Kanye West: surmounting the pain

"This is not about me, God is still alive, so I'm free" ... rising above the turmoil

In August last year Kanye West released Donda, an album named after his late mother, Donda West. Culture and arts commentator Nathaniel Hunter wrote at the time:

It (mostly) successfully merges Kanye’s own musical history, his newfound identity in Christ, and the state of hip-hop at large to create a record worth listening to (and a few songs that might be some of the best Kanye has ever written). As far as I can tell, Donda is a model of what conversion ought to look like: messy, but also a process that draws one out of isolation into the larger body of Christ.

In addressing his own difficulties, and political and social issues like gang violence, Kanye seems to surmount the pain with a call to God - "one struggles to find a verse on the album that doesn’t explicitly mention God", Hunter states.

The lyrics of Come to Life, from Donda, give the measure of the man in a maelstrom:  

Intro

My soul cries out Hallelujah and I thank God for saving me

I thank God for...

Chorus

Here go all your problems again (I thank God)

Three, two, one, you're pinned (I thank God)

Uncle now he back in the pen' (Hallelujah)

Auntie shut down again

Did she finally come to life? (Thank you, Jesus)

Ever wish you had another life?

Ever wish you had another life?

Ever wish you had another life?

Verse 1

Don't you wish the night would go numb?

I've been feelin' low for so long

I ain't had a high in so long

I been in the dark for so long

Night is always darkest 'fore the dawn

Gotta make my mark 'fore I'm gone

I don't wanna die alone

I don't wanna die alone

I get mad when she gone

Mad when she home

Sad when she gone

Mad when she home

Sad when she gone (Loosen right now, the spirit that wants to run)

Floatin' on a silver lining (In the name of Jesus)

Yeah, you know where to find me, ridin' on a silver lining

And my God won't deny me, tell the Devil, "Get behind me"

And all the stars are aligned, lift me up every time

You know exactly where to find me

Interlude

Hallelujah (Thank you, Jesus)

Hallelujah (Yes)

Hallelujah...

Pre-Chorus

Did those ideas ever really come to life?

Make it all come to life

Make it all come to life

Prayin' for a change in your life

Well, maybe it's gon' come tonight

Chorus

Sadness settin' in again

Three, two, one, you're pinned

Uncle right back in the pen'

Tell me how auntie been

Took your thoughts and penciled 'em in

Should've wrote 'em down in pen

And maybe they'll come to life

And maybe they'll come to life

Sadness settin' in again

Three, two, one, you're pinned

Uncle right back to the pen'

Tell me how auntie been

Thoughts, you had penciled 'em in

Probably should've wrote 'em in pen

And maybe they'll come to life

They could finally come to life

They could finally come to life

Verse 2

You know where to find me, they cannot define me

So they crucify me, how so fazed when I leave?

Come and purify me, come and sanctify me

You the air that I breathe, the ultra-ultralight beam

Brought a gift to Northie, all she want was Nikes

This is not about me, God is still alive, so I'm free

Floatin' on a silver lining, floatin' on a silver lining

So when I'm free, I'm free

Notes from the Genius lyric site offer these thoughts about this song:

On Come to Life, Kanye sings about his desire for another life, wishing he had listened more to his ex-wife Kim Kardashian’s thoughts, dreams, problems, and aspirations. He shares his mixed emotions about her presence and absence, expressing how he does not want to die alone without her at his side. He sings about the silver-lining, which he latches on to during his darkest nights, which are his children. He treats his children as one of the most important things in his life and the one thing holding him together amid the divorce.

This song was debuted during the finale of the third and final Donda Listening Party, held in Kanye’s hometown of Chicago, in which he was set on fire inside of a replica of his childhood home. He then reenacted his wedding to Kardashian, which could be interpreted as Kanye burning his past and bringing forth the life he has always wanted with Kardashian.

With Kanye's mental health problems, and the distress that divorce tends to bring with it, we should pray for him, Kim and their children. 

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