Kanye West
Jesus Is King
(Getting Out Our Dreams II/Def Jam Recordings)
2.5/5
Christianity has always been one of Kanye West’s greatest thematic inspirations. Even though Jesus Is King is West’s first deep-dive into religious music, it employs several familiar sounds.
“Follow God”’s Whole Truth sample packs a layered punch reminiscent of West’s earliest beats, and “Use This Gospel” sees a triumphant reunion of the rap duo Clipse, who provide the album’s lone example of dramatic storytelling. However, these moments of brilliance are overshadowed by West’s presence and Jesus Is King’s rushed recording process.
“Closed On Sunday” is a tonally confused tribute to Kim Kardashian containing Chick-fil-A-inspired rhymes. The skeletal instrumentation of “Water” sounds unfinished and the track is made worse by West’s anxious singing voice.
It’s evident that religion is West’s driving passion, but Jesus Is King’s lack of ambition and polish leaves little to come back to.