The cultural enigma that is Kanye West has spoken out for the first time about his nascent Christian faith and unveiled his newest project, stepping in front of the apparently imminent release of his long-promised album, “Jesus Is King.”
“Now that I’m in service to Christ,” West said during a lengthy conversation with Beats 1 show host Zane Lowe, “my job is to spread the Gospel, to let people know what Jesus has done for me.”
“I’m not longer a slave,” he added. “I’m a son now, a son of God. I’m free.”
West’s comments jive with those of Adam Tyson, pastor of Placerita Bible Church in Santa Clarita, California. Tyson first met the famed rapper in June of this year, when West told him he had been “radically saved.” The two men have been meeting together every week since they first spoke.
The California pastor has repeatedly vouched for the authenticity of West’s faith.
Also during their interview, West told Lowe he is planning to release another album — “Jesus Is Born” — on Christmas Day. He told the host it will be “a Sunday Service album,” referring to the worship-style events West has been hosting every weekend for the past few months.
All of this comes one day before the release of West’s IMAX-only film, “Jesus Is King.” The entertainer’s album by the same title is supposed to debut Friday as well.
West also talked a little about politics with Lowe, even addressing the time he was very vocally supportive of President Donald Trump and wearing his famous red “Make America Great Again” hat.
Apparently seeing himself as a conservative, West said it’s clear “God has a sense of humor,” referring to the fact fellow rapper Drake lives just four blocks down the street from him.
“Now, liberals love art, right?” West said. “And now — I am unquestionably, undoubtedly, the greatest human artist of all time. It’s not even a question at this point. It’s just a fact.”
“For the greatest artist in human existence,” he continued, “to put a red hat on was God’s practical joke to all liberals. Like, ‘No, not Kanye!’”