Noisey Bompton Examines Compton In “Growing Up Kendrick Lamar”

Growing up in Compton, CA Kendrick Lamar was raised in the homeland of acts like Dr. Dre, Eazy E and others where it was impossible not to be inspired by their legacies or gangsta rap. In this Noisey piece called “Noisey Bompton” we get an introspective look at the high school and community where Kendrick Lamar and the friends grew up on the West Side of Compton.

Noisey Bompton is a new documentary made by the people who brought you Noisey Atlanta and Noisey Chiraq. It’s the first episode in an eight part series, NOISEY, on VICE’s upcoming TV network VICELAND. Each episode focuses on a different city, its major stars, and the stories and issues that influence its music scene.

Check it out below! In the piece you really see how tough it was for Kendrick fight the norms and remain true to his goals and dreams.

Snoop Dogg & Ice Cube Weren’t Fans Of The Grammys

Photos via Snoop Dogg & Ice Cube’s Instagram

While the Hip Hop community could agree on being excited for Kendrick Lamar and his eleven Grammy nominations, most weren’t here for the show as a whole. Many weren’t even in attendance. Snoop Dogg posted a video saying,

“I got seats to the Grammys, but f*ck that. I sitting in my m-f*cking house watching this sh*t.”

He also posted another post with the caption,

“No need to blow smoke up my _ _ _ I’d rather blow some real smoke with my loved ones and count the 17xs I been invited with the same results. Shout out to my family that getting it in winning hosting and just showing up for the cause enjoy the festivities my green room open all night not like there’s.”

Ice Cube wasn’t here for the award show either. After presenting Kendrick Lamar with the award for for Best Rap Album, Ice Cube quickly bounced. Cube said,

“If any of y’all thought I was going to stay through that whole three hour bullsh*t, you out your batty a** mind. I’m back in the car, b*tch.”

Although the Grammy awards is the biggest night in music, many in the Hip Hop & R&B genres feel that the show is incredibly boring, and it lacks true representation for either genre. How did you feel about the show? Were you entertained?

‘Murder Rap’ Director To Hip-Hop: I Spent Countless Hours Fact-Checking

With the recent news of the upcoming documentary, Murder Rap: Inside the Biggie and Tupac Murders, much suspicion has been hurled towards Diddy. Retired Los Angeles detective, Greg Kading, alleges that the successful entertainment mogul is responsible for putting a hit out on Tupac Shakur.

According to Kading, ‘Pac’s murder directly lead to the subsequent murder of The Notorious B.I.G. Having the courage to tackle such a project, the film’s director, Mike Dorsey, relied heavily upon his amassed legal team, countless hours of editing, and fact-checking to prevent any future lawsuits, this confirmed by SOHH

[ALSO READ: Diddy Stands Accused Of Paying To Have Tupac Murdered!?!]

Moving the project from a lofty idea to a tangible reality was a time-intensive endeavor. “For one, just on my own, I had to go through a lot of these documents to censor out certain names and personal information because some of these people were confidential informants,” revealed Dorsey. He proactively worked to ensure that no sensitive information was leaked to the public.

Through his diligent actions, Mike worked to try and guarantee that the associated individuals were properly protected.  He also employed legal maneuvers to help safeguard against future lawsuits. “Then on the legal side, I had a huge law firm in Beverly Hills that specializes in documentaries and in clearing them and we spent months and months, even after the film was edited, going through it,” he then stated.

After researching about  “400 instances” this provocative documentary was legally cleared for release. “I know that [former LAPD detective] Greg Kading, the detective that wrote the book [on these murders], also had to go through the same stuff when he wrote his book just to make sure he wasn’t setting himself up for a potential lawsuit,” Dorsey declared.

“But even then, there’s always going to be a concern because anyone can sue for any reason,” Mike mentioned in a matter-of-fact manner.

To purchase  Murder Rap: Inside the Biggie and Tupac Murders click here.

Should Diddy be concerned?

