Studio Album · No. 5
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy Songwriting Credits by Kanye West
Produced by Kanye West, RZA, No I.D., S1, others · Engineered by Andrew Dawson, Mike Dean
Holds writing credit on 13 of 13 tracks
Authorship Breakdown 13 / 13 documented
Scored across the 13 tracks with documented writers, by whether Kanye West carries a lyricist or composer credit.
Share of the 13 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.
By the Numbers
Awards & Recognition 2
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy is widely considered Kanye West's masterpiece, credited to West as lead artist and producer with a large collaborative team assembled in Hawaii. He raps and produces across its lush, maximalist sound, joined by a deep guest list from Nicki Minaj and Jay-Z to Bon Iver, and it won the Grammy for Best Rap Album.
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy is the fifth studio album by Kanye West, released in November 2010 on Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam Records and produced by West, No I.D., RZA, Pete Rock, and others in recording sessions held partly in Hawaii, widely considered West's masterpiece and one of the most critically acclaimed albums of the decade, conceived as a maximalist response to the public fallout from his interruption of Taylor Swift's acceptance speech at the 2009 VMAs. West wrote all his own lyrics; the album features an unusually large number of guest artists, Nicki Minaj, Jay-Z, Rick Ross, Pusha T, John Legend, Kid Cudi, and Bon Iver among others, integrated as collaborative collaborators across complex multi-movement tracks rather than conventional verse-hook structures. 'Power' (sampling King Crimson's '21st Century Schizoid Man' and Continent Number 6 by South African group Skull Snaps), 'Runaway' (a nine-minute meditation on self-destructiveness), and 'All of the Lights' (featuring 15 credited artists) were among the principal tracks; the 35-minute 'Runaway' film directed by West himself extended the album's themes into a visual companion piece. My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and received a rare perfect score from Pitchfork, one of only a small number of albums to receive a 10.0 review. It is widely regarded as the most complete artistic statement of West's recording career.
Track Listing & Credits 13 tracks
| # | Title | Lyricist(s) | Composer(s) | Producer(s) | Performers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Dark Fantasy
|
Kanye WestRobert DiggsErnest WilsonJeff BhaskerMike DeanMalik JonesJustin VernonOnika MarajJon AndersonMike Oldfield | Kanye WestRobert DiggsErnest WilsonJeff BhaskerMike DeanMalik JonesJustin VernonOnika MarajJon AndersonMike Oldfield | Kanye West | Kanye West (Rapper, Vocals) |
| 2 |
Gorgeous (feat. Kid Cudi & Raekwon)
|
Kanye WestErnest WilsonMike DeanMalik JonesChe SmithCorey WoodsScott MescudiGene ClarkRoger McGuinn | Kanye WestErnest WilsonMike DeanMalik JonesChe SmithCorey WoodsScott MescudiGene ClarkRoger McGuinn | Kanye West | Kanye West (Rapper, Vocals)Kid Cudi (Rapper, Vocalist)Raekwon (Rapper) |
| 3 |
POWER
#22
|
Kanye WestLarry Griffin Jr.Mike DeanJeff BhaskerAndwele GardnerKen Lewis | Kanye WestLarry Griffin Jr.Mike DeanJeff BhaskerAndwele GardnerKen Lewis | Kanye WestS1 | Kanye West (Lead Vocals, Rapper) |
| 4 |
All of the Lights (Interlude)
|
Kanye WestMike Dean | Kanye WestMike Dean | Kanye West | Kanye West (Lead Vocals, Rapper) |
| 5 |
All of the Lights (feat. Rihanna & others)
|
Kanye WestJeff BhaskerScott MescudiMalik JonesWarren TrotterStacy Ferguson | Kanye WestJeff BhaskerScott MescudiMalik JonesWarren TrotterStacy Ferguson | Kanye West | Kanye West (Rapper, Vocals)Rihanna (Vocalist) |
| 6 |
Monster (feat. Rick Ross, Nicki Minaj & Bon Iver)
|
Kanye WestShawn CarterPatrick ReynoldsMike DeanWilliam Roberts IIOnika MarajJustin VernonMalik Jones | Kanye WestShawn CarterPatrick ReynoldsMike DeanWilliam Roberts IIOnika MarajJustin VernonMalik Jones | Kanye West | Kanye West (Rapper, Vocals)guest rapper (Rapper)Rick Ross (Rapper)Nicki Minaj (Rapper)Bon Iver (Vocalist) |
| 7 |
So Appalled (feat. guest rapper & others)
|
Kanye WestErnest WilsonMike DeanShawn CarterTerrence ThorntonCydel YoungKasseem DeanRobert Diggs | Kanye WestErnest WilsonMike DeanShawn CarterTerrence ThorntonCydel YoungKasseem DeanRobert Diggs | Kanye WestRZA | Kanye West (Rapper, Vocals)guest rapper (Rapper)Pusha T (Rapper)Cyhi the Prynce (Rapper)RZA (Rapper) |
| 8 |
Devil in a New Dress (feat. Rick Ross)
|
Kanye WestRoosevelt HarrellMike DeanWilliam Roberts IIMalik JonesCarole KingGerry Goffin | Kanye WestRoosevelt HarrellMike DeanWilliam Roberts IIMalik JonesCarole KingGerry Goffin | Kanye West | Kanye West (Rapper, Vocals)Rick Ross (Rapper) |
| 9 |
Runaway (feat. Pusha T)
|
Kanye WestEmile HaynieTerrence ThorntonJeff BhaskerMike DeanMalik JonesPeter PhillipsJohn Branch | Kanye WestEmile HaynieTerrence ThorntonJeff BhaskerMike DeanMalik JonesPeter PhillipsJohn Branch | Kanye West | Kanye West (Rapper, Vocals)Pusha T (Rapper) |
| 10 |
Hell of a Life
|
Kanye WestMike CarenErnest WilsonMike DeanSylvester StewartTony Joe WhiteTerence ButlerAnthony IommiJohn OsbourneWilliam Ward | Kanye WestMike CarenErnest WilsonMike DeanSylvester StewartTony Joe WhiteTerence ButlerAnthony IommiJohn OsbourneWilliam Ward | Kanye West | Kanye West (Lead Vocals, Rapper) |
| 11 |
Blame Game (feat. John Legend)
|
Kanye WestJustin FranksChloe MitchellMike DeanJohn StephensRichard D. James | Kanye WestJustin FranksChloe MitchellMike DeanJohn StephensRichard D. James | Kanye West | Kanye West (Rapper, Vocals)John Legend (Vocalist) |
| 12 |
Lost in the World (feat. Bon Iver)
|
Kanye WestJeff BhaskerManu DibangoJames BrownJustin VernonGil Scott-HeronEdwin BocageAlfred Scramuzza | Kanye WestJeff BhaskerManu DibangoJames BrownJustin VernonGil Scott-HeronEdwin BocageAlfred Scramuzza | Kanye West | Kanye West (Lead Vocals, Rapper)Bon Iver (Featured Vocals) |
| 13 |
Who Will Survive in America (feat. Gil Scott-Heron)
|
Kanye WestJeff BhaskerGil Scott-HeronEdwin BocageAlfred Scramuzza | Kanye WestJeff BhaskerGil Scott-HeronEdwin BocageAlfred Scramuzza | Kanye West | Kanye West (Lead Vocals, Rapper) |