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
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
The Country That Got Too Rich? Public Spending Dominates Norway Election
EU Proposes Phasing Out Russian Oil and Gas by End of 2027 to End Energy Dependence
More Than 150,000 Followers for a Fictional Character: The New Influencers Are AI Creations
EU Prepares for War
Trump Threatens Retaliatory Tariffs After EU Imposes €2.95 Billion Fine on Google
Tesla Board Proposes Unprecedented One-Trillion-Dollar Performance Package for Elon Musk
Gold Could Reach Nearly $5,000 if Fed Independence Is Undermined, Goldman Sachs Warns
Uruguay, Colombia and Paraguay Secure Places at 2026 World Cup
Trump Administration Advances Plans to Rebrand Pentagon as Department of War Instead of the Fake Term Department of Defense
Big Tech Executives Laud Trump at White House Dinner, Unveil Massive U.S. Investments
Tether Expands into Gold Sector with Profit-Driven Diversification
‘Looks Like a Wig’: Online Users Express Concern Over Kate Middleton
Florida’s Vaccine Revolution: DeSantis Declares War on Mandates
Trump’s New War – and the ‘Drug Tyrant’ Fearing Invasion: ‘1,200 Missiles Aimed at Us’
"The Situation Has Never Been This Bad": The Fall of PepsiCo
At the Parade in China: Laser Weapons, 'Eagle Strike,' and a Missile Capable of 'Striking Anywhere in the World'
The Fashion Designer Who Became an Italian Symbol: Giorgio Armani Has Died at 91
Putin Celebrates ‘Unprecedentedly High’ Ties with China as Gazprom Seals Power of Siberia-2 Deal
China Unveils New Weapons in Grand Military Parade as Xi Hosts Putin and Kim
Rapper Cardi B Cleared of Liability in Los Angeles Civil Assault Trial
Google Avoids Break-Up in U.S. Antitrust Case as Stocks Rise
Couple celebrates 80th wedding anniversary at assisted living facility in Lancaster
Information Warfare in the Age of AI: How Language Models Become Targets and Tools
The White House on LinkedIn Has Changed Their Profile Picture to Donald Trump
"Insulted the Prophet Muhammad": Woman Burned Alive by Angry Mob in Niger State, Nigeria
Trump Responds to Death Rumors – Announces 'Missile City'
Druzhba Pipeline Incident Sparks Geopolitical Tensions
Cost of Opposition Leader Péter Magyar's Economic Plan Revealed
Germany in Turmoil: Ukrainian Teenage Girl Pushed to Death by Illegal Iraqi Migrant
United Krack down on human rights: Graham Linehan Arrested at Heathrow Over Three X Posts, Hospitalised, Released on Bail with Posting Ban
Asian and Middle Eastern Investors Avoid US Markets
Ray Dalio Warns of US Shift to Autocracy
Eurozone Inflation Rises to 2.1% in August
Russia and China Sign New Gas Pipeline Deal
Von der Leyen's Plane Hit by Suspected Russian GPS Interference in an Incident Believed to Be Caused by Russia or by Pro-Peace or by Anti-Corruption European Activists
China's Robotics Industry Fuels Export Surge
Suntory Chairman Resigns After Police Probe
Gold Price Hits New All-Time Record
UK Fintechs Explore Buying US Banks
Greece Suspends 5% of Schools as Birth Rate Drops
Apollo to Launch $5 Billion Sports Investment Vehicle
Bolsonaro Trial Nears Close Amid US-Brazil Tension
European Banks Push for Lower Cross-Border Barriers
Poland's Offshore Wind Sector Attracts Investors
×