Jesus Walks
Hook:
(Jesus walks)
God show me the way because the Devil trying to break me down
(Jesus walks with me)
The only thing that I pray is that my feet don't fail me now
(Jesus walks)
And I don't think there is nothing I can do now to right my wrongs
(Jesus walks with me)
I want to talk to God but I'm afraid because we ain't spoke in so long
--
To the hustlers, killers, murderers, drug dealers even the strippers (Jesus walks with them)
To the victims of Welfare for we living in hell here hell yeah
(Jesus walks with them)
Now hear ye hear ye want to see Thee more clearly
I know he hear me when my feet get weary
Cause we're the almost nearly extinct
We rappers are role models we rap we don't think
I ain't here to argue about his facial features
Or here to convert atheists into believers
I'm just trying to say the way school need teachers
The way Kathie Lee needed Regis that's the way I need Jesus
So here go my single dog radio needs this
They say you can rap about anything except for Jesus
That means guns, sex, lies, video tapes
But if I talk about God my record won't get played Huh?
Well let this take away from my spins
Which will probably take away from my ends
Then I hope this take away from my sins
I Am A God
I am a god
Even though I'm a man of God
My whole life in the hands of God
So y'all better quit playing with God
--
I just talked to Jesus
He said, "What up Yeezus?"
I said, "Shit I'm chilling
Trying to stack these millions."
I know he the most high
But I am a close high
Mi casa, su casa
That's that cosa nostra
"Kanye feels plagued by the troubles of the world, and like other artists and many people, he calls on God to lead him through this world of temptation into salvation." (Lone, 2005)
He goes on to admit he has sinned, and perhaps strayed from God, but wishes to speak to God to ask for guidance and forgiveness, which may perhaps right his wrongdoings.
Kanye makes an extremely candid statement that God has love and guidance for even those society deems delinquent.
"This is huge for someone to make the assertion that might be obvious to some, but heretical to others - that Jesus walks even with the criminals of our society." (Price, 2010, p. 40)
He continues with a claim that the number of people with a close relationship to God is declining.
The next rhyme explains that Kanye doesn't want to convert others, or start a religious debate, but instead wants to bring to light that while it's acceptable to rap about many debaucherous topics, his rapping about his relationship with God will be percieved as controversial.
Kanye concludes this verse with the proclaimation that if this declaration of faith makes his record less popular, he will graciously accept the loss, in hope that this song will help God forgive him for his sins.
Kanye's claim to being a god may be one of two things: a simple egotistical commentary on his cultural influence, or a reference to Psalm 82:5-7 : "I have said, You are gods; and all of you are children of the most High. But you shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes."
He claims that his entire life and career is divinely inspired and created by God himself.
The final line refers to Kanye as god, not God himself, warning that since he is an instrument of God, "Essentially, if you mess with Yeezus, you mess with God." (Griots, 2013)
"Although many believe that Kanye is being sacrilegious in his usage of the term Yeezus, he’s simply comparing what he is to music as what Jesus is to the Christian faith. He still believes in God, and even prays to Him (hence “talked to Jesus”). We should have believed him when he first told us that he talked to God." (Griots, 2013) The first time he talked to God being in Jesus Walks.
Kanye acknowledges that Jesus is the highest power, but given his own power, views himself as a close second, perhaps that power bringing him closer to God.