Lex Luger Claims Azealia Banks Is Broke

Photo via Azealia Banks’ Instagram

Apparently some of these known rappers are still starving artists. It’s hard out here! According to Lex Luger, Azealia Banks offered him $40 for a beat because she’s broke. To make matters worse, Lex tweeted.

“S/o @AzealiaBanks aka Azealia Broke. Tried to cop a beat from me for $40. Does anyone even listen to her?”

Azealia posted the text convo in full. Do you think she is broke or was she just not feeling Lex’s $40K request?

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YFN Lucci Puts Young Thug’s Girlfriend On Blast!

Well it looks like YFN Lucci is taunting Young Thug. He posted alleged text messages from Thug’s fiance Jerrika Karlae to suggest that Jerrika has been cheating with him. He also went as far to post a video of Young Thug’s daughter wishing her a happy birthday to further upset Thugger. Jerrika’s ex-friend even jumped in saying that she “sucked off” a number of men. Young Thug isn’t trying to entertain the beef; he even shouted out YFN on Twitter. Thug has also released a new visual for his song “Worth It” showing him boo’d up with Jerrika. We could definitely see any woman willing to be in a relationship with Young Thug cheating. Many believe that Jerrika gets paid to be Young Thug’s beard. Hmmmmm. This could get ugly between YFK and Thug.

Young Thug

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TDE’s Dave Free Rips Jay Electronica For Kendrick Lamar Diss

Photo Credit: Instagram

(AllHipHop News) Although Jay Rock, is recovering from a motor cycle accident, TDE’s voracious bond remains in tact. It’s no surprise that Dave Free, President of the Top Dawg empire, has taken offense with Jay Electronica’s suggestive sixteen aimed at Kendrick Lamar. Recently, the Good Kid came under fire when the N.O. lyricist dropped his track, “#TBE The Curse Of Mayweather”

[ALSO READ: Jay Electronica Takes It To Kendrick Lamar, 50 Cent]

After celebrating K. Dot’s Grammy wins DE used his official Twitter account to address the antagonistic artist. “Damn you still mad about control” he inquired of the “So What You Sayin” spitter. The precisely used hashtags of “sad man” and “desperate housewives” were then used to eloquently dismiss Jay Electronica.

Here are Dave’s replies to the Kendrick Lamar diss track.

https://twitter.com/miyatola/status/699371913416577025

https://twitter.com/miyatola/status/699376583929262080

Is Jay Electronic mentioning Kendrick a mere ploy for publicity?

They’re Back: 2 Chainz & Lil Wayne Debut New Song (VIDEO)

Photo Credit: YouTube

(AllHipHop News) 2 Chainz has an insatiable work-ethic. Recently, Mr. 4 Bracelets dropped his mixtape, Felt Like Cappin. In addition to that, he is currently on the road with his, Watch Out tour.

Regardless of what the cool kids do, last night (Feb. 15), 2 Chainz was joined by Lil Wayne, and they visited NBC’s The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. The Hair Weave Killer and Weezy debuted the new track, “Rolls Royce Weather Everyday.”

[ALSO READ: 2 Chainz: C-Murder’s Diss Was A “Misunderstanding”]

It will be available on their upcoming LP, Collegrove.  Even though Lil Wayne may be battling money woes, more cash is certainly on the way. The “Duffle Bag Boy” duo have yet to confirm an official date for the album’s release. Until then, enjoy a sample of what is to come.

“Rolls Royce Weather Everyday”

T.I. Returns With New Single “Money Talk”

With The Grammy’s taking place last night, the day after is always an exciting time. You never know what songs could potentially drop, and T.I. looks to be ahead of the curve. He releases C4 and Kip produced “Money Talk” with Shade 45’s DJ Whoo Kid and Hustle Gang’s DJ MLK, which is a super smooth sound reminiscent of his earlier work.  No word on when the album is releasing, but definitely stay tuned!

Listen below.

