Kanye West is taking a much different approach to his music than he once did. The rapper, who sang about women and money for most of his career, recently transitioned to a Christian rapper and has vowed to no longer play any of his old songs at his shows. In the wake of his religious rebirth, he’s met pastor Joel Osteen. And Osteen recently revealed his true thoughts on West and his religious experience.
West is rapidly becoming an important religious figurehead in the United States
Over the past year, West has gone from any typical rap artist to a Christian rap artist with a massive following. Though many people have always liked West’s music, once he held his first Sunday Service back in January, he started to gain a completely different set of fans. West now writes and performs exclusively Christian rap, and his Sunday Services have become larger than anyone once thought. West is turning into a religious figurehead in America, similar to pastor Joel Osteen or Billy Graham.
Joel Osteen and West have recently worked together
Joel Osteen is arguably one of the most well-known pastors in the U.S. He is a member of Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas, and his televised sermons reach nearly 10 million viewers each week. In November 2019, West held a Sunday Service at Osteen’s church, and the two have gotten to know each other because of their dedication to God. Now, they’re planning another Sunday Service together — this time, at Yankee Stadium. West is bringing his entire Sunday Service choir, and the two expect to have a crowd of about 50,000 people. It will be Osteen’s third time hosting a service at Yankee Stadium.
Osteen said West seems ‘sincere’ and ‘genuine’
On Good Day New York on December 17, Osteen explained that he’s met West and his whole family, and the rapper seems like a good person. “I met the whole family, they seem very genuine. He seems as sincere as can be,” Osteen said in the interview. He also said that West told him, “I was asleep, and I woke up to God,” in reference to his religious rebirth. Osteen called West “passionate” when it comes to his relationship with God, though he mentioned that he still doesn’t know him too well. It’s likely they’ll become much closer friends as they prepare for their Yankee Stadium Sunday Service.
Some are concerned that West isn’t in the right mental state
West’s transition to Christian rap has been welcomed by many, but some are concerned that it’s a sign his mental health is not in the right place. West was hospitalized in 2016 and later diagnosed as bipolar, and some of his recent comments have had fans questioning his mental health. He once said that democrats have brainwashed black Americans and caused them to abort their children, which some found alarming. In that same interview, West said that he’s not afraid of losing fans; he’s only afraid of God.
Though some have questioned West’s religious methods, othersare embracing them; his Sunday Service crowds only keep growing.
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