2022 Billboard Music Awards: Kanye “Ye” West Wins 6 Awards in Christian and Gospel Categories
Although not in attendance, Kanye “Ye” West took home six Billboard Music Awards Sunday evening. He was the most awarded male artist of the night. While Olivia Rodrigo took home seven trophies making her the big winner at the BBMAs.
Kanye ‘Ye’ West was named Top Christian Artist at the Billboard Music Awards
In 2004, Kanye “Ye” West released the single “Jesus Walks” off his debut album “College Dropout.” The song was a hit, winning Ye a Grammy Award for Best Rap Song and reaching No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Early in his career, Ye’s music was not recognized mainly as Gospel or Christian. However, the religious undertones have continued in Ye’s music. In 2020, he took home four Billboard Music Awards in the Christian and Gospel categories for Jesus is King.
At the 2022 Billboard Music Awards, Ye was a big winner in Gospel and Christian categories for his 2021 album Donda. He earned the award for Top Christian Artist, Top Gospel Artist, Top Christian Album, Top Gospel Album, Top Gospel Song, and Top Christian Song.
Ye started a church in 2019
In 2019, Ye started hosting his own church service. Labeled “Sunday Service,” the invite-only Christian gatherings were held at different locations each week. The nontraditional service consisted of a choir performing various gospel-tinged songs for a small crowd.
West told David Letterman on the Netflix show My Next Guest Needs No Introduction, “It’s just an idea we had to open up our hearts to make music that we felt was as pure and as positive as possible and just do it for an hour every Sunday, and have something where people can just come together and feel good with their families.”
Eventually, the service opened up to the general public. According to the Sun, Ye registered Sunday Service as an official non-profit church in March of 2021. Amid his divorce from Kim Kardashian, Sunday Service stopped later that year.
Ye now has 17 Billboard Music Awards
A tumultuous private life hasn’t stopped Ye from producing hits and winning awards. After his invitation to perform at the Grammys was rescinded this year, he still won two trophies. Ye took home best melodic rap and best rap song.
He currently holds 17 Billboard Music Awards and is tied with Eminem for 7th place on the all-time wins leaderboard. Drake has the record with 34 wins. While Taylor Swift follows behind with 29 Billboard Music Awards.
Rookie Olivia Rodrigo had the biggest night at the 2022 BBMAs taking home seven trophies. According to Billboard, it was one of the most impressive showings for a new artist, with only Next (1998) and Ashanti (2002) taking home more trophies in their first year with eight each.
Ye has been laying low since pulling out of Coachella. He was not in attendance last evening.