YFN Lucci Releases “Wish Me Well 2: Unstoppable” Mixtape: Appearances From Migos, Plies, Rich Homie Quan & More

Last week Think It’s A Game Records’ YFN Lucci released a Migos and Trouble-assisted hustler’s anthem titled “Key To The Streets.” Making sure there’s no lull in momentum, Lucci turns right back around to serve up his highly-anticipated 18-track project Wish Me Well 2: Unstoppable. Serving as a follow up to his 2015 release Wish Me Well, YFN Lucci not only shows tremendous growth, but he conveys tremendous promise as he propels himself to become one of the prominent faces at the forefront of the Atlanta music scene in 2016.

Wish Me Well 2: Unstoppable comes loaded with features and production from the likes of Rich Homie Quan, Migos, Plies, Young Scooter, Trouble, OG Parker, TM88, and more.

Listen below.

When it Hurts So Bad: Here’s Why Lauryn Hill Missed Weeknd Grammy-Duet

Photo Credit: Instagram

(AllHipHop News) An anticipating public did not get to see Lauryn Hill perform at the 58th annual Grammy Awards. Before the show, a captivating Instagram post piqued her supporter’s interest. Conflicting reports have been circulating concerning the Golden Era giant’s appearance.

Following the anxious chatter, Lauryn’s camp has addressed the issue of her  debated performance.  Reps from Ms. Hill’s camp have vowed that she was not on the show’s official lineup. Neil Portnow, The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences president, has verified why Lauryn Hill missed the “surprise” Grammy performance with The Weeknd.

[ALSO READ: Rap Tastemakers Celebrate Lauryn Hill’s Impact: “She’s The Greatest Female Hip-Hop Artist!”]

The Canadian crooner is said to have personally invited L-Boogie to perform with him. On Sunday morning (Feb. 14), everything went smoothly when the “Ready Or Not” MC attended the dress rehearsal, this according to Vulture.

Due to the fact that Ms. Lauryn Hill “did not show up on time,” she was unable to showcase “In the Night” with the Weeknd. Portnow substantiated that the Weekend patiently waited for the legendary lyricist.  He was “ready for her up until the moment” he took the stage.

Review the IG post:

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Ms. Lauryn Hill’s camp has yet to respond to this latest development.

‘Underground’ Star Jurnee Smollett-Bell Discusses The Show’s Spirit Of Revolution During Atlanta Screening (PHOTOS)

(AllHipHop News) On Friday afternoon, members of the Clark Atlanta University student body and faculty packed into the Bishop Cornelius L. Henderson student center to experience the powerful new WGN America television series Underground. The Georgia HBCU hosted a private screening of the show centered around a group of slaves on a mission to achieve freedom, and cast member Jurnee Smollett-Bell was on hand to answer questions about the historical drama.

[ALSO READ: Double Trailers For John Legend Produced TV Series ‘Underground’ Released (VIDEO)]

“The story of the Underground Railroad is a story we hadn’t heard yet. The Underground Railroad was the first integrated civil rights movement in our nation,” Smollett-Bell told the crowd. “It was one of the first times we really rebelled. I wanted to see that story. I wanted to explore us being revolutionaries. I wanted to explore us revolting and fighting back.”

The first episode of Underground moves at a brisk pace, almost as if to force the viewer to empathize with the anxiety of the characters’ innate need to break free from the bondage that has defined their entire lives. Director Anthony Hemingway (TremeShameless) sets the tone from the initial moments of screen time, and “The Macon 7” serves as a masterful opener for the series.

Throughout the screening, the audience in the Henderson multi-purpose room went from gasping over acts of brutality to laughing at passive-aggressive conversations to applauding the will of the enslaved people to claim their humanity. Underground is a story about slavery that does not focus merely on the repressive culture of plantation life. It is inherently about recognizing the strength within us all to conquer both external and internal obstacles that attempt to hold us back from reaching whatever goal we set to achieve.

“That spirit of fighting back was not invented recently. We come from that,” said Smollett-Bell. “It’s a powerful image to see the odds that they were up against, and to see them overcome that, to see the testament of human will, to see the fact that we come from kings and queens – we are able to overcome anything. We’re survivors.”

