Kanye West's 'Jesus Is King,' Like Its Creator, Asks A Little Too Much Of Us
There are moments of inspired magic on West's gospel-flavored ninth album, and moments that sound ill-considered and slapped together. Those extremes feel like the story of his recent career.
As a public figure, Kanye West sometimes seems to change course every other day. But where his musical output is concerned, his most consequential turning point came 10 years ago, by way of two very different albums.
First was the 2008 release of 808s and Heartbreak -- recorded after the unexpected death of West's mother — whose icy, digital sheen made a surprising break from his earlier soul-sample style of production. Seen as an aberration at the time, is now recognized as a key influence on modern hip-hop's minimalist sound, and suggested the trajectory of West's career would be different from those of the golden-era rap acts who had originally inspired him.
