The Kanye West circus rolls on. After a bizarre album launch turned fashion event at Madison Square Garden last Friday, beamed to cinemas around the world, now Kanye fans are wondering when (and indeed if) they’ll ever get to hear the final version of his new album,The Life Of Pablo.
Recently, Kanye’s been on a bit of a Twitter binge, which may partially explain why he hasn’t got around to allowing his fans to own the new record just yet. Or not for long, anyway; over the weekend it was due on sale from the website of Jay Z’s streaming service, Tidal, but it only lasted a few hours before being removed.
We’ve tried to get to the bottom of what’s going on via the only reliable place for Kanye gossip: his own Twitter feed.
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First, The Album Came Out (But Only On Tidal)
Please for all music lovers. Please subscribe to tidal!!! I decided not to sell my album for another week. Please subscribe to tidal.
— KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) February 14, 2016
Because Jay Z needed Kanye to help revive his flagging music streaming business, and what’s Yeezus to do but help out his man? An exclusive release to Tidal subscribers only. Pretty unfair for the rest the world, who wouldn’t touch Tidal with a ten-foot pole, but you can see the logic in it.
Oh yeah, andThe Life Of Pablowas meant to stream on Kanye’s website, too, but all you get there is a cryptic audio message from Yasiin Bey, AKA the artist formerly known as Mos Def, apparently railing against his recent brush with South African authorities.
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Then, Kanye Pulled The Album To Remix It
Ima fix wolves
— KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) February 14, 2016
Of course,the greatest living artist of all time must live up to his name, so Kanye decided he better fix up a couple of issues on ‘Wolves’ before releasing it to the public. Except he already did. So now it’s been pulled from Tidal while Kanye gets his house in order. Oops.
Still, the original version of ‘Wolves’ reportedly had features from Sia and Vic Mensa, so maybe they’re going back in. After all, Kanye’s all about helping his mates.
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Now, Kanye Needs Mark Zuckerberg’s Money To Pay His Debt
I write this to you my brothers while still 53 million dollars in personal debt… Please pray we overcome… This is my true heart…
— KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) February 14, 2016
Mark Zuckerberg invest 1 billion dollars into Kanye West ideas
— KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) February 14, 2016
Kanye’s all about helping his mates, that is, unless he needs his mates to help him. It turns out he’s got money problems at the moment (hey, maybe it’s something to do with an ill-advised and badly executed release strategy for his latest masterpiece?).
Anyway, Ye’s reached out via Twitter to Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg (who doesn’t use Twitter, by the way) to ask for a small investment of one billion dollars to help him get out of the red. Because Zuckerberg will recognise him as the greatest living artist of all time, remember?
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Oh, And The Album Will Now ONLY Be Available On Tidal
My album will never never never be on Apple. And it will never be for sale… You can only get it on Tidal.
— KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) February 15, 2016
It looks like that exclusive preview week for Tidal subscribers will be extended to permanent access.The Life Of Pablowon’t be sold or streamed anywhere else. All that’s left is for it to actually come out.
Unless Kanye changes his mind again, of course. And you wouldn’t put it past him, because…
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Maybe Kanye’s Finally Lost His Mind After All
Tortured genius or delusioned rogue he may be, but either way – if you needed any further evidence that Kanye really has lost all control of his ego, then the only place to turn is this tweet from last week:
BILL COSBY INNOCENT !!!!!!!!!!
— KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) February 9, 2016
Oh… oh boy.