ignorantian
Post: 1619
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Idaho
Kanye West’s new album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, is pure excellence. Ever since the complete album leaked in early October, I have been in a state of euphoria due to the greatness that blasts out of the speakers when I listen to it.
Many do not like Kanye because of his arrogant, and sometimes controversial, behavior. However, that is the reason why he is my favorite artist ever. Without his massive ego and his complete disregard for social stigmas, Kanye would not be where he is today. Kanye is not afraid to do exactly what he wants; he practically puts his middle finger up to the media with each album release, each with its own unique sound, defying exactly what “hip hop” is. Kanye doesn’t test musical boundaries; he creates his own. And the greatest part is that the media eats it right up and keeps giving him all the attention he thrives on.
Kanye’s no stranger to controversy. In 2005, he called out President Bush on national television for being a racist. In 2009, he interrupted Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech of an award at MTV’s Video Music Awards. After this incident, he was made out to be the biggest villain in America, with criticism even coming from President Obama. He went into isolation, leaving many to wonder where he was and what he was doing. Well, it turns out that the media’s hatred was just motivation for him to create his greatest work to date. MBDTF is Kanye’s masterpiece.
Originally titled Good Ass Job, Kanye’s fifth studio album is diverse to say the least. With guest appearances ranging from hip-hop heroes like Jay-Z and Rick Ross, to the eccentric Elton John, to indie idol Justin Vernon of Bon Iver, MBDTF has once again proven why Kanye is arguably one of the most talented musicians to ever walk the planet. From the very beginning, it seems more like a work of art rather than just a compilation of some rap songs.
Like all Kanye’s other albums, MBDTF is an emotional roller coaster. In songs like Monster and Hell Of a Life, Kanye displays his arrogance and does what he does best: brags about all the money and women he has. Kanye shows his softer side in songs like Runaway and Blame Game, both touching on subjects such as his notoriety after the Taylor Swift incident and how he sometimes just wants to “runaway fast as he can.” In Devil In a New Dress, Kanye declares himself the “Lebron of rhyme,” and that’s no exaggeration. In Lost In the World, Vernon’s soothing voice pleases the listener, while Kanye fantasizes more about women. The album concluded with Who Will Survive In America?, in which Kanye samples Gil Scott-Heron, one of the 1970’s and 1980’s most revolutionary artists. Although this song doesn’t involve any of Kanye’s rapping, there couldn’t have been a better conclusion. Scott-Heron’s inspiring words tell the listener, “You just listened to one of the greatest albums ever made. Now YOU go out there and do something amazing.” My favorite song on the album, however, is Dark Fantasy, which is also the album’s intro. The track is jam-packed full of witty metaphors, puns, and allusions. Although the variety in each song is obvious, there is one common theme in each song: Kanye is currently the best there is, and is on top of his game.
MBDTF might have taken the cake for my favorite album ever. It’s a flawless masterpiece, one that only someone as creative and brave as Kanye could create. It’s a landmark in hip-hop history, and Kanye’s most original work to date.
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