Released 7 years ago this October
Jesus Is King
Kanye West · 2019
27 min · 11 tracks · contemporary R&B
A bold fusion of gospel and hip-hop, where fervent faith meets innovative production in a spiritual exploration.
Top tracks — play these first
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Selah Start here — The track blends traditional gospel elements with contemporary hip-hop, featuring powerful lyrics that emphasize themes of faith and redemption, setting a tone for the entire album.
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Follow God — This track encapsulates Kanye’s internal struggles with spirituality, presenting a candid reflection on his relationship with faith against a backdrop of minimalist production.
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Closed on Sunday — With its striking metaphor comparing spiritual commitment to fast food culture, this track provides a compelling critique of modern distractions while affirming devotion.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album blends gospel and hip-hop in a unique way, reflecting Kanye's spiritual themes effectively.
What we noticed
- The album opens with a choral piece, setting a spiritual tone that persists throughout the record.
- Tracks frequently shift between hip-hop beats and gospel influences, often layering vocal harmonies over minimalist production.
- Several songs feature abrupt transitions, such as 'Closed on Sunday' moving from a reflective verse to a more aggressive chorus.
- The final track, 'Jesus Is Lord', serves as a capstone, repeating its central message while fading out gradually.
- Composition 25% of the score
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7/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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8/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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6/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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8/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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7/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Significant within its genre. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- concise spiritual exploration
- front-loaded impactful moments
- cathartic uplifting reflections
- early morning motivation
Maybe skip if you
- prefer long immersive albums
- avoid religious themes
Where this album fits
- In the catalog
- Experimental — Represents a significant shift towards gospel and religious themes in Kanye's sound.
- Themes
- spiritual awakening· gospel-infused hip-hop· cultural commentary
- Career context
- Released on October 25, 2019, 'Jesus Is King' is Kanye West's ninth studio album and marks his transition into a more overtly religious phase. This album followed the controversial 'Ye' (2018) and the Wyoming sessions, showcasing a significant shift in both musical style and lyrical content as he embraced Christianity more explicitly.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Kid Cudi· Chance the Rapper· Travis Scott
Tracklist
- 1 Every Hour 1:52
- 2 Selah Start here 2:44
- 3 Follow God 1:44
- 4 Closed on Sunday 2:31
- 5 On God 2:16
- 6 Everything We Need 1:56
- 7 Water 2:48
- 8 God Is 3:23
- 9 Hands On 3:23
- 10 Use This Gospel 3:33
- 11 Jesus Is Lord 0:51
If this landed
Records by other artists that run on the same instinct.
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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