Ye’s transition to gospel music in 2019 made a newly formed choir group, Sunday Service, a charitable organization, into a household name in music. The organization was granted tax-exempt status under the 501(c)(3) category, which applies to entities with religious, educational, or charitable missions. The status was revoked on May 14.
As reported by The Sun, the IRS stripped Sunday Service of its charity designation due to improper tax filings. Specifically, the organization failed to submit a Form 990-series return or notice for three consecutive years, a requirement for maintaining its tax-exempt status.
This setback is likely a significant blow for Ye, formerly Kanye West, who claimed in 2020 that he spent $50 million on Sunday Service. His commitment to spreading his Christian message was evident, as he funded the Sunday Service Choir’s performance at Coachella out of his own pocket.
In an interview with Nick Cannon that year, Ye stated, “I spent every dollar I had for marketing from Yeezy on Sunday Service… Instead of paying for ads, I invested in the church. I invested in spreading the gospel.”
In 2022, Ye’s musical journey shifted to other creative endeavors, such as his new Vultures series with Ty Dolla $ign. After Ye, Sunday Service has been featured on other megastars’ music, such as the recently released Will Smith track “You Can Make It.”
Sunday Service was created by Ye and co-founder Jason White in 2019. The Choir, which West helped promote by releasing their 2019 album, Jesus Is Born, has struggled to sustain its momentum without his active involvement. A second album, Sample Sounds, was released in 2022 but failed to generate much interest.
The Sunday Service Choir filed a class action lawsuit against Ye in 2021 for $30 million, which Ye settled for an undisclosed amount in 2024.