The title of Kanye West's newest album, Yeezus, isn't blasphemous, writes Ebony A. Utley on the Huffington Post; it's creative.
Yeezus is not blasphemous. Oppressed people, including many rappers, have a historical affinity for the Jesus, who was misunderstood much like they are. Jesus had haters. Jesus was unfairly judged. Jesus was under state surveillance. Jesus was betrayed. Jesus was publicly berated and executed. Multiple rappers, including but not limited to West, have empowered themselves by aligning with a historical and spiritual figure that overcame hardship. If you read Jon Caramanica's New York Times interview, West's perception of his being misunderstood is legendary. Besides, this isn't West's first public appropriation of Jesus. There was the February 2006 Rolling Stone cover and of course, 2004's "Jesus Walks" where the astute have duly noted — Jesus walks with West and not the other way around.
Should West pay more homage to Jesus? Only if he's a conservative Christian, which he clearly is not. Who is anyone else to judge this faith? Jesus is a revered figure for him. No one chooses a weak and ineffectual model to emulate. Jesus loses no power in Yeezus's hands. Besides, West has been in the game long enough to know that being clever and causing controversy pays the bills (and purchases extravagant pleasures).
Read Ebony A. Utley's entire piece at the Huffington Post.
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