Jesus Is King
by Kanye West
User Score
5.2

Mixed or average reviews- based on 1454 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 657 out of 1454
  2. Mixed: 241 out of 1454
  3. Negative: 556 out of 1454

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  1. Nikeallah
    Oct 26, 2019
    8
    This release by Kanye West is simply dedicated to gospel and everything Kanye has become. This is a good listen, but certainly Kanye's weakest album to me. I enjoyed this project and am glad Kanye can still release great music. 8.0/10
  2. oskahans
    Oct 27, 2019
    8
    While the album seems too short, and to many, the religious lyrics and theme might be unwanted, this is a man who after many years of struggle seems to finally be at peace, through his faith. It is different from his previous albums but songs like Selah and Follow God are some of his best creations to date. With my first listen through the album I was disappointed by the short length ofWhile the album seems too short, and to many, the religious lyrics and theme might be unwanted, this is a man who after many years of struggle seems to finally be at peace, through his faith. It is different from his previous albums but songs like Selah and Follow God are some of his best creations to date. With my first listen through the album I was disappointed by the short length of the project but after a few listens it grows on you and I can simply say I have fallen in love with this latest addition to the awe-inspiring and amazing discography that this man has created.

    For context, I am an atheist and have never been much for religion as a whole. But even if you do not believe in any god or specifically this one, the amazing production and sonics that he offers are nothing short of incredible. There is however more to be desired in terms of the lyrics.

    All in all a refreshing addition to the ongoing story that is Kanye West and his music career.    … Expand
  3. gustavofraga
    Oct 27, 2019
    8
    Obra coesa e conceitual, a aclamação da minha parte não vai faltar. Amém Kanye West
  4. backwoodsboy
    Oct 27, 2019
    8
    Not too familiar with Kanye's music, I was expecting this to be some kind of glossy Hillsong type of a record, but was surprised with how rich and eclectic the sound was. Granted, the album seems a little too short and some of songs end abruptly – like they were cut off by mistake. I really like the instrumentation and the choir, which unfortunately wasn't utilised to its full potential.Not too familiar with Kanye's music, I was expecting this to be some kind of glossy Hillsong type of a record, but was surprised with how rich and eclectic the sound was. Granted, the album seems a little too short and some of songs end abruptly – like they were cut off by mistake. I really like the instrumentation and the choir, which unfortunately wasn't utilised to its full potential. All in all, I think Kanye is on to something and this album is just a taste of what's to come.… Expand
  5. Swift_Django
    Oct 27, 2019
    8
    I was a bit disappointed on the first listen but after listening it a second, third and fourth time I can't stop listening to it. The length of the songs is a bit short though for an album that was expected for a long time.
  6. RichardCarter
    Oct 27, 2019
    8
    It's a Christian album. That's what he said was coming, he delivered. Listened 7 times, I'm satisfied. Just uh, maybe not with Clipse's verse
  7. KnownUnknowns
    Oct 27, 2019
    8
    Jesus Is King, is a exploration of religious belief and appraisal of Jesus Christ. Though the subject matter is lacking, ( like is chick fil a really that good?? ) This album is still a well thought out album well there is a few mis haps in the mixing, still Kanye provides yet another great album combining his sincerity, creativity and bold subject matter.
  8. Joe2126
    Oct 28, 2019
    8
    JIK is a love it or hate it album, it depends on what the listener is feeling whether they want something that is soulful or maybe more pumped up (such as Freddie Gibb's Bandana). In my opinion, I think this is just as good as Kanye's last two albums from last year but this time it greatly improves upon those two past ones. JIK really has some great music which I'm still listening to allJIK is a love it or hate it album, it depends on what the listener is feeling whether they want something that is soulful or maybe more pumped up (such as Freddie Gibb's Bandana). In my opinion, I think this is just as good as Kanye's last two albums from last year but this time it greatly improves upon those two past ones. JIK really has some great music which I'm still listening to all the time after it's release.

