It has also been played at least one billion times through the music streaming service Spotify.
In its first week of release, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 and sold 496,000 copies, eventually registering three million units for a triple platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
West also released a musical short film, Runaway (2010), set to music from the album.
#KANYE WEST MY BEAUTIFUL DARK TWISTED FANTASY ARTWORK 1000PX SERIES#
To help market the album, West released free songs through his weekly GOOD Fridays series and four singles – " Power", " Runaway", " Monster", and " All of the Lights" – all of which were top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100. Guest vocalists on the album include Nicki Minaj, Rihanna, Bon Iver, Jay-Z, Pusha T, Rick Ross, Kid Cudi, John Legend, Elton John and Raekwon. Thematically, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy explores West's status as a celebrity, consumer culture, race, and the idealism of the American Dream. Critical commentaries note the resulting music's maximalist aesthetic and opulent production style that utilizes various elements from West's previous work, including soul, pop, baroque, electro, and symphonic sounds, as well as progressive rock influences. The album was produced primarily by West, alongside a variety of high-profile producers such as Mike Dean, No I.D., Jeff Bhasker, RZA, S1, Bink, and DJ Frank E. Additional recording sessions took place at Glenwood Place Studios in Burbank, California, and at Electric Lady Studios and Platinum Sound Studios in New York City. Retreating to a self-imposed exile in Hawaii in 2009, he recorded the album at Honolulu's Avex Studio in a communal environment involving numerous contributing musicians. It was released on November 22, 2010, by Def Jam Recordings and Roc-A-Fella Records following a period of public controversy for West.
Hosts: Brandon “Jinx” Jenkins and Shea SerranoĪdditional Production Supervision: Tunde St.My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy is the fifth studio album by American rapper and producer Kanye West. And later, Cole delivers a thoughtful analysis on one of the potentially greatest opening tracks in hip-hop history.Īs always, stick around to hear a heated courtroom debate (this week in-twist!-Cole’s Court) and find out who gets to select the featured song at the end of the episode. Next, hear how Hawaii, the VMA Awards, universal joy, and pop art add to this legendary album. They discuss how Ye rose from self-imposed exile to deliver sharp lyrical moments, masterfully layered production, and a cunning story arc with tracks like “Runaway,” “So Appalled,” “Devil in a New Dress,” and “Monster.” During Best Guest Verse, they focus on his ability to utilize multiple heavyweight emcees like Rick Ross, Jay-Z, Nicki Minaj, Pusha T, and more. Jinx and Shea are joined by the host of the Dissect podcast, Cole Cuchna, to celebrate the 11-year anniversary of Kanye West’s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.