We’re in the eye of a seemingly perpetual Kanye album release storm. With 3 projects still generating the typical disturbance seen from anything associated to Mr.West, a still fresh venture alongside the legendary MC Nas and a forthcoming foray with Teyanna Taylor to bookend this five album drop, it’s been the most divisive time in Kayne’s distant past.

Depending on your view, and that’s just like, your opinion, man, the recent offerings from GOOD music’s head honcho have either been his best work yet or a woefully misguided and rushed vanity dump from a man in the midst of serious mental health issues. What we can all agree on, is that it has reinvigorated a label that constantly kept pushing the boundaries as not just a record label, but leaders of a subculture. The pinnacle of GOOD music’s cultural stamp, Cruel Summer, brought us the mainstream crossover of trap rap, the creative direction from one Virgil Abloh, the joint performances across the globe and the rebirth of 2 Chainz amongst other groundbreaking things. It’s album credits are vaster than it’s budget, taking form as more of a novel than album liner notes. It was the biggest collective at the pinnacle of its power and after a tumultuous time of late for most involved, we can only hope that this sudden burst of creativity brings us what we all need. Cruel Winter.

The speculation started just a month after the release of Cruel Summer, with notable absentee from the project, Q-Tip, revealing to MTV news in late 2012 “…If there’s a Cruel Summer then there’s got to be a Cruel Winter, right?”. With that, the rumour mill flooded with ‘will they won’t they’ views from the paramount players. Even Kanye referenced it in his now legendary “YOU AIN’T GOT THE ANSWERS, SWAY!” Interview cycle (how those were simpler times) taking to famed radio station Philadelphia’s Power 99, to reveal that “I go back and forth on it. But we keep on missing the winter… We thinking about dropping a Cruel Winter, I like to put out more product. I’d like to have an album out by next summer, so…”For as much of everyone’s posturing on the subject and inability to answer the damn question, we’ve still been treat to an album trailer and lead single. So what gives?

On top of all this speculation, wouldn’t you love to see the GOOD music roster have another crack at a record, especially with their most recent signees offering new blood and unique ideas to the illustrious fold? 070 Shake, a particular stalwart who gained attention with her show-stealing features on the recent Good Music releases, has a TBA project surely primed to drop in the run-up to this winter. Francis and the Lights, fresh from their mega single ‘Friends’, are still yet to register a project under GOOD Music since their signing, same for hotly tipped MC Sheck Wes, who the jury is still out on (the guy is an oddball). Valee, the first GOOD Music artist to drop a project this year, is begging for a feature on a Kanye track. We haven’t forgotten about Desiigner either, we just need THAT sound effect and we’re good.

For those of you still asking why all of a sudden we should start caring, thanks for sticking it out so far, but a prospective release would also see a multitude of options presented to us. Here is our 5 pence.

1. Cruel Winter drops February 2019 – Featuring Pusha T, Kid Cudi, Nas, Chance The Rapper, Travis $cott, Big Sean, Bon Iver, GOOD Music Family, Very GOOD Beats, Ye and Jay-Z’s long-awaited reconciliation, Tupac’s hologram, Drake and Pusha T’s verbal back and forth and eventual reconciliation over a 40 beat and Kanye’s literal ascension to the sky.

2. Cruel Winter drops flops and stops any last bit of credibility that Kanye might have had before, everyone in the industry shuns him. He becomes a recluse, his Adidas line is designed and delivered via carrier eagle from the West-Kardashian household in the uttermost area of Wyoming, finally bowing out of the spotlight till one day once the hate has died down, when Drake’s ghostwriters are finally revealed and Kendrick gives up because it just isn’t fun anymore, when finally, one Yeezy duck boot step at a time, Kanye descends, ready to take back the throne with a little help from his friends.

3 – The Wildcard. Trump / Kanye 2020
God bless us all.