    Everything we need, water, follow god, god is and hands on are some of Kanye's best songs in a decade ever since MBDTF. The main problem with JIK is use this gospel which has good lyrics but the production value on it is terrible, it sounds disorienting and isn't good on the ears. It actually seems as if Kanye decided that the sound of an open car door would be a good idea for making a song but it really isn't, no one wants to hear that. At the end of the day, every good album has that one song you end up skiping all the time

    Overall, this album is beautiful. I love it and I'll continue playing the best songs off this album for the next weeks to come. I would say that Hands on is by far the best song on this album. Good job Kanye    … Expand
  9. azdante
    Oct 28, 2019
    8
    A few weak patches, like Closed on Sunday, and some rough vocals but otherwise a strong album from a veteran of the art. Largest complaint is how small it is.
  10. Andrewl0701
    Oct 28, 2019
    8
    I believe that "Jesus is King" is a genuinely great album. Despite having a limited run-time of only 27 minutes, Kanye makes the most of it by embellishing it with beautiful choir vocals and outstanding production. This is the most focused we have seen Ye since the days of 808s and Heartbreak, as I believe that this is the first time since then that he has found a sound and truly sticks toI believe that "Jesus is King" is a genuinely great album. Despite having a limited run-time of only 27 minutes, Kanye makes the most of it by embellishing it with beautiful choir vocals and outstanding production. This is the most focused we have seen Ye since the days of 808s and Heartbreak, as I believe that this is the first time since then that he has found a sound and truly sticks to it. This is without a step above what we heard on "Ye" and I truly can not recommend this album enough. It may not be for everyone, but I do think that many will be very surprised on how much they enjoy this project.… Expand
  11. thepes
    Nov 29, 2020
    8
    8/10

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  12. Rosh444
    Aug 20, 2020
    8
    Aged like fine wine in my opinion, grew on me with each listen. Violent crimes is an amazing track, probably in my top 10 ye songs of all time.
  13. RuRu92
    Sep 3, 2021
    8
    The fact he’s stated he’s no longer making secular music from here on in means it’s on us as the listener to bare the brunt of the fact before going into the project. Inspiring stuff; admittedly not his best work by any means but when you’ve set the bar as high as this man has, it’s going to be hard to top itS Let’s just say this work, has a man reevaluating his faith.
  14. CordRafael
    Feb 17, 2022
    8
    gosto muito!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!so p deixar no perfil so p deixar no perfil so p deixar no perfil
  15. ScottBCoTMedia
    Oct 26, 2019
    7
    Kanye's misfires are more interesting and risk-taking than other artists greatest successes.

    It's his weakest work but.... the album feels honest, sincere, and constructed with real authenticity and focus. It reflects where he is now as a person and artist and embraces the flaws, idiosyncrasies, and creativity of Kanye as he is at this place in his life. Always interesting - and a great    Kanye's misfires are more interesting and risk-taking than other artists greatest successes.

    It's his weakest work but.... the album feels honest, sincere, and constructed with real authenticity and focus. It reflects where he is now as a person and artist and embraces the flaws, idiosyncrasies, and creativity of Kanye as he is at this place in his life. Always interesting - and a great addition to his catalogue.    … Expand
  16. glmonkeylord9
    Aug 7, 2021
    7
    A good album, but not great like the rest of Kanye's discography.

    Overall, the production is really solid and the gospel aesthetic is very nicely implemented throughout the record. There are tracks like Use this Gospel and Everything We Need that use dense autotune vocal harmonies in their choruses that sound other-worldly and honestly just straight up beautiful. Other tracks like    A good album, but not great like the rest of Kanye's discography.

    Overall, the production is really solid and the gospel aesthetic is very nicely implemented throughout the record. There are tracks like Use this Gospel and Everything We Need that use dense autotune vocal harmonies in their choruses that sound other-worldly and honestly just straight up beautiful. Other tracks like Follow God and God Is use Kanye's signature vocal sampling to great effect, bringing us a Watch The Throne-type banger and an endearing, soulful ballad respectively on the same record. The tracklist is quite diverse, going from quaint Sunday Service jam sessions to grand cinematic gospel bangers all in a short 27 minute runtime. The cohesion of the album's tracklist is held together by a well-executed gospel aesthetic and great Kanye production, albeit with a few hiccups along the way.

