With the recent release of Kanye West’s The Life of Pablo to other streaming sites besides Tidal, I have decided that it is a good time to post the ramblings I wrote after the initial album drop back in February!

After listening to the album, I came to the conclusion that I had way too many thoughts than I could properly express in a series of 140-character tweets. I’ve combined my initial impressions with some more developed ones to bring you this track-by-track semi-review of TLOP.

 

Ultralight Beam: I had to listen to this song at least six times before I could successfully hold back a flood of my tears. From the gospel choir to the beltings of Kelly Price to Chance the Rapper pretty much claiming his successorship as the leader of Chicago, “Ultralight Beam” is beautiful all the way through. Even Kanye’s baritone is acceptable.

This is a jam that’ll make you pick a bible up in the middle of the club… It’ll make you actually want to answer when Jehovah’s Witnesses ring your doorbell… It’s a track that’ll make Kanye-haters question their purpose.

Kanye is perhaps the only person who can make gospel go mainstream. The SNL performance was very touching. Again, a really good look for Chance.

 

Father Stretch My Hands Pt. 1: If you were put in a cloud of feeling and introspection during “Ultralight Beam”, Kid Cudi bellowing the words “BEAUTIFUL MORNING” abolishes every speck of that emotional condensation. This track is pure sunshine LOL. It is like a swig of freshly squeezed orange juice after a breakfast made by the hands of Heaven’s Gatekeepers.

“I just wanna feel liberated (x2) || If I ever instigated, I’m sorry || Tell me who in here can relate.” – Kanye tugging at my heart strings. Then, he dips back into the savagery talking about bleach and a~~holes — but it works and still makes me feel happy when I hear it.

 

Pt. 2: The transition into Pt.2 is soooo butter. Ye should’ve just left it as one track… but I get it. Separation of ratchet and sophistication.

This “Get Ignant In The Club” anthem is provided by a sample of Desiigner’s “Panda”.

*[Note: The first few times I listened to this album, I couldn’t tell when the next song would start because the transitions are nearly seamless.]

Famous: RIHANNA! Swizz Beats (ehh). Here we have the controversial T-Swift line…

I have believed for many years that Kanye West (read: the VMA incident) catapulted Taylor Swift into the megastar that she is today, so when I first heard this, I was in total agreeance LOL. Although the language used is rather crass, it’s a Kanye record… what did you expect? People, of course, reacted to it – defending Taylor Swift and such – which is cool. That’s exactly why Kanye did it though. I’m pretty sure he enjoys being controversial.

Taylor’s little clapback at the Grammys was cute doe. I didn’t know she had it in her tbh.

The Sister Nancy sample is another metaphorical parting of the clouds. It is sunlight. And Nina Simone?! A-1.

* [Note: Swizz Beats did grow on me here. His adlibs are exciting. He proves to be one of the ultimate hype-men, which I can appreciate.]

 

Feedback: This track is a flashback to Yeezus but with a more bouncy flow from Kanye. I imagine that this is what music will sound like in 100 years. Boops and beeps.

The “Hands Up” and Ghetto Oprah moments… brilliant.

 

Low Lights: Preach. I FEEL IT.

 

Highlights: And then, YOUNG THUG. Are you kidding me!? He seriously sounds angelic… Or maybe like an angel who is a chainsmoker. But I think there is still beauty in that. His tone on this song reminds me of an African spiritual. With auto-tune.

This track is a definite bop equipped with The-Dream riffs, El-Debarge and Kanye rapping about his porn-star ambitions.

Yeezy ice skates over this ice-cream-in-the-summertime ass beat with freshly sharpened blades. Too many quotables. I’d run out of space.

This song mainly makes me want a membership at Equinox.

 

Freestyle 4: Another taste of Yeezus-past. It actually sounds like a leftover from that album. My favorite line is “you mothaf~~kas livin’ like half of ya level || half of ya life”; because in the midst of expressing his carnal thoughts, Kanye still manages to remind us that we should be doing better as humans.

 

I Love Kanye: Ye’s response track to all the haters and shine blockers. Ironically, TLOP is like a compilation of every Kanye album thus far. He’s giving you Old Kanye, New Kanye, Singing Kanye, Rapping Kanye, and even Loving Kanye, a side many may be unfamiliar with. Basically, there’s no reason anyone should be displeased with this all-encompassing project!

 

Waves: Ugh. Chris Brown. #ThankYouChance for this, but I #BlameChance for making me like yet another Bhris Brown song. Not a whole lot going on here besides more heavenly sounds and another brief but much-appreciated appearance from Kid Cudi.

 

FML: This is a blend of 808s and Yeezus. This begins a slightly darker phase of the album.

I love introspective and vulnerable Kanye.

The Weeknd sings the hook. I don’t really feel any kind of way about it. Other people seem to be into it though.

Did the “Indian/Check-A-Hoe” line go over a lot of people’s heads? I thought I’d see a lot more tweets and IG posts quoting that bar.

 

Real Friends: I think mostly any person who has or has had friends can feel this song on a spiritual level. (Not just friends but relationships in general.) Ye is rapping about a lot of topics and issues that are applicable to the lives of “common folk” on this song. Except for paying a cousin $250K for a stolen laptop. I have not and probably will never experience that.

“Real Friends” is like College Dropout, Late Registration, and Dark Twisted Fantasy rolled into one. I fox wit it heavily.

 

Wolves: At this point, I’m realizing how similar the sounds from 808s and Yeezus actually are. Ha. This man is ahead of our time. What a blessing to art and music.

This section includes some of the more tame songs on the album a.k.a. lullabies. I get sleepy around these parts but remain appreciative.

Surprise! FRANK OCEAN – Although soothing and welcomed, I think this feature raised more questions than anything. Lol. People really want that album, my dude.

 

Silver Surfer Intermission: I laughed out loud when I first heard this and could only imagine the look on Wiz Khalifa’s face. ~ WAVY BABY ~

30 Hours: A nostalgic bop to get the listener’s heart rate back up again. This is one of my favorites on the album because it is smoooooth. as. hell. I can just picture myself driving through hillsides across the country with this on repeat. It also gives me 80s John Hughes film soundtrack vibes.

My eyes bugged out when Kanye yelled out “3 Stacks”, and I waited eagerly like many others for Benjamin Andre to spit a few bars. But alas… The subtle Andre 3000 harmony is satisfying enough though. I’ll take what I can get.

And Ye is reminiscent of “Last Call” as he rambles over the beat at the end. Grateful Kanye is quite lovely.

 

No More Parties In LA: Another groove. Kendrick murks. 

 

Facts (Charlie Heat Version): Skip.

 

Fade: 1) Pretty much anything Ty Dolla $ign has touched in the last year has been gold. This is no different.

2) YES millennial-disco vibes!

3) Grand and exciting reference to one of my favorite Aaliyah songs.

---

 

There are too many layers in The Life of Pablo for me to capture its every essence in this write-up, but I just felt like it was necessary to type this fraction of my thoughts out in long form. Lol. The album is quite long for this ADHD era of music, but I will humbly take however much Kanye is willing to give me. It is overwhelming in the best way.

Thoughts? Feelings? Notable bars? Mixtape links? Feel free to leave them in the comments.