It was back in November 2010 that the album was released, and the latest review of ‘My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy’ by Betway Casino shows why this has stood the test of time.
Widely acknowledged as West’s greatest album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (MBDTF), came on the back of what were difficult times for Kayne. Never a stranger to controversy and new music, it was his now-infamous interruption of Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech at the 2009 Video Music Awards (VMAs) that sunk West’s reputation to an all-time low.
Branded by Barack Obama as a “jackass”, West quickly became public enemy number 1. After all, he had just insulted America’s latest sweetheart, and the path to forgiveness was likely to be a long one.
An extended vacation
Following the VMA incident, West self-exiled in Hawaii and avoided the public spotlight. Perhaps a period of self-reflection or maybe a much-needed rest. Whatever West’s reasons, when he returned, he returned stronger than ever.
With tracks such as ‘Monster’, ‘All of the Lights’ and ‘Runaway’, West’s lyrics gave us a glimpse of the man. An insight into his disillusionment with fame, his fall from grace, and perhaps even his vulnerabilities.
A nod to an idol
In both Power and All of the Lights, West tips a nod to Michael Jackson. Having long shown his respect for Jackson and his achievements in music, West seems to mourn his loss with the lyrics, “Something wrong, I hold my head. MJ gone, our nigga dead.”
It is West’s lyrics in Power that seem to show that, like Jackson, West himself finds fame and all of its trappings, difficult to deal with. With almost childlike creative abilities, the music world seeks to rip this away: “My childlike creativity, purity, and honesty is honestly being crowded by these grown-up thoughts. Reality is catching up with me, taking my inner child I’m fighting for custody.”
West’s inner struggles
Given the timing of the MBDTF album and what had come before, it is perhaps understandable and predictable that West may vent some of his struggles in his lyrics.
With So Appalled including the line, “I went from the favourite to most hated, but would you rather be underpaid or overrated?”. Perhaps a reference to his fall from favour following the VMA incident just the year before.
It is in Power that West tells us, “I just needed time alone with my thoughts. Got treasures in my mind, but couldn’t open up my own fault,”
With MBDTF being West’s greatest album, an escape from the media attention back home may well have been what allowed him to tap into the creativity that led to this treasure.
An unapologetic Kayne
For all of West’s inner-reflection, and despite the fact that this album will always be remembered as a classic, anyone expecting this to be an album of remorse and apologies was set to be disappointed.
With Runaway raising a “toast to the douchebags,” it is fair to say that West was never overly-concerned with being liked.
