My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy [Explicit]

Kanye West | Format: MP3 Download

Product Details

• Original Release Date: November 22, 2010
• Release Date: November 22, 2010
• Label: Roc-A-Fella Records
• Copyright: (C) 2010 Roc-A-Fella Records, LLC
• Record Company Required Metadata: Music file contains unique purchase identifier. Learn more.
• Total Length: 1:08:42
• Genres:
• Format: Explicit Lyrics
• ASIN: B004BSIJ9Q
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (255 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #429 Paid in MP3 Albums (See Top 100 Paid in MP3 Albums)
  • #43 in MP3 Downloads > MP3 Albums > Rap & Hip-Hop

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

215 of 248 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Haven't I heard this G.O.O.D. music somewhere before?, November 22, 2010

By 

Akash (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (Audio CD)

Let's get it out of the way up front: If you even tangentially follow the hip hop blogosphere or Twitterverse, you've heard almost all of the substantive tracks on this album (two of the 13 tracks are an interlude and outro). Fully five of the 11 songs were part of Kanye's G.O.O.D. Fridays scheme, another three leaked months ahead of the album's release, and "Dark Fantasy" was included in Kanye's recent short film. But does it matter? Maybe Kanye's done the impossible and crafted an album so good that we'll pay for it even when he gives it away for free.

After listening to the record you'll appreciate how succinctly the album's title summarizes its themes. The record is framed as a fairy tale and the first few lines ("The watered down one, the one you know/ Was made up centuries ago...Twisted fiction, sick addiction/ Gather around children, zip it, listen) almost allude to the gradual censorship of the Brothers Grimm's dark fairytales over the centuries. On My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, Kanye seeks to dismantle the facade of fame and fortune to reveal the twisted debauchery underneath.

Kanye's trademark arrogance is in full force on this album. But this time it's an unapologetic arrogance that's a product of being treated like a god on earth. On "Devil in a New Dress" he rhymes "It's hard to be humble when you're stuntin' on a jumbotron" and on "POWER" "I embody every characteristic of the egotisic, he knows he's so gifted." The occult is another central theme, not only in track titles like "Devil in a New Dress," "Monster" and "Hell of a Life" but in the bars on each record. Kanye offers "We headed to hell, for heaven's sake huh?/ Well I'mma levitate and make the devil wait, yeah."

Perhaps the most personal theme on the album is a feeling of dissatisfaction in the face of so much commercial and critical success. We hear it on "Runaway" ("I always find something wrong/ You've been putting up with me just way too long/I'm so gifted at finding what I don't like the most"). And while Kanye keeps up the pretense of ego (see above) it's clear that the endless criticism has forced chinks in his armor. There are unveiled jabs at both Saturday Night Live and South Park, and bars including "It's not funny anymore, try different jokes," and "I was lookin' at my resume, feelin' real fresh today/ But they rewrite history, I don't believe in yesterday."

In short, the album is brilliant. The rhymes are clever, the music is rich, the emotions are raw and the themes are dark. My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy will be an interesting experiment in an age of dwindling album sales ostensibly due to piracy. If Kanye can move 800,000 units in his first week despite having given the album away, the power of good music will be proven and artists will have no one to blame but themselves.

63 of 83 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars His Best Yet!, November 22, 2010

By 

J. Loudon (Nashville, TN) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (Audio CD)

A solid portion of My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy earned its premiere on YouTube in the form of a half-hour music video for the single "Runaway." Opening the album with the same song as the video, titling it "Dark Fantasy," Kanye gives the first words to a female narrator, a fallen phoenix. With a choir of oohs and aahs in the background, she says "you might think you've peeped the scene. You haven't, the real one's far too mean. The watered down one, the one you know, was made up centuries ago. It made it sound all whack and corny. Yes, it's awful, blasted boring. Twisted fiction, sick addiction, well gather round children, zip it listen!" A grand piano chord quickly follows this short narrative and so begins Kanye's latest epic production.

Kanye is no stranger to grandiose compositions. Even his debut album, The College Dropout, had nearly an hour and twenty minutes of music with standout tracks like "Jesus Walks" paving the way for a new generation of artists. However, never before has Kanye blended so many genres of music together or taken so many musical chances on one record. Even a simple glimpse at the guest list is enough to make the heads of fans spin. Elton John, Chris Rock, Rihanna, Fergie, John Legend, Kid Cudi, Rick Ross and Jay-Z all on the same album? Bon Iver on a hip hop record? If there was ever any question as to how this could all work, a single listen to My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy is all the proof you'll need.

