miami after he had been talked about to Timbaland by West "nonstop." Vindver stated he recorded about 100 songs with West over the course of ten days. Vindver and American record producer Angel Lopez have stated that these recording sessions lasted 19 to 20 hours. The track "Use This Gospel" was first recorded during these sessions under the name "Law of Attraction".On January 6, 2019, West debuted the Sunday Service Choir, and continued to rehearse on every Sunday. The choir sings classic gospel music and "church-friendly" remixes of popular songs. That same month, West began splitting time between Los Angeles and his newly purchased house in Miami, being seen in the latter city with Timbaland recording with other artists such as Lil Wayne, 2 Chainz, Migos, Tee Grizzley, and YNW Melly. On February 14, 2019, West met saxophonist Kenny G for the first time after hiring him for a Valentine's Day performance. The day after, West began previewing new songs to him in the studio and Kenny G suggested that his saxophone "would sound really good" on "Use This Gospel". West pulled out a microphone and Kenny G recorded his part, keeping the track for later reverb and EQ tweaks.
On February 25, 2019, a video of West playing a keyboard and leading the Sunday Service Choir for a cover of American gospel singer Fred Hammond's "This Is The Day" was tweeted by American rapper Cyhi the Prynce and went viral. The video garnered Hammond's attention. In March 2019, Hammond was introduced to West at Chance the Rapper's wedding, where West invited Hammond to record for the album. Timbaland shared a snippet of a Yandhi track on Instagram that same month. The track "Water" had been recorded in April 2019, and was debuted live less than a week later on April 21, 2019. "Water" was performed with the Sunday Service Choir, Clemons and Ty Dolla Sign at Coachella for Easter. West has claimed that he was "radically saved" around the time of the Coachella performance and later enlisted Adam Tyson as a personal pastor for weekly Bible studies.