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The above quote reveals exactly why Kanye West's consistently controversial personality has resulted in his prolonged fame. He is able to turn the obsession with his controversies into a personal financial gain. Although this source refers to photoshoot's in magazines, the sentiment behind this statement can be used when discussing his release of music and fashion following his controversies.

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''The celebrity may well deplore the level of public interest their private lives excite when this public interest results in an exposé in The National Enquirer or the Daily Mail. However, this same level of interest can also attract people to see their next film or their next live appearance. That expression of interest, in turn, provides them with the power to elicit an adulatory photo feature in Hello! or to demand approval of the writer assigned to prepare a profile on them for Vanity Fair – all of which go towards enhancing the cultural capital invested in their public image.'' (Turner, 2004)

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Kanye's new image as a preacher is again used to pursue commercial gain, as on the back of this he released an album 'Jesus is King', a modern gospel album. The link below takes you to the official Kanye West website, which is selling 'Jesus is King' in a variety of formats.

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SHOP EXCLUSIVE MUSIC FROM THE OFFICIAL KANYE WEST STORE.

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On the back of the popularity of Sunday Service, Kanye sold merchandise inspired by the event. It shows that even in his attempts at redeeming his image after a controversy, he still attempts to make money and further his other interests, in this case as a fashion designer.

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As he's known to do, Kanye West unveiled a range of merch to coincide with his latest performance, yesterday's Sunday Service at Coachella.

Evangelical slogans like "Trust God," "Holy Sprit" and of course "Jesus Walks" are splashed across a range of cotton sportswear like sweatshirts and sweatpants, plus the very essential Sunday Service poncho. The goods were proffered at the Sunday Service performance itself from a both labeled "Church Clothes," however the collection of eight pieces is also currently online, surely for a limited time.

Those that aren't familiar with the price-tags that come with West-designed objects, specifically the YEEZY line, had mixed reactions about "Church Clothes" costing $225, like the dyed Holy Spirit crewneck sweater.

One day we're gonna talk about how Kanye wants to be taken seriously as a designer but continually makes clothes with no artistic value and relies heavily on his name to sell overpriced merch 🤷🏾‍♂️ https://t.co/vjkgJe71io

- Jared (@WifiWinston_) April 21, 2019

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Kanye West Drops Exclusive Sunday Service Merch

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As he's known to do, Kanye West unveiled a range of merch to coincide with his latest performance, yesterday's Sunday Service at Coachella. Evangelical slogans like "Trust God," "Holy Sprit" and of course "Jesus Walks" are splashed across a range of cotton sportswear like sweatshirts and sweatpants, plus the very essential Sunday Service poncho.

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''The transition from the 2003 lyrics, “God show me the way, because the devil’s tryna break me down” to the statement “I am a god” in the 2013 song of the same name, suggest that West’s relationship with God has changed from a commoner praying for guidance to direct conversations in the most opulent settings.'' Journal of Hip Hop Studies, 2019
This Quote highlights the consistent references that Kanye has made to his relationship with God, from the beginning of his fame until more recently. The inconsistency comes from his perception of his relationship with God, as he ascends from a servant to an equivalent with the higher power.

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In anther controversial moment, Kanye addresses the critics who dislike his use of the word 'God' when describing himself. He accuses those critics of racism, in a move to stand up for black people similar to his George Bush moment. In this clip he shows us that he can be controversial as a direct result of his egotism.

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Kanye Explaining "I Am A God" from Yeezus

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Some of the imagery Kanye West himself releases depicts him as a god like figure. In the below picture we see him in an artwork more at home in the Sistine chapel than in a music video. His Art reflects his self-perception, in which he believes his a God.

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Again drawing upon religious imagery, Kanye is depicted by Rolling Stone as Jesus Christ. The importance of this image is that Kanye's self-perception of being God-like is being reinforced by outside sources. We can infer from this that perhaps his God-like persona is not a result of his own reinforcement of the point, but rather the media's elevation of the celebrity to achieve God-like status.

