11.10.2010

Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (Album Review)


First of all, I wouldn't classify this as a classic rap album, but the most creative rap album ever. I mean have you ever heard anything like this come from a rapper. Different styles of beats, instruments and samples that seem to come together nicely. Kanye has outdone himself once again and continues to push the envelop for mainstream audiences. The album features 13 tracks but 2 are interludes so you would think that it is pretty short. But in reality every song is around 5 minutes long. So it actually is longer than a normal album. After listening to this album in it's entirety I'd say that the title does fit. This is Kanye's fantasy and it is beautiful, dark and twisted. And don't forget that he produced most of these amazing songs.

1. Dark Fantasy (prod. By RZA, Kanye West, & No ID) - This song is obviously the most pure hip hop track on the entire album. With a classic RZA beat. Nicki Minaj starts off the track in a interesting fashion with her narration which I actually seemed to like, and thought was a memorable way to start the album. Kanye has so quotables on this track. "The plan was to drink until the pain over, But what's worse the pain or the hangover." 9/10


2. Gorgeous feat. KiD CuDi & Raekwon (prod. By Kanye West) - Very interesting beat. With an addicting hook from KiD CuDi. He shows some more lyricism on this track alongside Raekwon. "Got caught with 30 Rocks the cop looked like Alec Baldwin".  8/10


3. Power feat. Dwele (prod. By S1 & Kanye West) - Anyone remember this track? The first single was indeed powerful when it dropped. With an excellent beat and a catchy sample. This song pretty much was his comeback song, because it had been a while since he had put out new music. 9/10


4. All of The Lights (Interlude) - Great way to lead up to the best track on the album

5. All of The Lights feat. Rihanna, Tony Williams,  KiD CuDi, John Legend, Charlie Wilson, Elly Jackson, Elton John, Ryan Leslie, The-Dream & Alicia Keys (prod. By Kanye West) - This beat is obviously the best beat on the entire album. Hook is incredible. And the lineup is surprising. Who'd a thought he could squeeze all of these artists on a 5 minute song. In the end this will probably end up being the most successful song on the album. 10/10


6. Monster feat. Rick Ross, Jay-Z, Nick Minaj & Bon Iver (prod. By Kanye West) - First off, Bon Iver delivers a different sounding beginning and end which brings the song to another level. I've never heard a beat like this ever. It's so different and catchy. The hook is addicting to repeat. And with a surprise attention stealing verse from Nicki Minaj this song becomes one of the better on the album. "If I'm fake I don't know this cause my money ain't." 9.5/10


7. So Appalled feat. Swizz Beatz, Jay-Z, Pusha T, Cyhi The Prynce & RZA (prod. By Kanye West & RZA) - Another very hip hop record from Kanye thanks to some help with production from RZA. Every rapper takes a turn to kill the beat. Jay-Z comes with one of his best verses. "I went from the favorite to the most hated, But would you rather be underpaid or overrated." Even Cyhi The Prynce who was new to me at the time came with a well put together verse that made me rewind "I met this girl on Valentines Day, Fucked her in may, She found about April so she chose to march." 9/10


8. Devil In A Dress feat. Rick Ross (prod. Bink!) - By this time in the album you saying "Damn this is sounding like a classic". This track in particular is one of 2 songs that features no production from Kanye. It is one of the better beats on the album though. More quotables from Kanye on this with lines like "Hood phenomenon, the Lebron of rhyme, hard to be humble when your stunting on a jumbotron." Another thing that I love about this track is the guitar breakdown that plays before Rick Ross's verse. Unexpectedly, Ross does a good job flowing with the beat. 10/10


9. Runaway feat. Pusha T (prod. By Kanye West) - I'm not knocking this track in any way for giving it the lowest rating because it is an anthem type track for the douchebags, assholes, and scumbags. It's a solid track. The samples do fit in nicely to me. But the beat can get boring at times, and we all know Kanye isn't the greatest singer. Luckily, Pusha comes in with a dope ass verse which gives me a good reason to listen. If you've heard the album version of this song then you know that it drags on way too long. With an barely understandable autotuned up Kanye. 7/10


10. Hell of A Life (prod. By No ID) - Another track featuring no production from Kanye. A different style of beat but is very creative. I guess you can describe this as the Dark and Twisted part of the album. He starts off by saying "I think I fell in love with a porn star". But combine 3 clever and funny verses with one of the better hooks on the album and you another great track. 8.5/10


11. Blame Game feat. John Legend (prod. By Kanye West) - Brings the tone of the album down a bit as Kanye opens up about relationship troubles with John Legend on the hook. Song is very deep and relatable. The skit at the end with Chris Rock had me dying.  9/10


12. Lost In The World feat. Bon Iver & Alicia Keys (prod. By Kanye West) - This song sounds like something that would be playing while running through the jungle kind of like that scene in his "Runaway" film. It's amazing musically. Song starts out slow and weird. With vocals from Bon Iver. But comes in very hard. I love the short verse from Kanye. Probably one of my favorites from the album. 9.5/10

13. Who Will Survive In America feat. Gil Scott Heron - The albums comes to a conclusion with spoken word from Gil Scott Heron.

I've done a large number of reviews and this is the first one to earn the grade of an A.

3 comments:

HipHopCulture said...

First of I just want to say great review and I can tell you worked hard on it. I listen to the album yesterday and agree with what your saying.

It aint a classic album like you said, its very creative I dont know if the most creative of all-time though. But its all about opinions. Great mixture of types of songs on it as well. I would not say its his best album though.

Alot of features of the album, I would have like a couple of solo kanye songs. Its in my top 5 albums of the the year with out doubt so far. Maybe if some of the tracks were not good friday it would made it better for me I dont know. But I cant hate as its a wonderful album. Also the production is dope on it, half by ye as well.

At least there not much auto tune on it as well. But the T Pain bit was awful lol, Dark Fantasy my favorite track at the moment. Its going to be nominated for a grammy I reckon.

MalibuMara said...

i have to buy this just because i think that it sounds amazing from what i have heard so far.

CommonLife said...

Gotta get a copy of it, been waiting for a long time now for it to drop maaan haha!