Kanye West
Like many religious rappers, Kanye believes that God has chosen him to get a message across to the public. If that were the case, He would have chosen the right man. Kanye is a huge celebrity who's voice is always heard, he isn't afraid to speak his mind and is strong in his convictions. He is religious, and believes that God has a plan for everything. He uses his platform to speak his mind about religion and other issues in the world.
Kanye's view of the world is that religion can be used for more than just love and kindness. He believes that it is used to separate people and bring people down in the interest of a certain group getting ahead. Perhaps this type of thinking is what makes many people feel as though they are sinners?
Kanye is also known to have a little bit of an overconfidence issue. He is talented, no doubt - but he tends to think a little too highly of himself at times. He refers to himself as "Yeezus," which is a spin on Jesus (hence the overconfidence). The fine print on the book to your left says "A Bible for the modern day." I can't speak for any religious group, but I would think they might find this slightly blasphemous.
It is with obvious pride that Kanye says he has taken away his slave name and given himself a "God name." He has every right to put himself above slave culture, with pride and due respect. But again, some religious people may prefer he not call himself a God because there is no God besides God himself.
Kanye West admits in the lyrics of his song, “Jesus walks,” that he was challenged by peers not to produce songs that referenced God and/or religion, because they would not sell; but his mother told him “only Jesus can save us.” Kanye felt so inclined to listen to his mother and made a highly popular song that even referenced religion in the title. He raps that Jesus walks with killers, hustlers, saints and sinners. This is a reference that God is within everyone, whether you are holy or a sinner. Or even if you are a holy person who believes for some reason or another that you are still a sinner. This is another example of people within Christianity believing they are sinners, just because. But, if Jesus walks with saints and sinners alike, it may not truly matter whether you perceive yourself as a sinner or not, because He will be the one who decides which you truly are.
Again we have a song that the title says it all – Jesus Walks is reference that Jesus
Christ is among us. We have another reference to the Devil trying to overpower someone’s devotion to God, “God show me the way because the Devil’s tryin’ to break me down (Jesus Walks with me) The only thing I pray is that my feet don’t fail me now (I want Jesus) And I don’t think there is nothing I can do now to right my wrongs (Jesus Walks with me). I want to talk to God, but I’m afraid because we ain’t spoke in so long.” Kanye is asking God to keep him on the right path and to not stray from his religion. Like Kendrick Lamar, he is worried about the fact that he hasn’t reached out to God in a period of time and fears he won’t be accepted. This song is another reference to the struggle a lot of Christian rappers are faced with within their religion. Feeling as though they are sinners because of certain life choices and actions, or because they haven't spoken to God in a while.