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In a skit for Saturday Night Live, the George Bush incident is addressed and made fun of, which helps to create the image of Kanye as having a good sense of humour. It also somewhat acts as a redemption for the original incident.

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Backstage with Kanye West - Saturday Night Live

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''Soon as they like you make 'em unlike you''- Kanye West on I Am A God 

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''Soon as they like you make 'em unlike you''- Kanye West on I Am A God 

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This lyric summarises Kanye's relationship with his fans, the industry and the press. It addresses the idea that for every moment that would make someone like him, he equally does something to make them 'unlike' him. The lyric connotes that his consistently controversial personality is a conscious effort.

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The timing of Sunday Service’s launch is equally curious. West became a public pariah in 2018 for his defense of Donald Trump and bizarre, ahistorical and stupid-as-all-hell declarations like “slavery is a choice.” West’s career suffered greatly as a result — and it should not be lost on anyone that his coverage has improved dramatically since the start of Sunday Service.
-NBC 2019

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Kanye West's Sunday Service is a religious/musical sermon that he provides every Sunday. It helps to redeem his image, as he is viewed as someone who has found God and therefore redemption. However, the images are also being used to serve both his egotistical and commercial agenda.

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In many of the images we see of Kanye at Sunday Service, he is shown to be the leader, the person taking charge of all of the attendees through his music. These images help to create the image of Kanye as a dominant figure, serving his ego.

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Kanye's endorsement of the divisive President Donald Trump led to him estranging a portion of his fan base, who viewed the political leader as an enemy, standing against the ideals espoused in much of Hip-Hop music.

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This Instagram post by West's wife Kim Kardashian captioned 'The West Family Christmas Card 2019', shows Kanye as a family man. In this image we associate Kanye with being a patriarchal figure, which helps to enforce his dominant image.

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The Redemption

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Kanye West saying 'George Bush doesn't care about black people' is one of the earliest examples of his controversial Star Image. It shows that his most controversial moments come as a result of impulsive, emotion fuelled decisions. Unlike some of his other controversies, this moment earned him infamy amongst hip-hop fans, who shared a similar view of the president.

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At the 2009 VMA's Kanye's Star Image was complicated after he interrupted Taylor Swifts award acceptance speech. His moment of frustration resulted in widespread criticism in the press and by fellow celebrities.

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Controversial & Outspoken

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In this paparazzi video we see Kanye hit his head on a sign. He later reacts angrily to the press that filmed the incident, showing his emotion filled side that also led to his other controversies. His wife, Kim Kardashian is on-hand to console him, showing his strong family and support network. It is equally a representation of his strong masculinity, as after being caught in a moment of vulnerability he reacts with anger and frustration.

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Kanye West Hitting Street Sign And Snaps on Photographer

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Kanye has been highly successful in the fashion industry, creating a company that has exceeded $1 billion in value. This image is from one of his fashion shows, and highlights his eye for innovation in the field of fashion. It again shows how his image is also a highly valuable commodity that is used to sell goods, such as his music and his fashion lines.

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Kanye's fashion choices were different than his early 2000s counterparts, opting against the oversized t-shirt look that prevailed in this era of Hip-Hop. His popularity in tandem with his risk taking with fashion allowed for a generation of Hip-Hop artists to be more experimental with their style.

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''From the socially conscious subject matter to the vast orchestra-like instrumentation, the constant musical revolutions started early in his career. Actually, the lack of gangster identity within his music made everyone — from Jay Z to music critics — skeptical of Kanye’s decision to become a rapper instead of just a producer.'' -Elite Daily, 2016
When Kanye first became famous, his innovation and deviation from the perceived norms of Hip-Hop culture was met with scepticism. His choice to continue down his own unique path is a common theme throughout his career, as he acts as a trailblazer in the music and fashion industries.