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Dare to be Different
Its raw. Its uninhibited. Its emotionally driven. And at times it can make your body rock.
Sounds like good sex doesn’t it? Sorry friends. I am talking about Kanye West’s latest album, 808s and Heartbreak.
I don’t know about you, but I have been fan of Yeezy since he first hit the scenes (as a rapper) in 2004. College Dropout was my joint. As he blew up, and he started to show is ass ego all over the place, people began to expect certain things from him. We expected him to throw a fit if he didn’t win an award. We waited for him to say more off the wall stuff on live camera (See “George Bush doesn’t care about Black people.”). We waited for him wear some new new ish with lots of colors. Or pants that were just a little too tight.
But last year, after the tragic passing of his mother and mentor, Donda West, followed by the end of his engagement to Alexis Phifer, I think people were no longer sure what to expect from the semi- unpredictable socially awkward, sometimes arrogant, musical talent. Like most, I anxiously waited for this album. After hearing “Love Lockdown” a few months ago, I was like, okay, we are in for something different. And dammit if this album isn’t different.
Now, I’m no musical buff. I can’t call the samples, or name the intricate mix of sounds he used. However, I can respect artistry when I see it. I can also respect an expression of pain. And this album has a lot of that all up in it.
The simple minded fan will be pissed. “Damn. Ye done fell off.” But those of us with a little more depth to our thinking, if nothing else, you will recognize that this album, unlike those that came before it, is about him, and no one else; nor should it judged as a rap album. He experienced two heartbreaks within less than a year, and he makes that clear. He barely raps on the album, which may be reflective of him wanting to express something that witty rhymes would not be able to.
Anyway, enough of that. If you’ve heard the album, what do you think? If you haven’t, go get it.
When it comes to music, can people respect the artistry? Or are we all caught up in the million dollar verses and china white talk that is all over the radio today?
Sowhatiff “Street lights…glowing” Jenkins
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Call me simpleminded.
I can take it.
This album is mediocre at best. Mostly because Kanye is an awful singer. It is clever, the beats are hot and it is different.
Good?
Not quite.
If you like it though, you may like Phonte (of Little Brothers) cross over sh*t. The second Foreign Exchange album “Leave it all Behind.”
Phonte is a little better singer than Kanye is.
Later -
B
BTW, first time here.
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Sowhatiff Jenkins Reply:
November 30th, 2008 at 10:02 am
Welcome to Three Ways! And thanks for the music suggestions…Hope you come through in the future!
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Sowhatiff and freinds…..
As you may know, I am the ORIGINAL Kanye West fan. So much so, my disillusionment takes credit for his success. Unless you are named Gunz&Butta, you couldn’t love this guy before me, (If you remember his first MTV News’ ‘You Hear It First’ back in Jan ’02, you’re still 5 months late).
And let me tell you I will NOT be picking up this trash. I don’t even think I’ll download the other 30% of the album I haven’t heard. I could go on forever on how Kanye West has betrayed his original fan base, and has lost touch with the reason why people PUT HIM in that number one spot. However, Gunz&Butta will just swoop in and defend him like he always does!
I’ll be short, he got famous off of Witty Insightful Raps! Lyrics: smart, funny, emotional. Than he placed them over Primo and RZA inspired soul. I’m not going to say he has to stick to soul samples, but his production now is pseudoTimberland. It sounds like Soulja Boy did the Robocop beat. And NOW he aint even rapping. He is trying to be Justin and makes an album that isn’t even as original in harmonies, melodies, or production as FuturesexLovesounds!
People will ‘connect’ with this album cause he is famous and known, but please America don’t try to sell me on quality. If you want good pop music pick up Lady GaGa’s new record. As for Yeezy, he has become part of the problem in hiphop….. too many R&B records about ‘Love’
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I am actually listening to some cuts off the album now. It is dramaticaly different. I’m feelin some of the beats. I’ma have to get it onto the ipod and see it do what it do.
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I’ma make three points, drink some water, and go to sleep:
1. This is the most depressing album ever. (I mean, it does have “heartbreak” in the title, but still…)
2. As a singer, I’m slightly offended.
3. Lyrically, it’s a strong album (depressing or not). Would’ve suited him well to just recite these jawns at a poetry lounge, though.
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didn’t like it… there are two songs that i like and they’re both playin on the radio now…
i feel like we’re headed to a techno-oriented music land and i can’t handle the glow sticks or the consistent jumping around… i’ll pass
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I like the joint. Have to say Welcome to Heartbreak and Streetlights are by far my favorites.
Although I had to cut back on listening to it lately, the album is depressing as hell. I can’t ride out to that all the time. It’s already grey, cold and rainy outside, I don’t need the extra kick in the nuts to let me know life sucks.
