Jackson Lee / SplashNews.comKanye West's fans are feeling extra #blessed today.
A little over a year after releasing ye, West finally delivered on his promise of new music with a ninth studio album, titled Jesus Is King. After about a six-hour delay, the artist dropped the album on Friday morning.
After much anticipation and a prior month-long delay, Kanye took to Twitter on Thursday to finally unveil the album's release time and official track list. The 11-song project marks the start of a new era for Kanye, who was inspired by his own spiritual journey as a Christian.
In a revealing interview between Kanye and Zane Lowe, the 21-time Grammy winner shared insight into his creative process.
"Now that I'm in service to Christ, my job is to spread the gospel, to let people know what Jesus has done for me," he shared. "I've spread a lot of things. There was a time I was letting you know what high fashion had done for me, I was letting you know what the Hennessy had done for me, but now I'm letting you know what Jesus has done for me, and in that I'm no longer a slave, I'm a son now, a son of God. I'm free."
West, 42, even went as far to ask those working on his album to abstain from pre-marital sex throughout the final stages of production.
"I thought if we could all focus and fast... families who pray together stay together," he explained.
But in true Kanye fashion, tonight's album release is preceded by so much more. He's already released Jesus Is King merch, with prices ranging from $50 - $140, which he views as a donation to his weekly Sunday Service gathering.
Kanye is also releasing an IMAX documentary titled Jesus Is King: A Kanye West Experience, which will feature music from the album and also comes out Friday.
It's not known whether Kanye plans to hit the road for a Jesus Is King tour, but he did make his purpose as an artist crystal clear.
"I will continue to be used by God. I don't love suffering," he told Lowe. "No one loves pain but... through the good times and the suffering I praise God because I experience the blessings and I also experience the lessons. I'm just so blessed for everything that I've been through. To be standing here 15 years in, be making an album with the work, the paintings still are inspiring to me... Music is my job; that's why I'm putting out the album. Serving God is my job; that's why I'm here."
Jesus Is King is available to stream and download now right here.