Music legend, Kanye West’s hotly anticipated album is finally here!
After teasing fans with new music for months – and then giving fans numerous sneak previews of the new album during various fan events across the country – the 42-year-old rapper dropped his latest album on Friday.
The 11-track album includes the previously released track “Water,” as well as “Follow God.” Apple Music was one of the first to announce the news on Twitter. In addition to the album, West’s Sunday service will take place at The Forum in Los Angeles on Sunday and tickets are available for purchase.
Fans will also be able to buy merchandise and the album at shop.kanyewest.com. Upon doing so, they’ll get a code to purchase tickets to Sunday’s service. In addition, a pop-up shop in L.A. located at 1202-1210 Mateo Street will be open on Oct. 25 through Oct. 27.
According to a press release, all proceeds will be donated to charity. Prior to the album dropping, West sat down for a lengthy interview with Beats 1’s Zane Lowe on Apple Music, where he opened up about the strict conditions he asked those close to him to work under while making the album. One of those conditions was to abstain from premarital sex.
“I was asking people to fast during the album. There were times where I was asking people not to have premarital sex while they were working on the album,” he shared, acknowledging how “radical” the request was.
“There were times where I went to people that were working on other projects and said, ‘Can you just work and focus on this?'” he added. “I thought if we could all focus and fast – families who pray together, stay together.” West also revealed the official final track list Thursday afternoon in a message he posted to Twitter promoting the album’s release.
On Wednesday evening, he gave fans a taste of his ninth solo studio album – and his upcoming IMAX documentary, Jesus Is Lord – at The Forum in Los Angeles, inviting members of the public to the visually stunning event, free of charge. West sought out artist Meg Webster to create a natural installation, which included large reeds and grass for attendees to stand in as they watched the IMAX film. Though there were lots of delays getting into the venue due to complications at will call, West, his wife, Kim Kardashian West, and her sister, Kourtney Kardashian, kept the crowd entertained.
West previously debuted “Water” during his special Sunday Service during Coachella back in April. Kardashian West, who previously shared the full track list in August, confirmed back in September that the album would be filled with gospel songs.When West debuted the album for fans at the event in Detroit last month – where everyone in attendance was required to hand over their phones to prevent leaks – he also gave them a sneak peek of a clip from Jesus Is Lord.
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