Yeezus

by Kanye West

Overview

Everyone professionally involved with the creation of Kanye West's sixth solo effort was sworn to secrecy, and with no preorders allowed, plus the news that producer Rick Rubin was still tinkering with tracks seven days prior to the drop, this instant, no-singles, anti-hype album got pre-release hyped on an Olympic scale. Think of the roll-up as a revolutionary blow against the empire or the supernova ego of West in full effect, and while it's probably a little of both, Yeezus the album is a lot of both, with good taste and bad taste both turned up to 11. This aggro-industrial earthquake with booming bass and minimal synths balances groundbreaking hip-hop lyrics ("New Slaves" is a bizarre, layered concept clash where high fashion, slavery, and "I'd rather be a dick than a swallower" all collide) with punkish, irresponsible blast-femy (during the draggy, trap track "I'm in It," West's melodious and melancholy voice shouts its dreams to the multitude, pleading "Your titties, let 'em out, free at last/Thank God almighty, they free at last" as if civil rights and booty calls were equally noble quests), and it all works in an astonishing, compelling manner. It's as if West spent the last year listening exclusively to Death Grips and Chief Keef and all the political, social, and musical contradictions became his muse, inspiring moments like the Keef and Bon Iver meet-up that fuels the mile-high hangover number "Hold My Liquor." "Blood on the Leaves" is recklessly bold as it uses Nina Simone's performance of "Strange Fruit" under its snide tale of ex-girlfriends, groupies, and date rape drugs; then there's the obviously volatile "I Am a God" ("Hurry up with my damn massage!/Hurry up with my damn menage!"), which still outdoes its provocative title with a swelled-head manifesto plus an unexpected, Magic-Mike-meets-Aphex-Twin boom production courtesy of Daft Punk. The closing beauty called "Bound 2" finds veteran singer Charlie Wilson reuniting with that Gap Band bassline but in chilly, new wave surroundings, but the most spellbinding juxtaposition on the album comes on first as claustrophobic electro-clasher "On Sight" offers "Black dick all up in your spouse again/And I know she like chocolate men/Got mo' n*ggas off than Cochran" -- stunning because Kanye is family now with the OJ Simpson trial's "Dream Team," seeing as how he's dating Kim of the Kardashian family and the couple welcomed a child three days before the album's release. Coming from the man who jumped on-stage and grabbed Taylor Swift's VMA award, or called the American President a racist during a nationally televised charity event, this angry, cathartic, and concise album (punkishly running 40 minutes), and its unconventional road to release seems like a personal quest for the next provocative, headline-making, and unforgettable fix. That's an unfathomable thing for most and irritating for many, but it's Kanye's unbelievable reality, so complaining about Yeezus being unrelatable is like complaining the sky is untouchable. At least he has decided to indulge his giant hunger with the help of art, and if anything, this is the moment he becomes a swashbuckling Salvador Dali figure, chopping down all that's conventional with highly imaginative work and crass, attention-grabbing attitude. Unlike Dali's separate delivery of the two, Yeezus is an extravagant stunt with the high-art packed in, offering an eccentric, audacious, and gripping experience that's vital and truly unlike anything else. ~ David Jeffries

Product Details

Release Date:	06/18/2013
Label:	Def Jam
UPC:	0602537432134
Rank:	2869

Tracks

1. On Sight
2. Black Skinhead
3. I Am a God
4. New Slaves
5. Hold My Liquor
6. I'm in It
7. Blood on the Leaves
8. Guilt Trip
9. Send It Up
10. Bound 2

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Kanye West   Primary Artist
Charlie Wilson   Vocals
Frank Ocean   Vocals
Chris "Hitchcock" Chorney   Cello
God   Featured Artist,Featured Artist
Carmen Roman   Choir/Chorus
John Morgan   Choir/Chorus
Chief Keef   Vocals
Natalis Ruby Rubero   Choir/Chorus
Jessenia Pena   Choir/Chorus
Ronnie Artis   Choir/Chorus
Sean Drew   Choir/Chorus
K Nita   Choir/Chorus
Crystal Brun   Choir/Chorus
Lorraine Berry   Choir/Chorus
Matt Teitelman   Percussion
Timeka Lee   Choir/Chorus
Alvin Fields   Choir Director
Ken Lewis   Vocals
Gloria Ryann   Choir/Chorus
Dylan Wissing   Drums
Tammy Infusino   Vocals
Mike Dean   Bass,Guitar
Justin Vernon   Vocals

