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
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this album

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. Redstreak
    Jun 18, 2013
    0
    Sonically, this is a great departure for West, and it's pretty exciting. But thematically, this is absolutely nothing new, for him or hip-hop/rap. But you can't just have a good album with just music alone, and unfortunately his lyricism and tone just completely destroy this album could have had. Maybe I am being harsh with a zero, but I guess hyped destroyed it as well. I was expectingSonically, this is a great departure for West, and it's pretty exciting. But thematically, this is absolutely nothing new, for him or hip-hop/rap. But you can't just have a good album with just music alone, and unfortunately his lyricism and tone just completely destroy this album could have had. Maybe I am being harsh with a zero, but I guess hyped destroyed it as well. I was expecting something great with all the raving from everybody, but with the expectations set before me this album was pretty underwhelming. I agree with a user who said this earlier. A lot of the praise for Kanye simply comes from him being Kanye, not that he actually does anything good or not. And sadly, this time he did not.… Expand
  2. MarcAMcGrath
    Jun 18, 2013
    2
    I don't like it not even a little. Kanye placed the goal of innovation over the goal of making good music. The production has its moments, but slips too often into a rumbling synths, bassy buzzsaws, high-pitched metallic shrieks that overshadow what little lyrical element exists but that's preferable to the hamfisted lyrics.

    Kanye may have abandoned catchy production and mass appeal,    I don't like it not even a little. Kanye placed the goal of innovation over the goal of making good music. The production has its moments, but slips too often into a rumbling synths, bassy buzzsaws, high-pitched metallic shrieks that overshadow what little lyrical element exists but that's preferable to the hamfisted lyrics.

    Kanye may have abandoned catchy production and mass appeal, but his lyrics burned the bridge. Kanye has always been a juxtaposition, mixing the fragility and transparency of a glass champagne flute with the narcissism and braggadocio that is typical of hip hop. Kanye has fallen (or jumped) from this tight-wire balance, landing deep within the infinite void of his own ego. The lyrics are self-exalting, self-congratulatory and self-centered. On more than a few tracks, Kanye is battling old shadows with incendiary lyrics, responding to echos with a rebuttal to the choir no one is arguing the point anymore, but Kanye continues to tantrum on; not with the witty lyrics of his past albums, but with brutish blusters, caterwaul screams, and childish yowls laced with production cuts and reverb. And, when the time comes, Kanye delves into closet of hiphop's past and drags out the autotune to compliment his tired arguments.

    Kanye's flow ebbs due to a conscious decision to adopt the slow-paced percussive style of southern rappers that bounce over club bangers. Kanye's wavering confident self-aware delivery of the past that made his previous records so great is nowhere to be found, but is certainly missed.

    The media will, of course, gush over the emperor's new clothing, with words like 'brave' and 'genius', but it will only be lip service and mouthed praise. Deep down this isn't about His music, this is about Him as a concept, and idea, a brand. the media's love affair with Kanye was built on the foundation of quality music, but in the wake of countless spectacles of egotism, and displays of self-unawareness, supported by unearned comparisons have laid the brickwork to this taj mahall, Kanye mutters to a reporter, "I am the best ever" and those words migrate to the front of music magazines and the world begins to echo back kanye's own praise, first framed as a question, but like all echos, the end trails off and the statement, "Kanye is the best" becomes a statement. And he has been the best, he has been really really good, but not this time, and no one will have the guts to tell the self-crowned emperor that he is naked.

    I applaud Kanye's vision and ambition to continually grow and change as an artist, but new isn't always better, and sometimes it's terrible. Kanye's music is lacking the soulful sweetness and depth that counteracts his acerbic ostentatiousness. I won't be buying this album, and I will certainly be more skeptical of any subsequent releases.    … Expand
  3. mcmasters
    Jun 18, 2013
    3
    The lyrics are lazy and the production is not interesting enough to warrant wasting space on my ipod. Nothing and I mean nothing on this album is worthy of a 10.
  4. 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
  5. drake55
    Jun 18, 2013
    0
    great production but it sounds like an instrumental album

    extremely bad rapping and extremely bad lyrics.
    Kanye definitely needs to step his game up
  6. CALx27o
    Jul 15, 2013
    3
    Kanye West is a lyrical genius. He showed it on this one. My favorite song on this whole album was "Hold My Liquor" with Cheif Keef. It's pretty bad for THAT to be the best song. "Bound 2" was just annoying, the beat was just weird with the voice in the back round. I disliked this album ALOT.
  7. 1hrdrthanuthink
    Aug 1, 2013
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. It's pretty damn sad... when a person cannot make it through a "musical" album. Kanye...you f*cking suck...even at naming babies...you f*cking suck. I wonder if you were on meth when you were making this album...… Expand
  8. Hypocritics
    Apr 30, 2014
    0
    "I just talked to Jeezus, he said, "WHAT UP YEEZUS??!" I said, **** im chillin, tryna stack these millions" (Car crash sonic disaster blares in the background)
    I AM A GOD, I LIKE MASSAGE'S, KIM OPEN MY DAMN GARAGE, I LIKE RESTAURANTS, I AM A GOD!

