Kanye West – BET Awards 2010
Introduction
In 2010 Kanye West released My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. A true hip-hop masterpiece, that, in spite of West’s current problematic status, is still regarded as one of the most important albums of all time. A look back at a turbulent period.
Kanye West
In the mid-1990s, Kanye West took his first steps in the music world by making beats in Chicago. In 1996, at the age of 19, his name officially appeared on an album for the first time. In 1999, he gained national recognition for his production on Foxy Brown’s album Chyna Doll.
From 2000 onwards, West became involved with the Roc-A-Fella Records label, which was co-owned by Jay-Z. He produced for Jay-Z, as well as for artists outside the label, including Ludacris, Alicia Keys, and Janet Jackson.
Kanye West – First four albums
In 2004, West released his first solo album: The College Dropout, which was a huge success. The album went triple platinum in the US and was nominated for no less than 10 Grammys. In the meantime, he founded his own label, GOOD Music, where artists like John Legend, Brandy, Common, and Slum Village released their music. West himself continued making music for Roc-A-Fella Records.
In 2005, West released his second album: Late Registration, which was even more successful, both commercially and artistically, than his debut. With singles like Touch The Sky, Diamonds From Sierra Leone, and especially Gold Digger, West gained international recognition, with his popularity now growing in Europe as well. This set the stage for his third album, Graduation, released in 2007. Again, it was met with acclaim from both fans and critics. The success continued to grow, helped by the hit single Stronger.
From the very first album, West had planned a tetralogy centered around the theme of school (‘college’) and the lives of adolescents. The skits/segues on the albums were not only numerous (and often humorous) but also functional. The name for the fourth album was already known, Good Ass Job. But it would never materialize. Shortly after the release of Graduation, West’s mother passed away, and his long-term girlfriend ended their five-year relationship and engagement. West was heartbroken.
This resulted in 808s & Heartbreak, an album that was radically different from the hip-hop-oriented music of his first three albums. The album’s title refers to the Roland TR-808 drum machine, which played a major role on the album. The “heartbreak” theme dominates the lyrics, emphasizing pain, regret, and self-reflection. Hip-hop was replaced by electro-pop, and raps were replaced with auto-tune singing. Both critics and fans were not ready for the shift. It became West’s lowest-selling album to date.
Kanye West snatches microphone from Taylor Swift – MTV Music Awards 2009
MTV Video Music Awards 2009
For the first time in his career, West was not climbing up but rather coming down. The events at the MTV Video Music Awards on September 13, 2009, ended up being a total disaster. Taylor Swift won the MTV Video Music Award for Best Female Video for her song You Belong With Me. West disagreed and decided to climb on stage, take Swift’s microphone, and express his opinion.
Yo, Taylor, I’m really happy for you, and I’mma let you finish, but Beyoncé had one of the best videos of all time!
He returned the microphone and left the stage amid loud boos, eventually being removed from the venue. Swift was shaken, and when Beyoncé later received another award, she invited Swift to finish her speech. Before the ceremony ended, West posted an apology on his blog.
I’M SOOOOO SORRY TO TAYLOR SWIFT AND HER FANS AND HER MOM. I SPOKE TO HER MOTHER RIGHT AFTER AND SHE SAID THE SAME THING MY MOTHER WOULD’VE SAID. SHE IS VERY TALENTED! I LIKE THE LYRICS ABOUT BEING A CHEERLEADER AND SHE’S IN THE BLEACHERS! …………………… I’M IN THE WRONG FOR GOING ON STAGE AND TAKING AWAY FROM HER MOMENT! …………….. BEYONCE’S VIDEO WAS THE BEST OF THIS DECADE!!!! I’M SORRY TO MY FANS IF I LET YOU GUYS DOWN!!!! I’M SORRY TO MY FRIENDS AT MTV. I WILL APOLOGIZE TO TAYLOR 2MRW. WELCOME TO THE REAL WORLD!!!! EVERYBODY WANNA BOOOOO ME BUT I’M A FAN OF REAL POP CULTURE!!! NO DISRESPECT BUT WE WATCHIN’ THE SHOW AT THE CRIB RIGHT NOW CAUSE … WELL YOU KNOW!!!! I’M STILL HAPPY FOR TAYLOR!!!! BOOOYAAAWWWW!!!! YOU ARE VERY VERY TALENTED!!! I GAVE MY AWARDS TO OUTKAST WHEN THEY DESERVED IT OVER ME… THAT’S WHAT IT IS!!!!!!! I’M NOT CRAZY YALL, I’M JUST REAL. SORRY FOR THAT!!! I REALLY FEEL BAD FOR TAYLOR AND I’M SINCERELY SORRY!!! MUCH RESPECT!!!!!