Technical Credits

Benji B   Additional Production,Music Consultant
Nabil Essemlani   Assembly,Assistant
Matthew Williams   Art Direction,Music Consultant
Meredith Truax   Art Producer
Virgil Abloh   Assistant,Creative Director
Lunice   Producer
Damien Prost   Assistant
Larry Griffin, Jr.   Composer
Ben Bronfman   Composer,Producer
Dupree Kelly   Composer
Delbert Bowers   Mixing Assistant
Evian Christ   Producer
Al'Terik Wardrick   Composer
Christopher Breaux   Composer
Young Chop   Production Consultant
Keith Cozart   Composer
Ross Birchard   Composer
Travis Scott   Programming,Additional Production
Tyree Pittman   Composer
Arca   Additional Production,Production Consultant
Derrick Watkins   Composer
Elon Rutberg   Composer
Josh Leary   Composer
Louis Johnson   Composer
Michael Levy   Composer
Sakiya Sandifer   Composer
Keith Carter   Composer
Christo Homem   Composer
Jeffrey Ethan Campbell   Composer
Carvin Haggins   Composer
Dom Solo   Producer
Marc Portheau   Assistant
Ackeejuice Rockers   Additional Production
Malik Jones   Composer
Jack Donaghue   Additional Production
Joe Perez   Graphic Design
Sham Joseph   Additional Production
Jaco Wasula   Composer
Cydel Young   Composer
Chris Galland   Mixing Assistant
Scott Mescudi   Composer
David Covell   Assistant,Mixing Engineer,Mixing Assistant
Che Pope   A&R,Producer,Programming,Executive Producer,Additional Production,Composer
Brodinski   Producer,Additional Production
Kristen Yiengst   Art Producer
Ken Lewis   Engineer,Sound Creation,Choir Production
Chris Martin   Composer
Che Smith   Composer
Andrew Zaeh   Art Producer
Leesa Brunson   A&R,Coordination
John Stephens   Composer
Ab-Liva   Composer
Bobby Massey   Composer
Anna Adamis   Composer
Justin Saunders   Art Direction
Izvor Zivkovic   Management
Carol Corless   Package Production
Raoul le Pennec   Assistant
Rahul Dev Burman   Composer
Eric Danchick   Additional Production
Gesaffelstein   Producer,Additional Production
Hudson Mohawke   Producer,Programming,Production Consultant
Colin York   Composer
Todd Russell   Art Producer
Lewis Allen   Composer
Brent Kolatalo   Engineer
Terese Joseph   A&R,Administration
Alex Haldi   Art Producer
Josh Smith   Assistant,Mixing Engineer,Mixing Assistant
Tai Linzie   Art Producer
Uri Djemal   Choir Arrangement
Yusef Jones   Composer
Eric Wong   Marketing
Dion Wilson   A&R,Composer
Terrence Thornton   Composer
Alejandra Ghersi   Composer
Brenna Chase   Management
Kyambo Joshua   A&R
Sean Oakley   Assistant,Mixing Engineer,Mixing Assistant
CyHi the Prynce   Composer
Keith Parry   Assistant
Kenta Yonesaka   Assistant
Mark Santagelo   Assistant Mastering Engineer
Tony Williams   Composer
Charlie Wilson   Composer
Chris Gehringer   Mastering
Clifton Bailey   Composer
Carlos Broady   Producer
Carvin "Ransum" Haggins   Composer
Vidal Davis   Composer
Lupe Fiasco   Additional Production
Derek Watkins   Composer
R.D. Burman   Composer
Anand Bakshi   Composer
Ronnie Self   Composer
Marlon Williams   Composer
Rick Rubin   Executive Producer
Kanye West   Composer,Producer,Creative Director,Executive Producer
Mike Dean   Composer,Engineer,Producer,Instrumentation,Additional Production
Mike Levy   Composer
88-Keys   Additional Production
Anthony Kilhoffer   Mixing,Engineer
Dave Rowland   Assistant
Khoi Huynh   Assistant
Moses Davis   Composer
Manny Marroquin   Mixing
Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo   Composer
Noah Goldstein   Mixing,Composer,Engineer,Programming,Associate Producer,Additional Production
Harvel Hart   Composer
Daft Punk   Producer
Norman Whiteside   Composer
Kevin Hansford   Composer
Eric Lynn   Assistant,Mixing Engineer,Mixing Assistant
Ernest Wilson   Composer
Robert Dukes   Composer
Jeffrey Campbell   Composer
Jill Scott   Composer
Justin Vernon   Composer
Thomas Bangalter   Composer
Presser Gabor   Composer
Vlado Meller   Mastering
Andrew Dawson   Engineer
Scott Marcus   A&R,Coordination
Andre Harris   Composer
Sly Dunbar   Composer
Keith Elam   Composer
Kenny Lattimore   Composer