Kanye West

=== 2016–2017: ''The Life of Pablo'' and tour cancellation ===
{{Main|The Life of Pablo}}

West announced in January 2016 that ''SWISH'' would be released on February 11, and later that month, released new songs "[[Real Friends (Kanye West song)|Real Friends]]" and a snippet of "[[No More Parties in LA]]" with Kendrick Lamar. On January 26, 2016, West revealed he had renamed the album from ''SWISH'' to ''Waves''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/63468-kanye-west-announces-new-album-title-shares-final-tracklist/|title=Kanye West Announces New Album Title, Shares Final Tracklist—Pitchfork|work=pitchfork.com|date=February 10, 2016|access-date=November 22, 2016|archive-date=June 29, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160629202953/http://pitchfork.com/news/63468-kanye-west-announces-new-album-title-shares-final-tracklist/|url-status=live}}</ref> In the weeks leading up to the album's release, West became embroiled in several [[Twitter]] controversies.<ref name="dailybeast">{{cite news|last1=Wilstein|first1=Dave|title=Kanye West Declares Bill Cosby 'Innocent'|url=http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/02/09/kanye-west-bill-cosby-is-innocent.html|newspaper=[[The Daily Beast]]|date=February 10, 2016|access-date=April 2, 2016|archive-date=April 8, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160408133122/http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/02/09/kanye-west-bill-cosby-is-innocent.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Several days ahead of its release, West again changed the title, this time to ''[[The Life of Pablo]]''.<ref>{{cite web|last=McHenry|first=Jackson|url=https://www.vulture.com/2016/02/kanye-shares-final-track-list-for-new-album.html|title=Kanye Shares the 'Final' Track List for His New Album, Which Is Now Called ''The Life of Pablo''|work=[[New York (magazine)#Vulture|Vulture]]|date=February 10, 2016|accessdate=December 28, 2022|archive-date=December 28, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221228085447/https://www.vulture.com/2016/02/kanye-shares-final-track-list-for-new-album.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Britton|first=Luke Morgan|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/wiz-khalifa-2-4-1200573|title=Wiz Khalifa opens up about Kanye West beef and reconciliation|work=[[NME]]|date=March 23, 2016|accessdate=December 28, 2022|archive-date=December 28, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221228085444/https://www.nme.com/news/music/wiz-khalifa-2-4-1200573|url-status=live}}</ref> On February 11, West premiered the album at [[Madison Square Garden]] as part of the presentation of his Yeezy Season{{nbsp}}3 clothing line.<ref name="pitchfork.com">Phillips, Amy (February 11, 2016). [https://pitchfork.com/news/63472-kanye-west-new-album-the-life-of-pablo-debut-live-stream-watch-it-here/ "Kanye West New Album The Life Of Pablo Debut Live Stream: Watch It Here"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160211182735/http://pitchfork.com/news/63472-kanye-west-new-album-the-life-of-pablo-debut-live-stream-watch-it-here/ |date=February 11, 2016 }}. Pitchfork. Retrieved February 11, 2016.</ref> Following the preview, West announced that he would be modifying the tracklist once more before its release to the public.<ref>West, Kanye (February 12, 2016). "The album is being mastered and will be out today{{nbsp}}... added on a couple of tracks{{nbsp}}...". Twitter. Retrieved February 16, 2016.</ref> He released the album exclusively on [[Tidal (service)|Tidal]] on February 14, 2016, following a performance on ''[[Saturday Night Live|SNL]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pigeonsandplanes.com/2016/02/chance-the-rapper-annotated-ultralight-beam/|title=Chance The Rapper Annotated His Verse on Kanye West's "Ultralight Beam"|work=pigeonsandplanes.com|access-date=November 22, 2016|archive-date=June 23, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160623234529/http://pigeonsandplanes.com/2016/02/chance-the-rapper-annotated-ultralight-beam/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=Pitchfork>{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/21542-the-life-of-pablo/|title=Kanye West: The Life of Pablo|website=[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]]|date=February 15, 2016|access-date=February 15, 2016|last=Greene|first=Jayson|archive-date=February 15, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160215235527/http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/21542-the-life-of-pablo/|url-status=live}}</ref> Following its release, West continued to tinker with mixes of several tracks, describing the work as "a living breathing changing creative expression"<ref name="fader">{{cite magazine|last1=Dandridge-Lemco|first1=Ben|title=Kanye West Is Updating "Wolves"|magazine=[[The Fader]]|url=http://www.thefader.com/2016/03/15/kanye-west-is-updating-wolves|access-date=March 15, 2016|archive-date=March 17, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160317211812/http://www.thefader.com/2016/03/15/kanye-west-is-updating-wolves|url-status=live}}</ref> and proclaiming the end of the [[music album|album]] as a dominant release form.