Kanye West blog, September 13, 2009
The next day, West appeared on Jay Leno’s talk show and said, “It’s actually someone’s emotions that I stepped on and it was very, it was just, it was rude, period. I’d like to be able to apologize to her in person.” A day later, Swift later appeared on The View and claimed she hadn’t heard from West. Afterward, it was revealed that West “spoke personally to the country music superstar via telephone and has apologized to the 19-year-old singer. She has accepted Mr. West’s apology. The contents of the phone call are to remain private.”
In the U.S., in the meantime, everyone with an opinion had already appeared in front of the cameras. The criticism was overwhelming. Even President Barack Obama was asked for his opinion: “I thought it was inappropriate, it’s like she’s getting an award, why are you butting in? The young lady seems like a perfectly nice person, she’s getting her award, what’s he doing up there?” That wasn’t too harsh, but in a private conversation he said “He’s a jackass.” This was made public in a tweet, which was soon retracted. Apologies were offered to the White House, but by then everyone knew that even Barack Obama was not happy with West’s action.
The situation escalated further; online and in the media, people even began referring to it as “Kanye-gate”. Both Swift and West addressed the controversy through music. West himself was disgusted by the fuss, canceled his planned tour Fame Kills: Starring Kanye West and Lady Gaga, temporarily stopped making music, and left the U.S.
Shortly before the release of his new album, West appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show and addressed the controversy.
I litterally left America, stopped doing music altogether. I just took some time, I went to Japan so I could get away from paparazzi altogether. And then in November [2009] I moved to Rome and just like lived there. And then when I came back to the States I moved to Hawaii and lived there. I lived there for six months and worked on music again.
Kanye West at The Ellen Degeneres Show, October 2010
Kanye Commandments
New Music
According to many, the logical musical step for West would have been to complete his tetralogy and move on with Good Ass Job, but West had lost interest. In October 2010, West told MTV News: “I didn’t want to do the ‘Good Ass Job’ thing and have to stick to the skits and everything that went with that.” During his self-imposed exile in Hawaii, West locked himself in the Avex Recording Studio for nearly six months, booking three studios simultaneously, working 24 hours a day on his next album.
The list of guests and producers was almost endless: Kid Cudi, Elton John, Rick Ross, Pusha T, Raekwon, Jay-Z, Nicki Minaj, John Legend, Justin Vernon, Q-Tip, RZA, and No-I.D. are just a few of the names who contributed to the album.
With such a large roster of guests, the booking of three studio rooms operating 24/7, the final cost of the album reached $3 million, making it one of the most expensive albums of all time. During the studio sessions, all guests, musicians, and producers were expected to adhere to the “Kanye Commandments”, including “No Pictures”, “No Tweeting”, “All Laptops On Mute”, “No Blogging”, and the humorously blunt “Just Shut The Fuck Up Sometimes.” West had previously experienced music leaking before release and was determined to prevent it from happening again. Interestingly, a reporter from Complex was invited to observe the process in March 2010 (for five days), with the report scheduled for publication on November 23, 2010.
