Kanye West "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy"

[DJ Ice]

Stupid one I downloaded is the clean version. Monster sounds terrible. But I have it on my computer anyway

[TCO]

I downloaded the clean version and I think the chourus of Monster actually flows better without the "mutha fuckin" part. The rest though I could do without the censoring. Gonna buy the explicit version when I get a chance anyway.

[DJ Ice]

The chorus sounds pretty stupid I thought. "Everybody knows ama ama ama ama ama Monster" (Deep voice part)

[Guest viperlike]

"All of the Lights" is fast becoming noe of my favourite Kanye songs. The whole album from start to finish is pretty much a masterpiece.

[caucasianheat]

And Gorgeous is a fucking awesome track. Especially digging the whole "I treat the cash like the government treats AIDs/I won't be satisfied til all my niggas get it, get it?" part

Raekwon smokes his verse as well, I think Gorgeous is my favourite cut on the record by a pretty gaping margin.

10.0 from p4k is hilarious and I love that the review has retconned the universally panned 808's as a necessary step rather than a falling-off point (I don't really know that it's either). I can list a handful of albums I liked from this year much more than I've been into this record so far, and on 12/14(?) when Apollo Kids drops, there might not be a case for Fantasy even as best hip hop record of 2010.

[RPS]

And Gorgeous is a fucking awesome track. Especially digging the whole "I treat the cash like the government treats AIDs/I won't be satisfied til all my niggas get it, get it?" part

10.0 from p4k is hilarious and I love that the review has retconned the universally panned 808's as a necessary step rather than a falling-off point (I don't really know that it's either). I can list a handful of albums I liked from this year much more than I've been into this record so far, and on 12/14(?) when Apollo Kids drops, there might not be a case for Fantasy even as best hip hop record of 2010.

I think 808's was shit on when it first came out, but I think people let it sit and have grown to like the album. It appeared on quite of few year end lists and decade end list. I know I personally loved the album when it came out and have only grown to like it more and more.

[Crowe]

I am downloading and will listen to it today and give my review. I do think it will be tough to beat Dropout as I think that is one of the best rap cd's to come out in a long time before it's release. I am an Eminem fan, but also a big Kanye fan. So I am very much looking forward to this.

[MalaCloudy Black]

I like a couple tracks off 808s, but it still hasn't warmed on me..

EDIT: Also I dunno about Apollo Kids, c-heat. I haven't been feeling Ghost since Fishscale.

Edited December 2, 2010 by Cloudy Upchuck Ruttheimer

[GoGo Yubari]

And Gorgeous is a fucking awesome track. Especially digging the whole "I treat the cash like the government treats AIDs/I won't be satisfied til all my niggas get it, get it?" part

Raekwon smokes his verse as well, I think Gorgeous is my favourite cut on the record by a pretty gaping margin.

10.0 from p4k is hilarious and I love that the review has retconned the universally panned 808's as a necessary step rather than a falling-off point (I don't really know that it's either).

Pitchfork actually liked 808s. Either on its own merits or because they wanted to be contrary or who knows what, but it got a 7.8.

I really like this album but it's still only good enough for third best of 2010 for me (enjoyed Gorillaz and Janelle Monae's albums decidedly more), and that's without me having heard The Lady Killer yet.

[caucasianheat]

808's didn't grab me with anything like West's other albums always have (besides Heartless, which was more a situational thing ), but I give it more credit than it initially got. I'm glad people are going back to revalue it because it's not the middling flop that a lot of people pegged it as on release.

edit: I had to look up the review once I commented on it and in terms of assigning a grade, Pitchfork was gentler than I remember. The review still has some condemnation in it and definitely discusses and validates reasons why people would reject the album. Allmusic is the review that I'm maybe getting crossed up, it's significantly more biting.

EDIT: Also I dunno about Apollo Kids, c-heat. I haven't been feeling Ghost since Fishscale.

