Overview
The Life of Pablo is Kanye West’s seventh studio album, released February 14, 2016 exclusively on Tidal. The album was famously unfinished at release, with West continually updating tracks post-release — a first for major album releases in the streaming era.
Controversy
The album spawned immediate controversy with the line “I made that bitch famous” about Taylor Swift on “Famous,” reigniting their 2009 VMAs feud. The subsequent release of a phone call recording by Kim Kardashian (revealing Swift approved the lyric) became a major pop culture moment.
Cultural Impact
Opening track “Ultralight Beam” featuring Chance the Rapper was hailed as a gospel masterpiece. West’s decision to continually update the album post-release pioneered the concept of “living albums.” The album debuted at #1 and was certified 3x Platinum despite streaming-only availability for its first six weeks.