During my five days in Hawaii, Kanye never slept at his house, or even in a bed. He would, er, Power-nap in a studio chair or couch here and there in 90-minute intervals, working through the night. Engineers remained behind the boards 24 hours a day.
…
It’s never explicitly discussed, but everyone here knows that good music is the key to Kanye’s redemption. With the right songs and the right album, he can overcome any and all controversy, and we are here to contribute, challenge, and inspire.
…
[When recording the song “Power”] Kanye’s process is communal—he literally goes around the room asking everyone there what “Power” means to them, throws out lines to see how they’re received, and works out his exact wording with whomever is around to help. But his output is most definitely entirely his own—one listen to that consistently unique cadence, word choice, and sense of humor reveals that.
Noah Callahan-Bever, Complex, November 23, 2010
The recording sessions went smoothly, the atmosphere was good, and the many guests and producers were impressed by West’s drive, boldness, vulnerability, and openness.
Kanye West – GOOD Fridays
GOOD Fridays
On August 11, 2010, West released the track See Me Now as a free download on his website. In addition to West, the track features contributions from Beyoncé, Charlie Wilson, and Big Sean. On August 20, 2010, Power (remix) was made available, followed two days later by a tweet from West himself.
I know y’all need the music so I’m dropping 1 new song every weekend until Xmas. It may be my song, it may be a new Jay song, etc.
…
[I call it] GOOD Fridays, [so] y’all know every Friday y’all gone have a new joint from our family. We look at the game completely different now … It’s about the fans. No more holding back. That’s why I dropped ‘See Me Now’ … it wasn’t about me, it was about the Summer the BBQs etc.
…
Swizz looked at me the other night and said, ‘Man are you getting sleep?’ And I told him, ‘I can’t sleep … my people need this new music’
Kanye West, Twitter, August 22, 2010
West kept his word (mostly). Starting August 20, 2010, new tracks were released regularly, of which four eventually (sometimes in different mixes) appeared on the new album.
- Power (remix)
(featuring Jay-Z, Swizz Beatz)
August 20, 2010 - Monster
(featuring Jay-Z, Rick Ross, Nicki Minaj, Bon Iver)
August 20, 2010 - Runaway Love (remix)
(Justin Bieber featuring Kanye West, Raekwon)
August 30, 2010 - Devil In A New Dress
September 3, 2010 - GOOD Friday
(featuring Common, Pusha T, Kid Cudi, Big Sean, Charlie Wilson)
September 10, 2010 - Lord Lord Lord
(featuring Mos Def, Swizz Beatz, Raekwon, Charlie Wilson)
September 17, 2010 - So Appalled
(featuring Jay-Z, Pusha T, CyHi The Prynce, Swizz Beatz, RZA)
September 24, 2010 - Christian Dior Denim Flow
(featuring Kid Cudi, Pusha T, John Legend, Lloyd Banks, Ryan Leslie)
October 1, 2010 - Don’t Stop!
(Child Rebel Soldier)
October 8, 2010 - Take One For The Team
(featuring Keri Hilson, Pusha T, CyHi The Prynce)
October 15, 2010 - Don’t Look Down
(featuring Mos Def, Lupe Fiasco, Big Sean)
October 22, 2010 - The Joy
(featuring Curtis Mayfield, Charlie Wilson, Pete Rock, Kid Cudi)
October 29, 2010 - Looking For Trouble
(featuring Pusha T, CyHi The Prynce, Big Sean, J. Cole)
November 5, 2010 - Chain Heavy
(featuring Talib Kweli, Consequence)
November 12, 2010 - Christmas In Harlem
(featuring Cam’ron, Jim Jones, Vado, CyHi The Prynce, Pusha T, Musiq Soulchild, Teyana Taylor, Big Sean)
December 17, 2010
The GOOD Fridays initiative was a success, especially seen from a marketing standpoint. West was once again judged by his music, and the weekly stream of high-quality tracks was highly appreciated. Momentum shifted back in West’s favor.
