There continues to be no separation between church and state for Kanye West.
At Atlanta's New Birth Missionary Baptist Church over the weekend, senior pastor Rev. Jamal Harrison Bryant explained to his congregation why he believes Kanye is detrimental. Bryant started off by praising West's new gospel album, Jesus Is King, before reminding his members that it's what the artist does "in between the songs" that is problematic.
"Kanye West is a gifted lyricist. My problem is in between the songs. It ain't on the album. The album is hot, it's good. It's in between the songs. I can't rest with Kanye saying that slavery was an option," Bryant began.
He then blamed Kanye's support of Donald Trump for making the President feel comfortable enough to visit the city. "It's in between the songs that he says black people should vote Republican because that's the group that kept us free. I can't rest in between the songs when Kanye would endorse Donald Trump who has never done a thing for black people, but say this is the way that is going to give us resources. It's in between the songs that he endorsed him, and because he endorsed him, Donald Trump thought that he was going to come into Atlanta, Georgia and nobody was going to check him."
On Friday, Trump made a stop in Atlanta to launch his new campaign initiative "Black Voices for Trump." During the rally, Trump told the crowd that black voters are returning to the Republican party "record numbers." But, according to a recent Quinnipiac poll only 10 percent of black voters support Trump. This didn't stop Trump from trying to convince the audience that they have nothing to "lose" by voting for him. Several black conservatives were on hand to help support Trump's argument.
"To come to Atlanta, which is economically, socially, and culturally the heart of the black community in this country—to come to Atlanta as a Republican, as Trump, and roll out a black-voter initiative...that’s a gangsta move...with an ‘A’ at the end," black conservative radio host Shelley Wynter told TheNew Yorker. "That’s what I love about the guy. You could have done this in New York, you could have done this in any number of places. You could’ve done it in D.C., at the White House. It doesn’t have the same impact. This is in Atlanta and heads are exploding."
Bryant didn't stop with Trump's trip to Atlanta. The reverend also condemned Kanye for continuing to support the President after seeing his lack of care and compassion firsthand. West and Rick Fox launched an initiative to help the Bahamas following Hurricane Dorian. But Bryant is wondering why West didn't urge Trump to step in and provide aid to the country.
"It's in between the songs. In between coming to New Birth he left out of new birth and went to the Bahamas, and when he went to the Bahamas he didn't say anything to his orange friend about those who are struggling without housing, without resources, without access," Bryant said. "In between leaving New Birth, went to Salt Lake City and said to a crowd of 98 percent white people that he is proud of standing with Donald Trump and is not going to be bullied by anybody."
This isn't the first time Bryant has gone on the offensive against Kanye. After West reaffirmed his affinity for Trump and the Republican party during his Sunday Service in Salt Lake City, Bryant decided to redirect the donation West made to the church to Morris Brown College where West's mother used to work.