    This is what critics like these days huh. Smh.
  9. gberlin101
    Aug 28, 2013
    0
    I can't understand where all of the positive hype about this album is coming from. I understand how original Yeezus is and all the risks 'Ye took in releasing this with no true single and such... I get it. However, that doesn't instantly forgive the abominable lyricism of this collection of songs. Kanye used to produce and write some of the most inspirational and well produced music in theI can't understand where all of the positive hype about this album is coming from. I understand how original Yeezus is and all the risks 'Ye took in releasing this with no true single and such... I get it. However, that doesn't instantly forgive the abominable lyricism of this collection of songs. Kanye used to produce and write some of the most inspirational and well produced music in the hip hop genre. Now he takes a leap of faith that falls incredibly short and people are loving the fact that he jumped, not the music itself. It is definitely original and it pushes the boundaries, but none of these songs are songs that you can really listen to and enjoy....… Expand
  10. joshootMi
    Feb 23, 2015
    0
    It's because of this album's metacritic score I've decided to kill myself. As long as albums by Drake and Kanye are getting higher ratings than great artists like Eminem I don't want to live here. Lyrically his album is trash. Kanye used to be decent but now he's just horrible.
  11. Bringman
    Jan 5, 2016
    3
    The worst Kanye's album, i like the fact that he's tryna experiment with his music, but this time he failed. The best song on the album is "Black Skinhead", where he fuse the industrial music with the hip-hop, and it's sounds pretty good, but in the album there are HORRIBLE songs, like "Bound 2", sounds like a bowl full of **** and the other songs are bad, songs like "Blood on the Leaves"The worst Kanye's album, i like the fact that he's tryna experiment with his music, but this time he failed. The best song on the album is "Black Skinhead", where he fuse the industrial music with the hip-hop, and it's sounds pretty good, but in the album there are HORRIBLE songs, like "Bound 2", sounds like a bowl full of **** and the other songs are bad, songs like "Blood on the Leaves" doesn't need to exist. Hope that his next album will be much better… Expand
  12. Recon97
    Oct 16, 2017
    2
    UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGH Kanye what the **** You've failed in almost every aspect! Your wordplay is trash, your lyrics are trash, and your beats are especially garbage!! The only reason I don't completely hate this album is because Blood on the Leaves is a good song. 2/10
  13. Soldier
    Jun 25, 2013
    1
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I seriously have an issue with all the positive critics this album is receiving; I still can't understand it.

    This album supposedly had all the elements to success with the rooster of producers on the track, I was expecting a great Daft Punk Yeezy collaboration, totally waiting for it... but it turned out ridiculously.

    I can understand the concept of changing the style, moving to industrial music, mixing it with Hip-Hop and Acid house, creating a new fusion genre (sort-of)... but this absolutely ridiculous. On "Guilt Trip" he even went further to introduce 8-bit bass synthesizer. The samples are horrible too, sampling screwed up a potentially nice track like "Bound 2".

    Kanye West's lyrics are the most narcissist, and it's sad because other than "New Slaves", the whole album revolves around "Screw your music, I go home to bang Kim Kardashian every night" ("I am a God" is a proof)

    Still I find the track "Blood on The Leaves" to be a cool track, the Nina Simone sample created a great amp along the dirty-brass and piano melodies. "Send it Up" might be rocking clubs within a few months probably the drum-line in "Black Skinhead" is nice. And that's that for the album.

