Kanye West says record labels make artists sign contracts to stop them talking about Jesus

Rapper Kanye West speaks with Pastor Joel Osteen at Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas, on Sunday November 17, 2019.Lakewood Church

Kanye West says record labels make artists sign contracts promising not to talk about Jesus. 

He made the assertion during his latest Sunday Service performance with VOUS Church at the Bayfront Park in Miami ahead of the Super Bowl.

He said that he and others in the music industry had been guilty of "chasing gold statues" and "selling our souls".

But he also suggested there was pressure on them to keep their Christian faith private, telling the audience that the people he collaborated with on his recent gospel album, Jesus Is King, were relieved to be able to say the name of Jesus out loud while working with him. 

"The devil took all the producers, the musicians, the designers. He moved us all out to Hollywood, moved us all out to New York. Chasing gold statues. Literally signing a contract and selling our souls," said West. 

He assured Christian music artists and producers that they don't need to be afraid to say the name of Jesus around him. 

"They got contracts out there that say, 'you can't say Jesus.' When we were working on this album, people were coming to the studio just to say 'Jesus' as loud as they wanted to. You can say Jesus in 'Ye studio," he said. 

West has been vocal about his newfound Christian faith after converting last year.  In addition to starting his Sunday Service music project, he has released two gospel albums, Jesus Is King and the Christmas-themed Jesus Is Born

The two albums have occupied the top two positions in the Billboard Gospel Chart since their release.

West is reported to be working on Jesus Is King 2 with Dr Dre.