the-life-of-pablo

Kanye West’s “The Life Of Pablo” Lands On Rolling Stone’s Top 10 Worst Album Covers Ever

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Kanye West is no stranger to landing on pretty much every music publication’s top ten lists at some point, although they aren’t always for good reasons (especially as of late). Moreover, Rolling Stone recently released their 50 Worst Album Covers Of All Time list, and Ye’s 2016 effort The Life Of Pablo landed at number seven. It’s kind of a wild choice considering that he has a literally blank and completely black album cover in 2021’s Donda, which coincidentally is facing a new copyright infringement lawsuit. Whether you love or hate this Pablo cover, though, you can’t deny the massive influence that it had and the divisive but compelling conversations that it inspired in graphic design and other artistic circles.

“The Kanye Conundrum: Does he mean it?” the publication wrote of Kanye West’s TLOP cover. “In this case, does he actually believe that this is a compelling album cover, or is he trying to push an eyesore aesthetic so far that it goes around the bend and becomes art, or is he just too distracted by the squirrels inside his head to care? The answer: It doesn’t matter! Just like Ye said actual antisemitic things, and you don’t have to waste your time parsing whether he was being ‘ironic,’ you can say that whatever his intentions were, this album got hit by the ugly stick and then move on.”

Read More: Kanye West’s Attorney Wants Out Of Assault Case Due To Alleged Lack Of Payment

Kanye West’s The Life Of Pablo Is One Of The Worst Album Covers Of All Time?

Speaking of unknown intentions, a lot of folks believe that Kanye West may have played a role in leaking Big Sean’s new album. This is because the leaker in question is a big Ye fan who claimed that he told him to do so. Sean doesn’t believe that theory, although we can’t really say for sure at press time. All we do know is that it seems pretty unlikely.

Meanwhile, Rich The Kid recently dropped his new album Life’s A Gamble, which Kanye West executive-produced. We don’t know if this indicates that Ye will move into a more backseat role with music or if his retirement announcement was just a random but ultimately false statement. It’s probably the latter, but who knows? Maybe one of the next VULTURES projects will have a modest cover, too.

Read More: Bianca Censori Skips Pants, Opts For Thong On Lunch Date With Kanye West

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Lil Uzi Vert’s Version Of Kanye West’s “Fade” Surfaces Online

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Lil Uzi Vert has had such an artistic rebrand in recent years that it’s easy to forget how long they’ve been popular. They have dominated the charts for a decade, and collaborated with some of the biggest artists in the world. One of these artists is Kanye West. Uzi Vert and West appeared on the Travis Scott single “Watches” in 2018, but they were actually supposed to link up two years prior on West’s album The Life of Pablo. Lil Uzi Vert laid down vocals for the song “Fade,” but they were scrapped from the final version. Whatever they would have sounded like on the song was left to the imagination.

Until today. The alternate version of “Fade” was leaked online on May 29, complete with a verse from Uzi. The rest of the song is similar, with backing vocals from Ty Dolla Sign and Post Malone, but their singular style completely changes the feel of the song. Lil Uzi Vert is actually the first person to get a verse before West, and they make the most of it. They ride the bouncy house instrumental with ease, and opt for a low key, cool approach. This stands in direct contrast to the wild inflections of say, Uzi’s guest verse on “Bad and Boujee.” It’s understandable why West scrapped it for something with more energy, but it’s still very interesting to hear.

Read More: Sukihana Fires Scathing Shots At JT & Lil Uzi Vert: Breaking Down “Cocaine”

Lil Uzi Vert Laid Down A Guest Verse Back In 2016

Lil Uzi Vert has been vocal about the unreleased music they have with Kanye West. During the 2018 Grammy Awards, the rapper told Complex Magazine that they and West literally hundreds of songs that have yet to see the light of day. “Me and Kanye been working ever since Lil Uzi ever existed in his music career,” they explained. “I always knew ‘Ye. We have like hundreds of stuff, but trying to get it together. Stuff means it rounds about to anything you can think of.”

West has been one of Lil Uzi Vert’s most vocal champions. He regularly praises Uzi’s albums, and during a 2022 episode of Drink Champs, cited the rapper of one of two artists who represent the future of hip-hop. “It’s always two,” he noted. “Always two at a time. It’s really [Playboi] Carti and Uzi.” West also went as far as to compare Lil Uzi Vert to Steve Jobs in a 2020 tweet. When rumors surfaced that he was no longer a fan of the rapper, West set the record straight. “I love Uzi,” he wrote. “I be saying the same thing about Steve Jobs I be feeling just like Uzi.”

Read More: Coi Leray Claims To Be The Female Version Of Lil Uzi Vert

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Kanye West Subtly Takes Sides In Drake & Kendrick Lamar Beef

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Kanye West has had his issues with Drake over the years. Overall, their feud was one that fans wanted to see resolved. Although they seemingly let bygones be bygones back in 2021, they seem to be at odds again. Ye has taken some shots at Drake on social media, and he has also mentioned the artist in a few of his in-person rants. Having said that, one can assume he has been paying attention to the Kendrick Lamar “Like That” situation. Lamar dissed Drake on the song, and the record has taken the world by storm. Meanwhile, We Don’t Trust You also seems to spell the end of Drake and Future’s illustrious friendship.

