Yeezus
by Kanye West
  • Record Label: Def Jam
  • Release Date: Jun 18, 2013
User Score
7.7

Generally favorable reviews- based on 2196 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,717 out of 2196
  2. Mixed: 196 out of 2196
  3. Negative: 283 out of 2196
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  1. dolothoughts
    Jun 18, 2013
    10
    Very experimental hip hop album, but it comes together very well. This album is dark and edgy, especially in the beginning. If you're looking for great lyrical content then this is not the album for you, because the lyrics are average at best, but what this album lacks in lyrical content it excels in production.
  2. reedbh
    Jun 18, 2013
    10
    An incredible album. Truly. Great production, entertaining and provocative lyrics. Cemented classic by Pitchfork (9.5). This is the opposite of J Coal's audio nyquil.
  3. yungniz
    Jun 18, 2013
    10
    King Kanye, this album is GODLY. Although it can have a polarising affect on listeners this is no doubt a hip hold album way ahead of its time. This will be seen as one of the most defining albums of recent rap history.
  4. dopedrops
    Jun 18, 2013
    10
    The most highly anticipated album of the year, Yeezus, by Kanye West has finally been unleashed and it’s ready to invade your ear drums.
    Opening the album is the ultramodern banger, ‘On Sight’ which was produced by Daft Punk. The track is driven by a menacing, fuzzy synth that is backed by some intensely abrasive drums. This track is one of many on the album that bring back the Acid House    The most highly anticipated album of the year, Yeezus, by Kanye West has finally been unleashed and it’s ready to invade your ear drums.
    Opening the album is the ultramodern banger, ‘On Sight’ which was produced by Daft Punk. The track is driven by a menacing, fuzzy synth that is backed by some intensely abrasive drums. This track is one of many on the album that bring back the Acid House sound that was started in Chicago in the ’80s. ‘On Sight’ particularly is reminiscent of one of the first in the genre of Chicago House, ‘Acid Tracks,’ by Phuture and has Kanye dancing all over the track like a savage beast. “Yeezy season’s approaching,” Kanye raps. “..The monster’s about to come alive again.” Following, is the recalcitrant and near-tribal track ‘Black Skinhead’, that threads between both Ye’s traditional boastering of anti-establishment and anti-racism themes. “For my theme song” Kanye raps at the start of the Daft Punk produced track similar to his line “I guess every superhero need his theme music” on ‘Power’, the first single to his 2010 project My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. Perhaps “Black Skinhead” is supposed to pick up where ‘Power’ left off, delineating the aftermath and hangover of a power trip. The metaphor could be stretched even further to foster the idea of Kanye having some sort of allegorical attraction to the DC superhero Batman. Being a “dark knight” or being seen as a vigilante or bad guy, when only trying to do good. Kanye has been showing up to recent performances wearing masks and elaborate costumes going on about how he “isn’t a celebrity.” He is the hero for music and culture in a similar way Batman is a hero for Gotham City. The media may claim the perspective of both as something that should encourage hate, they are “The hero the city deserves, but not the one it needs right now.” At track number three is the highly controversial ‘I Am a God’ which has Kanye basking in all the negativity he’s experienced the hate received for everything from his music to his fashion and proclaims himself to be a God over a barrage of synths, howls and bass. Kanye won’t stop until another god decides to strike him down.

    Keep Reading http://dopedrops.com/2013/06/kanye-west-yeezus-review/    … Expand
  5. DStaver
    Jun 20, 2013
    6
    After originally only getting to the forth track before I had to quit, I gave it a second chance which ultimately lead to a third listen through. After being annoyed by it at first, and realizing that it isn't the instant classic as his previous albums, it grew on me. I found myself vibing to a lot of it. This is definitely not Kanye's best work, but it's worthy of looking past the loudAfter originally only getting to the forth track before I had to quit, I gave it a second chance which ultimately lead to a third listen through. After being annoyed by it at first, and realizing that it isn't the instant classic as his previous albums, it grew on me. I found myself vibing to a lot of it. This is definitely not Kanye's best work, but it's worthy of looking past the loud frantic beats and trying to see what he was going for. I think Cole got the best of him on June 18th, but Yeezus will, of course, outsell Born Sinner.… Expand
  6. nicnamenic
    Jun 18, 2013
    10
    Another classic by Kanye West. Yeezus features examples of some of Kanye's greatest production to date with tracks like 'Bound 2' and 'I'm in It' alongside some of the greatest verses written by him such as 'New Slaves' and 'I Am a God'. Unbelievably good; every one of the 10 tracks is excellent. Kanye at his usual best: experimental, abrasive and stupidly enjoyable to listen to.
  7. Deezy4273
    Jun 18, 2013
    8
    i'm gonna break down each song and what i think. i have listened to all kanye west albums and i listen to many types of music to to get where i'm coming from.

