When is Kanye West's new album going to be released? That's the question fans of the self-proclaimed god have been asking regularly over the last year in the hopes that he'll just give in and drop the record already. But any true fan will know that Kanye is a perfectionist which means that it could be five years until Yeezy feels the album is completed. Official details are yet to be announced but there are some pieces of the puzzle we've been able to put together…
The 37-year-old's sixth studio album Yeezus received lukewarm reviews from fans and critics alike and is undoubtedly the least popular album in Kanye's back catalogue, which is why his supporters are hungry for another LP on the same level of greatness as 2010's My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, which is widely regarded as his best body of work. (Others will argue College Dropout is still number one.)
Is Kanye still perfecting his seventh studio album (Splash News)
So with all this expectation to producer better work than his last solo effort, there's understandably a lot of pressure on Kanye to deliver, but he did get our hopes up when he told GQ in July that it's “most likely” the LP will be out by November. Well Yeezy, November has come and gone and still, nothing.
Fans haven't been kept completely in the dark though as details have been - painfully slowly - dripping through in recent months, so here's what we know so far…
Is there a title?
Reportedly ‘;Paris,' and given Kanye's love of the city, it's not too far-fetched.
What's the lead single?
In the GQ interview, Kanye announced that All Day would be the first single to drop from his seventh studio album, and he's used his big bro, Jay Z, as inspiration for the track. "Even lyrically, I think about certain lines that I say on my new single, which is called "All Day," that usually Jay would say, but Jay's not on there. So I say, All day, nigga, it's Ye, nigga. Shopping for the winter, it's just May, nigga. Ball so hard, man, this shit cray, nigga. You ain't getting money unless you got eight figures. Right? Jay would have said that.”
At the time, Kanye revealed that he wanted to release one of the songs “in the next couple of weeks, just to have something up and running,” but he was beaten to it as, low and behold, a few weeks later, a rough version of All Day leaked online. But Yeezy had nothing to worry about as it seemed to have gotten the thumbs up from fans. Listen here:
Does the album really exist? Has anyone heard anything else from it?
Back in September, Kanye's rapper pal Theophilus London revealed that Kanye held a secret listening party during Paris Fashion Week and confirmed that he also features on the record. Theophilus posted a photo with his G.O.O.D. Music boss on Instagram with the caption: "So shortly after this picture I Only remember kanye playing his new album 3 times in a dark room of 20 people last night and moshing drunk with mad babes haha."
(Theophilus London/Instagram)
Is there a track listing?
Hot 97 posted the below photo on their Instagram page four weeks ago of the alleged details of ‘;Paris,' and as you can see, it's got a pretty exciting group of collaborators including, Beyonce, Jay Z, Big Sean, Eminem and Lana Del Rey. We hope it's true!
(Hot 97/Instagram)
Will the sound be different to Yeezus?
According to Malik Yusef, who has co-written with Kanye since the beginnings of his career in 2003, says fans will be surprised again by the change in sound again. He told Rolling Stone: "This album is different. It's like a pair of Timberlands; like how Timberlands are not quite leather and not quite suede. It's not the smooth, slick Chicago music sound we have right now and it's not the ruggedness of just 'hip-hop hip-hop hip-hop.' We're still working like a motherfucker. We've been all around the world [recording],” adding that Kanye's recorded 20 songs so far.
Malik isn't the only one spilling details from behind the scenes as Evian Christ, who is producing for the record, told Self-Titled in April: "I've got to get home and write an Otis Redding–style beat for him. [Kanye] e-mailed last night. He wants something that sounds a bit like Otis Redding, a bit like Mobb Deep.”
Will there be a tour?
Yes! At least that's what is being speculated after the website for Rihanna's charity auction revealed the rapper will be embarking on the Kanye West Tour Experience in North America. "Be Kanye West's special front row VIP guest for his upcoming North American 2015 tour. Experience a rare opportunity meet & greet with the icon,” a description on the website reads.
Is there a release date?
Well, on the sheet that revealed the rumoured track list, the release date was listed as November 24 but obviously, there was complete radio silence and we got zilch. Our prediction is now for the first quarter of 2015 but of course, it's entirely possible that he'll pull a Beyonce on us!