Note:
In early 2016, the GOOD Fridays concept was briefly revived when West released three new tracks under the same banner.
Kanye West – Runaway film
Introduction to My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy was preceded by no less than three singles: Power, Runaway, and Monster (released on July 1, October 4, and October 23, 2010, respectively). On September 12, 2010, West appeared again at the MTV Music Awards, performing Runaway, which earned him a standing ovation. On October 2, he performed Runaway and Power on the satirical show Saturday Night Live.
On October 23, West released the film Runaway. The film reflected four days of filming in Prague during the summer of 2010 and included several songs from the then-upcoming My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. During a screening of the film in London on October 6, 2010, West introduced the film with: “‘Purple Rain,’ ‘The Wall,’ Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’ – I wanted to do a modern version of that.” The film was included as an extra DVD in the so-called Special Edition.
Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
On November 22, 2010, Kanye West’s fifth album was released under the title My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.
The first words West utters on the album are “I fantasized about this back in Chicago”. Materially, things are going well for West, yet he seems searching, wondering how he can “re-spark the soul and rebuild the energy?” The entire album revolves around fame and its flipside, the inevitable fall, and attempts to restore his image.
West is honest, open, even vulnerable, critical (of himself as well), and above all adventurous. Musically, some tracks barely resemble hip-hop, yet the album firmly roots itself in all previous hip-hop. The samples he uses are unique within the genre, the production is breathtaking, and the beats are consistently exciting. It is the production that introduced the term “maximalist hip-hop”. Additionally, West gives full space to his own feelings, beliefs, and direction, resulting in unique sounds, lyrics, and songs. Highlights all around across this diverse album, which hosts the right guests and showcases West rapping better than ever before.
Reception
The album debuted at number one on the Billboard chart, and critics raved: this was another hip-hop album that elevated the genre, comparable to It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back (Public Enemy), Straight Outta Compton (N.W.A.), Illmatic (Nas), The Infamous (Mobb Deep), The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill (Lauryn Hill), The Low End Theory (A Tribe Called Quest), Paid In Full (Eric B. & Rakim), and Strictly Business (EPMD).
Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy – George Condo paintings
Album Cover
Kanye West hired artist George Condo for the album artwork. Condo was known for painted characters with grotesque mouths, prominent eyes, hinting at Picasso and Cubism. Condo created five paintings: Head with a Sword, Ballerina, Naked Sphinx Straddling Kanye, A Cubist Style Portrait of Kanye, and Priest. West intended to use Naked Sphinx Straddling Kanye as the album cover. In October 2010, he tweeted:
Yoooo they banned my album cover!!!!! Banned in the USA!!! They don’t want me chilling on the couch with my Phoenix!
So Nirvana can have a naked human being on their cover, but I can’t have a PAINTING of a monster with no arms and a polka dot tail and wings.
Kanye West tweet, October 2010
Soon after, he tweeted: “In the ’70s album covers had actual nudity… It’s so funny that people forget that… Everything has been so commercialized now.”
West claimed that Walmart was offended by the cover, causing the censorship. Walmart denied it: “We did not reject the cover artwork and it was not presented to us.” According to Condo, the artwork was designed to provoke a reaction. On January 10, 2011, Condo told New York Magazine that West was looking for “something that will be banned”. Condo also stated that there were “eight or nine paintings”, and West preferred “a naked black man on a bed, straddled by a naked white female creature with fearsome features, wings, no arms, and a long, spotted tail”.
On November 8, 2010, all five paintings (initially) associated with the album artwork were officially published. Ultimately, the ‘controversy’ turned out to be a publicity stunt. The label suggested using a different cover but stated that West “was told if he wanted to do it, the label would stand behind him.”