Underground is being executive produced by Grammy-winning singer John Legend. The show was created by Misha Green and Joe Pokaski. Besides Smollett-Bell, the cast also features Aldis Hodge, Christopher Melon, Alano Miller, ‎Jessica de Gouw, Renwick Scott, Marc Blucas, ‎Adina Porter, and Mykelti Williamson.  

Underground is scheduled to premiere Wednesday, March 9 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on WGN America.

[ALSO READ: John Legend & Raphael Saadiq Appear In Behind-The-Scenes Music Featurette For ‘Underground’ TV Series]

Check out photos from the Underground screening at Clark Atlanta University in the gallery below.

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Photos via THAurban

Social Media Slander 2.0: Game Threatens Young Thug, AGAIN!

Photo Credit: Instagram

Game may have worked to reignite his wifi war of words, with his social media nemesis, Young Thug. Recently, The Documentary 2 MC posted a photograph of a cuddly bear to his Instagram. That sweet picture provoked an IG user to accost the Left Coast lyricist.

[ALSO READ: The Game Comments On Beef With Young Thug, Addresses 50 Cent & Chris Brown (VIDEO)]

“U gonna need a Ted when the Thugger catch yo ass,” wrote a sarcastic stan. Automatically asserting his ego, Game then responded with, “You must be joking…I will beat the Victoria secreat out that boy/girl.”

After threatening to engage in fisticuffs with Thugger, Game has since deleted that momentary message.

Check out the provocative post:

game ss

Is there a difference between being passionate and being emotional?

FRESH HEAT: DopeByAccident Heats Up The Scene In “Sense City” Video

Saying that Memphis’s own DopeByAccident is beyond dope would be an understatement. The rising singer-songwriter’s style and sound is classic and timeless as the eras before with a new fresh edge. DopeByAccident, has already worked with some of today’s biggest stars such as Monica, Chris Brown, and Timbaland. She is now looking to break out in 2016. She recently released the visual to accompany her latest single, “Sense City.” The video takes viewers to the streets of Atlanta, as she mobs with her crew in a number of well-shot scenes.

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“DopeByAccident represents the voice and wave of the fresh and the new, she’s only just beginning,” DJ Sense said of her potential.

DopeByAccident continues to showcase her versatility between Rap and R&B in a smooth and concise manner that still keeps fans guessing. In addition to penning hit bangers for Monica and Chris Brown, she’s worked with major producers such as Polow Da Don and Danja which further proves that big things are on the horizon. With her debut project on the way and performances on some pretty big stages, DopeByAccident plans to set 2016 ablaze. “Sense City” has been heating up the club scene with major cosigns from Don Cannon and more. Check out her new video for “Sense City” below!.

Charlamagne Tha God Debates Tomi Lahren On Beyonce, The Black Panthers & Jay Z (VIDEO)

(AllHipHop News) TheBlaze television personality Tomi Lahren caught significant backlash for her comments about Beyoncé’s homage to the Black Panther Party during her 2016 Superbowl performance. Lahren’s Final Thoughts segment included the 23-year-old conservative commentator blasting Bey’s husband Jay Z for being a former drug dealer and referring to the Black Panthers as a group that used violence to “overthrow white domination.”

[ALSO READ: Jay Z Responds To Tomi Lahren’s “Drug Dealer” Comments]

One of the critics of Lahren’s statements was Charlamagne Tha God. The Breakfast Club co-host gave Lahren “Donkey of the Day” for having a problem with Beyoncé’s message against police brutality. Lahren invited Charlamagne to her show to discuss Bey’s “Formation” video, the Black Panthers, and the Black Lives Matter movement.

“For [Beyoncé] to have a video where she specifically said ‘stop shooting us.’ I don’t see how anybody could have a problem with that,” said Charlamagne. “If you have a problem with Beyoncé saying ‘stop shooting us’ then that means you must agree with them shooting us.”

He added, “I think you’re very misinformed about the Black Panthers as well. They were founded by Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale. Huey P. Newton had a PhD from the University of California. Bobby Seale studied engineering and politics in college. [The Black Panthers] were created to resist police brutality and the killing of blacks. They used violence if necessary.”

