We still love Kanye: Happy birthday Mr. West

It’s almost been three years to the day since our lord and savior Kanye West released the darkest, craziest, most politically driven album of his career, “Yeezus.” It brought us “I Am A God” (in which he raps about croissants, the household staff, and his garage), “Bound 2” (a favorite of my college newspaper's editorial staff), and “Black Skinhead” (which was in an Animal Planet commercial). But what did this new album bring us?

Kanye’s new album was renamed four times before it was released. Initially, it was “So Help Me God” (a personal favorite), then “Swish,” and it was “Waves” for a hot second, but then at the end “The Life of Pablo” won as the title of Kayne's eighth studio album. At first Kanye teased the name by mysteriously tweeting its new title “T.L.O.P.” He even offered a free pair of Yeezy sneakers and tickets to his Yeezy Season 3 show at Madison Square Garden, where the album debuted, for anyone who could guess what the four letters stood for.

No one was able to decipher the message and he eventually let the world know. Kanye wouldn’t be Kanye if he didn’t do everything his way. He’s a writer, singer, rapper, producer, self-proclaimed rock star, and apparently a presidential candidate for 2020. Kanye is angry but he’s focused and knows what he wants when it comes to music. Fellow rapper and producer Travis Scott, who has worked with Kanye, said the musical god wasn’t sleeping or eating during the process of creating the album.

"The Life of Pablo" is far from one of my favorite Kanye albums. There's a handful of standout tracks I like, like "No More Parties in L.A.," (thank you Kendrick Lamar for contributing, what a match made in heaven), "I Love Kanye" (is that considered a song?) and "FML" (again, thank you The Weeknd for contributing). I took my stance on the album. I called it boring for the most part. I'm convinced there is a beat from "Yeezus" used on a new song. I have argued with people about this album who know more about rap music than I do, who know more about Ye himself. But I took my stance and I'm standing by it. 

Listening obsessively to Kanye's music after my freshman year of college is what got me into rap music so Kanye and his music will always be on repeat. My Instagram bio states I'm "trying to stack these millions." I have a sticker on my laptop of a bear-shaped honey jar called "uh-huh honey" and is "bound 2 taste great." My friend Samantha has a picture of Kanye frowning and looking miserable as the photo contact info for me. There's nothing more in life I aspire to own more than a pair of Yeezys. I tell my friends and family "I love you like Kanye loves Kanye." So happy birthday, Mr. West.