Despite tweeting “In all honesty … I really don’t be thinking about Wal-Mart when I make my music or album covers #Kanyeshrug!”, the album cover was altered. In most markets, a different painting was used (often Ballerina). In other cases, Naked Sphinx Straddling Kanye was heavily pixelated. West did make concessions. On November 21, 2010, Condo commented on the censorship: “The superimposition of people’s perceptions on a cartoon is shocking. What’s happening in their minds should be banned. Not the painting.”
Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy – Booklet
Review
Where to begin? I am a fan of this album. The day it came out, I bought it and played it repeatedly for weeks/months. For this article, I listened to it regularly and, just like back then, it’s hard to pick favorite tracks. If I must, Power, Monster, Devil In A New Dress, and Runaway are certainly contenders. But, as mentioned, the album is a string of highlights.
The guest appearances are all top-notch. Raekwon, Jay-Z, Rick Ross, Pusha T, it’s all excellent, but it’s Nicki Minaj who steals the show with her rap on Monster: what conviction and delivery. Impressive!
Especially on Runaway West shows his sensitive and vulnerable side, with an extremely original ending – West humming/singing in a distorted voice (as on his previous album 808s & Heartbreak)? Beautiful! The transition into the following track, Hell Of A Life, exemplifies the album: after emotion comes the heavy (Black Sabbath) riff and auto-tuned vocals.
This album is not just recommended – it is essential!
Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy – Singles
Singles
The album produced four singles:
- Power
(released on July 1, 2010) - Runaway
(released on October 4, 2010) - Monster
(released on October 23, 2010) - All Of The Lights
(released on January 18, 2011)
Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy – Back cover
Songs
The album contains 13 songs, written by Kanye West with help from many others (including writers of the used samples), see the list below.
- Dark Fantasy
- Gorgeous (featuring Kid Cudi, Raekwon)
- Power
- All Of The Lights (Interlude)
- All Of The Lights
- Monster (featuring Jay-Z, Rick Ross, Nicki Minaj, Bon Iver)
- So Appalled (featuring Swizz Beatz, Jay-Z, Pusha T, CyHi The Prynce, RZA)
- Devil In A New Dress (featuring Rick Ross)
- Runaway (featuring Pusha T)
- Hell Of A Life
- Blame Game (featuring John Legend)
- Lost In The World (featuring Bon Iver)
- Who Will Survive In America
The iTunes version of the album included See Me Now, which was previously a precursor to the GOOD Fridays releases, as an extra track.
Written by:
- Kanye West – all songs
- Mike Dean – all songs, except All Of The Lights, Lost In The World, Who Will Survive In America
- Jeff Bhasker – Dark Fantasy, Power, All Of The Lights, Runaway, Lost In The World, Who Will Survive In America
- Malik Yusef el-Shabazz Jones – Dark Fantasy, Gorgeous, All Of The Lights, Monster, Devil In A New Dress, Runaway
- Ernest Dion Wilson (No I.D.) – Dark Fantasy, Gorgeous, So Appalled, Hell Of A Life
- Justin Vernon – Dark Fantasy, Monster, Lost In The World
- Alfred Scramuzza, Edwin Bocage (Eddie Bo), Gil Scott-Heron – Lost In The World, Who Will Survive In America
- Onika Maraj (Nicki Minaj) – Dark Fantasy, Monster
- Robert Diggs (RZA) – Dark Fantasy, So Appalled
- Scott Mescudi (Kid Cudi) – Gorgeous, All Of The Lights
- Shawn Carter (Jay-Z) – Monster, So Appalled
- Terrence Thornton (Pusha T) – So Appalled, Runaway
- William Roberts II (Rick Ross) – Monster, Devil In A New Dress
- Jon Anderson, Mike Oldfield – Dark Fantasy
- Che Smith (Rhymefest), Corey Woods (Raekwon), Gene Clark, Roger McGuinn – Gorgeous
