Kanye West Shocks Critics with 'Jesus is King' Billboard No. 1 Success
Critics were skeptical that Kanye West would dominate in the Billboard 200 Chart with "Jesus Is King" - but he did! In what critics would call an unexpected uprising, Ye jumps back on the top of the charts for the ninth time!
It's apparent that the Ye spirit remains along with his fans. Even as West moves towards gospel music and vows never to perform his old song lyrics again, fans are being supportive.
West previously bagged $1 million at the Box office with "Jesus Is King" on IMAX which was launched alongside his album. His crewneck sweaters and tees with Bible verses are selling like hot cakes, too.
Consecutive Chart-Topper
Ye is not a stranger to that coveted top spot as "Jesus Is King" is his ninth consecutive chart-topper. From 2005 to present, Ye has been claiming that top slot. Previous to that, West's 2004 "The College Dropout" landed the second spot.
West now ties with Marshall Mathers III aka Eminem with the most consecutive number of chart-topping debuts. Like West, Eminem also missed the chance once in 1999. Meanwhile, Jay-Z holds the record for the most No. 1 debuts on the Billboard 200, 14 in total, but not consecutive hits.
Casting Doubts
When "Jesus Is King" was released on October 25, it drew flak from critics who called it his most unfinished and mediocre album. "Jesus Is King" launched with only 11 tracks that finished in 27 minutes, leaving critics to think Ye was uninspired.
Add to that, the frustrations fans and critics alike had with the multiple delays of the album's release. Even on the day the album was to be released, West spent hours more fine-tuning the music and mixing tracks. It was as if, it wasn't meant to be released just yet.
Defying Odds
Lo and behold, "Jesus Is King" raked in 264,000 album units in the U.S. in its first week ending on Oct. 31. The album cashed in 109,000 album sales that week, too.
Add to that, Streaming Equivalent Albums which garnered a total of 151,000 units and 3,000 more Track Equivalent Albums.
Ye is expected to go on tour right away, but the tour dates are yet to be announces. The transformed rapper is said to be pushing boundaries and redefining everything with the "Jesus Is King" global tour.
More Like This?
West has made it clear that his fans would be expecting these types of song lyrics from him from now on. However, critics are still on the fence about how long Ye could keep this up.
Apparently, the average 17 million streams "Jesus Is King" tracks are getting are far less than the typical Yeezy chart-toppers, which averaged 25.7 million streams, each.
Could it be just novelty or intrigue? Only time will tell.
