My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
	Original artwork. The central image is pixelated on censored versions of the cover. The censored cover is used on digital versions of the album.
Studio album by Kanye West
Released	November 22, 2010
Recorded	2009–2010
Studio	Avex Recording (Honolulu); Electric Lady and Platinum Sound (New York City); Glenwood Place (Burbank);
Genre	Hip hop; progressive rap; rap opera;
Length	68:34
Label	Roc-A-Fella; Def Jam;
Producer	Bink; DJ Frank E; Kanye West; Mike Dean; No I.D.; RZA; S1;
Kanye West chronology
Alternate cover
	Physical release sold in retail stores
Singles from My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
	"Power"; Released: July 1, 2010; "Runaway"; Released: October 4, 2010; "Monster"; Released: October 23, 2010; "All of the Lights"; Released: January 18, 2011;

My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy is the fifth studio album by the American rapper Kanye West. It was released by Def Jam Recordings and Roc-A-Fella Records on November 22, 2010. Retreating to a self-imposed exile in Hawaii after a period of controversy in 2009, following his interruption of Taylor Swift at the MTV Video Music Awards, West recorded the album at Honolulu's Avex Recording Studio in a communal environment involving numerous musicians. Additional recording sessions took place at Glenwood Place Studios in Burbank, California, along with the New York City studios Electric Lady and Platinum Sound.

My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy was mainly produced by West, alongside a variety of high-profile producers such as Mike Dean, No I.D., Jeff Bhasker, RZA, Bink, and DJ Frank E. Critics noted the music's maximalist aesthetic and opulent production style that utilizes various elements from his previous work, including soul, pop, baroque, electro, and symphonic sounds, as well as progressive rock influences. The album's lyrics explore themes such as West's celebrity status, consumer culture, self-aggrandizement, and the idealism of the American Dream. Guest vocalists include Nicki Minaj, Rihanna, Jay-Z, Pusha T, Rick Ross, Kid Cudi, John Legend, Bon Iver, and Elton John.

Alongside several free songs released through West's weekly GOOD Fridays series, he supported My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy with four US Billboard Hot 100 top-40 singles, "Power", "Runaway", "Monster", and "All of the Lights". West also released an accompanying musical short film, Runaway (2010). The album was an immediate and widespread critical success, and reviewers lauded the maximalist approach. It was listed as the best album of 2010 in many publications' year-end lists. My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy was awarded Best Rap Album at the 54th Annual Grammy Awards and CD of the Year at the 2011 BET Hip Hop Awards.

My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 and the Canadian Albums Chart, while reaching the top 10 in six other countries. The album eventually achieved a triple platinum certification in the United States from the Recording Industry Association of America, alongside sales certifications in a few other territories. It was ranked in lists as the best album of the 2010s and among the greatest of all time by several publications, including Pitchfork and Rolling Stone.