- Andwele Gardner, Boris Bergman, Francois Bernheim, Greg Lake, Ian McDonald, Jean-Pierre Lang, Ken Lewis, Larry Griffin Jr. (Symbolyc One), Michael Giles, Peter Sinfield, Robert Fripp – Power
- Stacy Ferguson (Fergie), Warren Trotter – All Of The Lights
- Ben Bronfman, Daniel Lynas, Harley Wertheimer, Patrick Reynolds (Plain Pat) – Monster
- Cydel Young (CyHi The Prynce), Kasseem Dean (Swizz Beatz), Manfred Mann – So Appalled
- Carole King, Gerry Goffin, Roosevelt Harrell (Bink) – Devil In A New Dress
- Emile Haynie (Emile), John Branch, Peter Phillips (Pete Rock) – Runaway
- Anthony Iommi, John “Ozzy” Osbourne, Mike Caren, Sylvester Stewart (Sly Stone), Terence “Geezer” Butler, Tony Joe White, William Ward – Hell Of A Life
- Chloe Mitchell, John Stephens (John Legend), Justin Franks (DJ Frank E), Richard James (Aphex Twin) – Blame Game
- James Brown, Manu Dibango – Lost In The World
Samples
Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy – Ad
Musicians
- Jeff Bhasker – keyboards on Dark Fantasy, Power, All Of The Lights, So Appalled, Runaway, Lost In The World, Who Will Survive In America; piano on Monster
- Mike Dean – keyboards on Power, All Of The Lights, So Appalled, Hell Of A Life; piano on Dark Fantasy, Devil In A New Dress, Blame Game; bass on Power, Devil In A New Dress, Blame Game; guitar on Gorgeous, Power, Devil In A New Dress
- Ken Lewis – guitar, bass, organ on Gorgeous; horns on All Of The Lights; tribal drum programming on Lost In The World, Who Will Survive In America
- Brent Kolatalo – keyboards, drum programming on Gorgeous
- Anthony Kilhoffer – additional drum programming on Hell Of A Life, Lost In The World, Who Will Survive In America
- Danny Flam, Tony Gorruso – horns on All Of The Lights
- Rosie Danvers – cello on All Of The Lights
- Chris “Hitchcock” Chorney – cello on Dark Fantasy, Gorgeous, Power, All Of The Lights, So Appalled, Runaway, Blame Game
- Mike Lovatt, Simon Finch – trumpet on All Of The Lights (Interlude), All Of The Lights
Additional Vocals
- Tony Williams on Gorgeous, All Of The Lights, Runaway, Lost In The World, Who Will Survive In America
- Alvin Fields, Ken Lewis on Power , All Of The Lights, Lost In The World, Who Will Survive In America
- Alicia Keys, Charlie Wilson, Elly Jackson on All Of The Lights, Lost In The World, Who Will Survive In America
- The-Dream on All Of The Lights, Runaway, Hell Of A Life
- Kaye Fox on Lost In The World, Who Will Survive In America
- Teyana Taylor on Dark Fantasy, Who Will Survive In America
- Amber Rose, Justin Vernon, Nicki Minaj on Dark Fantasy
- Dwele on Gorgeous
- Drake, Elton John, Fergie, John Legend, Kid Cudi, Rihanna, Ryan Leslie on All Of The Lights
- Chris Rock, Salma Kenas on Blame Game
Kanye West – First three albums after My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
After My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
In 2011, Kanye West went on tour. He played numerous festivals and delivered a set that was described as “one of the greatest hip-hop sets of all time”. In August 2011, West released another album, a collaboration with Jay-Z, Watch The Throne, which was also met with critical acclaim. For that album, West and Jay-Z went on a world tour that lasted until June 2012. Meanwhile, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy was not nominated for Album of the Year at the 54th Grammy Awards, which many interpreted as a snub in response to “Kanye-gate”.
In the meantime, West began a relationship with socialite Kim Kardashian, earning him years of constant tabloid coverage. His next album was announced through video projections worldwide. I couldn’t wait.