Although the entire album has an unquestionable flow that keeps every song fresh and intriguing, there are two tracks on My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy that truly capture what Kanye West has built his career up to. The first is "All of the Lights." Complete with its own cello and piano interlude, "All of the Lights" throws an entire brass section into the mix and allows Rihanna as many if not more of the featured vocals in the song. Although strings and brass have all been used within the realm of hip hop before, the stylistic blend between classical, fanfare, and club worthy beats in less than a minute feels natural and effortless on "All of the Lights." The second feature track is, appropriately, the lead single "Runaway." Opening with a minimalist piano part similar to the end of Nine Inch Nails' "Closer," Kanye takes the listener on a six minute journey with some astute lyrics of self-reflection. As the beat abruptly ends and leaves the piano on its own once again, one may think the track has finished, but an additional 3 minutes of deep staccato strings behind a vocoder solo offer proof of Kanye's desire to push the boundaries of acceptable singles in today's pop culture.

Kanye West is not perfect. You know it, he knows it, and we all know the media exploits his imperfections to no end. Sure, he made a fool of himself on stage when he stole the spotlight from Taylor Swift at the VMAs. Yep, he sent a racy photo of himself to a woman that ended up on the internet. OK, his last album, 808s & Heartbreak, put a few nails in Auto-Tune's coffin, but like him or not, he's a visionary and a musical mastermind. With three phenomenal albums, The College Dropout, Late Registration, and Graduation, already under his belt, Kanye West enters his second decade of musical production with his best solo release yet. My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy has once again upped the standards of rap that he himself set.

Similar Artists: Jay-Z, Dr. Dre
Track Suggestion: "All of the Lights"

121 of 169 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Too Many Urkels, November 23, 2010

By 

s.t. (Philadelphia) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy [Explicit] (MP3 Download)

Kanye has stated that he wants to be the new King of Pop, and "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" sounds like an obvious claim for this title. His legion of loyal followers are of course claiming it to be a masterpiece. But what about those of us who aren't yet convinced of his genius?

Here's my take, from someone who likes hip hop, but admittedly thinks Kanye has always been overrated.
More than anything, this album sounds Big. Reminiscent of the production from his first three albums (heavy on samples, especially 70's soul), but piling on the grandiosity with dense soundscapes of strings, choirs and whatever else he can cram into your speakers.

To me, this is like the rap equivalent of big budget arena rock. Think Queen, ELO, Styx, and Yes. Think "Use Your Illusion" by Guns N' Roses. The kind of music that wants its listeners to bow down and worship its creator.

Hey, sometimes that kind of stuff has its place. Queen has a slew of great singles under their belt, and "Twisted Fantasy" has some nice moments as well, like "All of the Lights," and the low-key "Lost in the World." But, mostly, this reaching-for-the-stars bombast is exhausting. Less is often more, you know. For instance, proto-rapping legend Gil Scott-Heron, sampled extensively here, did his most brilliant work with only some drums, a flute, and his electrifying words.

How do Kanye's words fare, by the way? Well, I've always maintained that folks who paint him as a lyrical genius have been selectively ignoring some really embarrassing lines, like "Feeling like Katrina with no FEMA/ Like Martin with no Gina." If anything, he's inconsistent, and this album's lyrics are no exception. For every clever line ("What's a black Beatle anyway, a f***in roach?") there's something like "Too many Urkels on your team, that's why your Winslow," a pun that would ruin any rookie MC's career.

If Kanye wants to be the King of Pop like Michael was, he should know that this one ain't his Thriller. With Thriller, MJ made sounds that were risky and innovative, yet appealed to countless demographics. It was effortless in its appeal; anyone with eyes and ears was welcome to enjoy it. In contrast, "Twisted Fantasy" is an album that shouts for your attention, and demands your concentration, not to mention your sympathy for the trials of our poor Important Superstar. It's closer to Michael's later album "His Story," which was an overwrought pop package designed to profit from a pre-established assumption of the Artist's Greatness. That album was a little much, but at least it came well after MJ had earned his title as King.

To Kanye, I recommend that he scale back his ambitions a bit, stop trying to be The Biggest Man in the World, and just try to make music that is authentically expressive of emotions felt by us regular people. Your faithful followers will worship you no matter what you put out, so you may as well try something new to get the rest of us into your camp.

To Kanye fans, what I say means little to you, I'm sure. These are just my humble opinions, and you're welcome to ignore them.

But to people who are similarly disappointed with this album and all the hype surrounding Kanye, definitely check out Big Boi's "Sir Lucious Left Foot" for a taste of Ambition done right. Not to mention Janelle Monae's "ArchAndroid," which does require some patience to get into, but more than pays off with intelligence and emotional depth that reflects a concern for a world far beyond Kanye's isolated bubble of experience. These are my nominees for King (or Queen) of Pop.

But what's a black Beatle anyway? As Janelle and Big Boi demonstrate, it's someone who makes challenging ideas seem simple and appealing.

Kanye? Maybe he's the black Axl Rose...