    #1. on sight: i just wasn't feeling this track i actually think the beat is kinda boring i always skip this track 4/10 #2. Black Skinhead: another track i'm just not feeling but i don't think its a bad track i can listen to it    i'm gonna break down each song and what i think. i have listened to all kanye west albums and i listen to many types of music to to get where i'm coming from.

    #1. on sight: i just wasn't feeling this track i actually think the beat is kinda boring i always skip this track 4/10

    #2. Black Skinhead: another track i'm just not feeling but i don't think its a bad track i can listen to it without the urge to skip 7/10

    #3.I Am A God: This is where the album starts for me the track jump right into hard bass and has the most classic line and funny line on the album "hurry up with my damn Croissants" the screams are a bit disturbing 9/10

    #4. New Slaves: strong track sick beat with barely any drums and kanye delivers his lines perfectly my personal favorite 10/10

    #5. hold my liquor i like this song but there's nothing to make it really stand out from other tracks 8/10

    #6. im in it: ahh this song is okay to me few good lines and okay beat i cant really understand what the high pitch singer is saying overall the song feels kinda sloppy 7/10

    #7.blood on the leaves: i think this track is a banger, one of my favs i play over and over again 9/10

    #8.guilt trip: feeling the beat alot. the lyrics are okay, song samples pusha t blocka. kid cudi comes in at the end and pulls the song together 8/10

    #9. Send it up: i can see how people could not like this song, its nosiey as i actually think this track is a club banger( maybe not in any hood or real hip hop clubs) king Louie going off Last night my came in twos and they both suck like they came to lose". i listen to a lot of dub step so the synth is not that annoying to me :-P 9/10

    #10 bound 2: i think its a all round classic yeezy track not to much to say about 9/10

