Why was Kanye West's Sunday Service stripped of charity status? Rapper claimed in 2020 that he spent $50M of own money on the event

Kanye West's highly publicized Sunday Service, a spiritual and musical gathering that has drawn widespread attention since its inception in 2019, has recently been stripped of its charity status.

On August 15, 2024, a confirmation from the IRS website suggested that Ye's gospel group's tax exemption was nullified on May 15, 2024, "for not filing a Form 990-series return or notice for three consecutive years."

However, the rapper claimed in 2020 that he had spent $50 million during the first year of Sunday Service. As per All Hip Hop News, he spent his ad campaign budget on Yeezys, the fashion brand that collaborated with Adidas.

"I spent every dime that I have for marketing from Yeezy on Sunday Service," Ye told Nick Cannon during an interview for Cannon’s Class podcast in 2020.

Kanye West's Sunday Service is a weekly Christian gathering that blends spiritual worship with music, primarily gospel, hip-hop, and soul. It began in January 2019, with West holding one session every Sunday at different locations, either at his house or studio.

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Kanye West's Sunday Service loses charity status amid $50 million spending claims

On Thursday, it was reported that Ye has lost the federal tax-exempt status for his Sunday Service organization, according to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). This revocation follows the star's failure to file required tax returns for three consecutive years since the inauguration of Sunday Service.

According to All Hip Hop News, Kanye West's Sunday Service was initially exempted from the federal income department as a 501(c)(3) organization. As per Investopedia, a 501(c)(3) organization is a nonprofitable group with a dedicated mission.

In 2019, West initiated exclusive musical services featuring a gospel choir, aligning them with the launch of his album Jesus Is King. Two years later, he sought to have these services recognized as a tax-exempt nonprofit organization, per The Blast News.

In a 2020 interview with American comedian and television host Nick Cannon, Kanye West said he chose to invest in his church rather than promote his Yeezy brand. West emphasized that instead of spending money on advertising for his fashion line, he directed those funds toward supporting his religious endeavors.

"Every dollar I had. I spent $50 million last year on Sunday Service... The Yeezys, they were selling themselves. So instead of paying for ads, I invested it in the church," Ye claimed.

He further suggested that he spent in the name of Prophet Jesus (AS) to spread the gospel, the teachings, and the life of Prophet Jesus (AS).

"I invested in spreading [the] gospel. I invested in saying Jesus' name on high," Ye added.

A source informed The Blast that the Sunday Service is no longer solely a choir and has ceased operating as a nonprofit organization. Further details of the exemption for Ye's Sunday Services are yet to be known. Also, neither Kanye West nor his legal team has commented on the news.

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A brief to Kanye West's Sunday Service

On June 26, 2019, after the launch of the services, Ye, on Netflix's My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman, indicated the inspiration behind the service. He expressed that his intention is for people to connect with the music on a spiritual level, allowing it to inspire and open their hearts.

"It's just an idea we had to open up our hearts to make music that we felt was as pure and as positive as possible and just do it for an hour every Sunday, and have something where people can just come together and feel good with their families," West said.

As per The Fader, the Sunday Services featured a mix of classic songs, which are gospel-inspired remixes of different genres. It also featured the straight choir-led gospel tunes. Per The Fader, mixing church-friendly tunes into popular songs is considered a Black Baptist church.

Additionally, the Sunday Service was an invite-only event, with attendance limited to those who received an invitation for that specific Sunday. According to Variety, these services were primarily held at Kanye West's residences in Chicago, Wyoming, and Dayton, Ohio.