Kanye West Hosts Sunday Service at Midnight After Grammys 2020 and Kobe Bryant’s Death

Credit: Michael Wyke/AP/Shutterstock

Kanye West Hosts Sunday Service at Midnight After Grammys 2020 and Kobe Bryant’s Death

Ending the night on a positive note. Kanye West held his Sunday Service at midnight following the tragic passing of Kobe Bryant and this year’s somber Grammy Awards. West’s wife, Kim Kardashian, posted several videos from the of the late-night gathering to her Instagram Stories on Monday, January 26. In her first video, Kirk Franklin — who participated in a Nipsey Hussle tribute and won for Best Gospel Performance/Song at the 62nd annual Grammys on Sunday, January 26  — was shown speaking to those in attendance. Kardashian, 39, noted that she “needed to hear” what the 50-year-old Gospel artist had to say. “There will be moments where the loving father will not seem to make any sense,” the 15-time Grammy winner said. “And we’ve been told so much through religion that it is wrong to ask God why.” Chance the Rapper, who was nominated for Best Rap Song at this year’s Grammys, also made an appearance at West’s service. In the Keeping Up With the Kardashians star’s Instagram Stories update, the Chicago native performed a song he shares with Kirkland and West, 42, called “Ultralight Beam.” [jwplayer YJfGUvPS-l3ahXupL] Kourtney Kardashian, who was also in attendance for the gathering, shared videos of West performing his song “Selah” during the service. She filmed the father of four rapping the track’s intro: “God is King, we the soldiers / Ultrabeam out the solar / When I get to Heaven’s gates / I ain’t gotta peek over / Keepin’ perfect composure / When I scream at the chauffeur / I ain’t mean, I’m just focused / I ain’t mean, I’m just focused.” West’s midnight Sunday Service occurred hours after Bryant and his second eldest daughter, 13-year-old Gianna, were among nine individuals who died in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California. The rotorcraft crashed into a hillside in the Los Angeles neighborhood, causing the helicopter to burst into flames. Bryant, an NBA legend who spent his 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers, was 41. The five-time NBA champion shared daughters Natalia, 17, Gianna, Bianka, 3, and Capri, 7 months, with wife Vanessa Laine Bryant, whom he wed in April 2001. The 2020 Grammy Awards took place at Los Angeles’ Staples Center, where Kobe played during his time on the Lakers. There evening kicked off with a shout-out to the late athlete from Lizzo and a last-minute performance by host Alicia Keys and Boys II Men in Bryant’s honor. Scroll down to see pics from West’s Sunday Service gathering held at midnight. [podcast_block]

Credit: Michael Wyke/AP/Shutterstock

Kanye West Hosts Sunday Service at Midnight After Grammys 2020 and Kobe Bryant’s Death

Ending the night on a positive note. Kanye West held his Sunday Service at midnight following the tragic passing of Kobe Bryant and this year’s somber Grammy Awards. West’s wife, Kim Kardashian, posted several videos from the of the late-night gathering to her Instagram Stories on Monday, January 26. In her first video, Kirk Franklin — who participated in a Nipsey Hussle tribute and won for Best Gospel Performance/Song at the 62nd annual Grammys on Sunday, January 26  — was shown speaking to those in attendance. Kardashian, 39, noted that she “needed to hear” what the 50-year-old Gospel artist had to say. “There will be moments where the loving father will not seem to make any sense,” the 15-time Grammy winner said. “And we’ve been told so much through religion that it is wrong to ask God why.” Chance the Rapper, who was nominated for Best Rap Song at this year’s Grammys, also made an appearance at West’s service. In the Keeping Up With the Kardashians star’s Instagram Stories update, the Chicago native performed a song he shares with Kirkland and West, 42, called “Ultralight Beam.” [jwplayer YJfGUvPS-l3ahXupL] Kourtney Kardashian, who was also in attendance for the gathering, shared videos of West performing his song “Selah” during the service. She filmed the father of four rapping the track’s intro: “God is King, we the soldiers / Ultrabeam out the solar / When I get to Heaven’s gates / I ain’t gotta peek over / Keepin’ perfect composure / When I scream at the chauffeur / I ain’t mean, I’m just focused / I ain’t mean, I’m just focused.” West’s midnight Sunday Service occurred hours after Bryant and his second eldest daughter, 13-year-old Gianna, were among nine individuals who died in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California. The rotorcraft crashed into a hillside in the Los Angeles neighborhood, causing the helicopter to burst into flames. Bryant, an NBA legend who spent his 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers, was 41. The five-time NBA champion shared daughters Natalia, 17, Gianna, Bianka, 3, and Capri, 7 months, with wife Vanessa Laine Bryant, whom he wed in April 2001. The 2020 Grammy Awards took place at Los Angeles’ Staples Center, where Kobe played during his time on the Lakers. There evening kicked off with a shout-out to the late athlete from Lizzo and a last-minute performance by host Alicia Keys and Boys II Men in Bryant’s honor. Scroll down to see pics from West’s Sunday Service gathering held at midnight. [podcast_block]

Credit: Courtesy of Kourtney Kardashian/Instagram

Getting Spiritual

Kim revealed the reason her husband formed Sunday Service. “Kanye started this, I think, just to heal himself,” she said on The View in September 2019. “It was a really personal thing, and it was just friends and family. He has had an amazing evolution of being born again and being saved by Christ.”

Credit: Courtesy of Kim Kardashian/Instagram

Showing Support

Franklin spoke out in support of West for launching his musical ministry, telling Beats 1 in May 2019: “Let that be his medicine, he ain’t making no loot doing it. You could always tell intent by how people spend their money. How people spend their money is a reflection of their heart. And so the fact that this is something that he’s doing on his own, let that be his medicine.”

Credit: Courtesy of Kim Kardashian/Instagram

Embracing His Religious Side

The “No Problems” artist referred to himself as a “Christian Rapper” in April 2018, rapping on his Instagram Stories: “Watch how I move, different chapters, decisions, missions, visit pastors... Everybody finally can say it out loud; your favorite rapper's a Christian rapper and I got faith and my faith in my soul.” Later that year, he announced via Instagram that he would take a religious “sabbatical” to “learn the Word of God.”

Credit: Courtesy of Kim Kardashian/Instagram

In Defense

Franklin previously defended West for not being “good enough” or “Christian enough” via Instagram in February 2016, writing, “He is my brother I am proud to do life with. No sprints, but Marathons; like most of us are on.”

Credit: Courtesy of Kourtney Kardashian/Instagram

Outspoken

Speaking to Beats 1 in October 2019, West opened up about his journey to embracing Christianity. “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 said at the time.

Credit: Courtesy of Kim Kardashian/Instagram

Famous Attendees

Chance the Rapper and Franklin are far from the first stars to make an appearance at West’s Sunday Service. The gathering has attracted the likes of Brad Pitt, Katy Perry, Orlando Bloom, A$AP Rocky, Kid Cudi, Diplo and Tyler, the Creator.