    Overall i give the album a 8 its not like his last album which i think was his best work but it's still a interesting listen. takes a few plays to start feeling this album you gotta listen to each song before you can get a feel of the album don't just scrim though it    … Expand
  8. PRINCECC
    Jun 18, 2013
    10
    For Kanye, there's purpose in repulsion. And on Yeezus, he trades out smooth soul and anthemic choruses for jarring electro, acid house, and industrial grind while delivering some of his most lewd and heart-crushing tales yet. This is willful provocation that Ice Cube, Madonna, and Trent Reznor could all be proud of. Some of the record has him tackling the same issues he's been rappingFor Kanye, there's purpose in repulsion. And on Yeezus, he trades out smooth soul and anthemic choruses for jarring electro, acid house, and industrial grind while delivering some of his most lewd and heart-crushing tales yet. This is willful provocation that Ice Cube, Madonna, and Trent Reznor could all be proud of. Some of the record has him tackling the same issues he's been rapping about since The College Dropout, albeit with a fire-eyed stare. On his debut's "Family Business", he poignantly lamented a jailed cousin's absence at the Thanksgiving dinner table in a manner "so sweet, like a photo of your granny's picture." On Yeezus, he's still addressing the plight of incarcerated black men, but now he's incensed. With "New Slaves", he confronts us with vulgar stereotypes while exposing the prison-industrial complex for the deeply systemic racist sham that it is.… Expand
  9. cartesiandemon
    Jun 18, 2013
    10
    Another masterpiece by Ye. It will absolutely take a few listens for this to settle in for most listeners (myself included), but that just reflects the fact that Kanye has pushed the boundaries of hip hop-- and pop music-- yet again. Loud, abrasive, progressive, and entertaining as hell. Contradictions abound, but you already knew this was a Kanye album.
  10. jcole2
    Jun 18, 2013
    10
    Wow lost for words Amazing from start to finish & I wasn't even a fan of him but I have to give respect where is due & now he made me a fan Thank you Yeezus you just made me a believer Bound 2 was crazy from the Uh Uh honey & send it up with that grimey beat was crazy & the Jamaican dude killed it
  11. awa88
    Jun 18, 2013
    9
    Was it going to be hard living up to the hype left in "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy's" trails? Yes. Does "Yeezus" do it? Yes. But will fans feel the same? Not sure. "Yeezus" is a polarizing album that ditches a lot of the soul of previous efforts like "College Dropout" and the sheer scale and bravura of "Twisted Fantasy" and replaces it with a haunting, dark electro-infused vision ofWas it going to be hard living up to the hype left in "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy's" trails? Yes. Does "Yeezus" do it? Yes. But will fans feel the same? Not sure. "Yeezus" is a polarizing album that ditches a lot of the soul of previous efforts like "College Dropout" and the sheer scale and bravura of "Twisted Fantasy" and replaces it with a haunting, dark electro-infused vision of Hell. While Kanye's lyricism does, at times, leave a bit to be desired, the production is awe-inducing; a sign of an album that's years, if not decades, ahead of its time.… Expand
  12. nizar
    Jun 18, 2013
    9
    As with all Kanye West's albums the production is on point. The beats range from hardcore electro such as the track "onsite" to hour soulful hip hop sounds found on "bound 2." The album is influenced by many different genres and thats a good thing. Kanye's lyricism isn't the what it used to be on his former albums. That being said i think his minimalist approach used for the lyrics reallyAs with all Kanye West's albums the production is on point. The beats range from hardcore electro such as the track "onsite" to hour soulful hip hop sounds found on "bound 2." The album is influenced by many different genres and thats a good thing. Kanye's lyricism isn't the what it used to be on his former albums. That being said i think his minimalist approach used for the lyrics really works and flows with the beats. All in all a great project.… Expand
  13. Mambaveli
    Jun 18, 2013
    10
    Yeezus is polarizing & innovative. From the rock infuences in "Black Skinhead" to the chilling combination of Billie Holiday's rendition of "Strage Fruit" & TNGHT's trap banger "R U Ready" Kanye West continues to push boundaries & pave his own path as one of Hip-Hop's most memorable artists.
  14. VietBrah
    Jun 18, 2013
    10
    Yeezus captivates exactly what I wanted from a 9.5 album. It is best to avoid Starbucks on your commute to work tomorrow morning due to an excess of basic ordering croissants. I will use sweet and sour sauce as lube going forward. Drake could never aspire to make such an influential album. smh.
  15. That
    Jun 18, 2013
    0
    WOAT Lyrics! Unbelievable how bad this Album is content wise. And it isn't groundbreaking at all, there are many other Artists who made a LP with a similar sound
  16. 929
    Jun 18, 2013
    10
    West is unquestionably doing whatever he wants here. And whether or not we actually need these 10 mongrel pop songs, it’s thrilling to watch the man discover new ways to stick out his neck. “Soon as they like you, make ’em unlike you,” he growls on “I Am a God,” describing the rope-a-dope methodology that’s made him today’s most complex pop star. (Fittingly, it’s the winning line from aWest is unquestionably doing whatever he wants here. And whether or not we actually need these 10 mongrel pop songs, it’s thrilling to watch the man discover new ways to stick out his neck. “Soon as they like you, make ’em unlike you,” he growls on “I Am a God,” describing the rope-a-dope methodology that’s made him today’s most complex pop star. (Fittingly, it’s the winning line from a song about a perennial self-loather being on a first-name basis with Jesus Christ.)

    “Yeezus” has already been branded as West’s ugliest album, but he’ll always be a populist at heart, incapable of releasing anything truly repulsive. For all of the charred melodies and serrated rhythms on “Yeezus,” this is still luscious electronic music sculpted into elegant shapes that only signal threat. French dance music duo Daft Punk and studio sage Rick Rubin were called on to collaborate, helping West evoke hip-hop’s icy, electro roots while echoing the sly, synthetic snarls of Depeche Mode and Nine Inch Nails.

    There’s still plenty of ugliness scribbled on West’s lyric sheet. He plumbs the depths of his id like a knife scraping the bottom of the peanut butter jar. He turns civil-rights-era mantras into gross pillow talk that no human should ever utter in real life. He promises to get the club “shaking like Parkinson’s.”

