Kanye West has always had some of the tendencies of a great dictator—a unnerving drive for control, a freakish aptitude for sharp looking apparel. Now Yeezy (a cool El Duce nickname if you will) has expanded his power-base in hip-hop, adding Mos Def to his oft dormant G.O.O.D. Music label. Mos joins the likes of Pusha T (of Clipse), Common, Kid Cudi, GLC, John Legend and Big Sean who will kiss the ring of Kanye as he signs checks (or something like that).

All this while Kanye has been reeling in his more artsy musical musings in exchange for real hip-hop. He’s not just back to playing the game. He’s starting his own new league. The question is—not will Kanye be able to balance so many notorious hip-hop egos, but or how long.