Finally! Kanye West has dropped his album "Jesus Is King" and it was definitely worth the wait or at least for me it was. I listened to the leaked Yandi album and other then a couple of tracks Jesus Is King sounds a lot different. This album is explosive, powerful and personal but to really get my full thoughts I think it's necessary for me to do a track to track analysis!
Every Hour: 4/10-
It fits the theme of the album but even compared to every other track on the album this is completely different and that can be a good thing but in this case, I think it just doesn't work. It's repetitive, boring and something I'll forget about in a week. Solid production with a great vocal but the tracks gets old after 20 seconds and I just don't really care for it.
Selah: 8.5/10-
Selah starts off on a great foot, Kanye comes in with some suddle yet intense production which is followed by a solid flow and good lyricism delivered by Kanye. The track is big, intense, explosive and a song you can just really get into. Where it starts to lose me is with the super repetitive " hallelujah" hook, it's a bland hook even with the insanely powerful production and feeling the track has to it but that hook is just too long it takes away some of my interest. Then that second verse hits and Kanye delivers again and it really saves the track. Kanye's flows in this track are great, the production is phenomenal but the hook is weak and repetitive which is why I landed on an 8.5 instead of something higher.
Favourite Bars-
" God is King, we the soldiers
Ultrabeam out the solar"
"If you woke, then wake up
With Judas, kiss and make up
Even with the bitter cup
Forgave my brothers and drank up
Did everything but gave up"
Follow God: 7.5/10-
Follow God is a more fun, fast-paced and hip hop like track. It has a great sample, some good production and a great flow delivered perfectly by Kanye. I wish the flow switched up a little earlier because it does get a little old towards the end of the track. It's a fun hype track, the lyricism is solid and it's probably one of the catchiest tracks on the album so I could this being a track a lot of people listen to but for me, it's a nice addition to the album but I probably won't get back and listen to it again.
Favourite Bars-
"I was looking at the 'Gram and I don't even like likes
I was screamin' at my Dad, he told me, "It ain't Christ-like"
Closed On Sunday: 9.5/10-
Close On Sunday is easily my favourite track on the entire album! I loved the vibe and I really think this is the easiest to listen to and move with. I think Kanye does a great job at getting his message across, the lyrics are great, Kanye even has some solid vocals and of course, his delivery and flows are just top-notch. I also think this is a track a lot of people can listen to, it holds relevance to mainstream ideas and views and for me, this is the track that really resonated with me the most.
Favourite Bars-
"Follow Jesus, listen and obey
No more livin' for the culture, we nobody's slave"
On God: 5/10-
On God to me is easily one of the weakest tracks on the album. Personally, I just don't like the sound of it, I just really find it annoying especially the production of the tracks. Lyrically this song holds it's own but it's so hard to listen to especially compared to the rest of the album that the lyrics really just become irrelevant. It's definitely a track I will not be revisiting in the future.
Favourite Bars-
"The Devil had my soul, I can't lie
Life gon' have some lows and some highs
Before the Grammy's ever gave a nod
I wore my heart on my sleeve, I couldn't hide
In '03, they told me not to drive
I bleached my hair for every time I could've died
But I survived, that's on God"
Everything We Need: 7.3/10-
Everything We Need is a solid track but I don't think it's anything special. Actually compared to the original New Body this track is severely lacking. I love the Ty Dolla $ign feature but I find Kanye pretty annoying on the track. I mean Kanye has some decent moments on the track but I think he gets a little too complicated and experimental and it just doesn't work for this track at all especially with his vocal ability. I did like the production a lot but it's another track that I probably won't be going out of my way to listen to again.
Favourite Bars-
"Switch my, switch my attitude
I'm so, I'm so radical
All these people mad at dude"
Water: 7.7/10-
Water starts off really well! The vocals are incredible and very soothing to listen to. Ant Clemons really does an incredible job on this album! I really really enjoyed the hook and it's a great song to relax and just vibe to. The flow when the track gets into the verses is ok but this track is definitely at it's best when the beautiful vocals are meshing perfectly with the fantastic production.
Favourite Bars-
"Clean us like the rain in spring
Take the chlorine out our conversation
Let Your light reflect on me"
God Is: 7.5/10-
I really love this track up until it transitions into the really raspy voice flow, I found that very annoying and it really ruins such a great track. Kanye delivers some great vocals, the production is phenomenal and it's another powerful yet vibey track which I think could have fit this album perfectly if it didn't go downhill when it does. I can still see myself going back and listening to the first half of this track because it really is great.
Favourite Bars-
"Listen to the words I'm sayin', Jesus saved me, now I'm sane
And I know, I know God is the force that picked me up
I know Christ is the fountain that filled my cup
I know God is alive, yeah"
Hands On: 9/10-
Hands On is one of my favourite tracks on the album! I genuinely like everything about this track and it's definitely something I'll be listening to a lot in the future. I especially love the track from a lyrical perspective. The flows and production are obviously great but from a lyrical perspective, this is another track that really resonates with me. The production is obviously incredible like you can really notice how strong the mixing on this track is. I love the hook and I think the feature was really amazing.
Favourite Bars-
"Said I'm finna drop a gospel album
What have you been hearin' from the Christian?
They'll be the first one to judge me
Make it feel like nobody love me"
Use This Gospel: 9.2/10-
Use This Gospel is definitely the second-best track on this album! It's another one of those tracks that I can listen to and get into it to the point where it's all I'm focusing on. I absolutely loved Clipse on this track! Pushta T Deliveres what is easily the best verse on this entire album and No Malice holds his own bring an incredible verse to the track. I loved the Saxophone solo by Kenny G, hell I could listen to that solo by itself. The production is amazing and it's just an incredible track, I also love that it could also work as a single.
Favourite Bars-
"How could he not be the greatest?
In my bed, under covers when undercovers had raided
My presence is happy belated
Fashionably late, I'm just glad that you made it"
Jesus Is Lord: 5/10-
It's a solid outro, I enjoy it and all but there really isn't much else I can say about it.
Average Rating: 8.02/10
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