    “Black Skinhead” crams all of this attitude into one dystopian, Gary Glitter-ish jock jam that would be perfect for the stadium scene finale of “Akira,” the legendary Japanese anime film that West adores. “I keep it 300 like the Romans,” he spits during the refrain, a boast that blurs fantasy and reality, Hollywood retina candy and Chicago gang violence. (“300” is slang for Chicago’s Black Disciples street gang, as well as the title of a 2007 action flick in which ancient soldiers bathe one another in CGI blood.)

    Despite a handful of arresting quirks and kinks, the lyrics on “Yeezus” are West’s least refined and probably his least compelling. But they don’t feel lazy so much as drunk on bitterness. After engineering something as magisterial as his 2010 opus “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy,” this is West at his most wasted, stumbling through rubble.

    It’s all over in about 40 minutes, instantly provoking questions about legacy. The last time West took a risk this great, with “808s & Heartbreak,” he taught hip-hop about the potency of vulnerability and ended up paving a four-lane highway for Drake, Kid Cudi, the Weeknd and Future. Will “Yeezus” teach a rising generation of rap stars to melt poison from their frozen hearts?

    And how will the auteur himself reconcile the unholy mess he’s been making? “Yeezus” might blow our collective hair back for the summer, but West has to live with these tunes for the rest of his life. His girlfriend, Kim Kardashian, delivered a daughter Saturday. How do cynicism and self-obsession jibe with being a dad?

    In addition to keeping us thinking about him, West’s music always keeps us thinking about the future. He’s a visionary who’s managed to tweak the serial rhythms that dictate so much of our pop culture diet. He doesn’t do cliffhangers. He jumps off.    … Expand
  17. Hszczapa
    Jun 18, 2013
    10
    Ok everyone, if you don't like Yeezus, it's either you have a hatred for Kanye, you didn't give it a chance, or you want another college dropout album. Personally I think that this album is great not only for the incredible amount of time Kanye puts in, and not for the unmistakable genius throughout the entire album. This album also proves that Kanye can make any style of music. he hadOk everyone, if you don't like Yeezus, it's either you have a hatred for Kanye, you didn't give it a chance, or you want another college dropout album. Personally I think that this album is great not only for the incredible amount of time Kanye puts in, and not for the unmistakable genius throughout the entire album. This album also proves that Kanye can make any style of music. he had gone from soul to pop to straight up rap to industrial. He has made a great album in every genre of rap. This album is an easy 10, especially when you consider the risk he took in creating a whole new style. He could have easily made another fantastic album like My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, but instead, he did his own thing and created my personal favorite album of all time. By the way, the purpose of that American Psycho video was to show that I am a god is not a song about how amazing Kanye is, it's about him going crazy and convincing himself that he is god.… Expand
  18. burton870
    Jun 18, 2013
    0
    Album is rubbish, hurts my ears, this isnt music its screaming, kanye needs to lay off the drugs and get back to that college dropout style, also hes a gayfish
  19. Jculla23
    Jun 18, 2013
    10
    Ground breaking album in hip hop, Kanye pushes the barriers of rap even further! Production is next level and Ye proves hes on a level of his own. Only downfall is the album is over before you know it.
  20. mrhockey929
    Jun 18, 2013
    10
    Listening to this album is the equivalent of licking iggy azalea's clean, then shoving your tongue into the small hair follicle opening (or pore) of your favorite gay porn stars nipple. "I just talked to Jesus, He said what up Yeezus" The sheer imagery of Mr. West calling to the son of god on an iphone makes me cum sperm biscuits. If you give this album anything less than a nuffy
  21. BRSuggaDaddy
    Jun 18, 2013
    10
    Essentially, this is Kanye West following the same career trajectory as Radiohead, coming off the highpoint of the masterful OK Computer with the unexpected and momentous Kid A. Although Yeezus has for the most part received all the praise it deserves, ten years from now it will be heralded as both a genre definer and bender, and the artistic highpoint of West's remarkable career.
  22. gattuso8
    Jun 18, 2013
    1
    Maybe the best album form kanye, i mean his wordplay is amazing, his screaming is on another level, genius cause he has a penius, see that wordplay, masterpiece
  23. metacleric
    Jun 18, 2013
    9
    About 5 listens deep and I'm still amazed by this collection of music. Looking at the producer list it's no wonder this has the flavor it does. But where are those bonus tracks?
  24. Yeezus
    Jun 18, 2013
    10
    This, is quite simply, the greatest project Mr. Kanye Omari Yeezus West has ever created EVER. Anyone who says otherwise is a hipster who says "his old music is better". Other than that the naysayers are idiots who aren't rap fans to begin with. Highlights of the album are I'm In It, I Am A God,Blood on the Leaves & New......f*ck it. THE WHOLE ALBUM IS AMAZING... GO BUY IT NOW. OR ELSE.
  25. Jawn
    Jun 18, 2013
    1
    Overly produced. Lyrics were outright pathetic. Couple decent songs. No replay value for me. I understand he wants to go outside the boundaries of hip-hop, but I can't even give this a pass.
  26. ParkerFarron
    Jun 18, 2013
    8
    This album moves hip-hop into a new era, its THAT good. Every song brings a new element into the genre, my personal favorites being Send It Up, I am A God, who am I kidding, they all are my favorites. Its not quite as good as My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, but it's definitely his 2nd best album to date, 10/10.
  27. RFEx
    Jun 18, 2013
    10
    Completely on par with Kanye's magnum opus: My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy; but with a completely different outlook on production and lyricism. Everything sounds and feels cleaner, sort of like a silver razor.
  28. reedbenn
    Jun 18, 2013
    10
    Yeezus left me dazed, with ears ringing. I mean this in the best way possible, Yeezus has an impact. It challengers the listener with obscure production and incredible sonics. Yeezy comes out spitting clever, braggadocios rhymes but at the same time touching up on his own views on social and political issues. This is the album Kanye always wanted to make and I am glad he did.
  29. MrPlough
    Jun 18, 2013
    10
    This album isn't a 10/10, but I'm giving it a 10, purely to balance out the absurd 0/1 out of 10 scores from people who can't appreciate music.

