S2E8 – Monster by Kanye West

In this episode of Dissect, Cole Cuchna continues his analysis of Kanye West's "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy," focusing on the track "Monster." He contextualizes the song within the album's narrative arc, marking the transition from the "Beautiful" first act to the "Dark" second act. Cuchna dissects the contributions of each artist on the track—Justin Vernon, Rick Ross, Jay-Z, and Nicki Minaj—highlighting the song's themes of fame, monstrosity, and the dark underbelly of celebrity. He emphasizes Nicki Minaj's verse as a standout moment, exploring its lyrical complexity, dynamic delivery, and cultural impact, and concludes by discussing the song's cohesive production and thematic elements, as well as the introspective outro by Justin Vernon, which sets the stage for the next track, "So Appalled."