Ye united with Gap to praise God while promoting the clothing company’s new collection. The commercial aired on ESPN during the NCAA championship game.
Jesus Is Back On The Market?
Back to 2022 years ago, Jesus suggested to “not make my Father’s house a house of trade.” Ye seems to constantly break this simple rule. The newfound televangelist keeps bulging out his Christianity. At the same time, he successfully commercialized religion.
In 2016, the artist’s earnings estimated in $18,000,000. Next year also summed up in almost the same amount of $22 million. However, things changed in 2018.
Ye’s Rendezvous With Far-Right
In 2018 Ye completely turned his life into the new Jersey Shore season. Things and possibly West’s political attitude started going South on Twitter. Scandalous statements and reality-breaking thoughts then fulfilled the artist’s social media.
One might remember Ye claimed that both he and Donald Trump have “dragon energy” while also calling Melania’s husband his “brother.” However, the artist also backed up his controversial feelings by reassuring that he “love[s] everyone.” Trump retweeted Ye’s statement and commented, “Thank you Kanye, very cool!”
Ye then took things even further. In the TMZ Live interview, the artist went on a rant about slavery.
“When you hear about slavery for 400 years,” Ye said. “For 400 years? That sounds like a choice. You was there for 400 years, and it’s all of y’all. It’s like we’re mentally in prison. I like the word prison because slavery goes too direct to the idea of blacks. Slavery is to blacks as the Holocaust is to Jews. Prison is something that unites as one race, blacks, and whites, that we’re the human race.”
In the same interview, Ye also talked about wearing the controversial MAGA hat. “I felt a freedom,” he explained. “I just love Trump; that’s my boy.”
Ye And Kim Meet Donald
In October, the notorious New York landlord and the newfound conservative Hip-Hop voice finally met in the White House. Ye’s now ex-wife, Kim Kardashian, also visited Donald’s office.
“Meet Judith Negron, Crystal Munoz and Tynice Nichole Hall,” Ivanka Trump tweeted. “At the recommendation of…[Kim Kardashian]…these 3 mothers were granted clemency by [Donald Trump] last month and are already using their second chance to pay it forward!”
Meet Judith Negron, Crystal Munoz and Tynice Nichole Hall.
At the recommendation of @AliceMarieFree, @KimKardashian and the @cut_50 team, these 3 mothers were granted clemency by @realDonaldTrump last month and are already using their second chance to pay it forward! pic.twitter.com/4ysQku3Mag
— Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) March 4, 2020
Do you still remember Kanye’s 2016-17 yearly earnings? After a year and a couple of alt-rightish statements, they estimated $90 million. That’s $68,000,000 growth from the last year.
If you tell me you’d refuse to quadruple your net worth by saying controversial things, I probably won’t believe you. Unless you’re some kind of an ascetic monk who sees nothing but his faith. See where I’m going?
Ye Makes A $100,000,000 Deal With Jesus
Here is the problem: you gained a large crowd of new fans whose political views don’t necessarily align with the music style you perform. On the other hand, a handful of your older fans now also think you’re a crook whose alleged “genius” is nothing but a money-making machine.
What do you do then? Pretend to be a prophet!
In 2019, a year after his most enormous financial success, Ye drops “Jesus Is King.” The plan worked out perfectly. Eleven songs with deep Christian context and not a single curse word made the conservatives worldwide praise Ye.
Fox now sponsors Ye’s concerts and provides free tickets. The CEO of Chick-fil-A, famous for its Christian homophobic views, has lunches with Ye. Estimated Ye’s earnings in 2019? $100,000,000.
https://twitter.com/FoxTheatreDet/status/1177661662272348161?s=20
Ye Sells Jesus With Gap
Christianity sells. In 2020, Ye earned $200,000,000. It also helps to make friends. Main America’s televangelist may meet the main for-profit prophet, Vladimir Putin, later this year.
Seeing Ye’s estimated yearly earnings, his extravagant faithfulness makes more sense. “Donda” engineers, who didn’t act Christian enough, violated the whole financial operation. And also, wouldn’t you agree to not use certain words on their album, in case of hundreds of millions in reward?
Ye’s commercial faith is finally appearing in all its glory in the new Gap ad.
Aired at a specific time to reach a particular target group, Ye is standing on a cloud in front of the Sun. Behind him are human souls, possibly searching for Ye’s new collection items. Before that, faceless people in masks walk around the city and just exist, probably representing some deep meaning. Or just showing off the new hoodies.
Ye’s pompous god-related lines play in the background, following up the nonetheless pretentious image. Calls to “burn false idols, Jesus’ disciples” follow up with promises of “no more promos, no more photos/no more logos, no more chokeholds.”
And in the end, the biblical revelation on the screen will tell you to go and buy a hoodie from your favorite artist.
Watch the commercial below:
Written by Nikita Serdiuk