Kanye West

=== 2013–2015: ''Yeezus'' and the ''Yeezus Tour'' ===

{{Main|Yeezus|The Yeezus Tour}}

Sessions for West's sixth solo effort begin to take shape in early 2013 in his own personal loft's living room at a Paris hotel.<ref name="NewYorkTimes">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/16/arts/music/kanye-west-talks-about-his-career-and-album-yeezus.html?pagewanted=all|title=Behind Kanye's Mask|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=June 11, 2013|access-date=June 13, 2013|author=Caramanica, Jon|archive-date=June 12, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130612162353/http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/16/arts/music/kanye-west-talks-about-his-career-and-album-yeezus.html?pagewanted=all|url-status=live}}</ref> Determined to "undermine the commercial",<ref name="sessions">{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/features/articles/9157-the-yeezus-sessions/|title=The ''Yeezus'' Sessions|work=[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]]|date=June 24, 2013|access-date=June 26, 2013|author=Dombal, Ryan|archive-date=June 26, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130626203159/http://pitchfork.com/features/articles/9157-the-yeezus-sessions/|url-status=dead}}</ref> he once again brought together close collaborators and attempted to incorporate Chicago [[Drill (music genre)|drill]], [[dancehall]], [[acid house]], and [[industrial music]].<ref name="chicagotribune">{{cite news|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/music/turnitup/chi-kanye-west-yeezus-review-20130616,0,6122329.column|title=Kanye West's 'Yeezus' an uneasy listen|work=[[Chicago Tribune]]|date=June 16, 2013|access-date=June 17, 2013|author=Kot, Greg|archive-date=June 16, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130616222316/http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/music/turnitup/chi-kanye-west-yeezus-review-20130616,0,6122329.column|url-status=live}}</ref> Primarily inspired by architecture,<ref name="NewYorkTimes" /> West's perfectionist tendencies led him to contact producer [[Rick Rubin]] fifteen days shy of its due date to strip down the record's sound in favor of a more minimalist approach.<ref name="Rstonerubin">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/rick-rubin-finishing-kanye-wests-yeezus-seemed-impossible-20130627|title=Rick Rubin: Finishing Kanye West's ''Yeezus'' Seemed Impossible|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|date=June 27, 2013|access-date=June 27, 2013|author=Blistein, Jon|archive-date=June 30, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130630092456/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/rick-rubin-finishing-kanye-wests-yeezus-seemed-impossible-20130627|url-status=dead}}</ref> Initial promotion of his sixth album included worldwide video projections of the album's music and live television performances.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/50579-watch-kanye-west-projects-new-video-new-slaves-on-buildings-around-the-world/|title=Watch: Kanye West Projects New Video "New Slaves" on Buildings Around the World|work=[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]]|date=May 17, 2013|access-date=June 6, 2018|author=Battan, Carrie|archive-date=June 12, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612143650/https://pitchfork.com/news/50579-watch-kanye-west-projects-new-video-new-slaves-on-buildings-around-the-world/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=snl>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/videos/kanye-west-unleashes-the-fury-of-black-skinhead-on-snl-20130519|title=Kanye West Unleashes the Fury of 'Black Skinhead' on 'SNL'|magazine=Rolling Stone|location=New York|date=May 19, 2013|access-date=May 20, 2013|author=Coleman, Miriam|archive-date=June 5, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130605083844/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/videos/kanye-west-unleashes-the-fury-of-black-skinhead-on-snl-20130519|url-status=dead}}</ref> ''[[Yeezus]]'', West's sixth album, was released June 18, 2013, to rave reviews from critics.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://au.ibtimes.com/articles/480410/20130619/kanye-west-yeezus-kim-kardashian.htm|access-date=June 22, 2013|last=Torrente|first=Ria Kristina|date=June 19, 2013|title=Kanye West's Yeezus Gets Rave Reviews|newspaper=[[International Business Times]]|location=New York|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130925064429/http://au.ibtimes.com/articles/480410/20130619/kanye-west-yeezus-kim-kardashian.htm|archive-date=September 25, 2013}}</ref> It became his sixth consecutive number one debut, but also marked his lowest solo opening week sales.<ref name="billboard123">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1568153/official-kanye-wests-yeezus-sells-327000-debuts-at-no-1-on-billboard-200-chart|title=Official: Kanye West's 'Yeezus' Sells 327,000; Debuts at No. 1 on Billboard 200 Chart|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|date=June 25, 2013|access-date=June 29, 2013|archive-date=June 29, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130629000131/http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1568153/official-kanye-wests-yeezus-sells-327000-debuts-at-no-1-on-billboard-200-chart|url-status=live}}</ref> 
[[File:Yeezus tour.jpg|thumb|West on the [[Yeezus Tour]] in 2013]]

