Standard Edition



No tracklisting yet ...

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003X2O6KW/?tag=imwan-20

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Deluxe Edition



No tracklisting yet ...

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0042RUMG4/?tag=imwan-20

Kanye West begins recording new album
Rapper looks to Gill Scott-Heron and Nina Simone for inspiration

January 4, 2010
http://www.nme.com/news/kanye-west/49062



Kanye West has revealed he is currently in the studio recording new material.

Speaking on his Kanyeuniversecity.com blog, West hinted that he'll be taking a further step away from rap on the album, and likened himself to a "true poet".

"I'm so happy to be back in the studio making new music. I will bring you the best I have to offer with the same dedication that Kobe [Bryant, LA Lakers' shooting guard] has on the court," he wrote.

He added: "It's funny how so many rappers get worse as their careers stretch out, but true poets get better. We will follow in the footsteps of Maya Angelou, Gill Scott-Heron and Nina Simone. Their work improved with time. They documented what was happening in culture. That is our responsibility as the modern day artists and poets."

West, who's last album '808s & Heartbreak' was released in 2008, added that he wants to bring a sense of realism to the new material.

"Let us look past headlines and deal with just a bit of reality in this new decade. We have our own outlets now. We don't have to believe everything anymore," he said. "Now I'll figure out a way to make that rhyme."

Kanye West announces new album release date
'Good Ass Job' is due out on September 14

June 28, 2010
http://www.nme.com/news/kanye-west/51752



Kanye West has announced the release date of his new album

Called 'Good Ass Job', the follow-up to 2008's '808s And Heartbreak' will be released on September 14, with a UK release expected on September 13.

As Billboard reports, the rapper's fifth studio effort will include production from the likes of Q-Tip, Pete Rock and Wu Tang Clan's RZA.

Earlier this month the possible first single from the LP, 'Power', which features Dwele and samples King Crimson's 1969 song '21st Century Schizoid Man', leaked online.

Stupid Ass Title.

Yeah...sounds like a compliment I'd give to Cher, if I ever met her.

Do you like fish sticks?

Kanye West scraps 'Good Ass Job' album title for forthcoming LP
Rapper also visits Twitter's offices for another a cappella performance

July 29, 2010
http://www.nme.com/news/kanye-west/52273



Kanye West has scrapped the 'Good Ass Job' album title for his forthcoming new LP.

Set to be the follow-up to 2008's '808s And Heartbreak', the rapper announced the news via his newly registered Twitter account.

"The album is no longer called 'Good Ass Job'," he tweeted on Twitter.com/KanyeWest. "I'm bouncing a couple of titles around now."

As previously reported, West showcased three songs from the upcoming album in the form of 'Lost In The World', 'Chain Gang' and 'Mama's Boyfriend' at Facebook's headquarters in California.

Meanwhile, earlier today (July 28) he did the same at Twitter's offices and you can see footage of his performance below.

"Shout out to everybody at the Twitter office today," West tweeted. "Sorry for interrupting yall lunch with my super compelling impromptu performance."

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdLn_swmOHg[/youtube]

Someone apparently gave him good advice.

I'm still going to not buy it, title change or no.

Kanye West to release new album 'sometime in November'
Rapper also cites Trent Reznor and Radiohead's Thom Yorke as influences

August 6, 2010
http://www.nme.com/news/kanye-west/52393



Kanye West has announced that his forthcoming new album will be released "sometime in November".

The rapper's currently untitled fifth LP, which was tentatively called 'Good Ass Job', was due for release in September.

Revealing the news during an online question and answer session, which you can see below, the rapper also cited a number of his influences including Trent Reznor and Radiohead's Thom Yorke.

Meanwhile, West told fans that he would issue a new single in "around 20 days" and that it would either be a song called 'Lost In The World' or 'All Of The Lights'.

Online question and answer session: http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/8757510

Kanye West's new album to feature Beyonce and Bon Iver collaborations?
Rapper reportedly flew frontman Justin Vernon out to work with him at his Hawaii studio

August 11, 2010
http://www.nme.com/news/kanye-west/52447



Kanye West's forthcoming new album could be set to feature a collaboration with Bon Iver, plus he is streaming a new track featuring Beyonce.

The rapper-producer apparently flew out frontman Justin Vernon to work with him at his Hawaii studio, reports Stereogum.com.

According to the site, West has "expressed interest in using a well known Bon Iver song as a backing track/prime sample" for a track.

The currently untitled fifth LP, which was tentatively called 'Good Ass Job', is due out on November 16 in the US, with the UK release date expected to be November 15.

