Ryan Jones
Professor Brian Burkhart
College Composition I
13 November 2012
“No Church in the Wild”: From a Theologic Standpoint With the release of their newest CD, Watch the Throne, many of Jay-Z and Kanye West’s most exclusive tracks have come under scrutiny. One particular song containing debatable yet obvious theological symbolism is “No Church in the Wild.” Citing and exclaiming their religious and social beliefs, as well as their activities in today’s society in this new song, Kanye West and Shawn Carter (Jay-Z) show deep symbolism of today’s culture, the influence of Plato and Socrates on them, as well as their controversial lifestyles. Also, containing a featured chorus by Frank Ocean and a bridge by The-Dream, these parts …show more content…

The song loops back to Frank Ocean’s hook and ends. Jay-Z and Kanye West shook the rap game when they preached their theologies in “No Church in the Wild.” Kanye and Jay believe that there may be a god, but the god we see in organized religion is tabooed by monogamy and other twenty-first century customs. To survive and enjoy life on this materialistic and mainstreamed earth, we must move past established religion and live our own lives and create our own religion, just as Kanye West does. There is no guarantee that any religion will lead you to salvation, but we know we are just as well off if we follow our own path. This track gives insight on the way one lives, loves, and worships today. How does one want to live in a world with suffering, injustice, monogamy, and other social turmoil? Shawn Carter and Kanye West know not to look for the church in the wild.

"No Church In The Wild"
(with Jay-Z)
(feat. Frank Ocean)

[Frank Ocean]
Human beings in a mob
What’s a mob to a king?
What’s a king to a god?
What’s a god to a non-believer?
Who don’t believe in anything?

We make it out alive
All right, all right
No church in the wild

[Jay-Z]
Tears on the mausoleum floor
Blood stains the coliseum doors
Lies on the lips of a priest
Thanksgiving disguised as a feast
Rollin’ in the Rolls-Royce Corniche
Only the doctors got this, I’m hidin’ from police
Cocaine seats
All white like I got the whole thing bleached
Drug