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A Kanye West 'Jesus Is King' Bus Is Driving Around Manhattan
By
Ben Yakas
Published Oct 25, 2019
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By
Ben Yakas
Published Oct 25, 2019
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After over a year of delays, name changes, tracklist shifts, and Sunday Service performances, Kanye West released his ninth studio album, JESUS IS KING, today. It's a record that has been both much-anticipated and much-dreaded by West fans, due to his erratic behavior over the last two years, which has included West's struggles with his mental health, coming out as a Trump supporter, and becoming a religious proselytizer. You can stream it here now.
The 27 minute album, his first since 2018's Ye and Kids See Ghosts, is unabashedly a Christian album, though it likely doesn't sound anything like any other gospel album you've ever encountered—there's certainly no other gospel album in existence that includes verses from Clipse (reunited and it feels so good) and a sax solo from Kenny G (and that's just on the same song, "Use This Gospel," which also has the catchiest chorus on the album). Musically, it's a mix of the chilly, auto-tuned aesthetics of 808s & Heartbreak and the experimental electronic soundscapes of Yeezus (highlights "Follow God," "On God"), with some of his best production since that latter album. It also contains the best singing of West's career on songs like "God Is."
But lyrically, it is a relentlessly, sometimes punishingly religious experience. The praise intro "Every Hour," which is anchored by the Sunday Service choir with little West, is actually one of the best, most pure gospel moments. Elsewhere, when it occasionally touches on the tumultuousness of West's current life (like on "Hands On"), it is striking and exceptionable, but often the lyrics are monotonous ("Water") or corny ("Everybody wanted Yandhi / But Jesus Christ did the laundry"). There's plenty of people who have already had more than enough of West and his limitless ego and have no interest in giving this album a chance, and so be it; for everyone else, your mileage may vary depending on how you feel about lyrics such as "Jesus, You have my soul / Sunday Service on a roll" and "Closed on Sunday, you my Chick-fil-A / Hold the selfies, put the 'Gram away."
In the meantime, West is all-in on promoting this album, with multiple long interviews with the likes of Zane Lowe and Big Boy, and a surprise appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live in Brooklyn last night. There will also be a "Jesus Is King" bus going around Manhattan today to promote the album and the accompanying IMAX feature, in theaters now. You can see all its stops below.
The bus was spotted last night around 3 a.m., and then just now driving near Central Park.
West was also spotted at the Oculus Plaza located at the World Trade Center early this morning with his Sunday Service, reportedly filming a live performance for Kimmel (which will be shown tonight).
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Ben Yakas
Ben Yakas is a former Gothamist reporter.
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