<ref name="slate">{{cite web|last1=Hamilton|first1=Jack|title=The Life of Pablo Is an Attack on the Very Idea of the Album|url=http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/culturebox/2016/02/kanye_west_s_the_life_of_pablo_is_an_attack_on_the_very_idea_of_the_album.html|website=[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]]|date=February 19, 2016|access-date=March 25, 2016|archive-date=March 24, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160324070257/http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/culturebox/2016/02/kanye_west_s_the_life_of_pablo_is_an_attack_on_the_very_idea_of_the_album.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Despite West's earlier comments, in addition to Tidal, the album was released through several other competing services starting in April.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Shah|first1=Neil|title=Kanye West's 'The Life of Pablo' Now Widely Available to Stream|url=https://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2016/04/01/kanye-wests-the-life-of-pablo-now-widely-available-to-stream/|newspaper=The Wall Street Journal|date=April 2016|access-date=April 4, 2016|archive-date=April 3, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160403211534/http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2016/04/01/kanye-wests-the-life-of-pablo-now-widely-available-to-stream/|url-status=live}}</ref>
[[File:Saint pablo tour.jpg|thumb|West on the [[Saint Pablo Tour]] in 2016]]

In February 2016, West stated on Twitter that he was planning to release another album in the summer of 2016, tentatively called ''Turbo Grafx 16'' in reference to the 1990s [[TurboGrafx-16|video game console of the same name]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/63742-kanye-west-says-new-album-coming-this-summer/|title=Kanye West Says New Album Coming This Summer—Pitchfork|work=pitchfork.com|date=February 24, 2016 |access-date=November 22, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite tweet |last1=West |first1=Kanye |user=kanyewest |number=703446573552967680 |date=February 27, 2016 |title=My next album is titled "Turbo Grafx 16" as of now ...|archive-url=https://archive.today/20160313050042/https://twitter.com/kanyewest/status/703446573552967680 |archive-date=March 13, 2016 |url-status=dead}}</ref> In June 2016, West released the collaborative lead single "[[Champions (GOOD Music song)|Champions]]" off the GOOD Music album ''Cruel Winter'', which has yet to be released.<ref name="6 Minute Track">{{cite magazine|url=http://time.com/4356393/kanye-west-new-album-cruel-winter/|title=Kanye West debuts 6-minute track|last=Lang|first=Cady|date=June 3, 2016|magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]|access-date=June 3, 2016|archive-date=August 28, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180828224933/http://time.com/4356393/kanye-west-new-album-cruel-winter/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://consequence.net/2016/06/kanye-west-premieres-first-single-from-cruel-winter-listen/|title=Kanye West debuts single with a bunch of all-stars|author=<!--staff writer(s); no by-line-->|date=June 3, 2016|website=[[Consequence of Sound]]|access-date=June 3, 2016|archive-date=April 13, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210413155718/https://consequence.net/2016/06/kanye-west-premieres-first-single-from-cruel-winter-listen/|url-status=live}}</ref> Later that month, West released a controversial video for "[[Famous (Kanye West song)|Famous]]", which depicted wax figures of several celebrities (including West, Kardashian, Taylor Swift, businessman and then-presidential candidate [[Donald Trump]], comedian [[Bill Cosby]], and former president George W. Bush) sleeping nude in a shared bed.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eonline.com/news/775796/kanye-west-gets-almost-no-reactions-from-stars-depicted-naked-in-famous-video|title=Kanye West Gets Almost No Reactions From Stars Depicted Naked in "Famous" Video|work=E! Online|date=June 26, 2016|access-date=June 28, 2016|archive-date=June 28, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160628150056/http://www.eonline.com/news/775796/kanye-west-gets-almost-no-reactions-from-stars-depicted-naked-in-famous-video|url-status=live}}</ref>

