Kanye West spotted in Dayton, Sparking Pop-Up Sunday Service Rumors
Is Kanye West taking his Sunday Service to Dayton, Ohio this weekend?
It was starting to look that way on Friday, Aug. 23, when residents of the city, still recovering from the Aug. 4 mass shooting that left 9 people dead and 27 injured, noticed the rapper appeared to be checking out potential venues as he made his way around the city with his children, North, 6, and Saint, 3, in tow.
Both North and Saint have participated in previous editions of the weekly spiritual gathering, which ‘Ye’s wife Kim Kardashian West recently described to Jimmy Kimmel as “more of just a healing experience” than a religious vibe, explaining, “There’s no praying, there’s no sermon, no word, just music, and just a feeling — and it’s Christian.”
The Daily Mail reports Kanye also stopped by a Cheesecake Factory for a bite during his travels around Dayton on Friday and was greeted with a “raucous” crowd when he left.
If Kanye does host one of his increasingly popular services, it would likely coincide with “Gem City Shine,” the benefit concert and party Dave Chappelle is set to host in Dayton’s Oregon District, the neighborhood where the shooting took place. Dave spent part of his childhood in Dayton and now lives with his family in nearby Yellow Springs.
Performers slated for the event — open to residents of the city and requires a $20 ticket, the proceeds of which will go to the tragedy fund helmed by the Dayton Foundation — have been kept under wraps.
But Dayton.com points out that ‘Ye and Dave are longtime friends and that Live Nation is involved with the ticketing, making it seem more likely the lineup will include some “heavy-hitters.” Kanye also appeared in Dave’s “Block Party” movie and has staged Sunday Services in locations outside of his usual locations in Los Angeles. He brought one of the gospel choir-focused services to Coachella this year. And last weekend, he performed with the choir and a handful of celebrity musicians at an actual place of worship.
Among the other performers Dayton.com predicts could appear at Dave’s event are his “A Star Is Born” castmate Lady Gaga, who recently announced her foundation would fund classroom projects in the cities affected by mass shootings this summer, along with Bradley Cooper, who’s reportedly visited Dave’s Juke Joint parties in Yellow Springs multiple times.
Billed as “a benefit concert to reclaim the Oregon District,” “Gem City Shine” is advertised as being weapons-free, with metal detector screenings at the entry points. It runs from 4 p.m. until 10 p.m. on Sunday.