    Yeezus is totally overrated and underwhelming in my opinion, an experimental album that totally "went Chernobyl", specially on a production-level; hopefully we can move along that as soon as possible.    … Expand
  14. damncantthink
    Jun 18, 2013
    0
    10 songs in a full album is a rip! He goes overboard with the beats. Raps about himself all the time. Impossible to relate to his album. The beats hurt you ears, too hyped.
  15. blasphy2012
    Jun 18, 2013
    1
    This album is pretty disappointing. Nothing bold or creative about it. It drones on for the first half of the album, has a couple of average songs, then sputters against towards the end. I think he has too much going on in his life to put out a great album atm. Hopefully future efforts will be better, because this was disappointing.
  16. btriffles
    Jul 1, 2013
    0
    Lazy garbage, per Wikipedia:
    "The album was to be turned in two days later. Kanye was planning to go to Milan that night. Five songs still needed vocals and two or three of them still needed lyrics. In the two hours before he had to run out to catch the plane, he did exactly that: finished all lyrics and performed them with gusto."
  17. Zenloki
    Jun 18, 2013
    1
    I would like to say I'm a Kanye West fan, but this album is complete garbage. It is lacking in the lyrical ingenuity or anywhere near the quality of beats ias in n any of his previous solo album. I have no clue how much Spotify paid for this, but i want a refund.
  18. Aquahammer
    Jun 20, 2013
    0
    I don't know how people keep buying this insufferable tripe. His lyrics are not only offensive and brash, but they are down right idiotic. For example, lets take the song "New Slaves". A clarion call towards the ills of capitalism, Kanye being pigeonholed by an industry, with an emphatic statement reminding his black brothers that we are the "New Slaves" to the corporate master. Not a badI don't know how people keep buying this insufferable tripe. His lyrics are not only offensive and brash, but they are down right idiotic. For example, lets take the song "New Slaves". A clarion call towards the ills of capitalism, Kanye being pigeonholed by an industry, with an emphatic statement reminding his black brothers that we are the "New Slaves" to the corporate master. Not a bad message, if it wasn't so hypocritical. Kanye West, or rather the Louis Vuitton Don (his old moniker) himself is a corporation, with ties to Nike via his Air Yeezus lines as well as his own clothing companies. He has crafted a song entirely aimed at exposing the ills of capitalism, and yet, he hasn't the hindsight to look into his own life and see that the clothing lines he either supports, endorses or manufactures are largely made in sweatshops. While this is just one song that i find trouble with, the confusing messages/themes run rampant throughout this album. The music is top notch, well produced, and finely crafted, something that we have all come to expect from Kanye. However, I cannot get passed the lyrics on this one.… Expand
  19. kevinj17
    Jun 18, 2013
    1
    Garbage! pure, unfiltered garbage. Praise Jesus if you can make it through the first song without feeling nauseous. I have been a Ye fan since Freshman Adjustment and this is by far his worst work. Nothing inspiring, nothing worth mentioning even (other then the lines we all know..'crossiants'). What a let down top 10 of the worst rap albums I've listened to
  20. GaryGomes
    Jun 18, 2013
    0
    Maybe I'm overreacting by rating it a 0, but this album is just not for me. The sounds are very displeasing to my ears, and they made me literally cringe. The only songs that are okay to me are Blood on the Leaves and Bound 2, and even on both of these songs I feel Kanye messed up my vibe.

    Many people enjoy this album, but I just don't. Simple as that.
  21. 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
  22. hydrogen
    Jun 18, 2013
    2
    Good beats poor lyrics. Yeezie the beezie just doesn't have the life experience to say anything interesting. If you would like to know the latest name brands to purchase pickup the album or the latest GQ. Oh and did he mention how cool he was?
  23. Ghost2314
    Jun 19, 2013
    0
    There is no substance to this "album". I grew up listening to actual innovators of music....Kanye falls way short of this. This sound that he is trying to pass off as "revolutionary" is like cancer to your ears. The younger generation may love this CD, but that just proves how far music has fallen. Save your money, don't buy this 10 track travesty. The production is all bad, the lyricsThere is no substance to this "album". I grew up listening to actual innovators of music....Kanye falls way short of this. This sound that he is trying to pass off as "revolutionary" is like cancer to your ears. The younger generation may love this CD, but that just proves how far music has fallen. Save your money, don't buy this 10 track travesty. The production is all bad, the lyrics feel forced and uninspired, and the man is claiming to be a god. The packaging of the album should tell you the story of what you are getting with your purchase, a lackluster attempt at trying to revolutionize music without trying. If he is still selling this well then the sheep that listen to this garbage are all brain washed by his antics. He's a pretty transparent person when you really step back and look at it. "I don't want to be famous" only holds so much weight while you are laughing all the way to the bank with the peoples money you just stole. If you really aren't doing this to be famous, donate that money to someone who needs it. Stop lying and calling yourself an artist. All of the real hip-hop heads have already seen through your skirt wearing facade.… Expand
  24. oliver1h
    Jun 22, 2013
    1
    I think it is a very boring album, with nothing new to offer. All the hype is for nothing. People like this music because they are told it is good through different medias, but it is nothing more just pop music, in a fancy packaging, which want you to believe it is unique.
  25. NickG
    Jun 20, 2013
    3
    Honestly, nothing impresssive. Very pretentious and try-hard from start to finish. This exaggerated praise will prove to do nothing but inflate his already over-blown ego.
  26. endallchaos
    Jun 24, 2013
    1
    The songs are generic and very un-inspired, West has fallen off, every single song sounds like a filler, it seems as if he was just bored and decided to get in the studio. There isn't any melodies, drum patterns. This is not music at all. I do not recommend this album, Buy it at your own risk.
  27. candleguy84
    Jun 18, 2013
    1
    This album is crap, how is this better than j cole's. You can't even understand the lyrics, it's just a bunch of loud screaming. I laugh at the people who say this is innovation, this cannot even be called music
  28. ragingclue
    Jun 19, 2013
    0
    Complete garbage... Ive tried to like this album. I listened to it 3 times. The beats, the lyrics, the overall feel of the album is just wack. Kanye needs to go back to his late registration college dropout days because this just sounds like noise.
  29. YeezusChrist
    Jun 19, 2013
    0
    Yeezus christ this album is dreadful. Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay past his peak
  30. ghost75142
    Jun 18, 2013
    0
    This is the worst album i have ever heard. It sounds like Kanye just went in the studio and said it, lets just make some noise and put my name on it. Do not pay for this trash.
prev
Page:

Awards & Rankings

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

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
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]
See all critic reviews »