Taylor Hill/FilmMagic
On the 23rd day after Kanye West was set to release Jesus Is King (the album), he gave us BTS footage of Jesus Is King (the film).
The 42-year-old rapper released the first trailer for his highly-anticipated IMAX movie, Jesus Is King, earlier this week.
While the trailer didn’t give out too many details of what we could expect from the film, the behind-the-scenes footage Kanye released this morning gives us a bit more insight on what went on in Kanye’s mind while filming and dreaming up Jesus Is King.
The nearly two-minute clip of BTS footage begins by displaying bible verse, Mark 1:15, on the screen, which reads: “In the words of Jesus Christ. ‘The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repeat and believe in the gospel.”
The YouTube video then cuts to Kanye walking up a hill — narrating the moment, he says, “We’re here to spread the gospel. I’m not here for your entertainment. I’m an evangelist so my music, my films, every conversation, every room I go in, we’re here to save souls … from eternal damnation. I use art to make believers.”
According to the behind-the-scenes footage credits, Jesus Is King was directed by Nick Knight with credits also given to James Turrell‘s Roden Crater.
Turrell also makes a cameo in the BTS video, having a conversation with Kanye himself.
In the past, Kanye has attributed Turrell’s work as a source of inspiration for his Sunday Service performance.
During Kanye’s interview for David Letterman‘s Netflix series My Next Guest Needs No Introduction, he said, “The only thing I can parallel with James Turrell is to contribute something musically and to learn more about sonics that are healing.”
So it’s no surprise that Kanye’s Jesus Is King film will also take place in Turrell’s large-scale artwork, Roden Crater. Located in the Painted Desert region of Northern Arizona, Roden Crater was created within a volcanic cinder cone and it represents the “culmination of the artist’s lifelong research in the field of human visual and psychological perception.”
The film will also feature 13 songs arranged by Kanye in gospel tradition and will include new music from the forthcoming album Jesus Is King.
Now, it’s time to wait and see if we’ll actually be getting the album anytime soon.
Jesus Is King will be released in theaters on Oct. 25. Tickets are on sale now.