Kanye West‘s gospel group Sunday Service is losing its charity status for failing to file tax returns.
According to Page Six, the IRS stated that the group lost its tax exemption status on May 15 “for not filing a Form 990-series return or notice for three consecutive years.”
Founded in 2019, Sunday Service was initially listed as a 501(c)(3) — making it exempted from paying federal income tax. According to the IRS, a 501(c)(3) organization includes “religious, educational, charitable, scientific, literary, testing for public safety, fostering national or international amateur sports competition, or prevention of cruelty to children or animals organizations.”
For the past five years, Sunday Service has been hosting invite-only musical events, The U.S. Sun reported. It coincided with West’s ninth studio album, Jesus Is King. The father-of-four released the 11-track LP through his GOOD Music label in 2019.
Jesus Is King earned West a Grammy for Best Contemporary Christian Music Album — making him the second most-awarded rapper in Grammy history.
In a 2020 interview with Nick Cannon, West revealed how much he spent on the gospel group in its first year.
“I spent $50 million last year on Sunday Service if you add up the operas, if you add up the flights. It was 120 people going to Jamaica,” he told Cannon, the U.S. Sun reported. “I spent every dime that I have for marketing from Yeezy on Sunday Service. Every dollar I had.”
The choir, directed by Jason White, performed with Will Smith earlier this year. Smith and the choir released a song titled “I Know You Can Make It.”
June 2023 marked the last time West was spotted at a Sunday Service session.
