Always a step ahead, West creates music that is something more pop star than hip-hop; meaning West actually creates music and his lyrical prowess and musicality is ever more present on My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy than his past albums. From beginning to end, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy's production is distorted and scattered, possibly a parallel to the way the media portrays the controversial West; however, the album tells a cohesive story about West's passion-and indifference-to what you or anyone else thinks of his life experience. Even more boundary pushing than 2008's 808's and Heartbreak, West takes a page from the jazz genre and uses the voices of an array of A-list vocalists and hip-hop artists as instrumentation to build the sound of the album. While My Beautiful Dark Twisted Dark Fantasy may seem inundated with featured artists (20 plus), West pushes the limits by strategically weaving their idiosyncratic talents throughout his production in a manner that is seamless and distinctive all at once. All Of The Lights features 12 artists from Rihanna to Charlie Wilson in which West uses every different vocal inflection as a loop. Monster even features Rick Ross introducing West as his own present day sample that only highlights the bravado that is missing in hip-hop today. Instead of apologizing for being cocky, West brings out the worst in Jay-Z and (love her or hate her) Nicki Minaj allowing them to literally rip the Kanye's production into pieces. There are more than enough "kiss my ass" punchlines that will be used in West's fans' Twitter bios and Facebook statuses but West is more clever than ever on the tracks Devil In A New Dress (the Lyor Cohen of Dior Homme/that's Dior Homme, not Dior homie), Dark Fantasy (too many Urkels on your team/that's why your wins low), and Gorgeous (I treat the cash like the government treats AIDS/I won't be satisfied til all my niggas get it, get it?). Even where West's double entendres might fly over some of his listeners' heads, West states it plain on Gorgeous (if I ever wasn't the greatest I must have missed it) and So Appalled (the day that you play me/will be the same day MTV play videos/that was a little joke/voila).
With My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy West has stepped lyricism and production up more than a notch and unapologetic in any way. West may be the only hip-hop artist that can say "I don't need your pussy bitch/I'm on my own dick" (on Power) without the cautionary "no homo". Whether he offends or inspires, being able to talk the talk and then walk the walk is always appreciated.
