Kanye West has won his 22nd Grammy at the 2021 rendition of the ceremony, this time for his October 2019 album Jesus Is King for Best Contemporary Christian Album. With this win, the legendary rapper ties Jay-Z for Most Wins by a Hip Hop artist.
Jesus Is King, released October of 2019 via GOOD Music and Def Jam Records, beat out Run to the Father from Cody Carnes, All of My Best Friends from Hillsong Young & Free, Holy Water by We The Kingdom and finally Citizen of Heaven by Tauren Wells.
For Jesus Is King, West shared a documentary film in IMAX theaters across the country for the album which coincided with the record’s release. The album featured epic contributions from Ty Dolla $ign, Clipse, Kenny G, Timbaland, Pi’erre Bourne, E*vax of Ratatat, CyHi the Prynce, Ronny J, Labrinth, Francis and the Lights, Mike Dean, Ant Clemons, Fred Hammond and more.
The record is West’s ninth studio album, and this win marks his first gospel Grammy. Although he was nominated in 2019 for Best Producer (Non-Classical), this is West’s first win since 2013, when he picked up Best Rap/Sung Performance with “No Church in the Wild” off Jay-Z and West’s collaborative 2011 record Watch the Throne. Prior to that, West won a string of awards between 2008 through 2012 with some of his biggest hits off records such as 2007’s Graduation, 2008’s 808s & Heartbreak and 2010’s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.