In August 2016, West embarked on the [[Saint Pablo Tour]] in support of ''The Life of Pablo.''<ref name="hhd" /> The performances featured a mobile stage suspended from the ceiling.<ref name="hhd">{{cite web|last1=Mitchell|first1=Chris|title=Kanye West Soars Above Crowd To Kick Off Saint Pablo Tour|url=http://hiphopdx.com/news/id.40174/title.kanye-west-soars-above-crowd-to-kick-off-saint-pablo-tour|website=[[HipHopDX]]|date=August 26, 2016|access-date=October 14, 2016|archive-date=October 18, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161018202042/http://hiphopdx.com/news/id.40174/title.kanye-west-soars-above-crowd-to-kick-off-saint-pablo-tour|url-status=live}}</ref> West postponed several dates in October following the Paris robbery of several of his wife's effects.<ref name="bbm">{{cite web|last1=Brandle|first1=Lars|title=Kanye West Reschedules 'Saint Pablo' Tour Dates Following Kim Kardashian Robbery|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/7526747/kanye-west-reschedules-saint-pablo-tour-dates-kim-kardashia|website=[[Billboard Magazine]]|date=October 4, 2016|access-date=October 14, 2016|archive-date=October 8, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161008021137/http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/7526747/kanye-west-reschedules-saint-pablo-tour-dates-kim-kardashia|url-status=live}}</ref> On November 21, 2016, West cancelled the remaining 21 dates on the Saint Pablo Tour, following a week of no-shows, curtailed concerts and rants about politics.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-music-kanyewest/exhausted-kanye-west-hospitalized-cancels-tour-after-bizarre-rants-idUSKBN13G1X6|title='Exhausted' Kanye West Cancels Tour After Bizarre Rants|date=November 21, 2016|publisher=[[Reuters]]|access-date=June 7, 2018|archive-date=June 12, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612141202/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-music-kanyewest/exhausted-kanye-west-hospitalized-cancels-tour-after-bizarre-rants-idUSKBN13G1X6|url-status=live}}</ref> He was later admitted for psychiatric observation at [[Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center|UCLA Medical Center]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Kanye West Hospitalized After Canceling Tour: Sources |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/kanye-walks-west-s-saint-pablo-tour-cancelled-following-beyonc-n686856 |publisher=[[NBC News]] |first1=Andrew |last1=Blankstein |first2=Alex |last2=Johnson |first3=Emma |last3=Margolin |date=November 21, 2016 |access-date=October 17, 2022 |archive-date=November 24, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161124152023/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/kanye-walks-west-s-saint-pablo-tour-cancelled-following-beyonc-n686856 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://latimes.com/entertainment/gossip/la-et-mg-kanye-west-hospitalized-kim-kardashian-public-20161122-story.html|title=Kanye West's doctor called 911 during breakdown, report says; Kim Kardashian skips public return|first=Christie|last=D'Zurilla|work=Los Angeles Times|date=November 22, 2016|access-date=November 22, 2016|archive-date=November 23, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161123045938/http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/gossip/la-et-mg-kanye-west-hospitalized-kim-kardashian-public-20161122-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref> He stayed hospitalized over the Thanksgiving weekend because of a temporary psychosis stemming from sleep deprivation and extreme dehydration.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hotnewhiphop.com/kanye-west-to-remain-hospitalized-over-thanksgiving-news.25692.html?|title=Kanye West enters hospital due to sleep deprivation and extreme dehydration|last=Lilah|first=Rose|date=November 24, 2016|website=Hotnewhiphop|access-date=November 24, 2016|archive-date=November 25, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161125110208/http://www.hotnewhiphop.com/kanye-west-to-remain-hospitalized-over-thanksgiving-news.25692.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Following this episode West took an 11-month break from posting on Twitter and the public in general.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Nevins|first1=Jake|title=Kanye West returns to Twitter, writing a philosophy book 'in real time'|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2018/apr/18/kanye-west-twitter-return-philosophy-book|website=The Guardian|date=April 18, 2018|access-date=April 20, 2018|archive-date=April 19, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180419140116/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2018/apr/18/kanye-west-twitter-return-philosophy-book|url-status=live}}</ref>