    The one big major drawback is that the transition out of secular music seems to have hindered Kanye's writing ability on this record a bit. Tracks like Closed on Sunday and On God lack the wit and punch of Kanye's usual writing, instead almost sounding a bit like he's just trolling with the lyrics. It's no poopity scoop but it's getting there. There are also times where tracks lack the beefy mixing that is to be expected on a Kanye record, rather sounding quite unimpactful and lackluster especially in the low end of the mix. Also, a small gripe that is quite common among listeners is the brevity of Jesus Is Lord, where the track seems to end as it starts to ramp up towards what would have been an absolutely amazing track (Watch the JIK film for the full version). All in all, these flaws do hinder the album from becoming great, but it is still nonetheless a good, solid record.

    7/10    … Expand
  17. TrentRey
    Oct 25, 2019
    7
    This album is pretty solid overall. The songs on this album are pretty short which makes it feel more like a demo tape or mixtape. It's a very well-produced album. The weakest part about the album is the lyrics. some of the bars are awful and very corny. Even though the album has many moments with corny lines it is still a great listen.

    The highlight songs on the albums are Selah    This album is pretty solid overall. The songs on this album are pretty short which makes it feel more like a demo tape or mixtape. It's a very well-produced album. The weakest part about the album is the lyrics. some of the bars are awful and very corny. Even though the album has many moments with corny lines it is still a great listen.

    The highlight songs on the albums are
    Selah
    Follow God
    Closed On Sunday
    Everything We Need
    Water
    Use This Gospel    … Expand
  18. viettungvuong
    Oct 25, 2019
    7
    The production is splendid (as always because West's productions are always top-notch). The subject matter is not something that I really enjoy. I feel like West is experimenting things on this album and I appreciate his efforts, but I don't really feel the gospel vibe of JIK. Decent album
  19. draediamond
    Oct 25, 2019
    7
    It's not a great album but it's good. inconsistent and not very cohesive but there are some truly beutiful moments here. It's too short and the songs sound like glimpses of a full idea at times. The album serves as a true return to form for solo Kanye as the music is simply better than Ye. This sounds like a statemen t album. It's not meant to be this incredible piece of work but aIt's not a great album but it's good. inconsistent and not very cohesive but there are some truly beutiful moments here. It's too short and the songs sound like glimpses of a full idea at times. The album serves as a true return to form for solo Kanye as the music is simply better than Ye. This sounds like a statemen t album. It's not meant to be this incredible piece of work but a personal album that shows listeners where he's at. This album makes his future works very interesting.… Expand
  20. Bulletboy
    Oct 27, 2019
    7
    Not very good, not very bad - just fine album to listen.
    The awful thing about album, is that it's very short, with so many self-copyed & barely unfinished songs!
  21. louis_
    Oct 25, 2019
    7
    Productions like Kanye's are second to none, so you can expect their songs to surprise everyone. "Jesus Is King" follows what Ye has decided to be religiously, without letting go of the characteristics of Kanye genres that makes the Gospel his own. Despite the negative expectation break between certain tracks, "Every Hour" and "God is" seem to be the commanders of this album and camouflageProductions like Kanye's are second to none, so you can expect their songs to surprise everyone. "Jesus Is King" follows what Ye has decided to be religiously, without letting go of the characteristics of Kanye genres that makes the Gospel his own. Despite the negative expectation break between certain tracks, "Every Hour" and "God is" seem to be the commanders of this album and camouflage this grotesque mistake of Kanye.… Expand
  22. Lukeaanthony
    Oct 25, 2019
    7
    Solid record but definitely doesn't compare to Kanye's past projects. Highlights include "Follow God" "On God" and "Closed on Sundays" excusing the horrendous Chik-Fil-A line. Listening goes by quite fast considering its only 27 minutes and left me a bit underwhelmed. Definitely a good project but a weak one for Kanye standards.
  23. TheGreatFan
    Jan 12, 2020
    7
    This is not a good album for Kanye West but decent as best as a regular artist. There are some tracks that are repetitive and stuff and some tracks that i don't like. My favorite tracks are Use This Gospel and Selah. But it is a listenable short album and i like it
  24. ruffo
    Oct 26, 2019
    7
    MATEUS CRITIC

