So, in the public eye, Kanye West was one of the loathed men in entertainment. Considering how vocal his critics are now that is saying something. Whilst I can’t pretend to give less of a fuck than I actually do about his award show antics, the “I’m going to let you finish…” comments almost finished off his own career: the less than universal praise for 808s and Heartbreak; the “Gayfish” memes; his more gaudy pursuits and his attention grabbing antics all finally piled upon him in an inescapable way.
So Kanye was in (self-imposed) exile. But he still had more clout than any entertainer in the business, and in many ways the exile allowed Kanye the focus needed to indulge in a project this big. And indulge is right word. He was exiled but not isolated; one need only look at the sheer amount of people on this album to see how big of undertaking My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy was. If it is anything like a movie – other than the 35 music video opus Runaway – it was how he orchestrated a large team both behind (production and writers) and in front (guest spots) of the scenes as though he was a director. Or, depending on your point of view, he uses other people’s voices as though they were instruments.
It’s actually quite perverse – like a Godard “art prank” – how many big names come on this project for minor parts. Raekwon for one small verse. RZA for one hook. Elton John for the interlude before a song. Some people feature on the album that aren’t even in the music industry. But all this is justified by the content of the album itself. It’s an album that more cultured critics would call “maximalist”, but I would prefer to call it an album of excess: The sex; the money; the designer clothes; the artistic pursuits; the instrumentations; the amount of guest stars. Even the amount of sampling on the album becomes a sort of symbol of power, in how much he is able to pay for and use.
And all that ambition pays off. Many smarter people then I have told you how great the production on this album is, and I don’t disagree. It borrows from so many sources that it would be a fools venture to list them all now, but all of them merge together into a lush, cohesive beauty. For intents and purposes this is Kanye West’s progressive rock album, and not just because it samples King Crimson. It’s because it’s a progressive sounding album, with sounds from nine minute trip-hop anthems to songs that use the sounds of indie rock ranging from The Strokes to Bon Iver (Justin Vernon is very prominent in the track listings here). It is also the culmination of everything that came before, with the sampling base of The College Dropout, the orchestral instrumentation that dominated Late Registration and the electronica of Graduation.
But where does the 808’s and Heartbreak fit into that equation (aside from more use of that drum machine)? Well, where in that album channelled the traumatic events of his life into lyrics that were more cryptic and emotionally driven, so too does Kanye do that here with the hectic frenzy that made up his life, including another failed relationship with model Amber Rose (and it’s hard to imagine that, given the chaos of Kanye, that he was given opportunity to settle down from other tragic events. But that might be unfounded speculation). The result is a project with the sonic ambitions of Pet Sounds and the thematic innards of Exile of Main Street. The lyrics are both the braggadocio of rich lifestyles that we come to associate with the worst of the rap culture – that and the misogyny and issues with women, of course – with a man with underlying emotional issues and his ongoing battles with religion. On this album Kanye – or the characters that he builds for us – will end cocky brag raps with contemplations of death, and end songs about their own relationship failures with songs with audio clips highlighting sexual conquests, or tracks about having sex with pornstars. There’s lots of taste, but less class.
This begs the question of course: what is Kanye’s Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy? Is it women? Religion? Art? America? Media? Media’s portrayal of Kanye West? His ego? His id? Michael Jackson (and his own desire to be the rap equivalent)? Like I said for my comments of “Love Lockdown”, the answer is probably yes. Or maybe it means nothing at all. Maybe he only picked things and ideas because they sounded awesome. But even if was that was true, and that’s all it was, then he certainly accomplished his fantasies.
This “Dark Fantasy” begins with a fairy tale style introduction by Nicki Minaj (whose Cockney accent I can only find funny), a take on Roahl Dahl’s Cinderella with lines like “twisted fictions/sick additions” that prepare us for what’s ahead. That preparation is held by a building gospel hook, as though we are in a large theatrical stage, before it moves gracefully into a beat with high keyboards, low cellos and the graceful chimes. In this introduction Kanye gives himself his own kind of prologue, detailing his dreams of becoming a star in the first verse, and presenting his lifestyle in the second. That lifestyle is conflicted though, with both the noise of expensive cars and the demons that still remain in him (with the album’s first use of the devil voice). Though that “I’m the King of Leon-a Lewis” line proves that the “wack and corny” part of the monologue is also much apparent here.
