So your boy boy Oliver Wang put this up on facebook: "will debates over "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" resemble those over "Stankonia"? (Inspiraitonal credit for this thought goes to JP)"
Good question... For the record, I have no knowledge of musical terms... we need to hit the big homie jesse serwer if you want that, but here goes...
Outkast first... Being from Florida (it's not the deep south, but its still more southern than the LES)... we felt people up north didn't start listenin to dat Kast until Aquemini. Some had been down with elevators but it was light. But for me, when Aquemini dropped, I was like what happened to my outkast? This shit sounds more expensive. Where'd you get those trumpets dre? Where'd that shitty high hat (that I love) from ATLiens go? Yall got synthesizers? Who else wanna fuck wit hollywood core? There were more layers to the Aquemini sound. The one track that sounded more like the old kast was Skew it on the Bar-B. Aquemini was still dark dungeon music, but it felt like fine dining. Not as easily consumable as ATLiens. But that's a good thing...
Been wearin furry kangols so that shit is old
You might slang a rock or two just to pay the rent
$5 for a table dance so now your money spent
You listen to that booty shake music in your trunk
As long there's that tick tick followed by that bump
West Savannah - Big Boi
Ironically, big boi's verse is the best argument for Aquemini and the newer sound, but it was actually recorded for southernplayalisticcadillacfunkymuzic. They evolved their sound and I guess you have to say Aquemini is their "best" album. ATLiens is still my favorite album to drink cod liver oil to, but Aquemini and MBDTF are transcendental albums that had a "new" sound we hadn't really heard from that artist.
MBDTF is epic MPS: Motion Picture Shit. I love the storybook introduction, the piano and chorus set up Kanye like he's the last emperor or something equally important. Nicki kills it and that leads to the next point, the casting for this album is undefeated. RZA has his best role since American Gangster as the guy who thinks dirty white bitches are ridiculous. You need one of that guy at every PTA meeting. Chris Rock murders his appearance and almost tops the kanye workout bit. Each feature has a perfect role except Kid Cudi, who should have been bringing every one coffee... yes, Cudi, please see if Cy-Hi the Prince is thirsty.
Like Aquemini with Skew it on the Bar-B, Raekwon features on the one track (Gorgeous) that sounds like the last album and it's a good thing. I also like the obligatory motown (smokey robinson) sample for "Devil in a New Dress". So Appalled is a mother fuckin hit. It's dope to hear a crunchy chest thumpin track effortless and slowed down so you can sip your cognac and still be all upset and appalled. Swizz Beats somehow comes off sounding like he didn't just hit the slopes so props to Ye for slipping him some sizzurp. I love when RZA's verse comes on during lunch at baohaus and old people can't understand how it's still music. That's what I mean by transcendental.
People complain about Runaway but it's my favorite track. It's genre bending. It's every kid's wet dream. What else would a 10 year old want? You are sitting at home playing chopsticks on the piano... then kanye appears to your left with a mixer and some drops. He decides to bless the performance with some shitty hip hop serenade a la Ja-Rule but you love it. He says something about sending chicks pictures of his dick... pause... you weren't ready for it, but its all good cause you heard Pusha-T is about to come over and murder shit which he does... All three of you in the room are young, rich and tasteless.
Somehow, with all these moving parts that wouldn't seem to fit together, in Kanye's hands ... make ill music that doesn't sound like anything we've ever heard in one album. Yes, Devil in a New Dress sounds like Maybach Music, Blame Game is chick music with angry brothers on it, and Hell of a Life could have been on 808... but altogether, this album is bulletproof.
As is with ATLiens, I can eat Graduation everyday, but MBDTF is thanksgiving. Best meal of the year.
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