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Kanye West turned heads and made headlines throughout his prominent career. He has never been shy about saying what he believes, from berating George W. Bush after Hurricane Katrina to supporting Donald J. Trump for president.
What Christians, and America in general, probably are not aware of is the effect he is having on American production, and how he is standing up for American values.
Mr. West has formed a worldwide empire from his early days as a rapper raised in Chicago. This hasn’t been by accident, but by perseverance, knowledge of his industry and not letting people walk over and take advantage of him.
This display of solidarity reared its head when Kanye declared on Instagram that he would not be renewing contracts with Adidas and the Gap:
“We did this shoe, this knit runner, I told them, ‘This needs to be a marathon shoe.’ And it ended up being the most uncomfortable #Yeezy ever.”@kanyewest tells @SaraEisen about his dissatisfaction with @adidas. pic.twitter.com/JO9AeeJbRO
— CNBC’s Closing Bell (@CNBCClosingBell) September 15, 2022
Claiming that he was left out of the decision-making process, West also referenced the impact of producing goods in China as opposed to the United States:
“We invented rock n’ roll. We are the most inventive. We are the youngest start-up ever, America itself. We invented $AAPL. We invented $F. And now we have #Yeezy,” says @kanyewest. pic.twitter.com/XLsFvR2n4a
— CNBC’s Closing Bell (@CNBCClosingBell) September 15, 2022
“This is the day of liberation right here,” West said. “This is the day to not be just valued on my cash flow, to be valued on the equity that we bring. You know, we’ve seen the influence that we’ve had on two Fortune 500 companies. Also, a lot of stuff they [Adidas] have commitments to China, and [we] wanted to do localized manufacturing, which is completely possible with some of the factories that I’m buying here in California, we can actually bring industry back to America.
“I feel that in a lot of ways, Europe has been the head of prestige, with the luxury brands and luxury vehicles, and China has been the head of manufacturing,” West added.
His words sound similar to what former President Donald Trump campaigned on, and what helped get him elected. They are also words by a man that God used for His purposes.
For years, leaders in the Christian community have warned about the influence of Communist China, and the godlessness that rules there. Their influence in America has spread that same godlessness, and this is seen through the number of citizens leaving Christianity for no particular religion at all. They just don’t follow anything.
While far from perfect, Mr. West has made his stance known about his relationship with God. In 2019, after changing his name to Ye, he released his ninth studio album entitled, “Jesus is King.”
Kanye kept out all profanity or sexual references from this album because according to him, “This album has been made to be an expression of the gospel and to share the gospel and the truth of what Jesus has done for me. When I think of the goodness of Jesus and all that He does for me, my soul cries out.”
The album would go on to top the Billboard charts (and music charts in nine other countries), win a Grammy and two Billboard music awards.
The companies West is stepping away from also happen to be organizations that push the LGBTQ agenda through their messaging and products. Adidas came out with a ‘Pride collection’ of apparel designed by queer artist Kris Andrew Small, based on the Stonewall Riots in 1969 and marketed toward younger demographics. The Gap is also known for its support of the LGBTQ community and material. It was one of the first companies to start promoting LGBTQ standards within the company, and supported the “Equality Act” that added LGBTQ non-discrimination rights to U.S. civil rights laws.
Kanye’s moves may contribute to removing power from China while shedding light on their practices, and promoting small and independent business owners in the U.S. And he has pronounced “Jesus is King” to the entire world.
He may not be the first to come to mind when a Christian prays for the leadership within the church and country, but by his words and actions, Kanye West has built his life as man standing in the gap for God and American values. {eoa}
James Lasher is a Copy Editor for Charisma Media.
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