Warryn Campbell Is Kanye West’s Go-To For Scripture References & Advice

Kanye West, Warryn Campbell

Warryn Campbell Is Kanye West’s Go-To For Scripture References And Advice

While Kanye West continues his walk with Christ, mega-producer Warryn Campbell is right by his side. Warryn Campbell opened up about his friendship with Kanye West, and said that he even helped him with scripture references for West’s first gospel album that was released on Oct. 25.

“Last Easter, he sent me twenty songs. Easter is about the resurrection of Christ, so I explained that you use the scripture John 3:16 that says, “for God so loved the world, as to give his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” To me that means, if you love, you give. People only give to the degree that they love, and they only love to the degree that they’re willing to give. Not giving money — giving time, giving patience. Things of that nature — I just try to show perspective on what things mean.”

Warryn Campbell, who hosted Kanye West at his church for the rapper’s Sunday Service recently, also played a part in Jesus Is King as he suggested the sample West used for “God Is.” The original was released by gospel artist James Cleveland in the 70s.

Campbell said,

“The day after the Sunday Service, he invited me to come by the house and hear what he was doing. I was there that whole week at his compound in Calabasas. I ate some swordfish in one of the silos, that was fun. One of those days I played the sample in “God Is,” I had it chopped up and I played it for him. He said he loved it and asked me to give it to him. I did. I hadn’t heard the finished version until [Friday].”

When asked about speculation that West asked Campbell to mentor him about pastoring, Campbell said,

“I don’t know if it’s so much that — I just told him, whatever I can do to help you [I will do]. When he did Coachella, he wanted to know which scriptures to tie in with the songs. I do things like send him a list of all the scriptures. I wouldn’t call it a mentorship — I’m just walking with him, shepherding him in these areas. If he doesn’t know something or has a question on something I try to give him my wisdom on it, my perspective. I come from a place I call “the cheets” — the church and the streets. I understand it a little differently than some people would.”

Interestingly enough, Campbell said he and West met the night of West’s infamous accident that served as the inspiration of West’s “Through The Wire” from his Get Well Soon mixtape.

Campbell revealed,

 “When I first met Kanye he was kind of chubby. But next time I saw him he was a skinny guy. He’s like, yeah, man. They had to wire my mouth shut — I couldn’t eat.”

While Campbell is a pillar in the gospel industry (and music industry in general), he actually got his start at Death Row Records and playing the keyboard for major artists like Tupac and Brandy before discovering dynamic duo Mary Mary. 

“I started at Death Row Records. I was a protégé of DJ Quik, and I was doing some work playing keyboards on his third album. At the time, he started to be managed by Suge Knight. We moved the studios to Death Row, and that’s when I started playing on all the Death Row stuff — Murder Was the Case, then the Tupac stuff, I’m playing keys. I got to learn from DJ Quik, who’s one of the best I’ve ever seen do it. From there, I took that to R&B, did Dru Hill and Shanice Wilson, the Doctor Dolittle soundtrack. I was the keyboard player with Brandy too when the first album came out, on the road with her.

Then I met these two girls, Mary Mary, who said they want to do gospel. I grew up at church, but I didn’t know how to make actual gospel music. So I just made the music that I knew how to make and we put gospel lyrics on top of it. That’s how I ended up in both worlds. But I’m of that Quincy Jones school: There are only two kinds of music, great music and terrible music.”

Are you here for Warryn Campbell and Kanye West being a new tag team? Tell us in the comments.

Source: Rolling Stone