As a solo he can be touch and go, I'm pulling for less R&B on Apollo Kids and the lineups seem to suggest it. Ghostdini was mostly rank but I liked Big Doe Rehab quite a bit. Almost everything of his on Chamber Music is stellar and I thought his verses were some of the highlights of Wu-Massacre, which was obviously still quite a disappointment.

I was a little tentative about this record after last year, but I sort of like the leaked single and the guest appearances make a very strong lineup for me. Deck is the notable absentee, but I'm really excited to hear Ghost and Black Thought together and I'm a sucker for mostly any Wu crew track.

[DJ Ice]

So, this or Recovery?

I say there about equal, maybe this gets the edge

[IzzyX]

So, this or Recovery?

I say there about equal, maybe this gets the edge

About equal? No, just no. Recovery was a below average album overall.

[9 to 5]

Not really no, Recovery was a pretty awesome album and a return to form for the best rapper still going.

[Jimmy]

I liked Recovery a lot more, to be honest. I like this album, but, for me, it doesn't quite live up to the hype. Some really good tracks on here, my favourite being Monster, but Recovery had a lot of great singles on.

[IzzyX]

Not really no, Recovery was a pretty awesome album and a return to form for the best rapper still going.

Best rapper still going? I'm sorry, but that is just a stupid comment to make. Eminem hasn't really achieved the 'best rapper' in anything. Sure he's a good rapper or anything, but people blow his rapping out of proportion and make him seem better than he is. He to me isn't all he's hyped up to be. I found Recovery hard to get into because there was a lack of the style that Eminem had become so renowned for using. Spacebound, Love The Way You Lie, W.T.P., 25 to Life, So Bad, You're Never Over and Seduction were all just terrible for me.

But that's just my opinion.

Edited December 2, 2010 by IzzyX

[Jimmy]

Eminem has been, in my opinion, the best rapper for the a seriously long period of time. The Eminem Show is one of the best albums I own. And he made rap acceptable for so many people that wouldn't usually give it a second lesson. I'd bet he's the most popular rapper of the last decade, too.

[9 to 5]

It's a new style sure, but that's what any good musician does. They evolve and grow. As for Kayne, some good stuff but far from great. Just got a big ego and knows how to works to the media.

[9 to 5]

Eminem has been, in my opinion, the best rapper for the a seriously long period of time. The Eminem Show is one of the best albums I own. And he made rap acceptable for so many people that wouldn't usually give it a second lesson. I'd bet he's the most popular rapper of the last decade, too.

Biggest selling artist of 2000-10 I believe, so yeah.

[MalaCloudy Black]

Recovery was okay. My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy is better.

[IzzyX]

It's a new style sure, but that's what any good musician does. They evolve and grow. As for Kayne, some good stuff but far from great. Just got a big ego and knows how to works to the media.

Kanye's album is highly consistent, the production is on point and so are the lyrics, that's why I'm saying it's album of the year. And also, I love it when people say he has a big ego. That may be true...but what rapper doesn't have a BIG EGO? It's a common trait in rappers. I must agree though, he does know how to work the media in various ways. Some of the shit he pulled en-route to the release of 'My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy' was kind of annoying at times.

Eminem has been, in my opinion, the best rapper for the a seriously long period of time.

Personally, I enjoy a lot more rappers than Eminem. Namely Method Man, Redman, Immortal Technique, Jay-Z, Kanye West (obviously), Kool Keith, Lil' Wayne and Lupe Fiasco (who doesn't get enough credit than he should). If I had to pick one for 'best rapper' of today, I'd go for Kanye. I don't have a problem with the opinion of some people saying Eminem is the best rapper ever, but that sort of comment normally comes from people who don't really listen to much rap music and don't even know who the Wu-Tang Clan are. I'm not saying I hate Eminem, I find most of his albums enjoyable, but that's all they are. With the exception of the Eminem Show and Encore (which I admit, both were excellent), they have been nothing but enjoyable/average.

And Cloudy hit the nail on the head.

Edited December 2, 2010 by IzzyX