Analysis
In depth article of an editor detailing what is was like with
Kanye West while he was working on
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. The title refers to the
song and
film both named Runaway.
Summary
Introduction and Context
Noah Callahan-Bever's article "Project Runaway" chronicles his time with
Kanye West during the creation of West's album
"My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy". The article begins with a phone call from Kanye in October 2009, who was calling from Milan about a month after the
infamous Taylor Swift VMA incident. Kanye references his eyes in the "Run This Town" video, suggesting the incident was inevitable given his mental state. The author reveals his personal connection with Kanye, mentioning they "periodically catch up," and shares that during their exchange of emails after the incident, he had disclosed his own personal crisis—a recently discovered brain tumor. This revelation prompted Kanye's concerned call from Milan "four minutes later." During this call, Kanye discusses his fragile, overworked mental state that led to the outburst, expresses disgust with the media storm that followed, and explains why he had "gone full ex-pat."Kanye tells the author he's "over" music and focusing on fashion instead—specifically "red leather, gold details, and recapturing the decadence of late-'90s hip-hop in design." Despite these assertions, he shares rhymes from an unreleased collaboration with Jay Z and Jack White, discusses "mastering the physicality of rap," and admits to having musical ideas—specifically beats that sounded like "808s melodies over Mobb Deep drums."After their conversation, Callahan-Bever draws a parallel to the Rolling Stones' "Exile on Main Street," which was recorded in the South of France due to tax issues that kept the band off English soil. He sees similarities in Kanye's situation, anticipating something "interesting" to emerge from it.Months pass with minimal contact until January, when Kanye emails about new music being created in Hawaii with a team of his favorite producers and artists—what becomes known as "Rap Camp." Shortly after, during Kanye's brief visit to NYC, the author gets a preview of five promising tracks:
"Power", "Live Fast, Die Young",
"Monster",
"Lost in a World", and
"Gorgeous", along with an invitation to join the Hawaii sessions.
The Hawaii Recording Sessions
In March, Callahan-Bever arrives at Avex Honolulu Studios, where Kanye has booked all three session rooms 24 hours a day. The studio walls feature "Kanye Commandments" - rules including "No Tweeting," "No Pictures," "No Hipster Hats," and "Just Shut the Fuck Up Sometimes." The author observes firsthand how "Rap Camp" functions, watching Pusha T finish his verse for "So Appalled" while RZA arrives to record the hook. Kanye simultaneously checks emails, browses art references, and directs mixing adjustments without breaking his concentration.The daily routine at "Rap Camp" begins with breakfast at Kanye's Diamondhead residence around 10 a.m., where artists like Q-Tip, RZA, Kid Cudi, Consequence, and Pusha T gather to enjoy meals prepared by in-house chefs. Kanye typically arrives from the studio, having worked through the night, taking only 90-minute power naps in studio chairs rather than sleeping at home. During these breakfast gatherings, the conversation revolves exclusively around music - discussing future collaborations, current releases, and most importantly, Kanye's album in progress.After breakfast, most of the group heads to the Honolulu YMCA to play basketball against locals, which provides Kanye with a moment of Zen. By around 3 p.m., everyone reassembles at the studio where the intense work continues. The article describes Kanye working on completing "Power," which had been in progress for a month. His creative process is described as communal - he asks everyone in the room what "power" means to them and tests lines to see how they're received, though the final decisions remain entirely his own.
Kanye's Creative Process
The article reveals West's unorthodox work methods. When hitting creative walls, he simply shifts to another studio room to work on a different song rather than forcing progress. At one point, he checks on Q-Tip who is fitting a new beat to Kanye's vocals for "My Momma's Boyfriend." As Tip works, Kanye eventually falls asleep at 11 p.m., with everyone expecting him to be refreshed and ready to work again by 2 a.m.
Artist Perspectives
The article features commentary from several collaborators who participated in the Hawaii sessions:
Pusha T describes Kanye as "the hardest working man in music" who works in an unorthodox way, comparing his method to Quincy Jones. He details how Kanye can immediately shift focus when hearing a sound that belongs elsewhere on the album. Pusha shares his experience writing his verse for
"Runaway" four times while dealing with his own relationship issues, with Kanye pushing him to be "more douchebag."Pete Rock explains how he was sought out by Kanye and brought a collection of beats to Hawaii. He describes the beautiful environment as ideal for creativity and relates how Kanye worked on multiple projects simultaneously across different studio rooms. He also notes how Kanye sampled his drums from "Mecca and the Soul Brother" for "Runaway," calling the reinterpretation "genius."Justin Vernon (Bon Iver) recounts being flown to Hawaii three separate times after Kanye became interested in sampling his song "Woods." He praises Kanye's commitment to perfection, saying "he just doesn't quit on a song" and describes him as "a true artist in every sense" without ego when collaborating.Nicki Minaj shares her surprise at Kanye's personality, having expected a "conscious rapper" who wouldn't appreciate overtly sexy images, only to find him openly viewing artistic nude photos and watching porn in the studio. She recalls embarrassingly falling asleep during a session and credits a conversation with Kanye about focusing on "what you wanna say" rather than just rhyming words as life-changing for her craft.Q-Tip describes the unique collaborative environment as "music by committee," where everyone's opinions mattered, from fellow artists to even delivery personnel if Kanye struck up a conversation with them. He compares Kanye's process to art masters like Michelangelo and Rembrandt, who conceptualize while others help execute, calling what Kanye does "alchemy."Kid Cudi explains his approach of developing ideas separately before bringing them to the team. He mentions skipping the daily basketball games due to not being athletic and dealing with jet lag, which actually worked to his advantage since he'd be refreshed when everyone returned from playing.
Songs and Collaborations
The article mentions several tracks that would become part of the album, including "Power," which Kanye spent considerable time perfecting; "So Appalled" with its hook voiced by RZA; "Runaway," which sampled Pete Rock's drums from "Mecca and the Soul Brother"; "My Momma's Boyfriend," which Q-Tip was restructuring with a new beat; "Live Fast, Die Young" (which ultimately went to Rick Ross); "Monster"; "Lost in a World"; and "Gorgeous."The collaborations highlight the diverse talents Kanye assembled. Justin Vernon's work originated from Kanye's interest in sampling his song "Woods." Nicki Minaj's contribution is described as particularly significant, with Kanye pushing her to elevate her craft. The article also references an unreleased collaboration between Kanye, Jay Z, and Jack White, demonstrating the wide musical network Kanye was drawing from.
Conclusion
The article portrays the making of "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" as an extraordinary collaborative effort orchestrated by Kanye West, whose relentless work ethic, unique creative process, and ability to bring together diverse artistic voices resulted in what would become one of his most acclaimed albums. Through the detailed account of the Hawaii recording sessions and the perspectives of key collaborators, the reader gains insight into both the communal nature of the project and Kanye's singular vision that guided it. The parallel drawn to the Rolling Stones' "Exile on Main Street" suggests that, like that classic album, this work was born partially from exile and adversity, ultimately producing something remarkable.*There may be errors on this page.
