Kanye West Named Songwriter of the Year at 2021 BMI Trailblazers of Gospel Music Awards

The 2021 BMI Trailblazers of Gospel Music Awards were announced on Monday, awarding Kanye West as the songwriter of the year.

West was recognized for his work on the award-winning gospel songs “Hands-On,” “On God,” and “Selah.” The songs are from his ninth studio album, Jesus Is King, which won the Grammy for best contemporary Christian music album in March.

West has 38 BMI Awards at their R&B/Hip-Hop, Pop, and London events, and these are his first three Trailblazer Awards. “Hands-On,” a collaboration between West and gospel legend Fred Hammond, charted on Billboard’s Christian, Gospel, R&B/Hip-Hop, and Hot 100 lists. “Selah” entered the Billboard Hot 100’s top 20 and was nominated for top gospel song at the 2020 Billboard Music Awards, where it faced off against “On God.”

“It is always an honor to celebrate BMI’s incredible community of gospel music songwriters,” said Catherine Brewton, vice president creative, Atlanta. “Their artistry is a gift through which we find the strength to persevere in the face of adversity and the words to rejoice in moments of worship.”