Kanye West - Jesus Walks pt. 3

What this video is

Released in 2004 alongside The College Dropout, 'Jesus Walks pt. 3' arrived at a rare cultural inflection point where a mainstream hip-hop single openly and unapologetically centered Christian faith — a subject long considered uncommercial for rap radio. The Coodie & Chike version grounds this spiritual theme in everyday Black urban life, showing Jesus as a literal street-level presence. This reflects a broader…

Why it matters

This video represents a landmark in conscious hip-hop visual culture — one of the first major-label rap videos to place Black Christian spirituality at its narrative center using street-level documentary realism. Coodie & Chike's approach influenced a generation of hip-hop filmmakers who…

The director

Coodie Simmons (b. Jan 18, 1971, Chicago) and Chike Ozah (b. Apr 6, 1978, New Orleans) are American directors, producers, and cinematographers specializing in hip-hop culture and personal storytelling. Chike graduated from Savannah College of Art and Design…