Kanye West's 'Jesus Is Born' debuts on Billboard’s Top Gospel Albums
Billboard announced on Wednesday that after just a day-and-a-half of tracking Kanye West’s latest gospel release, Jesus Is Born, performed by his Sunday Service Choir, the music collection is at No. 2 on Billboard's Top Gospel Albums chart.
Jesus Is Born, released Christmas Day, comes second to West's own first official gospel release, Jesus Is King, which reigns as the No. 1 Top Gospel Album for nine weeks, selling 11,000 in the first week of 2020.
The latest album does not feature West and solely focuses on the gospel numbers performed at his weekly Sunday Service events. The album isn't a West album, per se, but the famous musician serves as the orchestrator and is responsible for bringing the gospel choir to life via the album format.
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The album features arrangements of Christian classics such as “Excellent” and “More Than Anything,” along with gospel-style remakes of popular mainstream songs such as “Weak” and “Ultra Light Beam,” among others.
West's album, Jesus Is King, made history on the Billboard charts, ranking No. 1 on five charts upon its release.
It is the rapper’s first faith-based album and it topped the all-genre Billboard 200 in November, Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, Top Rap Albums charts, Top Christian Albums and Top Gospel Albums.
He is the first artist ever to monopolize all top 10 slots on the Hot Christian Songs and Hot Gospel Songs charts. The emcee dominated the top 11 on Hot Gospel Songs with every song on the 27-minute album.
The newly born-again Chicago native beat out Christian notables Chris Tomlin, Jordan Smith, Casting Crowns, Mercy Me and Lecrae, who ranked in multiple charts in the past.
West launched Sunday Service events in 2019, featuring a gospel choir that reimagined mainstream songs with Christian lyrics. He said he became a born-again Christian during this process and has now devoted his life to “working for God.”
