Kanye West's controversial new album Yeezus draws mixed reviews from critics

AFRIK UPDATE

Yeezus hit the top spot on the U.S. weekly Billboard 200 album chart on Wednesday, selling 327,000 copies in its first week.

Kanye West's new album Yeezus has drawn mixed reviews from critics, with many objecting to its colourful language and borderline sexism. 

'Yeezus is not one that you’ll want your kids listening to,' writes Randall Roberts of the L.A. Times. 'Ethnic stereotypes and shocking sentiments dot the record

'This is not a man concerned with offending women or racial activists,' he adds. 'It’s an otherwise thoughtful man in pure id mode, thinking with his groin and worrying little about the ladies’ vote. 

'Yeezus is the most musically adventurous record he’s ever released, and after a handful of listens, it's pretty obvious that it will shock a lot of people. Those that already don’t like the polarizing Chicago rapper and producer will have a replenished arsenal.'

 National Public Radio's Ann Powers was initially uncertain how to react after listening to Kanye's misogynistic wordplay after the record leaked onto the Internet four days before release. 

'I am surprised by how emotionally assaulted I felt on first listen, as a woman, and need to really think about that,' Powers tweeted. 'What I mean is - if it's not just id...but a conscious effort to make sexual hunger shocking again... well, it's working.'

'Can't figure out if Kanye's new album means he likes girls or REALLY REALLY doesn't,' added the Austin American-Statesman's Joe Gross via Twitter. 

But Kanye's eccentric lyrics such as 'In a French-a**restaurant, Hurry up with my damn croissants,' wins kudos from the majority of critics. 

'Perhaps he just understands better than most of his peers that musical stars are meant to be extraordinary, provocative, divisive, controversial figures,' writes The Guardian's (UK) Alexis Petridis.

Helen Brown from the UK Telegraph added: 'Through the sonic maze created by the cool, clever brain of West-as-producer pelts the sweating, ranting, mammal-brained character of West-as-rapper, blurting out offensively violent and misogynistic then righteously political lyrics by turns.'

Many reviews from prestigious publications were exemplary.

 Jim Farber of The New York Times gave the record five stars while Rolling Stone's critic Jon Dolan awarded it four and a half stars. 

'Yeezus is the darkest, most extreme music Kanye has ever cooked up,' he said. 'An extravagantly abrasive album full of grinding electro, pummelling minimalist hip-hop, drone-y wooz and industrial gear-grind.'

'It presents Kanye as nothing less than the Johnny Rotten of his generation,' added Farber. 'The raw, dark and minimalist reliance on stabbing, bristling synths recalls a sound pioneered by acts like Ministry, Skinny Puppy and Nine Inch Nails 20 years ago.'

Pitchfork editor Brandon Stosuy had a different image after a play of the album. 'I just pictured Bruce Jenner listening to Yeezus. Happy Father's Day,' he wrote.

Reviewer Ryan Dombal praised the record but also raised questions about sexism. 

'Without much room for levity, Kanye's complicated and distrustful view of women is unrelenting on Yeezus,' he wrote. 

'Each fluorescent strike of noise, incongruous tempo flip, and warped vocal is bolted into its right place across the record's fast 40 minutes.' 

Reviewers for Spin were a little more divided. 

'I'll keep trying to find a way into the album,' wrote David Marchese.' A melody here or there would've helped.'

Nicole Sia disagreed. 'Yeezus is technically dense, psychically dark, and sonically ugly, more Future Sounds than Timberlake could ever fathom from his bubblegum-scented marital cocoon,' she sniped.