Why Does Kanye West Call Himself Yeezus?

Kanye West is arguably the most provocative and influential artist of today's music and popular culture. He's accumulated various nicknames throughout his career, but none as bold or spiritually resonant as "Yeezus." Introduced to the world on his sixth studio album Yeezus, the moniker quickly blew up. But why did Kanye call himself Yeezus, and what does it reveal about his personality, religion, and artistic evolution?

Kanye West Used The Name Yeezus To Connect His Identity With Both Hip-Hop Culture And Religious Themes

The name "Yeezus" is a mix of "Yeezy," to which Kanye has become accustomed since way back in the day, and "Jesus." Its adoption was not just an artistic choice, but intimate and intentional. The "Yeezy" itself is an interesting one, the result of his early rap moniker "Kanyeezy," given to him by Jay-Z. It became so closely associated with his brand and aesthetic that it carried on to be used in his Adidas sneaker line.

The "Jesus" business, though, was what everyone was so hyped about. Kanye's covering of his own face with the face of a deity was mocked across the board and cheered across the board. Religious imagery blanketed the Yeezus album cover and tour aesthetic. From topping himself up with a thorn headpiece during performances to having performers dress up as Jesus during concerts, Kanye was doing something such that he did not just think of himself as an artist but as someone who shatters rules and opens up portals to spiritual controversy.

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The Yeezus Album Represented A Major Shift In Kanye’s Music Style And Cultural Messaging

When Kanye dropped Yeezus in June 2013, it came as a surprise departure from the soulful, rich sound of his earlier works such as My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. Yeezus was industrial, abrasive, and raw. Songs such as "Black Skinhead" and "New Slaves" railed against structures of oppression such as racism, fashion, politics, and religion. Kanye wasn't just commenting on the world anymore; he was putting himself at the helm of a culture war.

According to Nielsen SoundScan, Yeezus debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 in its opening week, selling 327,000 copies in the U.S. alone. As his worst first-week sales at the time, the album continued to impact the future of hip-hop and electronic music for the remainder of the 2010s. It currently has a Metacritic rating of 84, showing strong critical acclaim in spite of its savage sound dividing listeners.

Kanye Said Yeezus Was About His Creative Power And His Relationship With God

Kanye has given different reasons for the Yeezus title over the years. He told a Zane Lowe (2013) that "I’m a creative genius, and there’s no other way to word it" in a number of interviews, describing himself as a god not in a literal sense of being divine, but in that he has the creative power to affect culture. There is still a religious overtone that cannot be ignored. Kanye is a man raised in Christianity, and he has utilized biblical imagery throughout his discography, even employing explicit gospel in his Jesus Is King album. That said, Yeezus is where he fully embraced the parallel between his music and divinity. He even claimed it was problematic on purpose. It does, however, raise questions for listeners and critics, "when does the music end, and the worship begin?"

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Business Address: Chicago, IL

The Yeezus Persona Set A New Standard For Artist Identity And Global Branding Strategy

The Yeezus persona not only revolutionized the music of Kanye, but revolutionized the way that artists were approaching branding. Kanye took a name and turned it into a character, and a character into an event. Merchandising sold out in seconds and the minimalist concept became a fashion trend for years to come. Complex noted that his Yeezus tour made more than $25 million in revenue, so it seemed taking risks wasn't sacrificing profit. And Kanye's rebranding himself as so outrageously incendiary sparked fresh debates on celebrity, self-image, and religion among artists. Whether they concurred or not, the Yeezus era made individuals ask uneasy questions regarding celebrity and religion like any musician ever had so boldly undertaken before.