As previously reported, the rapper cited Trent Reznor and Radiohead's Thom Yorke as influences for the album.

Meanwhile, the rapper is streaming a new song called 'See Me Now', which features vocals from Beyonce and Charlie Wilson, on KanyeUniverseCity.com.

Bon Iver's Justin Vernon: 'I worked on at least ten songs with Kanye West'
Wisconsin singer-songwriter confirms Hawaiian studio sessions with the rapper-producer

August 13, 2010
http://www.nme.com/news/bon-iver/52481



Bon Iver's Justin Vernon has confirmed that he has been working with Kanye West in Hawaii.

In an interview with Pitchfork, Vernon revealed that he had recorded vocals on "at least ten songs" with the rapper-producer, including one which samples Bon Iver's song 'Woods'.

"That whole first week I was there we worked on the 'Woods' song, which is called 'Lost In The World'," he said. "We were just eating breakfast and listening to the song on the speakers and he's like, 'Fuck, this is going to be the festival closer'. I was like, 'Yeah, cool'. It kind of freaked me out."

The Wisconsin singer-songwriter ended up spending three separate weeks in the studio with West after the rapper-producer invited him back.

"It was the same kind of thing, throwing ideas around," he explained. "There are a bunch of other songs I'd just throw down on, write a little hook, whatever. In the studio, he was referencing Trent Reznor, Al Green, The Roots, the fucking awesomest shit. It made total sense to me."

He added: "I was literally in the back room rolling a spliff with Rick Ross talking about what to do on the next part of a song. It was astonishing. Kanye came back and was like, 'Look at you two guys. This is the craziest studio in the Western world right now!'".

Kanye is such a talent. Relying on big names like Beyonce and bringing in this Bon Iver guy so he can sample his music. Wonder why he didn't invite Taylor Swift?

Kanye West cancels 'Good Fridays' free music giveaway after album leak
Rapper-producer says there will be no free tunes tomorrow (Oct 1) after tracks from album appear on blogs

September 30, 2010
http://www.nme.com/news/kanye-west/53232



Kanye West has announced he is cancelling his weekly Friday music giveaway after tracks from his forthcoming album leaked online.

The rapper-producer has been giving away new songs each week under the banner ‘Good Fridays’ via his Twitter account.

However, West has informed fans there will be no free music this week (October 1) after songs from his album, expected to be out in November, have circulated online via various blogs.

Among the songs that have appeared is one featuring samples from Bon Iver and Gil Scott-Heron.

Writing on Twitter, West said he was upset by the leak, particularly because the versions circulated are not finished and he had been generous supplying music for free already.

"Due to blogs leaking unfinished songs from my actual album I've decided to pass on Good Fridays this week," he wrote this morning (September 30).

"It's messed up that one hacker can mess everything up for everyone... I love to take a year to finish my songs and deliver them to you guys in their most completed form. It would have seemed like since I give free music every week even the lowest form of human being would respect that enough not to leak unfinished songs from my real album."

Of the record itself, West told fans that he had not finalised an exact release date or album title yet despite completing it.

"I'm still contemplating my album date. I'm finished with it but when should I drop?" he asked. "I can't decide on my album title either uuuugh!!!!"

Kanye West names new album 'My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy'
The rapper and producer reveals his next studio effort is due out on November 22

October 4, 2010
http://www.nme.com/news/kanye-west/53285



Kanye West has announced the release date for his new album.

The rapper and producer revealed that his next studio effort, which will be called 'My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy', is due out on November 22.

"The official album title is and always was ... 'My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy'," West wrote on Twitter. Earlier he named a release date declaring: "We gone kill it again on November 22nd! Even with the leaks…"

West had previously hinted the record might have been called 'Good Ass Job' or just 'Dark Twisted Fantasy'.

Last week, West cancelled his weekly 'Good Friday' music giveaway, after tracks from his forthcoming album leaked online.

Despite the cancellation, the rapper-producer still released a new song, 'Christian Dior Denim Flow' on Saturday (October 1) via http://www.kanyewest.com/GOODFridays.

Kanye West showcases self-directed new short film at London screening
Rapper-producer presents ‘Runaway' to celeb-packed room

October 7, 2010
http://www.nme.com/news/kanye-west/53324



Kanye West showcased his new music video, ‘Runaway’, at BAFTA in London’s Piccadilly last night (Oct 6th).

The rapper-producer took to the stage to introduce the 40-minute long music video in front of a packed, invite-only room that included the likes Lemar and Marina And The Diamonds.