Charlamagne also pointed out that the BPP was also responsible for instituting social programs such as free breakfast for children and they worked to implement a Ten-Point program for earning freedom for the black community. In addition, the conversation featured CTG acknowledging Jay Z as an example of an African American man that overcame poverty and criminality to be able to employ and inspire other African Americans to follow his lead into legal business.

[ALSO READ: PBS To Air Documentary About The Black Panthers On ‘Independent Lens’]

Watch “Tomi Lahren vs Charlamagne Tha God” below.

Tory Lanez On Drake’s “Summer Sixteen” Diss: “I Understand I’m A Threat Musically” (VIDEO)

(AllHipHop News) Tory Lanez was once again asked about Drake’s recent subliminal shot directed at him. This time the “Say It” performer touched on the topic of the fellow Toronto native’s “Summer Sixteen” lyrics during a sit down with Power 106.

[ALSO READ: Tory Lanez Appears To Respond To Drake’s Diss On “Summer Sixteen”]

“I don’t know what that man has against me. I don’t got nothing against him. It’s all happy and positive on my side,” stated Lanez. “I’m finally in a place to feed my family, and I just don’t understand why anybody would want to take that away from me.”

He added, “I understand that I’m a threat musically, but it is what it is. Much blessings to that man.”

Tory’s response has seemed to change over the last few weeks. Not long after the release of “Summer Sixteen” in January, Lanez posted a tweet that simply read, “L.

The tweet came off as a statement that Drake lost the latest round of respective diss tracks with Tory’s longtime collaborator Meek Mill. The MMG rapper dropped his direct response “War Pain” mere minutes after “Summer Sixteen” hit the internet.

Besides lines aimed at Meek, Drake also used “Summer Sixteen” to recite, “All you boys in the new Toronto want to be me a little.” Tory has a mixtape titled The New Toronto which arrived in 2015.

Earlier that year, Lanez also appeared to fire a subliminal shot at Drake during a freestyle on Sway In The Morning. The lines “I know these n*ggas about to act scary. T.O. n*gga, only spitting without the Blackberry” was interpreted to be a disrespectful reference to Drake infamously reading lyrics off his cell phone during an on-air performance in 2009.

[ALSO READ: Toronto Rapper Tory Lanez Throws A Shot At Drake (VIDEO)]

Watch Tory Lanez’s interview below.

Kanye West Blasts “White Publications”, Says ‘TLOP’ Will Never Be For Sale

(AllHipHop News) After firing off about damn near everything over the last few weeks, Kanye West has now turned his attention to “white publications.” Kanye sent out a series of tweets yesterday (February 15) directed at several outlets including Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, and the New York Times.

[ALSO READ: Kanye West Sides With Bill Cosby Saying He’s Innocent]

The Chicago performer seemed to take issue with those publications for commenting about his latest work The Life Of Pablo. In one tweet Kanye wrote, “Please don’t comment on black music anymore.” He on went to add that he loves white people, but he doesn’t believe they understand the struggle it took for African Americans to progress after the institution of slavery.

The response to Pitchfork and the New York Times are somewhat surprising, considering both sites gave TLOP favorable reviews. Pitchfork rated the album 9/10, and the review from the Times stated Kanye has “perfected the art of aesthetic and intellectual bricolage.”

West’s tweets also caught some push back from Hip Hop media figures on Twitter. Alvin Aqua Blanco of Hip Hop Wired posted a tweet that called out Kanye for giving those same media outlets he complained about interviews rather than connecting with Hip Hop centered publications. Blanco’s tweet was retweeted by B. Dot of Rap Radar and garnered a “lol” response from XXL Editor-In-Chief Vanessa Satten.

As far as The Life Of Pablo, fans waiting to download the album on iTunes or pick up a physical copy should not expect either of those options to be available, according to Ye. The G.O.O.D. Music boss also tweeted, “My album will never never never be on Apple. And it will never be for sale… You can only get it on Tidal.”

