"Follow God" is the third track from Kanye West's ninth studio album, JESUS IS KING (2019).[1] It was released as a radio single on November 8, 2019.[2]
In the song, Ye raps about the difficulties he has faced as a religious person.[3] The song has an accompanying music video and lyric video, the former of which features his father Ray West, whom the song is partially centered around alongside Ye's faith.[4][5]
Production[]
The song heavily samples Whole Truth's 1969 song, "Can You Lose by Following God".[6]
Background[]
The first known freestyle for "Follow God" was created on August 9, 2019.[7] A handful of people recorded reference tracks for the song, but by October, it was complete.
Remixes[]
During the JIK era, a remix of "Follow God" was set to be released with verses from Clipse.[8] It was teased by Pusha T's manager on Instagram shortly after the album released, but the remix was scrapped. It eventually leaked in September 2023.
Another remix of the song was set to be released on Ye and Dr. Dre's unreleased collaborative album, JESUS IS KING: The Dr. Dre Version, with vocals from Dem Jointz.[9]
Music video[]
The music video for "Follow God", directed by Jake Schreier, was released on November 7, 2019. The video was filmed at Ye's mountain ranch in Wyoming and features Ye and Ray West driving ATVs while Ye raps the lyrics of the song.[2]
A lyric video for the song was also released on October 26, 2019.
Lyrics[]
[Intro]
Father, I stretch
Stretch my hands to You
[Verse]
Lifelike, this is what your life like, try to live your life right
People really know you, push your buttons like typewrite
This is like a movie, but it's really very lifelike
Every single night, right, every single fight, right?
I was looking at the 'Gram and I don't even like likes
I was screamin' at my dad, he told me, "It ain't Christ-like"
I was screamin' at the referee just like Mike
Lookin' for a bright light, Sigel, what your life like
Riding on a white bike, feeling like Excitebike (Stretch my hands to You)
Pressin' on the gas, supernova for a night light
Screamin' at my dad and he told me, "It ain't Christ-like"
But nobody never tell you when you're being like Christ
Only ever seein' me only when they needin' me
Like if Tyler Perry made a movie for BET
Searchin' for a deity, now you wanna see it free
Now you wanna see if we, let's just see if three apiece
Tell me what your life like, turn it down, a bright light
Drivin' with my dad, and he told me, "It ain't Christ-like" (Stretch my hands to You)
I'm just tryna find, l've been lookin' for a new way
I'm just really tryin' not to really do the fool way
I don't have a cool way, bein' on my best, though
Block 'em on the text though, nothin' else next though
Not another word, letter, picture, or a decimal (Father, I stretch)
Wrestlin' with God, I don't really want to wrestle
Man, it's really lifelike, everything in my life (Stretch my hands to You)
Arguing with my dad, and he said, "It ain't Christ-like"
[Outro]
Man
You know, it's like
Somebody only close who can get you, like, off your
I be on my
I woke up this morning, I said my prayers
I'm all doing good, I tried to talk to my dad (Stretch my hands to You)
Give him some advice, he starts spazzin' on me
I start spazzin' back, He said "That ain't Christ-like"
I said, "Ahhh"
[Intro]
How could you lose if you follow God
I'd follow him anywhere
Father, I stretch
I stretch my hands to you
[Verse 1]
The Franklin Saint that broke that bank
Shift in the culture, they say I tanked
I owe my ties, the check is blank
Who are you to question how I show thanks?
We don't pray to the same God
Wager the same odds
My Saint Tropez don't relate to your same odds
Three or four rappers, all sharin' the same lies
Little Pusha Ts, my synergy same lives (Stretch my hands to You)
Mirror my excellence, for me it's exercise
Feelin' like Exodus, tryna get next to God
This is an exorcist seen through my ex's eyes
Hopin' my ex forgives all of my extra lives, woo
Life goes on and babies born
And mine's on the way, couldn't wait to say it in song
I don't question God's love
'Cause every good and perfect gift is from above (Stretch my hands to you)
[Verse 2]
The Lord giveth, the Lord taketh
The nerves of the Gods who Jesus lowercases
A dead man woulda hang that's full of aces
If we understood grace, we'd all be on our faces
Eyebrow raises, questioning my motive
His soul was filled with Holy Ghost, I wonder if he sold it
Nothing like the backburner knowing You the coldest
Father outstretched this hands like it's aerobics (Stretch my hands to You)
How could I not hold it? Truth to the promises
Who is this who gives life when I deserve the opposite
Underneath the jail cell, suffering the consequence
They be buying vowel sounds, using all they consonance
My wheel of fortune built a fortress
Through wind and roads, I wheeled new Porsches
My God is great, he lit my torches
More than great, I find him gorgeous (Stretch my hands to you)
[Verse 3]
Lifelike, this is what your life like, try to live your life right
People really know you, push your buttons like typewrite
This is like a movie, but it's really very lifelike
Every single night, right, every single fight, right?
I was looking at the 'Gram and I don't even like likes
I was screamin' at my dad, he told me, "It ain't Christ-like"
I was screamin' at the referee just like Mike
Lookin' for a bright light, Sigel, what your life like
Riding on a white bike, feeling like Excitebike (Stretch my hands to You)
Pressin' on the gas, supernova for a night light
Screamin' at my dad and he told me, "It ain't Christ-like"
But nobody never tell you when you're being like Christ
Only ever seein' me only when they needin' me
Like if Tyler Perry made a movie for BET
Searchin' for a deity, now you wanna see it free
Now you wanna see if we, let's just see if three apiece
Tell me what your life like, turn it down, a bright light
Drivin' with my dad, and he told me, "It ain't Christ-like" (Stretch my hands to You)
I'm just tryna find, l've been lookin' for a new way
I'm just really tryin' not to really do the fool way
I don't have a cool way, bein' on my best, though
Block 'em on the text though, nothin' else next though
Not another word, letter, picture, or a decimal (Father, I stretch)
Wrestlin' with God, I don't really want to wrestle
Man, it's really lifelike, everything in my life (Stretch my hands to You)
Arguing with my dad, and he said, "It ain't Christ-like"
[Outro]
Man
You know, it's like
Somebody only close who can get you, like, off your
I be on my
I woke up this morning, I said my prayers
I'm all doing good, I tried to talk to my dad (Stretch my hands to You)
Give him some advice, he starts spazzin' on me
I start spazzin' back, He said "That ain't Christ-like"
I said, "Ahhh"
References[]
- ↑ https://open.spotify.com/album/0FgZKfoU2Br5sHOfvZKTI9
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Follow_God
- ↑ https://genius.com/Kanye-west-follow-god-lyrics
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivCY3Ec4iaU
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PH3KD2bb_yc
- ↑ https://www.whosampled.com/Kanye-West/Follow-God/
- ↑ https://pillowcase.su/f/3f605a768a9ead3708cfe1e8492017ff
- ↑ https://genius.com/Kanye-west-follow-god-clipse-remix-lyrics
- ↑ https://pillowcase.su/f/cbd51a2a0a9e724fce180e74e80f9be9
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