On June 18, 2013, Yeezus was released, an extremely controversial album that many did not understand. The backlash from trained musicians was intense, while critics loved it. I had to get used to it, but I was quickly convinced. West’s sound expanded to include industrial, house, and electro-punk. The album produced two hits, Black Skinhead and Bound 2 (his girlfriend Kim Kardashian featured in the accompanying video). The album topped most international “best of” lists. However, sales were disappointing, reaching only about half of its predecessor’s numbers. The confrontational electronic music was too much for many. The album features the deeply moving Blood On The Leaves, which samples Nina Simone’s Strange Fruit.
Kanye West – Protest against Glastonbury 2015
After the Yeezus tour (with Kendrick Lamar as a supporting act), West released several singles with Paul McCartney and Rihanna. On June 28, 2015, West headlined the English Glastonbury festival. His appearance sparked a petition: Kanye shouldn’t perform; he didn’t belong there. In fact, he was “an insult to music fans all over the world”. A staggering 130,000 people signed the petition. A hopeless action. And rightfully so, West’s performance was one of the most thrilling shows I’ve ever seen, without physically being there. Toward the end, he ruffled the feathers of rock fans even further by declaring himself “the greatest living rock star on the planet”. He wasn’t wrong.
On February 11, 2016, West presented his new album The Life Of Pablo in a global broadcast, which I followed closely from home. It turned out to be another amazing album. It had no physical release and was only available via streaming services. On the same day, the song Famous was released. It included the lyrics “I feel like me and Taylor might still have sex / Why? I made that bitch famous”. The feud between West and Taylor Swift had evolved into small acts of friendliness after the 2009 MTV incident. West claimed Swift had approved the lyrics, Swift denied (and was later proven right). The dispute reignited, this time seemingly irreparably.
The Saint Pablo Tour was cut short because West was struggling personally. He posted incoherent tweets (“400 years of slavery sounds like a choice”) and publicly expressed support for Donald Trump. On June 1, 2018, West released the album Ye, whose cover featured the text “I hate being bi-polar, it’s awesome”, revealing his mental health struggles and the diagnosis dating back to 2016. In September, West announced that he would change his name to “Ye” (officially confirmed by a court in October 2021). In October, his next album, Jesus Is King, was briefly available on streaming services Spotify and Tidal. The album officially released in October 2019. In August 2021, the album Donda followed, and in 2022 Donda 2 was released. In 2024, West collaborated with Ty Dollar Sign on the albums Vultures 1 and Vultures 2, followed in 2025 by Bully (expected release date: December 12).
Kanye West – Glastonbury 2015
West/Ye nowadays mostly makes negative headlines. His divorce from Kardashian in late 2022 was tabloid fodder. Since then, West has had multiple relationships but has increasingly faced controversy due to his extreme political views. Early 2025, West released the track Heil Hitler, a culmination of previous statements where he identified as a Nazi (including wearing swastika shirts) and associated with Holocaust deniers. He has also become increasingly misogynistic and homophobic.
Sales and impact wise West’s role has been relegated to zero over the last decade or so. Where, in the old days, reviewers and music lovers could hardly wait for new albums, the huge cultural impact West’s releases has been demishied with every release starting with the Ye album. His later albums were poorly reviews and sold badly, streaming numbers never again reached the highs of yore.
West on My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
On March 3, 2025, West tweeted that he considered his Ye album far superior to My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. He deleted the tweet shortly afterward.
Kanye West – Tweet 03/03/2025
During the weekend of April 12-13, 2015, he posted several tweets about My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, suggesting he might be ashamed of the album.
Kanye West – Tweets 04/12-13/2025
In closing
Despite West’s tweets, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy remains one of the most significant hip-hop releases of all time, showcasing West at his creative peak.
What do you think of My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy and Kanye West? Share your thoughts!
Video/Spotify
This story contains an accompanying video. Click on the following link to see it: Video: Kanye West and his hip-hop masterpiece My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. The A Pop Life playlist on Spotify has been updated as well.
