The Life Of Pablo is Kanye West's seventh studio album, which was released on February 14, 2016 by GOOD Music, Roc-A-Fella Records, and Def Jam. The album premiered at Madison Square Garden on February 11, 2016 as part of his "Yeezy Season 3" fashion show, in collaboration with Adidas. The album was preceded with promotional singles such as "Facts", "Real Friends", "No More Parties in LA", and "30 Hours" as part of the GOOD Fridays giveaway. The album was supported by the singles such as "Famous", "Father Stretch My Hands, Pt. 1", and "Fade".
After being renamed from SWISH, the album would continue development, most notably under the name Waves before it was finally renamed to The Life of Pablo. Following the official streaming debut, West continued to make changes to the album. A largely updated version of it, including alternate mixes and other changes, was made available on other streaming services and for digital purchase on his website on April 1, 2016. The singles "Famous", the two-part "Father Stretch My Hands", and "Fade" were released in support in 2016. The album received generally positive reviews from music critics, with particular attention being drawn to the fragmented, unfinished nature of the composition and release. It was named one of 2016's best albums by multiple publications.
The Life of Pablo received five nominations at the 2017 Grammy Awards, including Best Rap Album, though the Album of the Year rejection was deemed as a snub by numerous publications. Following Tidal's initial disclosure of its streaming data and release to competing streaming services, the album debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200, becoming the first to reach the summit primarily through streaming, and was ultimately certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). It also debuted at number one in Norway, and the top ten in Canada, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Sweden.
Track List[]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
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1 | Ultralight Beam (feat. Chance the Rapper, Kirk Franklin, Kelly Price & The-Dream) | Chancelor Bennett, Cydel Young, Derek Watkins, Jerome Potter, Kanye West, Kasseem Dean, Kelly Prince, Kirk Franklin, MIKE DEAN, Nico Segal, Noah Goldstein, Samuel Griesemer, Terius Nash | Rick Rubin, Swizz Beatz, Chance the Rapper, Kanye West, MIKE DEAN | 5:21 |
2 | Father Stretch My Hands, Pt. 1 (feat. Kid Cudi & Kelly Price) | Allen Ritter, Chancelor Bennett, Cydel Young, Jerome Potter, Kanye West, Leland Wayne, MIKE DEAN, Noah Goldstein, Rick Rubin, Samuel Griesemer, Scott Mescudi, T.L. Barrett | Noah Goldstein, DJDS, Allen Ritter, Metro Boomin, MIKE DEAN, Kanye West, Rick Rubin | 2:16 |
3 | Pt. 2 (feat. Desiigner & Caroline Shaw) | Adan Khan, Caroline Shaw, Cydel Young, Kanye West, Patrick Reynolds, Rick Rubin, Sidney Selby, T.L. Barrett | Plain Pat, Menace, Kanye West, Rick Rubin | 2:10 |
4 | Famous (feat. Rihanna & Swizz Beatz) | Andrew Dawson, Chancelor Bennett, Cydel Young, Enzo Vita, Ernest Brown, Giampiero Scalamogna, Jimmy Webb, Kanye West, Kasseem Dean, Kejuan Muchita, Luis Enriquez Bacalov, MIKE DEAN, Noah Goldstein, Patrick Reynolds, Ross Birchard, Sergio Bardotti, Winston Riley | Hudson Mohawke, MIKE DEAN, Plain Pat, Kuk Harrell, Andrew Dawson, Noah Goldstein, Charlie Heat, Kanye West, Havoc | 3:16 |
5 | Feedback | Ardalan Sarfaraz, Chancelor Bennett, Cydel Young, Darius Jenkins, Ernest Brown, K. Rachel Mills, Kanye West, Manouchehr Cheshmazar, Marcus Byrd, Noah Goldstein | Charlie Heat, Plain Pat, MIKE DEAN, Kanye West | 2:27 |
6 | Low Lights (feat. Kelly Price) | Jerome Potter, Kanye West, MIKE DEAN, Samuel Griesemer, Sandy Rivera | DJDS, Kanye West | 2:12 |
7 | Highlights (feat. Young Thug, The-Dream, Kelly Price, El DeBarge & Caroline Shaw) | Cydel Young, Jeffrey Williams, Joshua Luellen, Kanye West, MIKE DEAN, Noah Goldstein, Patrick Reynolds, Terius Nash, Tyler Bryant | Southside, Velous, Kanye West, MIKE DEAN | 3:20 |
8 | Freestyle 4 (feat. Desiigner & Caroline Shaw) | Alison Goldfrapp, Caroline Shaw, Cydel Young, Jerome Potter, Kanye West, MIKE DEAN, Noah Goldstein, Robert Locke, Ross Birchard, Samuel Griesemer, Sidney Selby, Timothy Norfolk, Trevor Gureckis, William Gregory | Trevor Gureckis, Caroline Shaw, DJDS, Noah Goldstein, MIKE DEAN, Hudson Mohawke, Kanye West | 2:03 |
9 | I Love Kanye | Kanye West | Kanye West |
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10 | Waves (feat. Chris Brown & Kid Cudi) | Chancelor Bennett, Chris Brown, Cydel Young, Darryl Mason, Derek Watkins, Elon Rutberg, Ernest Brown, Fred Bratwaithe, James Whipper, Kanye West, Kevin Ferguson, Leland Wayne, MIKE DEAN, Robin Diggs, Ross Birchard, Scott Mescudi, Theodore Livingston, Tony Williams | Hudson Mohawke, Metro Boomin, MIKE DEAN, Kanye West, Charlie Heat | 3:02 |
11 | FML (feat. The Weeknd & Caroline Shaw) | Abel Tesfaye, Andrew Dawson, Christian Boggs, Cydel Young, Darius Jenkins, Ernest Brown, K. Rachel Mills, Kanye West, Lawrence John Cassidy, Leland Wayne, MIKE DEAN, Marcus Byrd, Noah Goldstein, Paul Wiggin, Ross Birchard, Travis Scott, Vincent Cassidy | MIKE DEAN, Metro Boomin, Noah Goldstein, Keyon Christ, Kanye West | 3:56 |
12 | Real Friends (feat. Ty Dolla $ign) | Adam Feeney, Cydel Young, Darren Charles King, Glenda Proby, Jalil Hutchins, Kanye West, Kejuan Muchita, Lawrence Smith, MIKE DEAN, Matthew Samuels, Noah Goldstein, Rupert Thomas, Tyrone Griffin Jr | Noah Goldstein, MIKE DEAN, Darren King, Sevn Thomas, Frank Dukes, Havoc, Boi-1da, Kanye West | 4:12 |
13 | Wolves (feat. VIC MENSA & Sia) | Alan Brinsmead, Christopher Breaux, Elon Rutberg, Kanye West, Lincoln "Sugar" Minott, MIKE DEAN, Magnus Hoiberg, Noah Goldstein, Ryan McDermott, Sia Furler, Victor Mensah | Caroline Shaw, Noah Goldstein, Kanye West, MIKE DEAN, Sinjin Hawke, Cashmere Cat | 5:02 |
14 | Frank's Track (feat. Frank Ocean) | Alan Brinsmead, Christopher Breaux, Kanye West, Magnus Hoiberg | Sinjin Hawke, Cashmere Cat, Kanye West |
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15 | Siiiiiiiiilver Surffffeeeeer Intermission (feat. Max B & French Montana) | Charley Wingate, Karlm Kharbouch | Kanye West |
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16 | 30 Hours (feat. André 3000) | Aubrey Graham, Charles Arthur Russell, Charles L. Brown, Cornell Haynes, Jr., Isaac Hayes, Jason Epperson, Kanye West, Karriem Riggins, MIKE DEAN, Pharrell Williams | MIKE DEAN, Kanye West, Karriem Riggins | 5:23 |
17 | No More Parties in LA (feat. Kendrick Lamar) | Ghostface Killah, Herbert Rooney, Highleigh Crizoe, Johnny "Guitar" Watson, Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar, Larry Graham, Otis Jackson Jr, Ronald Bean, Sam Dees, Tina Graham, Walter Morrison | Kanye West, Madlib | 6:14 |
18 | Facts (Charlie Heat Version) | Aubrey Graham, Bryan Simmons, Cydel Young, Ernest Brown, Jefferey Williams, Joshua Luellen, Kanye West, Leland Wayne, Navyadius Wilburn, Nicholas Smith, Noah Goldstein, Sonny Uwaezuoke | Metro Boomin, Soutside, Kanye West, Charlie Heat | 3:21 |
19 | Fade (feat. Post Malone & Ty Dolla $ign) | Anthony Kilhoffer, Austin Post, Barbara Tucker, Benjamin Benstead, Cornelius Grant, Eddie Holland, Eric Seats, Harold Matthews, Herome Potter, Kanye West, Larry Heard, Louie Vega, MIKE DEAN, Noah Goldstein, Norman Whitfield, Rapture Stewart, Robert Owens, Ronald Carroll, Ryan Vojtesak, Samuel Griesemer, Stephen Garrett, Tyrone Griffin Jr | DJDS, Charlie Handsome, Noah Goldstein, Benji B, MIKE DEAN, Anthony Kilhoffer, Kanye West | 3:14 |
20 | Saint Pablo (feat. Sampha) | Allen Ritter, Deric Angelettie, Kanye West, MIKE DEAN, Norman Whitfield, Ronald Lawrence, Sampha Sisay, Shawn Carter | Noah Goldstein, Allen Ritter, Kanye West, MIKE DEAN | 6:12 |
See also[]