There never was an "old Kanye." It's ALWAYS been an act. He was marketed and packaged as something that he never really was. He's made some great songs but they were sampled and ghostwritten. Who you really miss are his INITIAL team (Rhymefest et al). I've never taken him seriously as far as the image. This is a man whose life COMPLETELY contradicts his early image. What we see NOW is the real Kanye. The little man behind the smoke and mirrors. The emperor has no clothes. No man who respected himself or his image would have so willfully destroyed a winning formula. Just remember, you miss his TEAM.
I don't really necessarily agree with the personal analysis, none of us know kanye to judge what his personality 'really' is. Outside of this I agree though, the original kanye sound was a combination of kanye west production, some No ID production and advice, a lot of samples, a lot of 'help' and guidance with rhymes from rhymefest, consequence, etc... and overall the direction was guided by the mindset of someone trying to be like his heros of the music world.
Now its well known kanye is a producer in the traditional sense, putting a lot of talent together and driving the project with positive and negative feedback... thing is as far as I know there is no one left from his original creative team except for kanye. So at best its going to be very different... now add to that, the person kanye is today and the person kanye was on his first albums are separated by over a decade... imagine how different you are now from who you were a decade ago, imagine if you became rich and famous and reviled and have everyone calling you a genius for the last 10 years... you would be a completely different person.
Me personally I liked MBDTF, yeezus, i mean it just wasnt kanyes lane... he is really known above all for sampled thick hip hop production, throw him on an album where the soundscape is the opposite of that, and it really becomes how well can kanye carry an album with lyrics and vocals... and he cant carry an album that way.
As far as flops, its all relative. Kanye's last round of singles did fine for folks not named kanye. Do not kid yourself that joint with rhianna and paul McCartney was intended and supposed to be bigger than "in the club" and "lean back". It was supposed to cross all borders of pop music... the problem is people just didnt really like it. it was a loss.
Honestly, i wouldnt say kanye is dead though, he is lowkey the father of the whole non-trap side of this generation of rappers... he has a special place in a lot of the music critics hearts, and he has a strong musical talent as far as putting albums together, and since he is accepted as someone who uses a lot of writers, and guests he has options for getting help with new direction concepts and lyrics... really he has to in a way step back from being a 'genius' and focus on just releasing good music... i dont think his head is in the game tho.
