Kanye West's journey from being raised Christian, bringing Christ-like values to mainstream Hip Hop through Jesus Walks, to his exploration of a more spiritual and less religious belief, is no doubt influenced by his close friend and collaborator Jay Z.
Jay's more humanistic approach to God, along with his support of the Five Percent Nation provided Kanye with comfort and solace upon the loss of his mother. However since starting a family, he has returned to his Christian roots, firmly believing in Jesus Christ, intending to raise his children as Christians just as his mother had.
It will be interesting to look to the future, to see if Jay Z will become more involved in the Five Percent Nation, and if Kanye's over-the-top public personality will be subdued by his rediscovered faith. Even more interesting will be seeing how these ever-evolving beliefs influence the music of two of the most brilliant artists in hip-hop in years to come.