It's becoming more and more apparent that Kanye is making content under the surface level guise of Christianity

The most glaring example of this is featuring trap related content on Donda. He has mixed surface level Christian commentary with regular album features. To any actual Christian this contradiction would be felt.

The spirit of God is not here, but instead, a victory over the struggles of life at a more carnal level - yet labelled as Christianity. "Make me new again, I repent for everything I'm going to do all over again"

This kind of thing is not a unique theme in the broader music scene. See for example people like Buddy.

But is the authenticity of the intention as important as the impact of the product? Well, that's the question. We as consumers need not understand the difference

features aren't just regular album features tho. big majority of them reflect either christian or spiritual themes

OP can write for P4k fr tbh lol

Agreed. A good majority of this growth process is being stunted because Kanye is still surrounded by Yes Men. He needs people in his corner that'll put their foot down when it comes to the gospel, musical and lyrical expressions.

While the sonics of this album is leaps n bounds above TLOP and JIK, the lyrics have taken a step back.

The visuals are weird an contrarian as well.

sht up hoe... c***bck afta u found God niggga

JIK lyrics are unlistenable (except for Follow God) so this cap.

Listening to jik right now it’s an uplifting christian album. Honestly brings you joy.

That’s crazy
Anyway

sonics of TLOP are way more innovative tbh.

Everything that is not a fat ass, money, family and advancing the human race is an afterthought for Kanye

Cap

You're kinda generalizing the album as one thing while ignoring the actual Christian songs and ideas. Are they still relatively "surface" level? Yeah. But are we expecting Kanye West who's juggling quite a few themes here and is aiming to make a mainstream product to go deep at the extent of a career Gospel artist? Personally..no

Donda does not have the same approach as JIK, but why does that make Christianity an "afterthought" on the album rather than an additional theme? This is still a tribute album to his mother, a continued perspective of his life in 2021, AND how God comes into that. At the core themes like mercy, forgiveness and being born (or new) again are still very much Christian no matter how "basic" it may be. They're actually quite important parts of the religion too.

A lot more features than you might realize also take a testimony-like approach to their verses. There are still several religious songs here too.

My homie already wrote something like this up for Complex but delves deeper into it

complex.com/music/kanye-west-complicated-gospel-opinion

Most folks only go to church on Sunday so I suppose Christianity is an afterthought for them as well?

Nah after re-reading that article and reading OP's post I'm thinking he just jacked the idea for this thread from the article

man is out here dancing w the devil in the name of God. theres nothing more to discuss.

Definitely in the music but in his day to day life he takes it very seriously, from what we have seen.

Donda is not a 'Christian album'. It's about many themes with Kanye's faith being one of them

And this is pure gospel

Yup

this is better written than 90% of p4k

JIK lyrics felt fake af

Jesus walks is the best form of Christian Kanye has ever been. The record was fully spiritual and focused lyrically with radio appeal. Kanye can’t do that anymore because he’s surrounded by weirdos. He probably burned a lot of bridges too...

That's fine with me. I don't need another JiK. I don't mind if Ye is religious, and raps about it. I like his approach to it on Donda moreso than JiK. I'd prefer a more subtle approach, don't need or wanna hear preaching in my rap music.