In 2004, Kanye West dropped the iconic College Dropout track, “Jesus Walks.”
Fast-forward nearly a decade later, and he rapped about his “Jesus Piece” alongside The Game and Common and then released his Yeezus album.
And in 2017, it appears that ‘Ye’s religious-themed rhymes have come full circle now that the Windy City artist has been transformed into a golden Jesus sculpture.
The newly-unveiled piece, created by Los Angeles-based street artist Plastic Jesus, depicts a blinged-out Kanye as Jesus during crucifixion, Yeezy shoes included.
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While speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, Plastic Jesus offered some insight into the piece, which he’s appropriately dubbed “False Idol.” The artist went on to offer commentary on both ‘Ye and his fans, calling out those quick to put the rapper on a pedestal and also tear him down.
“He’s a genius at writing and producing but he’s not a God, and that’s where we put him,” Plastic Jesus said. “Until there’s an issue in his life or a hiccup in his career, then we crucify him. We’ve seen it before with people like Britney Spears or Lindsay Lohan. The same people who put him into a God-like place are the same yapping at his heels for a piece of flesh when something happens…The piece is intended to be as critical of us as consumers and the media as it is of Kanye himself.”
He later revealed that his message with the piece is to “By all means, treat and respect these people are artists, but don’t make them into gods — because we crucify our gods.”
The “False Idol” sculpture has been temporarily placed on the corner of Hollywood Boulevard and La Brea Avenue. Plastic Jesus will later move the piece to a space in the former Tower Records building for his “Anesthesia: The Art of Oblivion” art show.
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“False Idol” is one of several pieces Plastic Jesus has created surrounding Hollywood’s most coveted affair, the Oscars. A previous piece from the artist featured a life-size Oscar statue snorting cocaine while on all fours.
West has been the subject of other unsolicited art projects, including a mural in Sydney, Australia of the rapper kissing himself and a mural in Melbourne, Australia of a scene from his “Famous” video, where he made a tableau of himself, Taylor Swift, Kim Kardashian, Ray J and more all without the consent of the other celebrities.
