Pop Culture

Kanye West Delays Jesus Is King Release Again, Makes a Liar of Himself on Kimmel

When Kanye West surprised Jimmy Kimmel’s audience in Brooklyn with a visit on Thursday night, the comedian asked the one question everyone wants answered. “So your new album, Jesus Is King is the name of the album. When is this album coming out? Is it coming out tomorrow?”

“It’s gonna be dropping 12 AM,” West replied. “Tonight.”

“Right now it is available?” Kimmel asked, seemingly reminding his guest of what time the program, which tapes earlier in the evening, would air. “Oh it’s out now,” West said. Kimmel echoed, “It’s out now!” One problem: The album was not, in fact, out—and it still isn’t.

This is not the first time a Kanye West album release has been delayed; his 2016 album The Life of Pablo also faced delays, and West continued to remix and tweak tracks after it had already been released.

Along with his promise on Kimmel, West also tweeted Thursday evening that the album would drop at midnight. Fans have been eagerly awaiting Jesus Is King’s release for weeks, as West and Kim Kardashian West repeatedly announce release dates, only to let them come and go. (Kardashian West first announced the album would come out September 27; the release was later pushed back to September 29, and then October 25. But in the wee hours of Friday morning, West tweeted to explain why, once again, he’d missed the release date.

“To my fans,” he wrote. “Thank you for being loyal & patient. We are specifically fixing mixes on “Everything We Need” “Follow God” & “Water.” We not going to sleep until this album is out!”

For West’s health alone, then, let’s hope this is the final delay.

The 10 Best Celebrity Halloween Costumes of All Time

More Great Stories from Vanity Fair

— Our cover story: Joaquin Phoenix on River, Rooney, and Joker
— Plus: why a neurocriminologist left Joker completely stunned
— Charlize Theron’s transformation in the Fox News movie wows at the film’s debut
— Ronan Farrow’s producer reveals how NBC killed its Weinstein story
— Read an exclusive excerpt from the sequel to Call Me by Your Name
— From the Archive: How a near-death Judy Garland’s 1961 Carnegie Hall performance became showbiz legend

Looking for more? Sign up for our daily Hollywood newsletter and never miss a story.

Products You May Like

Articles You May Like

5 Albums I Can’t Live Without: Jim Lindberg of Pennywise
Revisiting the First After Dark Horrorfest
Trump’s Executive Power Grab—and His Choice of Matt Gaetz—Is Just the Latest Round in a 52-Year Battle
Book Riot’s Deals of the Day for November 19, 2024
Fan-Made VR Mod for PC Version of ‘Silent Hill 2’ Remake Now Available [Video]