‘It was God’s plan’ — Netflix drops trailer for Kanye West documentary ‘jeen-Yuhs’

Kanye West
Kanye West (Image credit: Netflix)

Netflix has teased an upcoming, exclusive three-part documentary series, jeen-Yuhs, about rap icon Kanye West and charting his rise to global stardom from humble beginnings over two decades.

The first trailer for jeen-Yuhs has been released and appears to confirm the Yeezus and My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy star’s belief in his divine genius. When he’s asked by one interviewer why he believes ‘all this has happened’, the rapper replies: “I just think it was in God’s plan. I think he just has me here for a reason and I have something to say. There’s people that might be better programmers, better rappers… The way I think I really won is I had the heart.

“If I do what I’m supposed to do people are gonna look back like, ‘Man! Remember dude just used to make beats for people?’”

Subtitled A Kanye Trilogy, jeen-Yuhs, has been produced and directed by Clarence 'Coodie' Simmons, who was so inspired by the young Kanye that 21 years ago he moved from Chicago to New York to document his life and career.

In recent years, the 21-time Grammy-winning producer has arguably become better known for his tabloid life via his failed marriage to Kim Kardashian and his controversial support for former president Donald Trump than his music, but the trailer appears to focus squarely on his music and his roots.

There is a touching scene where he speaks to his late mother, Donda, and jokes: “I would like to congratulate you on the good job you did with me.”

Netflix has described the documentary as a three-week event, with the first of the three episodes streaming from Feb 16.

Opinion appears to be divided on social media about what the documentary will deliver. For some, the trailer suggested jeen-Yuhs was "overawed"and "intimidated" by its subject, while others thought it looked "dope" and that Kanye is the "GOAT ... can't wait to watch the amazing documentary."

Meanwhile, on cue, Kanye has been engaged in an online war of words with Kim Kardashian, apparently over their daughter North’s social media appearances. She said his "constant attacks" on her were "more hurtful than any TikTok North might create", while he hit back that she put security on him to play with his son then accused him of stealing.

Patrick McLennan

Patrick McLennan is a London-based journalist and documentary maker who has worked as a writer, sub-editor, digital editor and TV producer in the UK and New Zealand. His CV includes spells as a news producer at the BBC and TVNZ, as well as web editor for Time Inc UK. He has produced TV news and entertainment features on personalities as diverse as Nick Cave, Tom Hardy, Clive James, Jodie Marsh and Kevin Bacon and he co-produced and directed The Ponds, which has screened in UK cinemas, BBC Four and is currently available on Netflix. 


An entertainment writer with a diverse taste in TV and film, he lists Seinfeld, The Sopranos, The Chase, The Thick of It and Detectorists among his favourite shows, but steers well clear of most sci-fi.