(The problem with the locked inside of his head Kanye is that he seems to say the first thing that comes out of his mouth. I won’t point at every dud line in this, but this is a conversation that will continue with Yeezus).
The introduction might have demonstrated the album’s theatrical ambitions, but “Gorgeous” clearly shows the rock side. That is brought in a huge part by the production by No I.D. and Mike Dean, frequent Kanye collaborators who I have not given their complete due and hope to here (particularly Mike Dean, who plays most of the guitar on this album). Built from an interpolation by the Turtles “You Showed Me”, the tone of the guitar is in blown out Strokes fashion, and is strengthened with a synth bass, cellos and a catchy, hedonistic chorus from Kid Cudi. The life that the lyrics portray though is not really that gorgeous, with references to sexual harassment by directors and racial discriminations both in the perceptions of music (“What’s a Black Beatle anyway? A Fucking roach”) and in the community in general. This is expanded on by Raekwon – who might have my favourite voice of any of the Wu-Tang Clan – in a short verse that covers life in front of the cameras, life of luxury clashed with his hood roots and encouraging people to work to get out of those environments. Also, were you mad about that South Park episode, Kanye? Because you don’t mention it.
This moves on to the album’s lead single, the ever commercial present “Power”. It would be a fool’s errand to describe just how much is going on in this beat, so I’ll just say that beyond the sampled chants, the synths and orchestras, the sample of King Crimson’s “21st Century Schizoid Man” is among the most creative uses ever. Not only do the Fripp guitars give the song even more of a kick, but the sample perfectly demonstrates Kanye’s own mindset as a man of many contradictions and personalities. If this isn’t apparent enough, this is a power anthem with a hook about how men should avoid having too much power. The lyrics range from critiques of his public perception to the American School system to Lorne Michaels’ media empire. And after all that uplifting energy, it is a song ends with the lead drink driving and contemplating their own suicide. Well, it actually ends with a laugh. 21st Century Schizoid Man indeed.
Next is “All of the Lights”, a song that is almost defined by its excesses as well as its central story. It begins with that aforementioned Elton John piano interlude, a piece a lush minimalist-like piece with a cello in order to accentuate the atmosphere. That is before the punch of the actual beat comes into play, with large trumpets, 808 drums and Rihanna led hook (sung by god knows how many people) blasting that piece out of the way. On the surface there is the literal story about spousal abuse, divorce and parental responsibility, but with the framework around that narrative this is used as a metaphor with Kanye’s struggles in hip hop and fame (this is a very Kanye thing to do, as we will see on “Blood on the Leaves”). This is made clearer not just by the light-led hook – which beyond just being damn catchy continues with images from 808’s and Heartbreak – or the clear shout out to Michael Jackson at the introduction (a man who certainly felt the struggles of fame) but by the Fergie led bridge, which both makes the outcomes of the family story ambiguous, as well as his story.
The next two tracks are posse cuts that are showcases for a variety of different artists, and the verses are obviously of different qualities. The first is “Monster”, one of the rare songs here not based around a sample, instead a hook by the game Justin Vernon (who contributes a fair deal to the album). After Rick Ross’s introduction comes three verses that are straight braggadocio rap. The first is Kanye’s about sexual conquests, and demonstrates a better flow than we’ve sometimes come to expect. I’m not sure if I dislike that sarcophagus/oesophagus line or absolutely love it, but for now I go with the latter. Jay-Z’s verse here is unfortunately a dud, seeming to take that Monster concept a little too literally and forming verses about a “Zombie with no conscious” as a result. But, as is common knowledge by now, this track essentially belongs to Nicki Minaj, who at one was not even suppose to be on the song and is now hailed as probably her greatest verses. Amazing flow, a variety of different inflections and characters and moving from topic to topic with such a speed that when we get to lines about the Bride of Chucky that just a few lines before we talking about the violent Middle-Eastern climate. She impresses here so much that it has always disappointed me how much she is willing to throw away her unique personality in favour of generic dreck, and I’m still waiting for that album that shows every promise we saw here (No, I didn’t think The Pinkprint was that great. And, no, I guess she doesn’t owe me anything). The final outro by Vernon contextualises the whole track back to the themes of the album, with references to both light and God, and the conflict between the stage and home. It’s the tiniest of threads, but it’s there.
