Kanye West asked people working on Jesus is King not to have sex before marriage
Controversial artist took part in an interview where he also declared himself the ‘greatest human artist of all time’
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Kanye West has revealed that he asked those working on his new album Jesus is King not to have sex before marriage.
The rapper took part in a lengthy and controversial interview with Zane Lowe on his Apple Music Beats 1 show, in which he reflected on his career.
He said that he was exposed to pornography from a young age and became addicted to sex after the death of his mother in 2007.
“Some people drown themselves in drugs, and I drown myself in my addiction: sex,” he said.
West, who describes himself as a Christian and whose new album is heavily influenced by Gospel music, then explained that he told people working in his studio not to have pre-marital sex.
“There were times where I was asking people not to have premarital sex while they were working on the album,” he said.
“There were times where I went to people that were working on other projects and said, can you just work and focus on this? I thought if we could all focus and fast – families who pray together stay together.”
In the same interview, West said he refused to be shamed into keeping his opinions to himself, such as his support for US president Donald Trump.
“For the greatest artist in human existence to put a red hat on was God’s practical joke to all liberals. Like, ‘No! Not Kanye!’” he said.
In the same interview, West referred to himself as “unquestionably, undoubtedly the greatest human artist of all time”
Follow the latest on Kanye's album release in our liveblog, below
Hello, and welcome to The Independent's liveblog of the Kanye West album that may or may never be released.
One of the stranger revelations of Ye's recent interview with Zane Lowe? Apparently he was going around telling everyone in his studio not to have sex before marriage
He also claimed that his support for US president Donald Trump was 'God's practical joke to all liberals'. Because of course.
A reminder, or explanation for those who have better things to be getting on with than refreshing West's Spotify page to see if he's released his new album: West was supposed to release Jesus is King, a Gospel-inspired album, on 27 September – at least according to his wife, Kim Kardashian-West. She then promised the album would "definitely" be released on 29 September. Obviously that didn't happen.
Which brings us to today, 25 October, the newly announced release date. Only, the record was supposed to drop at midnight Pacific time, which has now passed. West has since explained he's decided to change some of the mixes on three tracks, but will "not sleep" until the album is finished and released.
Oh, and Kanye has also now revealed that he's releasing ANOTHER album – that's right, even while Jesus is King is yet to appear – on Christmas Day, titled Jesus is Born.
Fortunately, I've already drawn the short straw and will be working this Christmas. Otherwise I'd start to think Kanye is personally trying to ruin my life.
Here are the details on those wild "no sex before marriage" comments.
https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/kanye-west-jesus-is-king-sex-marriage-new-album-release-tracklist-stream-date-a9170426.html
Kanye West on the lineage of hip hop, during his Zane Lowe interview:
I love all of these people but you gotta know there’s a lineage of Jay to Ye to Drake. This person is your idol, then you get to know em, then you be friends, then you turn to frenemies, then you turn to enemies, and then you gotta bring back the positive energy. But that’s the lineage of rap kings and inspirers, because Jay was my BIGGEST inspiration. By the time I got to New York and we had the throwbacks, Big Boi had throwbacks first, but there was a little stand at Lenox and I’d be going down there doing beats with Jermaine Dupri and I’d pull up with my throwback and Jay is be like ‘man that’s nice’ then I pull up the next day with another throwback, and then day four they say, ‘what, you stay in Atlanta?'
Another bold claim from the Zane Lowe interview:
He also claimed that he would one day become leader of the Free World, saying: “There will be a time when I will be the president of the US and I will remember - any founder that didn't have the capacity to understand culturally what we were doing.”
It's been five hours since Kanye said the album had been pushed back to later today and there's been nothing since. There were rumours of some kind of Sunday Service performance going on in New York, and that the album would be released as that was going on, but so far it doesn't seem to be happening.
This just in (non album-related)
Kim Kardashian-West has claimed Kanye has "banned" their daughter North from wearing makeup and crop tops due to his newfound religious beliefs.
“North is trying to get in on the makeup but she's being blocked heavily because her dad has stopped all makeup for her until she is a teenager,” Kim said at a makeup launch event, adding that the discussion had turned into “a big fight in the household right now”.
Kanye previously said: “I don't think North should wear crop tops just because I had her wearing a slip dress when she was two-years-old. I think and feel differently now, now that I'm Christian, now that I'm founder of a three billion dollar organisation and married for five years.”
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments