After posting previews of two songs from the now-released The Life of Pablo in January to his SoundCloud (where he's also posted the Andre 3000-assisted "30 Hours"), then releasing the third season of his Yeezy fashion line in a precedent-setting show at Madison Square Garden last Thursday (Feb. 11), then bringing "High Lights" and "Ultralight Beam" (with assists from Young Thug, Chance the Rapper, The-Dream, Kelly Price and Kirk Franklin) to Saturday Night Live Feb. 13, Kanye West's seventh studio album finally came out, streaming exclusively on Tidal and as a download on KanyeWest.com.
And then it was gone.
For one of the most anticipated records of the year, Pablo's release was as messy as the public persona of its creator. (And The Life of Pablo's artistic achievement is as certain as its status as a piece of commerce is confusing; opener "Ultralight Beam" is a galaxy away from "Gold Digger" in ambition and scope.) Preceded by rumors of its not even being complete in the week leading up to West's SNL bow, Kanye ecstatically pointed fans towards Tidal (to stream) and West's website (to purchase) at the end of his visit to 30 Rockefeller Center.