The second posse cut, “So Appalled”, is so packed that it seems specifically designed to annoy people who do track-by-track coverage of albums. Its beat is made of multiple parts, but all are coalesced by the 808 drums and the Eastern-style electronic riff. Kanye is gone within the first minute of the song, after spitting a couple of lines about Donald Trump (imagine if he was still relevant) and is the materialistic rap to “Monster”’s sex one. Jay-Z’s verse here is way better than the previous, though he does it by covering the safe ground of his fame and critics. He comes up with good lines based on that though, with Dark Knight references to changing public perception and the “would you rather be underpaid or overrated” (good point, I guess). The next verses, from Pusha T, is my favourite of the pack, covering his familiar ground of cocaine pushing with his trademark interlocking wordplay and impeccable flow that demonstrates why he is among the best of the new MC’s. Cyhi The Prince’s verse also exists. I know that isn’t entirely fair because the May-April-March line is pretty clever, but his flow is not particularly interesting and he gets lost in the pack as a result (also, iPods have more than one playlist). All these verses are structured with the “fucking ridiculous” hooks that grow from being triumphant to feeling annoyed by the end, encapsulated with the RZA in rare non Bobby Digital mode speaking on the tracks and entertainingly spitting the words out. Due to be so sprawling and lacking focus this is probably the weakest track on the album, which says a lot for the album’s favour in my book.
We move onto tighter ground with “Devil in a New Dress”, which might just be the most luxurious beat on the whole of My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. From the cover of “Will You Love Me, Tomorrow?” by Smokey Robinson, Kanye does his trademark pitched-up soul sampling, and with that the team build upon with building orchestral strings, pulsating drums and a bouncing bass line. The middle interlude in which the sample is left open for Mike Dean to just let rip with an appropriate guitar solo is my single favourite moment on the album. The central theme of the track definitely merges the devil and demons of previous songs with sexuality, and with the Scarface reference this might be the first time there was a movie reference in a Kanye song that was common for hip-hop. Also, where the hell did that Rick Ross verse come from? Apart from not being awful, it links perfectly with the themes of the song and in turn the album, in particular the final lines about “making love to the angel of death”, ending the song in the contemplations of death that both “Power” and “Monster” also ended on.
We then move on to the centrepiece of the entire album, the song that Kanye sort fit to name his epic music video after, even if the title of the album would have also fit. “Runaway”, if not the best song Kanye West has made (which I would argue it is), is still probably the most Kanye song he has made. It is an awkward, intimate, self-loathing piano track about his relationships extended into a nine minute trip-hop epic whose music video is accompanied with ballet dancers. This is the ultimate extension of the taste/class divide that I spoke about before, where the biggest epic on the album is a anthem about his own douchebaggery. It’s also the song that most demonstrates his musical self awareness of his public persona, in which he recognises his faults and self flagellates his own inability to make intimate connections (again, in a giant epic song). But it still shows the internal conflict even then, with Pusha-T’s great verse almost acting as the “devil” of the album, tempting him to women and monetary pleasures. This song combines the best elements of My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy – the gorgeous production of layered drums, synths and orchestra – with the best parts of 808’s and Heartbreak. That’s not just because Kanye sings on the track (here without Autotune, thus making it both more honest and more uncomfortable), but because when he introduces the vocaliser, and sings the melody in a way that completely drains his words, it is ultimate the demonstration of not only his inability to be understood, but also his desire to not be understood. To, himself, run away.
