A Track By Track Review of Kanye West's Ye
If Kanye West is our generation's Picasso, then his art is the ultimate description of our generation as a mental health crisis. His most recent album, "Ye", captures the extremities of our bipolar culture. We are self-obsessed, polarized and hateful. We worship sex, drugs and bad thoughts and Kanye is the god of these among us men. The album is short, only 7 songs long, but it is pithy and packs a punch- a curated meditation coming out of the "Sunken Place".
This album fascinates me because it is able to portray so many different emotions and discuss so much about mental health into 23 minutes.
"I Thought About Killing You"- This song is set up for the whole premise of the album. Ye argues that the darkest thoughts lead to the most beautiful thoughts. Premeditated murder is the WORST thought one could have - worse than even suicide which he has talked about before. Kanye declares apathetically: "today I thought about killing you." It progresses from a confessional of the pure nature of his mind, into a monstrous sonic. Ye is evil - or at least half of him is.
Music is his way of expressing his angst
I done have a bad case of having too many bad days
I don't do shit half way
WAYYYYYY back (Drake voice)
"Yikes" comes off that feeling of Ye, the monster - an apologetic offering about him scaring himself. It is massively self-aware of his media attention. "Sometimes I scare myself". It is as if Ye is watching TV and realizing what he did when he told someone he was thinking about Killing them. He realizes he is among the greats, referencing Prince and Michael Jackson - who also had similar natures and controversial public perceptions.
This the type of High That gets you gunned downed
Ye makes "Me Too'd" a verb
"Sometimes I scare Myself"
"You know how many girls I took to the titty shop?"
"All Mine" aka Medulla Oblangata - Organs bring us into the church of Ye as he is swaggering out. The world is his - he isn't sorry for anything above, he just wants to get lost in the stimuli - the girls, the wishes the desire - "Let me hit it raw like fuck the outcome". This is the basic way his brain works - it doesn’t meditate anything he just is naturally like this.
Medulla Oblangata is the part of the brainstem that regulates basic functions like breathing.
"All these thoughts on Christian mingle"
"Wouldn't Leave" - Through all the above moods, Kanye has been able to build a family that doesn’t leave him even though he is constantly putting them at risk. This is his thank you to Kim. The Jeremih feature brings forward the tenderness Kanye has for his wife and family -she is God's Angel. Ye has his vision but he needs someone to prevent him from being Pygmalion and flying too close to the sun. Ironically, Kanye wants to relate this to other men who have women, however, he is clearly different. He is not just another "dude". He is an extremely bipolar megalomaniac. The irony is huge.
"No Mistakes" - The come back the energy comes back sobriety is coming through and he is driving through clear headed with the crisp piano "believe it or not". This song is the second day after a hangover when you wake up for work and you realize you can be so much better than you were that weekend. No more hurting the people around you, just clarity about the one's you love.
"Ghost Town" - This or "I Thought About Killing You" is probably the best track on the album. The feature with Kid Cudi gets me incredibly excited for the album coming out on 6/22. Kanye recognizes his mistakes, but he knows he can do better. He is struggling to make up for his shit that he did in the sunken place. However is so numb that he can't feel pain. He has triumphed over his vast pain - but perhaps not in a way that is healthy. More like he is empty and therefore cannot feel pain
Someday I want to lay down like God did and Sun Bath - Enjoying the vibe from no mistakes. Kid Cudi features - Man am I hype for that album
"And Nothing Hurts anymore - I feel kind of Free"
I love the shooting game sound clip at the end
"Violent Crimes" - This song is very much akin to Nas' "Daughter's" from 2009. Kanye is realizing how all of his previous up and downs are playing out in his life. Ye's bipolarity is useful for his career and art, but at the end he's just as human as any body else and he is just as bad as any other man. The only thing that can bring him down is his family - specifically his daughter who he doesn't want to be like his monstrous characterization of women.
Don't do no yoga, no pilates - LOL millenials.
Nicki Minaj Sample at the end.