Lucifer Had the Best Voice in the Seraphim
If Kanye West is to be believed, he is planning on releasing his new album, "Jesus is King," today. Considering the fact that he's not the most reliable person when it comes to sticking to album release dates, there is 95.6% chance that it won't actually happen. However, in the small chance that Kanye actually releases that album at midnight, I would like ya'll to know that I have no intentions of listening to it. I don't care if that man makes a gospel song to the tune of "Freak Like Me" by Adina Howard, I have no interest in listening to it.
Photo courtesy of The New Yorker
Kanye West has spoken in the past about his battle with mental illness, and if his recent behavior is an indicator of that struggle, then it's obvious that he's still not doing well. Don't get me wrong, I'm not excusing his behavior. In fact, I'm the first person to tell you quite the opposite. I firmly believe that while his mental health must be taken into account, it is not excuse for all of his outlandish antics and words.
If you read my article last week about his comments on Kim's outfit then you know that I'm not here for his bullshit. My tolerance for him has only lowered over the past months with his Sunday Service antics. Going to Howard University and telling the students that Republicans freed the slaves and that they shouldn't stand next to each other the next time that white people decide to throw a net to catch some slaves has got to be some of the dumbest shit I've ever heard. I don’t care if he's remixing Ginuwine's “So Anxious” to make "Soul Anchored,” it doesn't entirely erase his past behavior, and black people really need to stop with that “all is forgiven” bullshit.
Just because it's gospel music does not mean that we should automatically support it. In fact, if anything, we need to be more cautious. Need I remind ya'll that Lucifer supposedly had the best voice in the Seraphim? If you want to protect your energy as much as you claim you do in your Instagram captions, you would think twice before pressing play. I'm not trying to stand up on a religious soap box, but let's be honest. Is there anything in Kanye's behavior that truly allows you to think that he's really given his life over to God?
Photo courtesy of The LA Times
Sure, he's spreading the "gospel", but as you can see from the clips of the original services in Calabasas, it has been for a select few. In fact, it's not a stretch to say that he began the process as a way of allowing white people to be spectators of an integral part of the Black church. The further privatization of the church for his own profit through his "church clothes" just goes to prove that he's not that much different from the pastors of mega churches that people have come to despise over the years. Ya'll, the man literally went to Howard and said, "They said I was canceled. Do I look like canceled to you?!" I wouldn’t be surprised if "Holy Water" from Coke or Pepsi is on its way.
If you want to listen to the album, that's your prerogative. If you want to buy into his behavior, that's your choice as well. However, remember that the old backpack with the pink polo Kanye is gone. There ain't no mo' "Jesus Walks" Kanye. Despite how much Trump has hurt black people and other minorities in this country and abroad, Kanye is still continuing to use his image to support Trump and if that isn’t an indicator of his true beliefs then I don’t know what is. Kanye believes that he's the "Great White Hope" of Black People and that his name, and his name only, is right next to W.E.B. DuBois' definition of the Talented Tenth. He believes that he is a prophet destined to “save” black people and that becomes more and more evident with every sermon (read: rant). We're peons because we just don't get his vision, and that's fine. I'll just stick to the Kirk Franklin and Fred Hammond's that I'm used to.
Update: The album has been delayed…again. I guess He isn’t an “On Time God” when it comes to bullshit.
