This is correct, because of this:
People must've bumped their heads and forgot just how huge the combo of Graduation + Stronger + those damn Shutter Shades were. Kanye was a phenom back then.
Every new video was almost like an event. Now it's like... "Oh Kanye got a new video? Cool."
The 808 singles after Love Lockdown weren't as big as the Graduation era.
The MBDTF singles weren't either. WTT was a relative flop in comparison not only to Weezy and Drake but also Jay and Kanye's previous work.
I can't see Cruel Summer being some worldwide sensation either. I mean, who's really checking for Mercy?
In terms of popularity he's definitely been steadily declining since Graduation.
Anyway..... 2 CHAINZZZZZ
His popularity might be declining (I disagree) but his fame is bigger than ever.
What other rapper has his own fucking shoe that got people lined up for days and robbing each other for? (Air Yeezy)
What other rapper could ditch rap and make an autotuned breakup album, and still have it sell like hotcakes? (808s)
Saying that Love Lockdown is the only single off that album is just flat wrong. Did you forget Heartless? His biggest single ever?
What other artist these days gets to make a 40 minute music video for primetime TV?
MBDTF might not have sold as much, but it's his most critically acclaimed album. A staple at the top of the 2010 AOTY charts. Runaway? Huge. AOTL? Huge.
compared to Wayne and Drake, WTT basically dropped w/o promo and spawned the biggest rap song of the year. It was the defining rap album of 2011 regardless of whether it was the best or sold the most.
Mercy's a hit and been a staple all year. One of the best videos as well.
And Kanye singlehandedly made Chief Keef relevant by remixing his song and making it a hit.
Stop acting like Kanye aint still popular as fuck. In fact, I'd argue he's more popular than ever. Everything he drops is an experience.