Kanye West Wins Best Contemporary Christian Music Album For “Jesus Is King”

Kanye West won his 22nd Grammy on Sunday for his album “Jesus Is King” months after he peed on his past trophy in a shocking video on social media.

The Christian rapper won the Best Contemporary Christian Music Album for his 2019 album “Jesus Is King,” which is imbued with his message of evangelical salvation. West did not appear at the virtual ceremony to accept the award – his first Grammy win in eight years since he nabbed three Grammys in the rap categories in 2013.

After years of hinting that he would drop a faith-based album, West released “Jesus Is King” in October 2019, in a year that saw him travel with his impromptu “Sunday Service” shows — a church-like concert series featuring gospel choirs.

On “Jesus Is King,” elements of the old Yeezy appear — clever rhymes, catchy beats, smart samples — but the artist decidedly tilts the balance toward music with a stronger religious message.

“I been working for you my whole life / Told the devil that I’m goin’ on a strike,” West raps on “Hands On,” the ninth song on the 11-track album that features appearances from jazz saxophonist Kenny G and rapper Ty Dolla $ign.

During a wild Twitter rant last September, Kanye posted a video of himself peeing on one of his Grammy awards while it sat in the toilet.

Trust me … I WONT STOP pic.twitter.com/RmVkqrSa4F

— ye (@kanyewest) September 16, 2020

The spotlight recently has shone on West more for his personal life than his art, after his partner of nearly a decade, Kim Kardashian, filed for divorce. Before the news broke, their union had been dogged for months by reports of marital difficulties. West has battled with mental health issues and launched an improbable and controversial foray into US presidential politics.

West is one of the world’s best-selling music artists, with more than 20 million albums and 140 million singles sold worldwide. He has won a total of 22 Grammy Awards, making him one of the most awarded artists of all time.

Among his other awards include the Billboard Artist Achievement Award, a joint-record three Brit Awards for Best International Male Solo Artist and the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award. Six of his albums have been included on Rolling Stone’s 2020 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list; the same publication named him one of the 100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time.