Kanye West Holds Midnight Mass Service For Kobe Bryant After Helicopter Crash Death
Jan. 27 2020, Published 7:30 p.m. ET
Kanye West hosted a Midnight Mass service honoring Kobe Bryant after his tragic death in a helicopter crash.
The Yeeszus rapper gathered a group of friends together for the late-night meeting after news broke that the Laker’s legend, his 13-year-old daughter and seven others were killed.
Kim Kardashian posted several videos on her Instagram story from the service with videos that were illuminated in red and showed her husband preaching to the crowd.
“Midnight Sunday Service I needed to hear this,” Kim, 39, wrote on a video that she shared.
Jonathan “Foodgod” Cheban posted multiple videos from Kanye’s service, captioning one “Kanye Midnight Mass Kobe,” with an emoji of praying hands.
Kanye was speaking on one of Foodgod’s videos, telling the attendees in mourning, “If Kobe was here, he here tonight.”
The service was held hours after RadarOnline.com confirmed that Bryant, 41, and the eight other passengers on his helicopter died when it crashed into a mountain in Calabasas, Calif., near where the entire Kardashian family live.
Kourtney Kardashian also attended the church service, posting videos of West singing his song “Selah.”
“God is King, we the soldiers / Ultrabeam out the solar / When I get to Heaven’s gates / I ain’t gotta peek over / Keepin’ perfect composure / When I scream at the chauffeur / I ain’t mean, I’m just focused / I ain’t mean, I’m just focused,” Kanye sang in Kourtney’s video.
Singer Kirk Franklin, who has just performed in the Nipsey Hussle tribute at the Grammy Awards at the Staples Center, gave a touching speech to the crowd at Kanye’s service.
“There will be moments where the loving father will not seem to make any sense,” he said. “And we’ve been told so much through religion that it is wrong to ask God why.”
Chance the Rapper also made an appearance, singing the song “Ultralight Beam” for the group.
RadarOnline.com readers know Kobe’s helicopter crash occurred shortly before 10 a.m. on January 26. Emergency officials responded to the scene immediately but found “no survivors” in the accident.
All nine passengers aboard were identified as families grappled with the heartbreaking losses.
Scroll through the gallery for details about Kanye West’s Midnight Mass Service honoring Kobe Bryant.
Kanye’s Tribute
“If Kobe was here he maybe grab the mike,” Kanye said on Foodgod’s video shared the morning after Kobe’s tragic death on January 26, 2020. “If Kobe was here, he here tonight,” an emotional sounding Kanye told the crowd in the video.
Lifting Up
Kanye’s service was held shortly after the Grammys concluded, where artists like Alicia Keys and RUN DMC honored Kobe in the Staples Center, where he played for most of he 20-year career with the Lakers.
Support
Foodgod and Kim sat next to each other at the service. She was dressed in a sliver gown and he was wearing a tuxedo with a white shirt.
Sister Missing
Khloe Kardashian was not in attendance with her family for Kanye’s Midnight Mass service in honor of Kobe.
Khloe’s Heartbreak
“This can’t be real. There’s no way!!! My heart hurts,” Khloe Tweeted upon learning about Kobe’s death. She followed that up with a Tweet that read: “Please don’t let this be True. I’m shaking,” and with a broken heart emoji.
Kim’s Kind Words
“My heart is so heavy,” Kim wrote on her Instagram about Kobe’s death. “no one should ever experience what the families involved are going through. This has affected us all so much but I cannot begin to imagine what Vanessa is feeling losing her husband and her baby girl. I cry just thinking about it. I am praying for the Bryant family, the Altobelli family and the families of all who perished in this unthinkable tragedy. Rest In Peace Legend."
Family Love
Crash victim John Altobelli’s father told RadarOnline.com that he visited the crash site on Monday, January 27. “I was at the field this morning https://radaronline.com/exclusives/2020/01/kobe-bryant-dead-victim-father-interview-helicopter-crash-gianna-john-altobelli/. I stood there. It’s a surreal feeling,” Jim Altobelli, 85, told said. “And so, it’s settling and we will get through it, but certainly it’s a major setback.”
Emergency Response
Chief Daniel Osby from the Lost Hills Sheriff’s station explained what emergency responders found at the crash scene during his press conference. “Upon arrival our firefighters discovered approximately a quarter acre brush fire that resulted from the crash on the hillside. The LAFD initial response was 15 pieces of apparatus and 56 personnel that consisted of paramedics, heavy rescue, truck company, hand crews, aircraft, and a chief officer to oversee the crash.”
Investigation Continues
Los Angeles County Medical Examiner Coroner's office said they had only recovered three of the nine bodies onboard the helicopter as of mid-day January 27.
Just A Dad
Kobe and Vanessa had four daughters, Gianna, Natalia, Bianka and Capri.