He described the movie, due for worldwide release in a fortnight, as “an overall representation of what I dream”, telling the audience it’s “a modern-day version of ‘The Wall’ or ‘Thriller’”.

The film is a colour-saturated tale of a phoenix, played by model and actress Selita Ebanks, that falls to earth and becomes the girlfriend of West's character Griffin. In a series of dreamlike sequences that feature ballerinas and banquets she suffers discrimination from those around her and eventually has to burn herself alive. The film was written by Hype Williams and directed by West.

Following the screening West chaired a lengthy Q&A session with the audience, in which he discussed his attempts at being a fashion designer, his Twitter account, and his VMA stage invasion with Taylor Swift.

He referred to ‘Runaway’ as “a legacy building moment” before predicting “it’ll be the last option at night before the porn on the hotel TV".

He added: “With everything I’ve been through in the past year it was divine intervention that helped the making of this. God has prepped me to be a soldier and to fight for my art."

Kanye West announces La Roux, Jay-Z, MIA will feature on new album
Alicia Keys, Mos Def and more for 'My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy'

October 7, 2010
http://www.nme.com/news/kanye-west/53330



Kanye West has collaborated with La Roux's Elly Jackson, Jay-Z, MIA, Alicia Keys and Mos Def on his new album.

John Legend, Kid Cudi, Bon Iver and No ID also contribute to the album, which is named 'My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy' and will be released on November 22.

The rapper did not reveal the full details of the collaborations, but name-checked the artists as he showcased his new music video, 'Runaway', at BAFTA in London's Piccadilly last night (October 6).

'My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy' will be Kanye West's fifth studio album, the follow-up to 2008's '808s & Heartbreak'.

Kanye West says cover for 'My Dark Twisted Fantasy' has been banned
Rapper-producer jokes it's unfair he can't have a nude monster while Nirvana get away with a naked baby

October 18, 2010
http://www.nme.com/news/kanye-west/53452



Kanye West has had his new album cover "banned" - and joked it was unfair as his was a painting of a naked monster while Nirvana's 'Nevermind' is allowed to feature a nude baby.

Revealing the image via Twitter, the rapper-producer posted up a link to the proposed cover of 'My Dark Twisted Fantasy' for fans to see.

"Yoooo they banned my album cover!!!!!" he wrote, adding: "Banned in the USA!!! They don't want me chilling on the couch with my Phoenix!"

Phoenix is the central character from West's short film Runaway, which he directed, and features him dating a creature that has fallen to earth.

Bemoaning the artwork ban, West then wrote: "In the '70s album covers had actual nudity... It's so funny that people forget that... Everything has been so commercialised now," before joking about the 1991 'Nevermind' sleeve.

"So Nirvana can have a naked human being on their cover," he observed, "but I can't have a PAINTING of a monster with no arms and a polka dot tail and wings."

It is believed West is being advised against using the artwork by his label, as it may not be stocked by US chain stores like Wal-Mart. However, Latimes.com reports a source at the label saying the rapper-producer has been told "if he wanted to do it, the label would stand behind him".

The allegedly "banned" cover art which has just finished netting Mr. West a boatload of free publicity...



And already this story appears to be out of date...

Kanye West Preps 5 Dark Twisted Fantasy Covers
http://rapfix.mtv.com/2010/10/19/kanye- ... d-fantasy/

If you don't like Kanye West's My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy album cover art, then give it up. This guy isn't stopping with just one cover, nope he's coming with five.

"Well, actually, it's five covers," West said on Monday night at the Los Angeles premiere of his "Runaway" film. "And you get all five of them when you buy the album."

'Ye wouldn't spill what the other cover images look like or if artist (and frequent collaborator) George Condo would be creating them. But he did discuss the process behind the now-infamous Fantasy artwork, which portrays the rapper being straddled on a couch by a naked, armless, winged woman with a polka-dot tail. According to West, he wasn't aiming to create a controversy with the image; rather, he just went to Condo with a basic idea and was blown away by the result.

"I told [Condo] I wanted a phoenix, and that's what he came up with," said West. "And what I love about it is, both me and George express ourselves with our truest vision, not based on what society or culture feels is right, but what's truly in our heart, and I just know if George was in my class back when I was in kindergarten, and he came up with something like that, I would've been envious, like, 'Man, how did you come up with that character with no arms and the wings, man? That's cool!' ... And it's simply like that. I just really love the colors. I thought the colors were just amazing, and the imagery was amazing. I thought it was a cool, awesome cover."

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7W0DMAx8FY[/youtube]

Here's a first look at the multiple covers, courtesy of Pitchfork and Nah Right: