NEW YORK, NY – FEBRUARY 11: Kanye West performs during Kanye West Yeezy Season 3 on February 11, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Yeezy Season 3)’t be so cruel after all.

Since T.L.O.P was released (exclusively) on TIDAL on Valentine’s day, the tour has been much anticipated. The newly iconic “I feel like Pablo” has been printed on new merchandise from Kanye’s Soho pop-up shop, and emblazoned in our minds. Only Kanye could get this much hype before the tour was even announced.

The tour name references his newborn son, Saint. “Saint Pablo” is also the name of a newly released song dedicated to baby Ye.

It’s becoming apparent that Yeezy must not sleep. Kanye is busy designing for Yeezy, preparing to tour The Life of Pablo, and working on G.O.O.D music’s Cruel Winter album. When does he find the time to raise North, Saint, AND check Kim’s outfits?

If you need tickets as much as Kanye loves Kanye, they go on sale this Saturday. If you’re one of the many Ye fans that downloaded Tidal to listen to The Life of Pablo, there’s a preorder for tickets on Thursday at 10 a.m.

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The disgruntlement didn’t start there, however. It had been brewing for some time, dating back to when Kanye West dropped Yeezus, in 2013. There were complaints about his new sound, which could mostly be accredited to Travi$ Scott. There were complaints about the subject matter his songs contained. There where even complaints against his wife, Kim Kardashian West, who many think “changed” Kanye, both musically and overall.

Kanye West hadn’t really addressed the bitching and moaning, until he made a record called “I Love Kanye”, which is featured on his latest album, The Life of Pablo. The song is voiced from the perspective of those who don’t exactly approve of the “new” Kanye and mockingly serves its purpose, with lines like,

“I used to love Kanye/I used to love Kanye/I even had the pink polo, I thought I was Kanye”

Here’s the thing.

What is it with Hip-Hop fans and their fetish for artists to stay the same for their whole career? Hip-Hop is an entity that is, has been and always should be evolving. Kanye West released his debut, The College Dropout in 2004. Twelve years ago, bro. So much has changed for him since then. He lost his mother, who was a huge piece of his life. He had a tumultuous love life that eventually resulted in a happy ending, as he got married and became a father twice. Shit changed. And for real artists, when shit changes, so does the music.

Take Jay Z for instance. There was a point in time where he rapped about his days in the Marcy projects, and all the shit he used to get into. Why? Because when he dropped Reasonable Doubt, in ’96, he wasn’t too far removed from that life. But if you fast forward to his most recent album, Magna Carta, Holy Grail, he’s rapping about Basquiat paintings, and Tom Ford. He’s shooting videos at the MoMA. He’s rapping about a life that he probably wouldn’t have thought twice about living in the 80’s and 90’s.

Again, as the lifestyle changes, so does the music. As the times change, so does the music.

Why would an artist want to remain stagnant their whole career, instead of changing with the times? If Kurtis Blow put out an album tomorrow, rapping in the same cadence as back in the day, nobody would go get that shit. Nobody would listen to a single song, unless Future was on the hook and Metro Boomin was on the beat. So how much do you really “miss” the old version of (insert artist here)?

There is absolutely nothing wrong with the new direction Kanye West’s music is going in. It’s creative, it’s forward moving and it doesn’t sound like anything else that’s out right now. Do you know how hard it is to continuously reinvent yourself, while simultaneously staying relevant? How can you hate that? Enjoy the music, man. Embrace the new wave. I think Hov said it best: “Wanna hear my old shit? Buy my old albums”

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Kanye West unleashed his seventh studio LP in his own unorthodox Kanye way. Not appearing on its scheduled day, but two final track lists, and three days later, after the album went through a few title changes, four to be exact. In its final hours West settled on the name “The Life of Pablo.” Wondering which “Pablo” West is referring to be the question, but the title merely serves as a double entendre. There’s Escobar the drug lord who lived a flashy lifestyle from the drugs he sold. Kanye’s flashy and lavish lifestyle is provided by the music he slangs.   Then there’s Picasso the well-known, beloved, and renowned artist, who’s respected for his artistic vision, and that’s who Kanye has become or aspires to become.

TLOP offers a litany of features. From Kelly Price, El DeBarge, Chris Brown, The Weeknd and more. One thing about them is they’re slightly unnecessary. West is able to perform anyone of the songs live without their presence. Rihanna’s presence isn’t needed for Swizz Beatz produced “Famous” when she’s simply singing the same Nina Simone sample that closes the track. And he wasted an Andre 3000 feature on the candid “30 Hours,” where he compares and contrast on his past life to his current. Who invites Andre on a track to provide background vocals? Chance the Rapper’s verse on “Ultra Light Beam” is the only feature that actually provides substance on “TLOP.” It’s as if he used his features for baiting purposes, because most of the intended features aren’t able to be distinguished.

West lightheartedly brings social awareness to the Black Lives Matter campaign on “Feedback” with “hands up, we just doing what the cops taught us, hands up, hands up, then the cops shot us” before taking a prayer break on “Low Lights” and readying us for “Highlights.” “Highlights” is simply a vibrant revival of “Good Life,” before the flow is disturbed and interrupted by “Freestyle 4,” that sounds like a leftover track from “Yeezus.” You know you reached the album halfway with the track “I Love Kanye” summing up his entire existence and sounding like the LP’s intermission. The downfall is the material of the LP’s first legs feels good, but most of the songs barley exceeds the three-minute mark.

With TLOP you hear Kanye stepping further away from the box of being just a rapper. The chosen sounds and infusion of music on the album showcases as it explores his artistic quest. He’s been listening to his fans and the public, who plead they want the “old Kanye back,” because you’re able to hear a piece of his entire discography on this one album. Sadly, as he challenged himself to reach new heights of artistic expression, a bulk of the album comes off as a “goodbye” to the rapper Kanye. The album doesn’t showcase West’s skills as a lyricist, but for those who think he isn’t able to rap are quickly reminded on “No More Parties in L.A.,” which is pretty much the only full out rap track. “I know some fans thought I wouldn’t rap like this again, but the writer’s block is over MC’s cash in your plans.” He managed to stay true to himself by saying whatever he felt like rapping about. Whether it’s Taylor Swift, Ray J., or him mentioning a family matter with his cousin on “No More Parties…” and “Real Friends.” TLOP is Kanye’s defining moment as an artist and not just a rapper. Giving him the notion to feel like Pablo Escobar and Pablo Picasso at this stage of his life.

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There is currently a very hot, yet very controversial song floating around in the streets, right now. Controversial, because it involves a rapper who some people are frowning upon for supposedly jacking another rapper’s style. No, I’m not talking about Young Thug. I’m talking about 18 year-old Brooklyn native and new G.O.O.D. Music signee, Desiigner, who many are attempting to label as a Future sound-alike.

Desiigner’s record “Panda” has been circulating since its release in December, receiving a whopping 3.4 million plays and counting, according to his Soundcloud page, but it is pretty safe to say that a majority of those plays didn’t come until he was formally announced as Kanye West’s newest artist, at the Yeezy Season 3 event, that was recently held at Madison Square Garden.

How did this song skyrocket so fast?

There are a couple of reasons. First off, this kid is signed to Kanye West and is cosigned by Pusha T. That alone, will put you on people’s radars and boost you a bit. Secondly, “Panda” is a crazy record. Absolutely insane. In the car. In the club. This song goes. But if you ask me, the real reason so many people are pressing play on this song is because they keep hearing about a rapper who “sounds like Future” and they want to hear it for themselves. Then once they hear it for themselves, they want to be able to hop on social media with all the other trolls (and Future stans) and rip this kid for his sound.

Here’s my thing…

G.O.O.D. Music is, and always has been the Juilliard School of Hip-Hop. It has always been about more than just music, with this camp. G.O.O.D. Music is for the arts, and you wouldn’t be signed if you weren’t an innovative creative. Just look at their roster. It speaks volumes about what they stand for and how high they have raised the bar. With that said, do you really think they would have signed Desiigner if he was just some kid who was here to be a Future knockoff? I don’t.

Death, taxes, and me having a theory as to why controversial things happen, are three things that are certain in life, and if you haven’t noticed yet, this whole piece has been a theory as to why I think G.O.O.D. Music signed Desiigner. Pusha T knows something we don’t. Kanye West knows something we don’t. 

What makes everyone so sure that it’s Desiigner who’s stealing from Future? What if in actuality, he has been secretly ghostwriting for Future this whole time, and has now decided to pull a Quentin Miller and come forward as an artist, himself? Considering Future is a fairly terrible rapper who is only saved by his production, this isn’t a far-fetched idea, in the least.

Wait. I got another theory…

What if Desiigner is using the Young Thug marketing strategy? Remember when Thug first came out and he sounded exactly like Lil Wayne? Then what happened next? He got everyone’s attention, and once he got everyone’s attention, he started dropping music that was comparable to no one, making him one of the hottest emcees in the game. Maybe Desiigner is just reeling everyone in, right now.

Maybe I’m totally, completely, way off with everything I just said. I don’t know Desiigner personally, so I can’t factually say I know what his plan is. But I do know that people need to let him rock. They’re going to love him in a month, anyway (because you know how fickle Hip-Hop fans are). It’s not fair to try and end this man’s career before it even gets started and you’ve only heard one song (unless you really pay attention and heard “Zombie Walk”, too) and a feature or two. Just chill out. Let him drop a project, first. Then you can go crazy with your annoying comparisons; or not. Because, really, who cares what he sounds like? Your favorite rapper probably doesn’t even write his own raps. Your favorite rapper is probably a former corrections officer who lied about being a drug kingpin. Just enjoy “Panda” for the banger that it is. I bet you liked this joint when you thought it was Future.

And the pictures are in black and white, because “Panda… Panda, Panda, Panda, Panda, Panda”.

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Image Via Hypetrak.com

Kanye West continues to be in the headlines for so many reasons, whether it’s because his album The Life of Pablo is polarizing listeners, or because of his beef with Taylor Swift, his SNL meltdown, or one of his zany Twitter rants, and now because a number of his songs are being leaked on to the internet.  According to XXL, alternate versions of ‘Fade,’ ‘All Day,’ ‘Highlights,’ ‘Only One,’ ‘Wolves,’ (which leaked midday yesterday), and ‘FML‘ featuring Travis Scott are being mysteriously uploaded online. A reference track titled ‘Fell Out of Heaven‘ featuring The Dream and Bon Iver has been leaked, as well as a demo track titled ‘A Powerful Mind’ featuring Swizz Beatz and a song reportedly from the MBDTF sessions titled, ‘Mama’s Boyfriend.’

Kanye West managed to keep The Life of Pablo from leaking before it was released, which is a feat not many artists are able to accomplish these days. But it seems as soon as his album was released the flood gates opened and songs continue to wash ashore. Enough songs have leaked to create an entirely new album satirically titled ‘The Leaks of Pablo.’ Although we don’t know whom or why all of these songs continue to leak, no one seems to be complaining about more new music from Mr. West.

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Well, G.O.O.D. Fridays appear to be back on and poppin’ as Yeezy took to Twitter today, announcing such.

Not only will fans get The Life of Pablo, today, but they can also look forward to new tunes every Friday, as originally planned. Kicking off the return is “30 Hours”, and it’s a banger. Take a listen, below.

https://soundcloud.com/kanyewest/30-hours

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