Kanye West says he spent $50M hosting Sunday Services: 'I invested in spreading the Gospel'
Kanye West said he sowed $50 million into his Sunday Services last year and that God has blessed him greatly for it.
The presidential hopeful made the claim during an interview with Nick Cannon on his podcast, Cannon's Class, on Tuesday. The interview marks one of Cannon’s first interviews since the popular television host was fired by ViacomCBS for engaging in anti-Semitic conspiracy theories and expressing racist beliefs about people who “lack” melanin on his podcast.
West reached out to Cannon following suicidal comments made online by the host due to the backlash he received. He apologized to the Jewish community. The two talked candidly about West’s faith, his career, and his campaign for president.
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During the discourse, shot at West’s ranch in Wyoming, West revealed that he chose to use a great deal of his income in 2019 to spread the Gospel.
“God had me stand in the gap, much like David. I'm a new Christian, I'm just a year recent convert, grew up in a church but I'm a recent convert,” the father of four told Cannon.
“One of the interesting things is for Sunday Service, I actually had to design wardrobe, all the time. I spent every dime that I have from marketing from Yeezy on Sunday Service — every dollar I had,” he said.
In 2019, everything changed for the fashion innovator and he began his Sunday Service events featuring a gospel choir that reimagined mainstream songs with Christian lyrics. The “Jesus Walks” rapper became a born-again Christian during this process and traveled with his choir worldwide to share of his newfound faith.
“I spent $50 million last year on Sunday Service if you add up the operas, if you add up the flights. It was 120 people going to Jamaica,” West told the podcast host.
West claimed that he paid for it all because of his popular sneaker brand.
“The Yeezys, they were selling themselves. So instead of paying for ads, I invested it in the church,” West continued. “I invested in spreading the Gospel. I invested in saying Jesus' name on high.”
West and the Sunday Service Choir traveled around the country last year. The group held worship services at Coachella, Skid Row in Los Angeles, Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church in Houston, Howard University in D.C., Louisiana, Chicago, Ohio, his properties in Calabasas and Wyoming, The Forum in Inglewood, and Jamaica.
Among his expenses were construction costs as well for the Easter service at Coachella. According to TMZ, bulldozers “moved tons of earth” to form the hill in which West and the choir performed on.
West said that all of his current blessings are a result of all he put into the Sunday Services.
“When people talk about increase, that's the zone!” he exclaimed.
The artist added in the interview that it's not about one's good acts that gets one to Heaven. Rather, it's about Jesus.
"Sometimes you think you do something good … it’s like bro, God had His son die, He’s already paid the price and we are living inside of His house. Life is a gift that He’s given us," he said. "To be in service is the greatest thing that we can do for ourselves, for each other and God."
In the two-part interview, the pair also talked about how abortion is greatly affecting the African-American community, the loss of humanity in people, as well as West’s presidential prospects.
Cannon said, “People are saying that you're a distraction, and because they don't want four more years of Trump, maybe you might.”
“You want an alternative of four years of Ye. Is that realistic right now in 2020?” he questioned.
West replied, “I'm not running for president; I'm walking.”
On whether he's being paid to run for president, the Jesus Is King performer bragged that he can’t be bought because he is richer than Trump.
