News flash: Kanye West is still Kanye West. Older and a little more unpredictable perhaps, but he's always been and remains that loud, reactionary super creative, and we love and hate him for it. And it's ok to love and hate him, because Ye himself is a contradiction, he'd get it: "I hate being Bi-Polar its awesome" (it's...)." So, ye... The 8th album from the GOOD Music boss clocks in at 24 minutes, and Kanye does what Kanye does: finding dope samples (pay Kareem Lofty for "I Thought About Killing You"!), orchestrating A-1 production (somewhere between Yeezus and Pablo), recruiting upcoming (070 Shake, Valee) and established talent (Ty Dolla $ign, Kid Cudi) to collaborate with, and delivering music that captures the now, of both his personal space and the wider world he occupies. It's a very intimate project, almost like an open-door therapy session—"just say it out loud, see how if feels" / "That's my bi-polar shit… that's my superpower, ain't no disability, I'm a superhero!" The rapper continues to address his innermost thoughts regarding family, relationships, and his surroundings on the 7 tracker, and if one thing is clear, ye comes from a dark place. And that brings us back to the opening line of the record: "most beautiful thoughts are always besides the darkest." Tracks like "Ghost Town," "All Mine," "No Mistakes," and "Yikes" are the "beautiful thoughts" that arise alongside the "darkest," such as premeditated murder and suicide. But ya, the whole Jackson Hole listening party thing looked amazing, MAGA hat not so much.¯\_(ツ)_/¯

• black vinyl pressing
• music label: Def Jam Recordings 2018

reviewed by rei kwondo 06/18