    Every Hour
    6/10
    Selah
    10/10
    Follow God
    9/10
    Closed On Sunday 9/10
    On God
    5/10
    Everything We Need 6/10
    Water
    10/10
    God Is 10/10
    Hans On
    4/10
    Use This Gospel
    8.5/10
    Jesus Is Lord
    8/10

    JESUS IS A KING
    nota: 77/100
  25. sebastianmina
    Oct 1, 2020
    7
    Not the worst Kanye album, some weak songs on here like Water and Hands On but also some amazing tracks like: Use This Gospel, God Is, Selah and Follow God. Pierre on this is also very intresting.
  26. jbus03
    Oct 26, 2019
    7
    The sounds on the album are really good, the lyrics do feel a little bit lacking. I was kind of hoping for Kanye to tell us WHY Christianity saved him, not just preaching about it. Overall a solid album, but lyrics aren't as hard-hitting as they could've been
  27. Hero1232
    Oct 27, 2019
    7
    The album was alright. Not the greatest album kanye has made. What I think is that kanye wants to experiment with new sounds. There was some good tracks but it kinda died in the middle of the album. It wasn't bad or an masterpiece.
  28. Duran222
    Oct 26, 2019
    7
    Kanye is a man who never does anything halfway, and now that he’s devoted his life to Jesus. It was a matter of time before we got this type of music from Kanye. Although some of the lyrics are a bit corny and plain, you can feel the passion in his (not-so-great) singing. Production is probably the worst ever on a Kanye album, but there are some incredibly beautiful moments throughout theKanye is a man who never does anything halfway, and now that he’s devoted his life to Jesus. It was a matter of time before we got this type of music from Kanye. Although some of the lyrics are a bit corny and plain, you can feel the passion in his (not-so-great) singing. Production is probably the worst ever on a Kanye album, but there are some incredibly beautiful moments throughout the whole album.… Expand
  29. Metaman30000000
    Oct 26, 2019
    7
    Jesus is king is very good, if you exclude the poor mixing, underdeveloped lyrics and underdeveloped songs. The production is pretty nice and kanyes delivery is excellent as always
  30. matt_willbe
    Oct 26, 2019
    7
    gostei desse álbum, parece que ele vem mais tentando se redimir pelas entrevistas onde ele não consegue se controlar pela bipolaridade e tudo. um álbum religioso que critica a religião e até cristãos nas letras. Não é uma masterpiece como Yeezus ou MBDTF mas é um lindo álbum
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Awards & Rankings

9
#9 Most Discussed Album of 2019

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
53

Mixed or average reviews - based on 25 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 25
  2. Mixed: 12 out of 25
  3. Negative: 4 out of 25
  1. Tiny Mix Tapes
    Dec 30, 2019
    0
    His reunion with frequent collaborators belies a rich history of discovering and championing new voices. This ostensible distance from which Kanye preaches reveals King’s true tension: Kanye, like Kendrick on DAMN., is asking for our prayers, while also distancing himself from our hands and our mouths. And it doesn’t work. ... He has artistically lost track of his audience and himself in its midst.
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  2. The Wire
    Nov 20, 2019
    50
    He’s hung up on Jesus rather than pneumatic women. It’s hard to tell if that’s an improvement, but it doesn’t seem like a regression either. ... An album with zero fat, dense in at least three senses, two of them positive. [Dec 2019, p.60]
  3. RapReviews.com
    Nov 12, 2019
    50
    As with every Kanye album, there’s some magnificent production on a majority of “Jesus Is King” courtesy of Pi’erre Bourne, Timbaland and Boogz, among others. ... Kanye just seems like he’s in his own world; disregarding what’s going on around him. Other times, Ye’s writing delves into eyerolling contradictions and ego-driven intentions.
    Read full review
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