In September 2013, West announced he would be headlining [[the Yeezus Tour|his first solo tour in five years]], to support ''Yeezus'', with fellow American rapper [[Kendrick Lamar]] accompanying him as a supporting act.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/52170-kanye-west-announces-tour-with-kendrick-lamar/|title=Kanye West Announces Tour With Kendrick Lamar|work=Pitchfork Media|date=September 6, 2013|access-date=June 9, 2014|archive-date=October 15, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141015155108/http://pitchfork.com/news/52170-kanye-west-announces-tour-with-kendrick-lamar/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.glidemagazine.com/39618/kanye-west-announces-fall-arena-tour-kendrick-lamar-opening/|title=Kanye West Announces Fall Arena Tour—Kendrick Lamar Opening|work=Glide Magazine|date=September 6, 2013|access-date=June 9, 2014|archive-date=October 10, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141010002939/http://www.glidemagazine.com/39618/kanye-west-announces-fall-arena-tour-kendrick-lamar-opening/|url-status=live}}</ref> The tour was met with rave reviews from critics.<ref name="rsyeezus">{{cite magazine|last1=Ringen|first1=Jonathan|title=11 Reasons Kanye West's 'Yeezus' Tour Is Actually Incredible|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/11-reasons-kanye-wests-yeezus-tour-is-actually-incredible-20131122|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|date=November 22, 2013|access-date=August 8, 2016|archive-date=August 19, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160819090854/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/11-reasons-kanye-wests-yeezus-tour-is-actually-incredible-20131122|url-status=dead}}</ref> ''Rolling Stone'' described it as "crazily entertaining, hugely ambitious, emotionally affecting (really!) and, most importantly, totally bonkers".<ref name="rsyeezus" /> Writing for ''Forbes'', Zack O'Malley Greenburg praised West for "taking risks that few pop stars, if any, are willing to take in today's hyper-exposed world of pop", describing the show as "overwrought and uncomfortable at times, but [it] excels at challenging norms and provoking thought in a way that just isn't common for mainstream musical acts of late".<ref name="Greenburg">{{cite web|last1=Greenburg|first1=Zack O'Malley|title=Kanye West Makes His Own Artpop on Yeezus Tour|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/zackomalleygreenburg/2013/11/25/kanye-west-makes-his-own-artpop-on-yeezus-tour/#7ac1db4f18f2|website=[[Forbes]]|access-date=July 25, 2016|archive-date=August 24, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160824110602/http://www.forbes.com/sites/zackomalleygreenburg/2013/11/25/kanye-west-makes-his-own-artpop-on-yeezus-tour/#7ac1db4f18f2|url-status=live}}</ref> West subsequently released a number of singles featuring [[Paul McCartney]], including "[[Only One (Kanye West song)|Only One]]"<ref>{{cite magazine|last1=Young|first1=Alex|title=Kanye West premieres 'Only One' featuring Paul McCartney—listen|url=https://consequence.net/2014/12/kanye-west-premieres-only-one-featuring-paul-mccartney-listen/|magazine=Consequence of Sound|access-date=January 1, 2015|archive-date=April 23, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210423172637/https://consequence.net/2014/12/kanye-west-premieres-only-one-featuring-paul-mccartney-listen/|url-status=live}}</ref> and "[[FourFiveSeconds]]", also featuring [[Rihanna]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Moore|first=Sam|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/paul-mccartney-kanye-west-songwriting-fourfiveseconds-rihanna-kim-kardashian-2341934|title=Paul McCartney on writing with Kanye West: "I was tootling around on guitar, and Kanye spent a lot of time looking at pictures of Kim"|work=[[NME]]|date=June 21, 2018|accessdate=December 28, 2022|archive-date=December 28, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221228084516/https://www.nme.com/news/music/paul-mccartney-kanye-west-songwriting-fourfiveseconds-rihanna-kim-kardashian-2341934|url-status=live}}</ref>