Needless to say, Drake is vulnerable right now, which is the perfect time for Ye to attack. Well, fans believe West did just that. In the tweet below, you can see that Ye recently shared an Instagram story. This IG story contains a link to his infamous collaboration with Kendrick Lamar, “No More Parties In L.A.” The track appears on The Life Of Pablo, and is considered to be one of the best songs on the album. When you put two and two together, you can deduce that this might just be a way for Ye to pick sides without actually saying anything.

Read More: Kanye West’s Most Shocking Altercations With Paparazzi

Kanye West On IG

As it stands, fans are waiting for Drake to issue his response. However, he has yet to do so. Some believe he has until Friday to get his response filed away, while other fans believe there is no timetable. No matter what, it is clear that hip-hop fans are hoping for a full-blown battle. When Pusha T challenged Drake, Push came away with the win. If Drizzy wants to get back in the win column, a response is mandatory.

Let us know what you think of the feud between Kendrick Lamar and Drake, in the comments section down below. Do you think Drake is going to issue some sort of response? If he does, do you believe Kendrick has another song ready to be unleashed? Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the music world. We will continue to keep you informed on all of your favorite artists and their upcoming projects.

Read More: Kanye West’s Copyright Infringement Lawsuit Dropped

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Kanye West Reignited His Beef With Taylor Swift On “Famous”

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Kanye West had a lot of people stressed out as it pertains to the rollout for The Life Of Pablo. Overall, this was an album that went through a lot of changes. Even after its release, the project was continuously being tinkered with. From fixing mixes to adding features, TLOP acted as some sort of free-flowing art project. Although the reviews for the album were mixed at first, it seems like the album has aged extremely well. Sure, there are some questionable bars on it, but some of the production here can be classified as Ye’s best.

During this era, Ye didn’t really care whom he offended. You can say the same of his current mentality. However, this was really true with The Life Of Pablo. Yesterday, the album turned eight years old, and with Taylor Swift-Kanye conspiracies running rampant, we figured it would be appropriate to revisit “Famous.” Fans know this as the song where Ye theorized about having sex with Taylor. This led to a huge firestorm that even involved a leaked phone call with Kim Kardashian. Whatever the case, this song remains memorable for both the lyrics, and the incredible Rihanna feature.

Read More: Kanye West’s “Vultures” Finally On Spotify

Kanye West Couldn’t Help Himself

Like many of the tracks on The Life Of Pablo, this song is anthemic. It has phenomenal production while Ye sounds as confident as ever. On an album like Vultures, his lyrics have gone completely downhill. However, The Life Of Pablo and “Famous” in particular will have you yearning for a time when Ye still cared about having a personality. No matter what, you can’t help but feel like TLOP is a moment in time we will unfortunately never get back.

Let us know your favorite track off of The Life Of Pablo, in the comments section below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for more news and updates from around the music world. We will continue to keep you informed on all of your favorite artists and their upcoming releases.

Quotable Lyrics:

I be Puerto Rican day parade floatin’
That Benz Marina Del Rey coastin’
She in school to be a real estate agent
Last month I helped her with the car payment

Read More: Kanye West’s “Graduation” Turns 16

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Kanye West & Kendrick Lamar Delivered A Rap Epic With “No More Parties In LA”

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Kanye West came out with The Life Of Pablo back in 2016. Overall, this is a project that fans were extremely excited about. Although there were some detractors to the album at first, it is now considered as another classic in his discography. Moreover, there were some interesting singles that were released prior to the full release. One of those tracks was none other than “No More Parties In LA.” In fact, just a week ago today, this song turned eight years old. It is a song that features Kendrick Lamar and has some of Kanye’s best rapping of the last decade.

Ye has delivered plenty of tracks that feature great rapping over the years. However, “No More Parties In LA” is something truly special. Kendrick was at the top of his game during this era, so to have him on the song came as a surprise. Moreover, Kanye outrapped Kendrick at points. Sure, Kanye had a much longer part, but no matter. Ye was going ballistic on the song, and it made for one of the most memorable moments on all of TLOP.

Read More: Kanye West’s “Graduation” Turns 16

Kanye West x Kendrick Lamar

These days, this track continues to live in infamy. Whenever Ye gives us a poorly phrased “Burger King” bar, fans reflect fondly on perhaps the last great verse he ever gave us. Hopefully, Ye gets back to this version of himself sometime in the future. At this point, it is hard to believe it will ever happen.

Let us know your thoughts on “No More Parties In LA,” in the comments section down below. Is this your favorite track off The Life Of Pablo? If not, what is? Also, who had the better performance, Ye or Kendrick? Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the music world. We will always be sure to keep you informed on your favorite artists and their upcoming releases.

