![]() ![]() One of the popular criticisms of Jesus Is King comes from “Closed on Sundays.” It’s the refrain: Closed on Sunday, you’ re my Chick-fil-A/You’re my number one, with the lemonade. Because of that, he describes his life as being lifelike. One of the final lines of the lone verse is important. He’s looking at Instagram, he’s screaming at his dad, screaming “at the referee” (the referee could be viewed as a metaphor for those who enforce the rules of society). He’s “stretching” his hands to God, but he lacks peace. “Follow God” gives a more specific profile on Kanye’s behavior. Which makes it a perfect place to begin the character journey. So if the goal is to reach a place where you sing until the power of the Lord comes down, the forcefulness of “Selah” feels counter-productive. The more violent you are, the less spiritual. That violence is a byproduct of the physical, and art is the result of the spiritual. Usually, in art, there’s a polarized relationship between violence and art. He views himself as a soldier in God’s army and is ready to fight. Summed up, “Selah” is Kanye reflecting on the state of the world and his place in it. ![]() He views himself as part of the army of God. He’s upset that those in power have been greedy and says: We need ours by this evening/No white flag or treaty. He acknowledges friends have betrayed him, that he even stabbed himself in the back. A man who is clearly religious but still aggressive and self-serving. While “Every Hour” introduced the need of the story, “Selah,” through Kanye’s two verses, introduces the character. Given the musicality of the Psalms, “selah” has gained popularity as a note to pause, to reflect, to have a moment of silence. There’s no precise definition for the word. In scripture, “selah” is a word found in the Psalms. The story derives from how the character fulfills that need. In narrative, it’s typical for the character to start in a place of need. It must be summoned through this specific action: “Sing every hour/Every minute/Every second/Sing each and every millisecond.” Sung by the Sunday Service choir, the track instructs that one needs to “Sing ‘til the power of the Lord comes down.” The implication here is that the power of the Lord is not fully present in the life of the character. ![]() “Every Hour” is a broader conceptual introduction that acts as a sort of prophecy. Instead, he’s infused with the spirit of being a “dropout.” So inspired, he regains the depth and personality from Act 1, delivering “Two Words,” “Through the Wire,” and “Family Business.” That spirit culminates in “Last Call,” a celebration of Kanye achieving the impossible: going from a random kid in Chicago to one of the biggest names in hip hop. Act 3 sees Kanye reject making the kind of music everyone else in the industry does. ![]()
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