“JESUS IS KING” by Kanye West

By Peter Nomelander

Kanye West has changed. Maybe. After a year that saw him release two critically acclaimed projects and produce numerous others, West also found himself embroiled in multiple controversies. Whether it was at the White House or the TMZ offices, it felt like West was always saying or doing something that made longtime fans scratch their heads. In the aftermath of this backlash, West started performing public concerts he dubbed “Sunday Services,” and announced a new record that would be strictly gospel music.

After months of reworking and changing the release date, fans get “JESUS IS KING,” West’s eighth solo studio album and his first gospel record. The results are a bit of a mess. A short, strange, and shockingly soulless project, “JESUS IS KING” is a disappointing follow-up to last year’s apparent return to form. 

West’s production remains as strong as ever on many tracks, especially on the choir-backed “Selah” and “God Is.” But his lyrics and vocals continue to frustrate and confuse. West sounds bored for most of the record, which is disappointing given the personal nature of the subject matter, and his lyrics are laughable at times. The less said about the Chick-fil-A song, the better. 

While far from awful, the album seems thrown together at the last minute, like many of West’s recent outputs. But while those projects, particularly last year’s “Ye,” almost benefit from their quick turnout, “JESUS IS KING” suffers and unfortunately results in West’s most disappointing record yet.