Kanye West- Yeezus ALBUM REVIEW

I don't even need to say anything about this guy. Kanye West has done so much in hip hop in the past decade it is impossible to go into detail about any of it. Kanye has brought something different on each of his albums and is viewed as an incredibly creative and risk-taking artist. After his 2010 album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, received critical acclaim, his next 2013 album was incredibly anticipated. Did Kanye come through yet again on Yeezus? Let's get into it.

ON SIGHT- This beat is very, very different. It doesn't sound like hip hop. From the second this song started, you knew Kanye was going in a TOTALLY different direction here. The beat is hard-hitting, electronic, and wild, but it works. Kanye starts rapping and it sounds pretty good. As he keeps flowing, one thing becomes obvious: these lyrics are really brash and hard to listen to. This is just not the Kanye I know, resorting to such trashy lyrics. Overall, I wasn't to into this. It was a little odd and just didn't feel right. 6.5/10

BLACK SKKKN HKKKD- Another experimental beat here, but i like it a lot more, as some rock influence brings sick, head-banging sounds. The drums hit hard and it is just super-aggresive. Kanye sounds awesome rapping here. His lyrics go back to being on point here. I loved this song. It was just nasty and Kanye sounded great. 9.5/10

I AM A GOD- After the last track, this just sounded soft and lame. The beat was just kind of lazy and I was not into it, especially with the synth riff later in the song. Kanye did not sound too inspired and he was just a little too egotistical for me to like it. He just sounded obnoxious here. I was not really feeling too much here. 6/10

NEW SLAVES- A super-minimalistic beat starts this off, with Kanye spitting some passionate lyrics on racism and sounding really good. After the beat drops Kanye comes back in on the hook, then just gets to the spitting. He raps with ease here, dropping some awesome quotables and shouting them with anger near the end. it sounds awesome. The slow part at the end is an odd change of pace, but I actually loved it. 9/10

HOLD MY LIQUOR- I was not too into this beat, it was weirdly quiet. Justin Vernon sounded really good singing on this song, but then Chief Keef comes in, which did not sound great, to say the least. Kanye did not sounds too energized on his verses either, even though he had some nice lines. This song just never really went anywhere for me. 7/10

I'M IN IT-  This beat hits very hard. Kanye had some more trashy lyrics and even a Lil Wayne-level punchline here, but this track was just too cool. The Jamaican vocal was awesome, and this beat drop sounded sick. Kanye then finishes it with a pretty good verse. 8.5/10

BLOOD ON THE LEAVES- Kanye returns to the auto-tune here, but it works on this song. The sample is very cool, but Kanye's lyrics weren't too strong. The beat drop was just epic, where the song just got awesome. Kanye sounds really passionate singing this, and the whole experiment comes together well on this track. It does get obnoxious near the end, and this song ends up dragging on a little too long. 8/10

GUILT TRIP (FEAT. KID CUDI)- More auto-tune here, and i was not feeling it. The sample was so sick, though. Kanye sounds pretty good here, but I didn't like Kid Cudi. This track did not do too much for me. Also, more lame Kanye lyrics. 7/10

SEND IT UP (FEAT. KING L)- This beat is so awesome. I was really feeling it, especially when King L hopped in. His super-understated voice came off great here, and the hook is catchy as well. I was not feeling Kanye as much, but overall, the beat alone makes this a standout. 9/10

BOUND 2- This track was a huge change from the 9 songs that preceded it, and it instantly sounded like some old-school Kanye West. Kanye actually puts together some good lyricism on this and it all ends up sounding really good. A proper way to finish this off, definitely. 8.5/10

YEEZUS WRAP UP
+super creative and different production
+some very cool samples
+Kanye is still evolving making different music with each album
+King L's verse is just so dope
-Kanye's lyrics are terrible, for the most part
-Some songs sounded messy and rushed

Best: Black Skkkn Hkkkd, New Slaves, Send It Up

Worst: I Am a God

Kanye West- Yeezus
8.3/10