But as though his id immediate snapped his mind back into position, the album moves on “Hell of a Life”, a song that begins with the line “I think I just fell in love with a porn star”. This track is pretty absurd as a whole, and seems a precursor to the kind of absurdist lyrics that would be found in a couple of tracks on Yeezus. The beat is absolutely filthy, a sample line from “She’s My Baby” the Mojo men along with drums from a song called “Stud-Spider”, and all those names let you know exactly what to expect. Even the “Iron Man” interpolation fits into this idea, consider the band’s very name was a dark subversion of a religious word (fitting for a chorus which proclaims “pussy and religion is all I need”). But even the midst of this ridiculous, immature fantasy it still brings up some interesting subjects, such as the racism in the porn industry itself, helping to mirror it to the themes of “Gorgeous”.
The “Blame Game” goes back into “schizoid” mode, with a piano led track about Kanye’s temper isolating him from people, that seemingly ends with a sketch demonstrating how sexually experienced that Kanye is. This song sounds like it’s going to be quiet and contemplative track, with a cello backing a sample from Aphex Twin’s “Avril 14” (maybe the most recognisable lift on the album), and a mellow hook from John Legend. But then the lyrics show that it deals again with spousal abuse, which also suggests that the woman is again also Kanye’s relationship with the fame. The low “devilish” voices of Kanye’s voice as he goes on his rampage help to culminate those relationships in preparation for the finale of the album. The song then ends with the call that Kanye is listening into, and it’s definitely a strangest mix of emotions; it clashes Chris Rock’s naturally funny but rambling personality with the repetition of the unknown woman’s voice, to the point that even when seemingly “complimenting” Kanye West (“Yeezy taught me”), the voice sounds dejected and unnatural.
These isolated, conflicting feelings from both the woman and Kanye fit perfectly into the album’s final song (sort of). “Lost in the World” is the perfection conclusion in that its instrumentation – the trip hop drums, the choral vocals, the piano, indie rock, the synths, the manipulated voices and the orchestra – is made of everything that came before it. As well as this he speaking to what could either be a woman or fame, (apparently the verse was written as a poem for his future wife Kim Kardashian) and also having a Michael Jackson reference. Using both Justin Vernon’s vocals and his Bon Iver song “Woods”, it takes a song all about wanted to be isolated from the world and expands upon it, showing a clear connection made to another person whilst still wanting to be “lost”. It’s the only song the album that uses the Autotune so prevalent on 808’s and Heartbreak, but where that song used the device to show Kanye as always detached and fractured, here it is used for a song about bringing disparate things together.
The album ends with “Who Will Survive in America”, but which is really an extension of the tribal drumming that ended the previous track. In perhaps a demonstration that Kanye is indeed “lost”, the last lines on the album are not given by him, but by the words of Gil Scott Heron. It’s a selection from his poem “Comment #1”, and with the way that Kanye cuts the verses together it begins with words on African American disenfranchisement in the context of slavery (which at first doesn’t seem it fits with what the album was previously about, but racial inequality permeating throughout life has been an element of many a track), and then brings that together with slightly rearranged snippets about how – after the conflict of the whole of My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy – all he really wants is the stability of a family, a family that Kanye feels he has lost. By those final quiet claps following the final cries, the response and request lacks any kind of real answer.
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy is a cyclone of album, sucking in every musical style and idea into its path. It is album that is maybe the greatest demonstration of Kanye West as an artist, not just thematically, but the fact that the music of this album could only really be made by him at this time. It has the most inventive use of sampling since Pauls Boutique, and lush varied arrangements and instrumentations that help bring nearly every track to a sense of pop art. It’s imperfect, particularly in the cornier lyrical ideas and a track or two with no strong focus. But that’s because it’s striving to be better than perfect. Because its artist isn’t. So let’s have a toast for the douchebag!
The next Kanye West would take these ideas of reflecting “Kanye West” even further, and it would produce what is probably his single most divisive release. But until then, we’ll do as Kanye did and take a couple of detours….
What did you think, though?
Kanye West Album Rankings
- My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
- Late Registration
- 808’s and Heartbreak
- Graduation
- The College Dropout