Since Kanye West announced, pushed back, and then missed his new album’s release date altogether, he’s been popping up all over the US to play iterations of his Sunday Service gatherings (often not on a Sunday). Yesterday, for example, he performed at Howard University’s homecoming celebrations.
As expected, many were pretty excited to see Kanye, Kim, and co. at the celebration; despite repeatedly missed releases, the hype is still very real for Jesus Is King and the associated Imax film that has been announced (whether it will actually arrive is, obviously, another matter altogether).
However, some – including faculty members – were less enthusiastic about the rapper’s presence, especially given Howard University’s status as a historically black university (a higher education institution established before the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and primarily aimed at the African American community).
“The Yard is packed for ‘Sunday Service’ at Howard University. I thought y’all cancelled Kanye?” read one post on Twitter, presumably referring to the backlash he’s received for his comments on slavery and his infamous endorsement(s) of Donald Trump.
Other users report Kanye referencing his own “cancellation”, saying: “I was canceled, but as I stand on the lawn of Howard University, do I look canceled to you?”
Keneshia Grant, an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Howard University, added: “This Kayne (sic) church thing makes me uncomfortable. There, I said it.”
And Greg Carr, Associate Professor of Africana Studies and Chair of the Department of Afro-American Studies, was pretty straightforward when it came to his feelings about Kanye, writing: “If @kanyewest is indeed at #HowardU this morning, send him to the third floor of Founder's Library after he's done. I have some books for him.”