In 2019, Kanye West found himself reacquainted with two of the most important men in his life: the Lord, his Father (spiritually), and Ray, his father (biologically). With the release of the music video for “Follow God,” Kanye enjoys the presence of both of them.
The video opens with a monologue from Ray, during which he poses the question, “What does it really mean to follow God?” and answers by recalling the first time he guided his fearful children through their first snowfall. He states that they ought to “Walk in the footprints that (he’s) already made.” Ray and Kanye are decked out in a set of Walls-branded insulated coveralls and overalls, respectively. They proceed to take a couple of Kanye’s all-terrain vehicles (a blacked-out, yet family-focused Polaris RZR and a blacked-out, yet completely impractical SHERP) around Kanye’s 4,000-acre ranch in Cody, Wyo. and collectively enjoy the gifts their God gave them. The video closes with a blue-and-gold text slide inspired by the cover of Jesus is King. It details a sentimental and affecting exchange between Kanye and Ray, during which Kanye confesses, “It took me 42 years to realize that my dad was my best friend.”
This video has a few similarities with the boisterous video for “Otis” from Jay-Z and Kanye’s earth-shattering 2011 release Watch the Throne, specifically the shots of the two men in each video whipping automobiles around an endless landscape, doing donuts and generally just vibing, but the two differ starkly. While both videos are triumphant, “Otis” gives off the vibe that, at the time, Kanye felt the need to prove himself to the world. The “Follow God” video, on the other hand, presents an entirely different man, one that is not only celebratory of his accomplishments but also content with where he is in life. He’s got nothing to prove to anyone anymore.
“Follow God” may seem like a relatively uneventful video for Kanye, whose last release was the utterly bizarre video for “Fade,” but that’s the point. He doesn’t need to generate publicity anymore. He can be the exact person he knows he is, and this sentiment is accurately reflected in the video’s focus on the relationship between Kanye and his dad. All Kanye needs are his family, his father and his God.