Quotable Lyrics:

A backpack n***a with luxury tastebuds
And the Louis Vuitton store got all of my pay stubs
Got pussy from beats I did for n****s more famous
When did I become A-list? I wasn’t even on a list

Read More: Kanye West & Kid Cudi: A History Of Their Friendship

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Kanye West’s “The Life Of Pablo” Returns To Billboard 200

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Over the weekend Billboard released the first new version of the Billboard 200 chart tracking in 2024. The chart keeps track of what albums are being listened to on streaming and played on the radio the most in any given week. This week the chart is headlined by numerous Taylor Swift albums in the top 10 alongside artists like SZA, Morgan Wallen, Noah Kahan, and Zach Bryan. But unlike the Hot 100 where hit songs are subject to relegation, albums can stick around on the Billboard 200 for years and years.

That’s why it isn’t too much of a surprise when older smash-hit albums re-enter the charts years later. In recent weeks albums like Future DS2, Juice WRLD’s Legends Never Die, and J. Cole’s 2014 Forest Hills Drive have occupied the back half of the albums chart. Last week, three of Kanye West’s albums landed on the chart. 2007’s Graduation narrowly slipped inside the top 100 with his debut The College Dropout and 5th album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy following behind. Now a fourth one of the rap legends albums has entered the chart. His 2016 effort The Life Of Pablo joins the other four on the newest edition of the Billboard 200 this week.

Read More: Freddie Gibbs Needs Kanye West As Much As Kanye West Needs Freddie Gibbs

Kanye West’s “The Life Of Pablo” Returns To The Charts

Renewed interest in West’s music may have something to do with the pending album Vultures. He announced with Ty Dolla $ign late last year following the single of the same name. The pair first promised that the project would arrive last month with numerous release dates coming and going since then. Most recently the record was scheduled to arrive later this week but that release date has since been removed. Last month, a version of the project was leaked online which may have something to do with the numerous delays it’s faced since.

Kanye West has also been sharing a bizarre series of pictures on Instagram. Many of them contain scantily clad shots of Bianca Censori. In one picture West even promises not to wear pants this year. What do you think of “The Life Of Pablo” returning to the Billboard 200 this week? Let us know in the comment section below.

Read More: What Is Kanye West’s Best-Selling Album?

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Taylor Swift Detailed The Major Impact The Infamous Kanye West Phone Call (A ‘Fully Manufactured Frame Job’) Had On Her

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taylor swift kanye west 2015
Getty Image

In a 2016 phone call heard ’round the world, Taylor Swift seemingly permitted Kanye West to use her name in his song “Famous” from his album The Life Of Pablo. When the song was officially released, Swift noted that she had not permitted West to refer to her as “that b*tch,” a lyric that also was not mentioned in the phone call.

When Kim Kardashian first leaked footage of the 2016 phone call via her Snapchat Story, Swift and West fans were left divided, with some saying that West was transparent and Swift was purposely trying to play the victim in the situation. Others deemed West a misogynist and called Kardashian out for bullying Swift.

Following the leak of the phone call in 2016, Swift went into hiding for the remainder of the year, and for much of 2017, until the rollout for her sixth studio album Reputation began. In her interview for her Time Person Of The Year 2023 profile, Swift revealed what she was doing during that time. But in Swift nature, she remained fairly secretive about her exact whereabouts.

“You have a fully manufactured frame job, in an illegally recorded phone call, which Kim Kardashian edited and then put out to say to everyone that I was a liar,” Swift said. “That took me down psychologically to a place I’ve never been before. I moved to a foreign country. I didn’t leave a rental house for a year. I was afraid to get on phone calls. I pushed away most people in my life because I didn’t trust anyone anymore. I went down really, really hard.”

Elsewhere in the interview she teased Reputation (Taylor’s Version) — specifically its vault tracks, which she said will be “fire.” She also described her album re-recording process as a mythic quest, similar to that in fantasy and superhero franchises.

“I’m collecting horcruxes,” Swift said. “I’m collecting infinity stones. Gandalf’s voice is in my head every time I put out a new one. For me, it is a movie now.”

You can learn how to buy Swift’s Time Person Of The Year 2023 issue here.

Kanye West’s Albums, Ranked Worst to Best

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Complex Original
  • Image via Def Jam

    ‘Ye’ (2018)

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    ‘Jesus Is King’ (2019)

  • G.O.O.D. Music’s ‘Cruel Summer’ album cover. (Image via Def Jam)

    ‘Cruel Summer’ (2012)

  • Image via G.O.O.D. Music/Def Jam Recordings

    ‘Kids See Ghosts’ (2018)

  • ‘Donda’ (2021)

  • Image via Def Jam

    ‘The Life of Pablo’ (2016)

  • Image via Def Jam

    ‘808s & Heartbreak’ (2008)

  • Image via Def Jam

    ‘Late Registration’ (2005)

  • Image via Def Jam

    ‘The College Dropout’ (2004)

  • Image via Def Jam

    ‘Yeezus’ (2013)

  • ‘Watch the Throne’ (2011)

  • Image via Def Jam

    ‘Graduation’ (2007)

  • Image via Def Jam

    ‘My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy’ (2010)