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im mad late…but this album is slick at best. not going to say its dope or its wack. it has his misses and his hits but i had to respond after i seen my boy cheekz comment.
say you will is crack. its my fav on the whole record. the production on that record is kinda ridiculous. coldest winter is dope too. since kanye can’t really sing, i cant really get into most of records. but i appreciate them for what they are.
furthermore, i don’t think the album is depressing. it actually feel like its a ruse to me. every song he wants you to feel bad for him and come off as depressed. instead of feeling sad it really makes me want to hear the other side of the story. i refuse to believe that his ex really was od’ing acting like a “robocop” or being “paranoid” or was “heartless” and broke kanye’s heart. im not buying it, im sure there were things from both sides that caused the heartbreak.
i doubt she even called off the engagement. but thats just me. the album seems one sided. and u can say, yoooo its his shit bro, thats y its called heartbreak, etc, etc…but i feel it should have more depth. its all the same kind of song. “bitch you fucked me and now im sad. hi world feel bad for me.” maybe the lyrics arent getting through to me.
one of the songs i really like, coldest winter, isnt about his ex. all the other songs are, and i think it shows.
plus im sick of autotune…even tho i used it before and its od amounts of fun.
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ife1love Reply:
December 7th, 2008 at 12:40 pm
it actually feel like its a ruse to me. every song he wants you to feel bad for him and come off as depressed.
I agree with that. A lot of the songs remind me of one of my boys who is paranoid and likes to live in this drama where he feels like he’s doomed not to be in a good relationship because he can’t love women and they can’t accept him because of all of his complexity and he gets in these moods where he’s all dramatic about his break-ups and I have to tell him to get over himself, it is not that deep. You’re not that complex, you’re just an asshole.
It’s part of why I like the album though, because I think it’s really honest to who Kanye is and how he probably sees things, and as a woman, I think it’s funny to live in a man’s head and see exactly how ridiculous they can be and how serious they can be about their convictions. Like See You In My Nightmares, it’s so over the top every time I listen to it I see a bunch of drunk/high dudes at the bar. I think it’s hilarious.
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Been meaning to comment on this for a week now…
I love it. I admit it’s probably not for everyone but I have had it on repeat since I found the preview of it on MySpace. I knew I was gonna like it when Kanye performed Love Lockdown on the MTV Awards. I downloaded the live recording the next day and put it on my playlist.
It’s very Euro, very chill… I like the different musical elements he’s bringing together. It’s a little Moby mixed with some Coldplay, and then some of the tracks really remind me of Nina Simone’s Sinnerman with their piano driven melodies and then he throws in a lot of tribal drums underneath the tracks… I’m just really feeling it.
As far as it being depressing, well… I keep hearing that from people and I disagree..But on another note, what’s so bad about sad music?!
(Sad music rocks! I love music that evokes an emotional reaction, be it melancholy or giddiness. There’s tons of slit your wrist music out there that people LOVE. Take one of my favorite artist of all time: Sade.
Sade can make you wanna throw yourself off a bridge like no other. Pearls?!?! Pearls is hands down one of the most depressing songs I’ve ever heard and guess what… I LOVE IT
. Like a Tattoo… Sade is the King of Sorrow.
I think sad music can be the best therapy when you’re in a gloomy mood. Sometimes you need to live in you feelings and experience the moment in order to get past it. When I’m feeling misunderstood I listen to Esthero’s That Girl, when I’m angry at the world it’s System of the Down’s Chop Suey, if some stupid boy has pissed me off I throw on Res’ Golden Boys and dance it out in my living room. Afterwards I fell better because I felt like the music understands me.
When you don’t have a friend’s shoulder to cry on, to tell you they feel what you’re going through, music can commiserate with you. To me it’s like the soundtrack to my life. Just to be clear, when I’m in a good mood, a sexy mood, whatever mood, I do the same thing.)
Back to the topic at hand:
I’m really feeling 808s and Heartbreak. I’m happy to see Kanye do something different and not just make Graduation Day Pt. II like he did after College Dropout (not saying it wasn’t a good album, but Late Registration felt like more of the same).
My favorite tracks are:
Say You Will (got it on repeat right now)
Love Lockdown (where was this song when I was taking African dance)
Bad News,
and Coldest Winter (great articulation of how I felt when I lost my mother).
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yes…dark / gloomy / sad music is crucial. and sade is the truth! she is one of my favorite artists of all time. her and marvin gaye. i sampled many a sade records. (we actually have a song called king of sorrow, where i speak on a friend that commited suicide)
and yeah…musically or sonically 808′s y heartbreak is nice.
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Slim Jackson Reply:
December 7th, 2008 at 2:58 pm
Didn’t know king of sorrow was a sade sample. I listened to that song the other day actually.
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