The director behind a new Netflix documentary about Kanye West has said he prays for the rapper “every day” and believes God has a purpose for him “bigger than what we can even imagine right now”.
Film-maker Clarence “Coodie” Simmons helms the three-part series, dubbed Jeen-Yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy, alongside Chike Ozah.
A close and long-standing friend of West, Simmons draws on some 20 years of intimate footage dating back two decades, showing his evolution from unknown rapper to international star, fashion designer and businessman.
West, who has legally changed his name to Ye, has split up with his wife, Kim Kardashian, who filed for divorce from him last year, and is said to be working on a follow-up to his album Donda.
Speaking ahead of the documentary’s launch, Simmons told the PA news agency: “I just pray. I just pray every day. And one thing that I understand, even being with him and even just this whole journey, (is) that God has his back.
“So when anything happens I just trust God, that’s the first thing I say, and I pray.
“But then the things I have seen happen, like him having a car accident and surviving and all the other things, even the mental health, I know that God has him here for a purpose, and it is bigger than what we can even imagine right now.”
West previously publicly demanded that Simmons and Ozah give him “final edit and approval” on the documentary so he can be “in charge of my own image”.
However, Ozah said not giving a subject control over the final product is “cardinal rule number one” of their work.
He told PA: “Coodie definitely had those discussions with Kanye and he can elaborate on those.
“But as far as us as documentarian film-makers, we all know that the subject of who your doc is about, they don’t get final cut. That is like a cardinal rule number one.
“Our company is called Creative Control so I feel like that alone already tells you where we sit with it.
“But as far as input – input is always welcome. And whatever we feel is best for the film we will utilise it, and if it is not, it won’t be there.”
Ozah said their recent documentary on American basketball coach and former player Stephon Marbury demonstrated the positive impact of this approach.
He said: “Stephon didn’t see the film until Tribeca Film Festival and he cried afterwards.
“It was very emotional for him and he loved it. So that’s our stance on that pretty much with all films that we are directing.”
Simmons added: “I think that when you move with pure intent and move the way we move as far as faith and Christ and God – that is going to show in the film.
“And that is the only way that we can move.”
Ozah said maintaining control over the final edit is “not a power thing for us”.
“It doesn’t come from an egotistical point of view. It comes from serving the project best for the impact that we are trying to make with this project,” he said.
– Jeen-Yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy begins with “Act One” on February 16 on Netflix.