Note: This post does not review the newly released album “Jesus is King” by Kanye West.
Apparently Kanye’s new album is a big deal. I have never been a fan, mostly because I don’t follow most popular music, being partial to indie Christian, folk, classical, and show tunes. As a result, I might not even have known that a new album was coming out were it not for the extra exposure I got from Christian friends on social media and the news due to Kanye’s purported conversion, and release of a praise & worship album.
Color me cautious. I am certainly hopeful that Mr. West has truly found Jesus in a real, not a publicity-seeking, way and that he is connecting to mature believers who can disciple him and help him truly grow in Christ. If this album becomes a trail marker on a road of new life and fruit of the Spirit, then I’ll be delighted. At the moment, what we have is a lot of reasons to be cautious and reticent. Kanye has had a pretty unstable history of wide swings of positions and mood, signs of mental health struggles, and sinful indulgence. This past does not mean that his current album isn’t real, or heart-felt, or the start of something new, but as Christians, we are often so eager for a big turn-around story that we latch on and elevate people before we know what the story truly is.
Our society is a celebrity-based society. We have a reality-show star for president, an Instagram influencer culture, and a strong tendency to admire and follow those who have succeeded in the media/follower arena. This is true even within the Christian culture as we tend to most follow, admire, listen to teachers/preachers who have big churches or good media platforms. This makes Kanye very irresistible for many Christians. A worldly rogue, colorful anti-hero who is so popular he can both go by only one name and can even change that name (from Kanye to Yeezus, Yeezy, or Ye). Now he’s found Jesus and dedicated an album to him! Perfect!
I’ll be happy to wait and see. At some point I will probably find out what the album is about, and over time we’ll see if this is real, not just another zig-zag on the road of earthly fame and fortune. I urge my brothers and sisters in the meantime to keep their powder dry, pray for this man, his health, his spiritual journey, and those around him including his family. Our own testimony is strengthened when we are careful and wise instead of jumping on every bandwagon that rolls by, no matter how tempting.