Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Kanye West

He made us wait for the coronation a little longer than promised, but Kanye West’s Jesus Is King finally dropped on Friday and has dominated cultural conversation ever since.

Yeezy is not allowing himself - or anyone else for that matter - to catch a breath. The first live performance came on Sunday afternoon (Oct. 27) at the Los Angeles Forum. Fans, friends and families gathered for a 1 p.m. start (a mere hour later than expected) to hear a number of Jesus Is King songs performed live for the first time. Backed with his huge Sunday Service choir (led by Jason White), assisted by his daughter North and staged at the center of the arena with plants and trees arranged all around, it was an afternoon that underlined how serious the Chicago artist is about his mission to spread the gospel, and how serious he is about making sure that gospel sounds as uplifting as possible.

Skepticism about Kanye’s new material and his new motivations are, of course, abound. Kanye is no different to anyone else pursuing piety; it’s a road beset with inconsistencies, contradictions and criticisms -- both valid and vicious. But on the way, there are supernatural moments of joy and serenity that make it all worthwhile, and Sunday Service is where Kanye summons most of them. Here are five standout moments from the show.

Kanye Doubles Up on 'Follow God'

Undoubtedly one of Jesus Is King's biggest grooves, “Follow God” was fleshed-out and given a new lease of life early in the set. Kanye’s words and rhymes rushed by in such a thrilling blur that he performed his verses of spiritual devotion twice, with either side of the Sunday Service choir singing the gospel loud enough for heaven to hear.

Kenny G Brings It

It was when Kenny G was called to the stage that L.A. knew God was truly in the house. Just the mention of his name was enough to send the Forum into a frenzy, and the Seattle sax machine was front and center during a sensational extended version of Jesus Is King standout “Use This Gospel.” Kanye watched adoringly as Kenny blew several solos, while No Malice and Pusha T dropped their verses, making the Clipse reunion real (“reunited in Jesus’ name,” noted Kanye). The entire crowd also got into the spirit, rapturously adding their voices to the song’s main refrain and creating a moment of pure, unbridled joy.

Francis Lets the Light Shine

Among the dozens-strong choir was longtime Kanye-collaborator Francis Farewell Starlite (aka Francis and the Lights), who stepped forward to the piano to deliver a tender and beautiful version of his recent track “Take Me to the Light” (which also features Bon Iver). He’s a talent that is used sparingly by Kanye, but whenever called, Francis never fails to illuminate.

'Saint Pablo'/'Fade'

Kanye has spoken of his interest in revisiting parts of his catalogue with a more sanctified mind, and these two cuts from The Life of Pablo turned out to be early examples. “Fade” in particular enjoyed a more wholesale revamp, keeping just the panicky bass line and the opening “your love is fadin’/I feel it fade” hook, and rebuilding it to a sky-scraping spiritual. Definitely no room for Teyana Taylor to flex her abs and glutes here.

'Jesus Walks'

“What song do you wanna hear?” asked choir leader Jason White towards the set’s end. It was a semi-rhetorical question, because in this scenario, the answer was always going to be “Jesus Walks.” Anyone peddling the lazy narrative that Kanye West has suddenly (or cynically) found God for Jesus Is King should be immediately corrected. Religion, spirituality and higher powers have always been key to his work, and the rousing rendition of this 2004 single -- backed by the ever-increasing power and musical muscle of the Sunday Service group -- felt like a natural climax to the show.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Altman Says GPT-5 Already Outpaces Him, Warns AI Could Automate 40% of Work
Russian Research Vessel 'Yantar' Tracked Mapping Europe’s Subsea Cables, Raising Security Alarms
Global Cruise Industry Posts Dramatic Comeback with 34.6 Million Passengers in 2024
U.S. Demands Brussels Scrutinize Digital Rules to Prevent Bias Against American Tech
Private Equity’s Fundraising Surge Triggers Concern of European Market Shake-Out
Tokyo’s Jimbōchō Named World’s Coolest Neighbourhood for 2025
European Officials Fear Trump May Shift Blame for Ukraine War onto EU
The Personality Rights Challenge in India’s AI Era
Italy Considers Freezing Retirement Age at 67 to Avert Scheduled Hike
Italian City to Impose Tax on Visiting Dogs Starting in 2026
Study Finds No Safe Level of Alcohol for Dementia Risk
Trump Says Ukraine Can Fully Restore Borders with NATO Backing
Europe Signals Stronger Support for Taiwan at Major Taipei Defence Show
Germany Weighs Excluding France from Key European Fighter Jet Programme
Cyberattack Disrupts Check-in and Boarding Systems at Major European Airports
Björn Borg Breaks Silence: Memoir Reveals Addiction, Shame and Cancer Battle
When Extremism Hijacks Idealism: How the Baader-Meinhof Gang Emerged and Fell
JWST Data Brings TRAPPIST-1e Closer to Earth-Like Habitability
Trump Orders $100,000 Fee on H-1B Visas and Launches ‘Gold Card’ Immigration Pathway
France’s Looming Budget Crisis and Political Fracture Raise Fears of Becoming Europe’s “Sick Man”
Three Russian MiG-31 Jets Breach Estonian Airspace in ‘Unprecedentedly Brazen’ NATO Incident
European manufacturers against ban on polluting cars: "The industry may collapse"
Turkish car manufacturer Togg Enters German Market with 5-Star Electric Sedan and SUV to Challenge European EV Brands
Christian Brueckner Released from German Prison after Serving Unrelated Sentence
World’s Longest Direct Flight China Eastern to Launch 29-Hour Shanghai–Buenos Aires Direct Flight via Auckland in December
New OpenAI Study Finds Majority of ChatGPT Use Is Personal, Not Professional
The conservative right spreads westward: a huge achievement for 'Alternative for Germany' in local elections
Pope Leo Warns of Societal Crisis Over Mega-CEO Pay, Citing Tesla’s Proposed Trillion-Dollar Package
Poland Green-Lights NATO Deployment in Response to Major Russian Drone Incursion
U.S. and China Agree on Framework to Shift TikTok to American Ownership
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Nayib Bukele Points Out Belgian Hypocrisy as Brussels Considers Sending Army into the Streets
France, at an Impasse, Heads Toward Another Government Collapse
×