Kanye West has always been notoriously controversial, and his 6th studio album “Yeezus” is no different, with guest artists such as Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon, Chief Keef, King L, and Frank Ocean. Concentrating on a Guerilla-style marketing plan, and impromptu video showings on popular buildings (i.e. Prada, 5th Ave., Manhattan), “Yeezus” has turned listeners into a pseudo-underground cult following.
West teamed up with French dance-punk act Daft Punk in creating 10 tracks with trance-like, repetitive beats layered with clever, quick-witted lyrics that West is known best for. Throughout songs like “New Slave,” “I Am God ft. God,” and “On Sight,” many allusions are made to pressing social issues such as prejudice within law enforcement, racial discrimination, and of course, Kanye’s critic-made God complex. He brings light to the criticisms he has faced in “I Am God,” making a point that if people are going to call him conceited, he’s going to act the part. Demanding that in ‘a French-ass restaurant’ the waiters need to hurry up with his croissant. By calling out the people that have had negative views on him, West can actively get rid of his anger, as he stated in an interview with VIBE: “I’d rather piss a bunch of people off and make myself happy than make everyone else happy and be pissed off inside.”
The whole album was enjoyable, despite the appearance of two horribly auto-tuned songs in a row (tracks 7 and 8) and the not-so-thinly-veiled misogyny. Kanye West is making a statement with “Yeezus” – and one that needs to be listened to, and most importantly, appreciated. More than just adding irony and something to smirk about, West is giving insight to issues that are more often than not ‘swept under the rug’ by becoming angry and giving his all into every song. Especially with songs like, “New Slave,” which may be the most straightforward view of discrimination in jails/law enforcement in the United States, West is clearly looking for attention to be brought upon this travesty.
Despite the album leaking early, and the more recent controversy of baby North West, it seems that new daddy Kanye is doing a fantastic job with his album release, sans huge corporation marketing. Who knows what Kim might have to say about “Yeezus” (special attention to “I’m In It”), but one thing is for certain – this is not an album baby North can appreciate.
photo credit: www.billboard.com
