#353 - Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010)
MUSIC HISTORY COMPILED BY BEN AUSTIN-DOCAMPO:
Kanye West
One of the most influential and critically lauded artists of the early 21st century, Kanye West went from hip-hop beatmaker to worldwide hitmaker as his production work for artists such as Jay-Z led to a major-label recording contract and, ultimately, a wildly successful solo career that counted an unbroken string of chart-topping, multi-platinum albums and nearly two-dozen Grammy Awards for classic sets like 2005's Late Registration, 2007's Graduation, and 2010's My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. Early on, West paired his beats with tongue-twisting raps and outspoken confidence. With a backpack and brightly colored polo shirt, his dapper fashion sense set him apart from many of his rap peers, while his attitude often came across as boastful and egotistical. This flamboyance made for good press, something that West enjoyed, for better or worse, throughout the course of his career. With his outsized personality, he courted plenty of controversy, posing for the cover of Rolling Stone as Jesus Christ, claiming that "George Bush doesn't care about Black people" during a televised Hurricane Katrina fundraiser, and infamously interrupting an awards speech by Taylor Swift in 2009. And yet, his steady presence in the celebrity limelight couldn't eclipse his musical talent. His production abilities seemed boundless, as he not only racked up impressive hits for himself (including number one singles "Gold Digger" and "Stronger") but also had smash hits with longtime collaborator Jay-Z (on their 2011 Watch the Throne track "Ni**as in Paris") and even Paul McCartney (along with Rihanna on 2015's "FourFiveSeconds"). As his career progressed throughout the early 21st century, West became a superstar on his own terms without adapting his appearance, his rhetoric, or his music to fit any one musical mold.
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
From Stanford Daily By Ian Park
Many consider My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (MBDTF) to be Kanye West’s magnum opus and the greatest hip-hop album ever produced. Ever since, Kanye has gone on to perfect his musical craft by experimenting with the harsh drums and tones of “Yeezus,” the critically acclaimed psychedelic, out-of-this-world vibe of “Kids See Ghosts” and even gospel music in his most recent project, “Jesus Is King.”
But enough about the new Kanye. Let’s talk about the old Kanye — the dark, twisted and introspective Kanye.
The album’s cover immediately catches the eye, with its lewd depiction of Kanye entangled with a winged woman. Artist George Condo designed five different covers, but Kanye eventually had to censor the first cover so streaming services didn’t find it as offensive and provocative.
Upon first listen, a few things will immediately stand out about MBDTF — the maximalist production, the samples, the features and, most important, the narrative. MBDTF is peak Kanye storytelling, where he meshes together some of the most prominent voices in hip-hop to address some of the pressing issues on his mind.
In the hedonistic “Dark Fantasy,” he addresses celebrity worship and the complacency plaguing society with the advent of technology.
Kanye’s trademark versatility and confidence in himself is in full display — every track is a masterpiece, with seamless transitions and no song left feeling like unnecessary filler. From the club hit “All Of The Lights,” to melodic rap in “Lost In The World,” Kanye refuses to let MBDTF be defined by a single style.
Highlights and fan favorites throughout the album include the iconic and succinct staccato of a piano on “Runaway,” Mike Dean’s legendary guitar solo in “Devil In A New Dress” and Nicki Minaj’s hard-hitting verse on “Monster” that propelled her to stardom.
However impressive the artistic elements of MBDTF may be, the album’s cultural significance and impact is unparalleled by any other contemporary artwork.
To Kanye, MBDTF was more than just a throwaway album — it was a career-defining moment that would either solidify his legendary status or cast him away into the abyss of forgotten names in hip-hop.
Upon release, MBDTF was an instant hit, selling 496,000 copies in its first week and debuting at #1 on the Billboard 200. The album went on to win the 2012 Grammy for Best Rap Album and received rave reviews by many critics, including a 94/100 rating from Metacritic based on 45 critic reviews from a range of publications. Billboard also named it the greatest album of the decade.