Kanye West Performs Surprise Concert for Inmates at Houston Jail

Wire Service
By Wire Service
November 17, 2019Entertainment
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Kanye West left inmates in tears when he performed a surprise concert at the Harris County jail in Houston, Texas.

The Grammy award-winning rapper and his choir performed songs from his gospel album “Jesus is King” on Friday as inmates waved their hands and knelt in prayer.

West said his visit was “a mission, not a show,” according to Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez.

Harris County Jail
Kanye West performs at a surprise concert for inmates in the Harris County Jail in Houston, Texas, on Nov. 15, 2019. (Harris County Sheriff’s Office)

West performed for more than 200 male inmates before using an underground tunnel to access a separate jail to perform for a smaller crowd of women inmates, according to the Houston Chronicle.

“Say what you want about the man,” said Jason Spencer, a public affairs director for the Harris County Sheriff’s Office. “But Kanye West and his choir brought some light to people who needed it today at the Harris County Jail.”

Kanye West performs at a surprise concert for inmates in the Harris County Jail in Houston, Texas, on Nov. 15, 2019. (Harris County Sheriff's Office)
Kanye West performs at a surprise concert for inmates in the Harris County Jail in Houston, Texas, on Nov. 15, 2019. (Harris County Sheriff’s Office)

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott wrote on Twitter Saturday that it would be “great if other artists followed Kanye’s lead.”

“What Kanye West does to inspire the incarcerated is transformative,” Abbott said. “Saving one soul at a time. Inmates who turn to God may get released earlier [because] of good behavior & may be less likely to commit future crimes.”

Kanye west
Female inmates in the Harris County Jail at Kanye West’s surprise concert when he visits the prison in Houston, Texas, on Nov. 15, 2019. (Harris County Sheriff’s Office)

West is scheduled to speak with Joel Osteen and his Lakewood Church congregation on Sunday. He will hold his “Sunday Service” performance inside the church later that evening,

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