Released: 2010

Genres: Experimental Hip-Hop, Art Pop, Pop Rap

The Musiquarium’s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy Review Score: 5/5.

It’s hard to see it as such in hindsight, but in 2008, 808s & Heartbreak was considered a disappointment, especially after Kanye’s critically-acclaimed and beloved “College Trilogy”. It did go on to influence a plethora of emo rappers (which unfortunately includes Drake), but at the time, it’s reliance on Kanye West’s autotune singing, lack of profanities and downbeat vibes turned many fans and critics off.

Then in 2009, Kanye interrupted Taylor Swift at the MTV Video Music Awards, which pissed off a lot of people. Kanye West was more than known for being outspoken by the late naughts, but this seemed to be the straw that broke the camel’s back (it’s all quite pedestrian compared to his later controversies).

Between the polarizing reception of 808s & Heartbreak and the VMA incident, along with being made fun of in an entire episode of South Park (Fishsticks) and losing his mother in late 2007, Kanye was at an all time low, for somebody who had recently soared so high. Sure, his music was critically acclaimed, and he was wealthy and famous, but he had become something of a joke, much to the simultaneously insecure and cocky Kanye’s chagrin. So, Kanye retreated to Hawaii and made a masterpiece to shut up all the naysayers and detractors. My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy wasn’t so much an apology, as it was him giving the people what he thought that they had wanted and then claiming his throne, knowing damn well how good this album was going to be.

The cast of characters on My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy alone makes it feel like a cinematic team up of some of the biggest voices in rap, R&B and pop. You have Pusha T, Kid Cudi, Jay-Z, Rick Ross, RZA (Wu-Tang Clan), Rihanna, Justin Vernon (Bon Iver), Nicki Minaj, John Legend, Elton John and even comedian Chris Rock. Some of these are artists I’d never listen to on their own, but like a good director, Kanye is able to bring the best out of his cast.

Dark Fantasy begins with a sample of a lesser known eighties Jon Anderson (Yes) and Mike Oldfield song, In High Places, before segueing into one of Kanye’s most regal beats. Gorgeous uses a guitar sample from an obscure 1969 song, which backs some of Kanye’s best bars ever (along with some Kid Cudi vocals). Power samples what sounds like an African or indigenous chant and King Crimson’s classic 21st Century Schizoid Man, as Kanye ponders what power can do to a man (such as himself).

All of the Lights is the big pop hit of the album and even features a string instrumental version as an intro. Monster is certainly a monster of a track. and has great features from everyone who’s on it, including a surprisingly brilliant Nicki Minaj verse. So Appalled is another banger with killer features. Devil in a New Dress transforms a Smokey Robinson song into one of Kanye’s greatest pieces.

Runaway is a nine minute epic with a three minute instrumental outro, showing that Kanye is willing to be just as experimental as he is willing to be commercial. Hell of a Life sees a rather loose interpolation of Black Sabbath’s Iron Man, but makes it into something completely different. Blame Game beautifully samples Aphex Twin’s Avril 14th, though the Chris Rock bit at the end goes on for too long. Lost in the World features Bon Iver and samples his 2009 track, Woods.

For many, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy remains the high point of Kanye’s entire career and the moment where all the stars aligned for him as an artist. There’s a reason why it’s not only considered one of the greatest rap albums of all time, but one of the greatest of any genre.

Trivia: My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy won Best Rap Album at the 54th Annual Grammy Awards.

For credit breakdowns and historic release details, view Kanye West on Discogs.

Back to the 2010 Album Guide or the Kanye West Reviews page.

Written by Brett Nippard