WATCH: Kanye West releases ‘Wash Us In the Blood’ video
EEW Magazine // Gospel Music // Entertainment
Kanye West has released his hotly anticipated lead single, “Wash Us In The Blood,” from his forthcoming album, God’s Country.
Through potent visual imagery and lyrics, the 43-year-old Christian rapper explores the limited options of African Americans whose painful legacy of slavery and government-sanctioned racism has led to social injustices, economic disparities, crime, violence, and manifestations of the devastating impact of poverty.
He petitions the Holy Spirit to “rain down on us” and help reverse the effects of “genocide,” and says, “Wash us in your blood”—asking God to help the broken, hurting and all those ravaged by sin, through the cleansing blood of Jesus Christ.
Photo Credit: Scott Dudelson/Getty
He says, “Holy Spirit come down,” and “Holy Spirit help now,” while flashing images of destruction, lawlessness, and chains. In the visual, which is produced by Arthur Jafa, a footage of a black man in prison dancing brings into focus the high incarceration rates in the black community. Statistics show, African Americans are incarcerated at more than 5 times the rate of whites.
The track, produced by Dr. Dre, features rapper Travis Scott who is shown as a video game version of himself in his cameo appearance.
It is not surprising that "Wash Us in the Blood" tackles social justice issues, since West, who recently marched with protesters in his hometown of Chicago, has actively shown support for the families of unarmed African Americans who have been murdered unjustly. West has donated $2 million to support the families and legal teams for George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor.
According to The Associated Press, a representative for the rapper confirmed that some of the money donated would fully cover college tuition costs for Floyd’s 6-year-old daughter, Gianna.
Floyd died last month after a Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee on his neck for more than eight minutes as he pleaded for air. Arbery was gunned down while jogging in Georgia in February, and Taylor was killed in her home in Louisville in March.
