Grade: A+
Kanye West’s fifth studio album is an ambitious and brillianty crafted hip-hop masterpiece that is his defining statement as rapper and producer. “Fantasy” finds Kanye settling in a middle point between the distinct styles of his earlier albums and exploring the line between ego and self-doubt over pulsing drums, rock samples and maximalist beats. The record plays as an epic, insightful ode to stardom, with Kanye using collaborators like Rick Ross, Jay-Z and Kid Cudi to embody his various states of mind. Despite a lack of chart-ready singles, “Fantasy” is West’s most cohesive and consistent effort to date.