In November 2013, West stated that he was beginning work on his next studio album, hoping to release it by mid-2014,<ref>Jackson, Reed (November 25, 2013). [http://www.xxlmag.com/news/2013/11/kanye-west-hopes-new-album-summer/ "Kanye West Hopes To Have New Album Out By Summer"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181012215802/http://www.xxlmag.com/news/2013/11/kanye-west-hopes-new-album-summer/ |date=October 12, 2018 }}. ''XXL''.</ref> with production by Rick Rubin and [[Q-Tip (musician)|Q-Tip]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Rys|first=Dan|url=http://www.xxlmag.com/news/2013/12/q-tip-will-produce-kanye-wests-next-album-rick-rubin/|title=Q-Tip Will Produce Kanye West's Next Album With Rick Rubin—XXL|publisher=Xxlmag.com|date=December 3, 2013|access-date=June 9, 2014|archive-date=May 27, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140527030656/http://www.xxlmag.com/news/2013/12/q-tip-will-produce-kanye-wests-next-album-rick-rubin/|url-status=live}}</ref> Having initially announced a new album entitled ''Yeezus II'' slated for a 2014 release, West announced in March 2015 that the album would instead be tentatively called ''So Help Me God''.<ref>{{cite magazine|last1=Peters|first1=Mitchell|title=Kanye West Announces Name Change of His New Album on Twitter|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/the-juice/6553812/kanye-west-announces-name-change-of-his-new-album-on-twitter-swish-so-help-me-god|access-date=May 31, 2015|magazine=Billboard|date=May 3, 2015|archive-date=June 7, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150607163951/http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/the-juice/6553812/kanye-west-announces-name-change-of-his-new-album-on-twitter-swish-so-help-me-god?|url-status=live}}</ref> In May 2015, West was awarded an [[honorary doctorate]] by the [[School of the Art Institute of Chicago]] for his contributions to music, fashion, and popular culture.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/may/11/kanye-west-receives-honorary-doctorate-chicago|title=Kanye West receives honorary doctorate in Chicago|author=<!--Not stated-->|date=May 11, 2015|website=The Guardian|access-date=June 19, 2018|archive-date=June 23, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180623170101/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/may/11/kanye-west-receives-honorary-doctorate-chicago|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/59535-kanye-west-receives-honorary-doctorate-from-saic-listen/|title=Kanye West Receives Honorary Doctorate From SAIC: Listen|work=Pitchfork Media|date=May 11, 2015|access-date=May 12, 2015|archive-date=May 13, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150513205756/http://pitchfork.com/news/59535-kanye-west-receives-honorary-doctorate-from-saic-listen/|url-status=live}}</ref>{{efn|The school rescinded the honorary degree in late 2022 in light of West's public antisemitic statements.<ref>{{Cite web |date=December 8, 2022 |title=Kanye West's honorary degree rescinded by School of the Art Institute of Chicago |url=https://abc7chicago.com/kanye-west-new-name-school-of-the-art-institute-chicago-ye-honorary-degree/12545134/ |access-date=December 8, 2022 |website=ABC7 Chicago |language=en |archive-date=December 8, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221208183749/https://abc7chicago.com/kanye-west-new-name-school-of-the-art-institute-chicago-ye-honorary-degree/12545134/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>}} The next month, West headlined at the [[Glastonbury Festival]] in the UK, despite a petition signed by almost 135,000 people against his appearance.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Renshaw|first1=David|title=Kanye West Glastonbury petition crosses 100,000 signature mark|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/kanye-west-304-1224342|access-date=September 9, 2020|work=NME|date=March 22, 2015|archive-date=February 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210204092837/https://www.nme.com/news/music/kanye-west-304-1224342|url-status=live}}</ref> Another petition aimed to block West from headlining the [[2015 Pan American Games]], garnering 50,000 supporters.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nme.com/news/kanye-west/86979 |title=NME News 50,000 people sign petition to stop Kanye West from playing Pan Am Games closing ceremony |work=NME |date=July 20, 2015 |access-date=July 21, 2015 |archive-date=July 21, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150721145307/http://www.nme.com/news/kanye-west/86979 |url-status=live }}</ref>