Around mid-March 2018, reports began surfacing that Kanye West had relocated to Jackson Hole, Wyoming to work on new music. What initially sounded like another isolated recording retreat soon turned into something much bigger. Over the next few months, West would produce a tightly connected run of albums that collectively became known as the ‘Wyoming Sessions.’
Rather than recording in the traditional studio hubs of Los Angeles, New York or Atlanta, artists flew into Wyoming to work in near isolation. Producers, writers and musicians rotated through the same creative environment, creating a collaborative atmosphere more reminiscent of a creative residency than a conventional album process.
The albums
By late May 2018 the results began arriving in rapid succession. The rollout started with Daytona by Pusha T. Produced entirely by West, the album revived a stripped back sound built around sharp drum patterns and carefully selected soul samples. Clocking in at just seven tracks, Daytona felt focused and deliberate, and many critics immediately praised it as one of the strongest rap albums of the year.
One week later came Ye, West’s own project. The record offered a raw look into his mental state, touching on bipolar disorder, fame and public controversy. Whether praised for its vulnerability or criticized for its rough edges, Ye quickly became one of the most discussed albums of 2018.
The third instalment followed shortly after with Kids See Ghosts, a collaborative project between West and Kid Cudi. Built on psychedelic production, distorted guitars and emotional introspection, the album resonated strongly with fans and has since developed a reputation as one of the standout releases of the era.
Next in the series was Nasir by Nas. The collaboration between one of hip hop’s most respected lyricists and one of its most influential producers had long been anticipated. While the album received a more mixed response than some of the earlier releases, it remained a notable moment in the Wyoming experiment.
The final release from the sessions was K.T.S.E. by Teyana Taylor. With its blend of soulful vocals, live instrumentation and modern production, the project expanded the sonic range of the series and showcased the collaborative spirit of the Wyoming environment.
Looking back
Despite the ambition behind the rollout, the Wyoming Sessions were not universally praised at the time. Critics pointed to the short seven-track format and suggested some projects sounded unfinished or rushed. The weekly release schedule also raised questions about whether the albums had been given enough time to fully develop.
Years later, the Wyoming Sessions look different. With distance from the moment and its surrounding media storm, the music itself has aged far better than many early reactions suggested. Projects like Daytona and Kids See Ghosts are now widely regarded as highlights of late-2010s hip hop, praised for their concise structure and focused production.
More importantly, the Wyoming run showed a different approach to the album format during the streaming era. At a time when longer tracklists were becoming the norm, West pushed the opposite direction: tightly curated projects, each built around a specific creative moment. Years later, the Wyoming Sessions remain a fascinating snapshot of a moment when hip hop’s centre of gravity briefly shifted to the mountains of Wyoming.