[ALSO READ: Review: Kanye West’s Latest Album ‘The Life Of Pablo’ Is His Spirit Bomb Of Creativity]

Check out Kanye West’s tweets in the gallery below.

Kendrick Lamar, The Weeknd & D’Angelo Win Multiple Awards At The 2016 Grammys

(AllHipHop News) Kendrick Lamar set a new precedent going into the 58th annual Grammy Awards by earning the most nominations in one night (11) for a rapper in the history of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. At last night’s ceremony in Los Angeles, the Compton emcee walked away with the most wins of the night.

[ALSO READ: Celebrities React To Kendrick Lamar’s Performance At The 2016 Grammys]

By taking home the trophies for Best Rap Performance (“Alright”), Best Rap Song (“Alright”), Best Rap/Sung Collaboration (“These Walls”), and Best Rap Album (To Pimp A Butterfly), Kendrick swept all four of the rap categories. The TDE representative was also honored for Best Music Video as a featured artist on Taylor Swift’s “Bad Blood,” bringing his total to 5.

“This for Hip Hop,” said Kendrick during his acceptance speech after winning Best Rap Album. “This for Snoop Dogg, Doggystyle. This for Illmatic. This for Nas. We will live forever, believe that.”

The Weeknd and D’Angelo also had a big night at the Grammys. The Weeknd won Best R&B Performance (“Earned It”) and Best Urban Contemporary Album (Beauty Behind The Madness). D’Angelo won Best R&B Song (“Really Love”) and Best R&B Album (Black Messiah).

Common and John Legend won the award for Best Song Written For Visual Media for “Glory” off the Selma soundtrack. The “Big Three” categories were split between Taylor Swift for Album Of The Year (1989), Mark Ronson & Bruno Mars for Record Of The Year (“Uptown Funk”), and Ed Sheeran for Song Of The Year (“Thinking Out Loud”).

[ALSO READ: Taylor Swift Responds To Kanye West’s “I Made Her Famous” Remark During Grammy Speech (VIDEO)]

Watch Kendrick Lamar’s acceptance speech below.

Taylor Swift Responds To Kanye West’s “I Made Her Famous” Remark During Grammy Speech (VIDEO)

(AllHipHop News) It looks like Kanye West reignited his issues with Taylor Swift. The G.O.O.D. Music leader found himself in another media firestorm when he premiered his latest album The Life Of Pablo. The TLOP song “Famous” includes Ye rapping, “I feel like me and Taylor might still have sex. Why? I made that b*tch famous.”

[ALSO READ: Kanye West Responds To Reports He Dissed Taylor Swift On ‘T.L.O.P.’]

Kanye later sent out a series of tweets where he stated he did not intentionally diss the Pop superstar. The Chicago rapper/producer even claimed he spoke with Swift about the song and she gave her blessings for the lines.

A representative for Swift has since stated the conversation between the two stars did not include the 1989 singer okaying Kanye’s lyrics about her. During her acceptance speech at the 58th annual Grammy Awards, Swift subtly responded to Ye’s “I made that b*tch famous” remark.

“I want to say to all the young women out there, there are going to be people along the way who will try to undercut your success or take credit for your accomplishments or your fame,” said Swift. “But if you just focus on the work and don’t let those people sidetrack you, someday when you get where you’re going, you’ll look around and you will know it was you and the people who love you who put you there.”

The entire ordeal stems from Kanye’s infamous interruption of Swift’s acceptance speech at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards. Taylor had just won the Best Female Video VMA for “You Belong With Me” off her 2008 sophomore LP Fearless. She was also nominated for Best New Artist at the ’08 Grammys but lost to Amy Winehouse.

Fearless sold over 592,000 copies in its first week of release. Swift’s next release, Speak Now, opened with 1,047,000 copies in 2010. Every Swift album since has sold over 1 million copies in its initial week.

[ALSO READ: Taylor Swift’s Brother Isn’t Here For Kanye’s Lyrics!]

Watch Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech below.