    The production is twisted, choppy, dark & experimental but it works. Sure Kanye drops some corny lines (e.g. the "sweet and sour sauce" line & the "croissants" line) but he's always been a musician first, rapper second so that's forgivable.    This album isn't a 10/10, but I'm giving it a 10, purely to balance out the absurd 0/1 out of 10 scores from people who can't appreciate music.

    The production is twisted, choppy, dark & experimental but it works. Sure Kanye drops some corny lines (e.g. the "sweet and sour sauce" line & the "croissants" line) but he's always been a musician first, rapper second so that's forgivable.

    Bottom line, no mainstream artist expresses himself as freely/as uniquely as Kanye West does. Good artists have a tendency to stick to a tried & tested formula which, after a while, becomes uninteresting, this is why so many musicians' best albums happen to be their debut album e.g. 50 Cent, Nas, Pharcyde, Eminem, The Strokes etc. The truly GREAT artists are the ones that can continue to bring something NEW to the table e.g. The Roots, OutKast, Radiohead, Pink Floyd Kanye West belongs in this list.

    Love him or hate him, he's an innovator with balls, and that's something you very, very rarely find in mainstream music.    … Expand
  30. iamdirt
    Jun 18, 2013
    10
    Yeezus is an evolved feature of the sounds and ideas from many of his past projects. The production that comes with Yeezus is a perfect pairing for the emotion and intesity that Kayes brings to the table.
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Awards & Rankings

42
#42 Best Album of 2013
3
#3 Most Discussed Album of 2013
3
#3 Most Shared Album of 2013

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
84

Universal acclaim - based on 46 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 43 out of 46
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 46
  3. Negative: 1 out of 46
  1. The Wire
    Dec 10, 2013
    50
    His concerns are serious--consumerism, race, fame, relationships--but he rarely addresses them with the craft or focus they deserve. [Sep 2013, p.66]
  2. Q Magazine
    Aug 20, 2013
    80
    Contradiction incarnate, Yeezus is Kanye's most Kanyeish LP yet. [Sep 2013, p.103]
  3. Mojo
    Aug 13, 2013
    80
    Nasty, brutish, short, and wholly compelling, Yeezus begs only one question: where next? [Sep 2013, p.89]
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