These “ Facts”, along with the success of his shoe designs have only emboldened an already historic ego, and in turn, the negative reaction from those still unconvinced of his talent. Over nine LPs (seven solo and two collaborative), he’s maintained a critical and commercial success rate whose closest modern day rival is likely Radiohead.
![kanye life of pablo reiew kanye life of pablo reiew](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/hm7jy9HNl3w/mqdefault.jpg)
By the numbers, he’s nearly undefeated in that arena.
![kanye life of pablo reiew kanye life of pablo reiew](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2016/02/13/arts/13KANYE-REVIEW/13KANYE-REVIEW-jumbo.jpg)
Of course, the fun of every Kanye album has always been watching him try to prove his bold claims true, at least musically speaking. But as usual, the validity of his assessment depends on whether or not you buy the “genius” part, thus dividing listeners into polarizing camps. Twice in the song he repeats the refrain, “I’ve been out of a my mind a long time”, before trying to compromise with either himself or his audience or both in looking for a half hearted silver lining, “Name one genius that ain’t crazy.”These first two references to his mental state are vintage Kanye: self-aware and stubborn at the same time. The first two come in “Feedback”, a song that pays fitting tribute to the ever-mounting tension between perception and persona, and sonically features samples of audio feedback that, like his contentious relationship with the public, begins innocently enough before squealing into terribly unsettling places.
![kanye life of pablo reiew kanye life of pablo reiew](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2016/02/19/arts/19KANYEPABLO/19KANYEPABLO-videoLarge.jpg)
In three separate instances on the record, he declares instability. Only thing is, this time around on his highly awaited, hotly debated, and incessantly fiddled with latest album, The Life of Pablo, he’s saying it, too. Or so people like to say with a sort of flippant superiority.