Celebrities React To Kendrick Lamar’s Performance At The 2016 Grammys

(AllHipHop News) Kendrick Lamar literally set the stage on fire at the 58th annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles. The To Pimp A Butterfly album creator ran through a medley of his recent tracks “The Blacker The Berry” and “Alright” while transitioning between a prison set and a scene featuring African dancers. The performance ended with K. Dot standing in front of a giant map of Africa covered with the word “Compton.”

Many of the Grammy viewers offered their thoughts on the California native’s artistic vision on social media. Some of those people included numerous celebrities. Check out what some of the famous folk had to say about Kendrick Lamar’s show-stealing moment at the Grammys after watching the full performance below.

Review: Kanye West’s Latest Album ‘The Life Of Pablo’ Is His Spirit Bomb Of Creativity

Finally, though it is still exclusively for Tidal streaming, Kanye West’s highly anticipated album The Life Of Pablo is available for all of our ears.  The album marks almost three years since Kanye released his last and possibly most angry project Yeezus, But, those three years have become a critical transitional period for the superstar from Chicago, including West’s prolific sneaker deal with Adidas and continuous journey to become a better artist and individual. For over a month, the world patiently waited for Ye to release his anticipated project, while also managing to continuously make national news for many reasons from Twitter beefs and outrageous Yeezy-like comments to a very inconsistent release of TLOP. However, Kanye’s new LP is a recollection of Kanye’s personal growth, featuring many musical icons to creatively (and sometimes directly) illustrate the rapper’s journey so far. By bringing in so many artists, producers, composures, and engineers to all contribute to his album, Kanye’s The Life Of Pablo is a project filled with the energy and hard work and creativity of many parties included.  

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The production for The Life of Pablo is top notch. West has managed to bring the best in the industry to produce and compose his creative “masterpiece.” The list includes a broad range of  producers from seasoned veterans like Swizz Beatz, Madlib, Rick Rubin, and Mike Dean, to modern stars like Metro Boomin and Hudson Mohawke. The enormous crowd of producers on The Life Of Pablo establishes a diverse array of sounds that might seem a bit intimidating at first, but it seems to fit Kanye. It is very evident that the rapper has taken his sound to south with songs like “Father Stretch My Hands Pt. 2” and “Facts,” but the rapper also creates a spectrum between from where he is going to his beginnings. It’s like all of his albums played a spiritual role behind The Life Of Pablo. Tracks like “Feedback” and “Freestyle 4” is for those who were feeling Yeezus and My Dark Twisted Fantasy while “No More Parties in LA” and “Highlights” is spiritual successors to sounds established by Late Registration and College Dropout.

Kanye’s lyrical composition  in The Life Of Pablo, it’s sometimes sporadic but very balanced. Like his production, West didn’t hesitate to provide solid lyrics and impressive flows to balance out with the bangers present on the album. However, this is Kanye, so when you’re listening, you’re getting his perspective of life through his lyrics (ego included). This includes Ye’s intense sexual relationship with Kim Kardashian, his last chick Amber Rose, and Ye’s Adidas deal and how its way better than Nike. This actually got him in trouble earlier this weekend, with the song “Famous” containing misogynistic lyrics about Taylor Swift.  Kanye is not afraid to make fun of himself sometimes, making the song “I Love Kanye” to illustrate the constant criticism that he receives for his statements and actions.

Aside from Kanye’s own lyrical content, the rapper has a ton of iconic artists to provide support. Chris Brown, Travi$ Scott, Ty Dolla $ign, Kid Cudi, Post Malone, The Dream, Chance The Rapper, Rihanna, you name the person, he probably has them featured. The Life Of Pablo is West’s spirit bomb of music. He brought in several artists to, at the very least, provide vocals. As stated before, each artist’s addition to TLOP adds a different characteristic to the track. This includes the album’s first song “Ultralight Beam” which features a full on choir to add an inspirational sound before the madness comes.

In conclusion, with the amount of diversity on the project, The Life Of Pablo is a project that has something for every Kanye fan. Although Ye’s sound is sometimes erratic and his actual lyrics on some songs might be egotistical (sometimes at top Kanye levels), TLOP succeeds in being an album that can attract any ear with at least one song.