Kanye West gives surprise performance at Houston jail

Kanye West left inmates at Harris County jail in Houston, Texas teary-eyed as he performed a surprise concert there on Friday (local time).

While the singer-rapper performed songs from his latest album 'Jesus is King,' inmates waved their hands and knelt in prayer, reported CNN.

According to a Sheriff, Ed Gonzalez, from Harris County, West said that his visit was "a mission, not a show."

The 'Mercy' crooner sang for around 200 male inmates before using an underground tunnel to access a different prison to perform for a smaller crowd of women inmates, according to the Houston Chronicle.

"Say what you want about the man. But Kanye West and his choir brought some light to people who needed it today at the Harris County Jail," said Jason Spencer, a public affairs director for the Harris County Sheriff's Office.

On Saturday, Governor of Texas, Greg Abbott took to his Twitter and wrote that it would be "great if other artists followed Kanye's lead."

"What Kanye West does to inspire the incarcerated is transformative. Saving one soul at a time. Inmates who turn to God may get released earlier [because] of good behaviour and may be less likely to commit future crimes," Abbott said.