Kanye West's The Life Of Pablo is probably the last great Kanye West album. You could argue DONDA is up there, but with over 30 tracks, there is simply too much filler. TLOP, on the other hand, is a work of abstract art that has stood the test of time. In fact, the initial release for the album was messy, and some of the mixes were unfinished. As 2016 went on, Ye fixed the album and made a plethora of changes. Now, the album is complete, and it is one of Kanye's most enduring works. Songs like "Fade," "No More Parties In L.A.," and "Ultralight Beam" are some of Kanye's best. It's an album that feels like a collage, but in the best sense of the word. Today, the album turns 10 years old, and we are celebrating it by putting the track on repeat.
Release Date: February 14, 2016
Genre: Hip-Hop
Tracklist for The Life Of Pablo
- Ultralight Beam ft. Chance The Rapper
- Father Stretch My Hands Pt. 1
- Pt. 2 ft. Desiigner
- Famous ft. Rihanna
- Feedback
- Low Lights
- Highlights
- Freestyle 4 ft. Desiigner
- I Love Kanye
- Waves ft. Chris Brown
- FML ft. The Weeknd
- Real Friends
- Wolves ft. SIA & Vic Mensa
- Frank's Track
- Silver Surfer Intermission
- 30 Hours ft. Andre 3000
- No More Parties in L.A. ft. Kendrick Lamar
- Facts (Charlie Heat Version)
- Fade ft. Ty Dolla $ign & Post Malone
- Saint Pablo
Awards & Commercial Reception
The Life Of Pablo eventually went number one on the Billboard charts, and is currently three-times platinum. Unfortunately, this album was snubbed at the Grammys. It did not receive an Album of the Year nomination. Meanwhile, it lost Rap Album of the Year to Chance the Rapper and his mixtape, Coloring Book.
What Did HotNewHipHop Commenters Think?
While critics weren't sure what to make of this album at the time, there is no denying that the HNHH users loved it. "The Production is crazy on this album, kanye dropped a solid project!!" one commenter wrote. One fan even noted this was going to put some pressure on Drake, saying "T.L.O.P is pure heat ngl, Drake will have to step his game up but I know he will deliver #Views." This just goes to show that the Ye and Drake rivalry was still going very strong at the time.
