Jesus Walks

Infobox Single
Name = Jesus Walks


Caption =
Artist = Kanye West
from Album = The College Dropout
A-side =
B-side =
Released = 2004
Format = 12" maxi single
Recorded =
Genre = Alternative Rap
Christian Rap
Length = 3:13
Label = Roc-A-Fella/
Island Def Jam
Writer =
Producer = Kanye West
Certification =
Chart position =
* 11 (United States)
* 16 (United Kingdom)
Last single = "All Falls Down"
(2004)
This single = "Jesus Walks"
(2004)
Next single = "The New Workout Plan"
(2004)

"Jesus Walks" was the third single from Kanye West's debut album "The College Dropout". Released in 2004, the single peaked at #11 in the USA becoming West's fourth top-20 single; it also peaked at #16 in the UK. It is considered by critics to be one of his best tracks.

ong overview

The song is essentially a spiritual one (an image of the statue of Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro appears on the single's cover), in which West discusses how Jesus "walks" with all manner of people, from the law-abiding to the criminal. It also explains West's views on how the media seems to shy away from songs talking about God, while embracing songs discussing violence, sex, and illegal drugs. This is shown in the lyrics "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?" The song was co-written with rapper (and close friend of West's) Rhymefest and Mark Ronson. The track is built around a sample from the ARC Choir's "Walk With Me."

Music videos

In total, three separate videos were made for "Jesus Walks", each funded by West himself. One depicting a black prison camp, a male and female drug runner and others, one of Kanye as a preacher in a Baptist church and showing a prostitute, an alcoholic and a drug dealer going to pray in the church (this version is the one shown on MTV, VH1, and Black Entertainment Television), and one depicting the life of Jesus in the current day. The Video reached #8 on MuchMusic's 50 Most Controversial Videos for the religious topic, the Ku Klux Klan reference, and the car chase scene. In the end of the video, West thanks Chaka Khan through the poster of her, which he also did in "Through the Wire".

Recognition and awards

At the Grammy Awards of 2005, "Jesus Walks" was one of only two rap songs nominated for Song of the Year, following "Lose Yourself" by Eminem from the year before. West, Rhymefest and Miri Ben-Ari won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Song for co-writing the song's lyrics. "Jesus Walks" was nominated for several gospel awards before the awards committees learned that the song contained some explicit language, and removed it from these awards.

"Jesus Walks" gained West further mainstream exposure when it was prominently featured in trailers and commercials for the 2005 film "Jarhead".

"Punk'd" incident

In 2004, Kanye West was filming the music video for this single, when the team from MTV's "Punk'd", posing as the Los Angeles Film Commission, shut down the shoot for violating a law about filming on Sundays without a permit. To the audience's amusement, Kanye stole the music video footage back from them and then jumped into his van for his safety until Ashton Kutcher stopped the van. Rhymefest was the first to greet him as he stepped out of the van after learning he had just been Punk'd. Chris Milk, who directed the music video, also told West that he already paid for the film.

Track listing

A-Side

# Jesus Walks
# Jesus Walks
# Jesus Walks

B-Side

# Heavy Hitters (Clean)
# Heavy Hitters (Dirty)
# Heavy Hitters (A cappella)

Remixes

* Kanye West feat. Mase
* Kanye West feat. Mase and Common from "The College Dropout Video Anthology"
* "Jesus Walks in the Jungle" by DJ Zinc
* "Muhammad Walks" by Lupe Fiasco
* Unofficial Jesus Walks Remix by G-Unit

Peak chart positions