Jesus Is King

[1] It features guest appearances from Clipse, Ty Dolla Sign, Kenny G, Fred Hammond, Ant Clemons, and the Sunday Service Choir.

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.

"[29] 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.

[35] 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.

[41] 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.

[48][49] 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.

[77][78] Complex journalist Eric Skelton considered that it was not a sonic departure from West's previous work, noting its "healthy doses of bass, pretty chords, hip hop sensibilities, and pop melodies."

and claimed that it borrows elements from his past albums such as My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, Ye, and The Life of Pablo (2016),[79] while Samuel J. Robinson of Rolling Stone highlighted its use of trap drums, ambient flourishes and samples.

[78] However, Charles Holmes, also from Rolling Stone, described it as a "far more muted, stripped-down affair than most West albums," with him noting the exception of the track "On God", produced by Pi'erre Bourne, due to its "galactic, fiery, and intense" beat.

"[80] Writing for The Daily Telegraph, Neil McCormick viewed Jesus Is King as where "West has confounded expectations once again with a set of dramatic, evangelical hip hop testimonials.

[81] Torsten Ingvaldsen from Hypebeast noted the influence taken from West's previous albums, describing Jesus Is King as what "can be seen as Kanye's way of reenvisioning his past, updating it within his own hip-hop missionary lens in an attempt to bring something new to these seemingly anachronistic principles.

[96] This followed on from West having previously called for the repeal of the amendment in September and October 2018, which he did because of the penal labor exemption that suggests that the enslavement of convicts is legal.

[99] In Jesus Is King, West teaches the doctrine of the Social Kingship of Christ through his advocation of "defying worldly authorities" and "seek[ing] liberty from lower powers by submitting to a higher one.

[102] On September 27, 2019, following a Sunday Service performance in Detroit, West previewed the album and the accompanying film also entitled Jesus Is King at the Fox Theatre.

The clothing is made from Yeezy cotton garments and each item has either a black or royal blue base, mostly decorated with Bible verses, images of Jesus, and West's lyrics.

West closed the show by performing "Ghost Town" from Ye with Kid Cudi and 070 Shake and giving a speech in support of then-US president Donald Trump.

[124] The recording of Minaj's verse on the song, entitled "New Body", was prominently showcased in an April 2019 episode of American television series Keeping Up with the Kardashians.

Thompson cited factors such as the lukewarm reception of Ye and that songs do not typically enter "popular canon" nowadays unless they're released on streaming services.

[75] "New Body" was previewed at Jesus Is King listening parties, but was removed from the final track listing for the album a day before release due to the creative differences between West and Nicki Minaj.

"[91] Bassett continued, calling it "concise by" the standards of Kanye West but not one of his "masterworks" like My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy and The Life of Pablo, though asserted that "there's density and focus throughout.

"[91] McCormick expressed similar feelings, stating that "with gospel choirs, church organs and soulful ululations condensed into a typically bravura tableaux of obscure samples, warped synths and spooky slabs of vocoder harmonies, Jesus Is King sounds as scintillating as anything" from West's discography.

[147] Rawiya Kameir from Pitchfork called it "a markedly more cohesive and enjoyable album than I believed him capable of creating at this juncture" but criticized Jesus Is King for being "largely focused on the ways in which religion has served Kanye himself.

"[90] Sam C. Mac of Slant Magazine was positive towards the production, though panned West's lack of capability to "translate his spiritual awakening to his music as confidently as he has nearly every other experience in his life on previous albums," despite noting that it "isn't the work of a has-been" and "there are flashes of genius throughout.

"[89] Veteran critic Robert Christgau found the album "grandiose, self-involved, uninspired, plus there are the underlying politics, which far as I'm concerned verge on evil," while saying of West, "Spiritually he's an egomaniacal shell, and the music is nothing.

[161] During a special Christmas Eve performance by the Sunday Service Choir, the director Jason White addressed the audience and reconfirmed the album's release date.

"[163] In May 2020, American cinematographer Arthur Jafa revealed that West's upcoming album would be titled God's Country, which was later renamed to Donda in July 2020 and released in August 2021.

[174] On July 18, 2020, West briefly shared a track list of his then-upcoming tenth studio album Donda that included "Up from the Ashes" (a song initially intended for the Jesus is King sequel).

The Eminem remix version of the song "Use This Gospel", also originally intended for Jesus is King Part II, was released within the DJ Khaled album God Did on August 26, 2022.

The album featured guest appearances from Eminem, Snoop Dogg, Anderson .Paak, Travis Scott, Pusha T, 2 Chainz, Marsha Ambrosius, and ASAP Ferg.

[182] This gave West his ninth consecutive studio album to debut atop the chart, tying him with a record held by fellow rapper Eminem.

Morning on Nile in Murchison falls National Park
West recorded at the Murchison Falls National Park , Uganda in October 2018.
Timbaland performing in West Hollywood, CA in January 2010 on The Shock Value II Tour. Taken with a Nikon D3.
American record producer Timbaland began working on the album in December 2018 and contributed production on five tracks.
Cedar Mountain
In September 2019, West returned to Wyoming to finish Jesus Is King , the same state where he recorded his previous solo album Ye (2018).
Donald Trump and Kanye West meeting in October 2018
West references the Thirteenth Amendment on " On God " and " Hands On ". In October 2018, West met with then-US president Donald Trump and discussed altering the amendment. [ 83 ]
The Forum in LA. Under Jesus is King listening party.
West previewed the album at The Forum in the County of Los Angeles in October 2019.
Blue orb artwork that would have served as the cover for Jesus is King Part II