Kanye West - 808s & Heartbreak Album Review
Kanye West returns with his fourth album ‘808s & Heartbreak‘. His highly anticipated new album is set for release on November 24, 2008.
The album heavily features West singing with the aid of an ‘auto-tune’ device, he has claimed that ‘808s & Heartbreak’ is a ‘pop’ album. Typically for West, ‘808s & Heartbreak’ features high profile guests such as rappers Young Jeezy and Lil Wayne, as well as additional production from Herbie Hancock on the track ‘Robocop’.
He has left his old style behind, that being the hip hop genre and moved on to a more R&B, pop style, which if your an old school Kanye fan can mean bad news.
Kanye once again have reach his expectation, the most impressive thing about 808s & Heartbreak is how all tracks were produced and written by Kanye, something we don’t see a lot of these days by other artists.
Kanye West - 808s & Heartbreak Track Listing
1. “Say You Will” - 6:14
2. “Welcome to Heartbreak” - 4:24
3. “Heartless” - 3:31
4. “Amazing” (feat. Young Jeezy) - 3:58
5. “Love Lockdown” - 4:31
6. “Paranoid” (feat. Kid Cudi) - 4:40
7. “Robocop” - 3:26
8. “Street Lights” - 3:55
9. “Bad News” - 3:54
10. “See You in My Nightmares” (feat. Lil Wayne) - 4:23
11. “Coldest Winter” - 2:43
12. Pinocchio Story” - 5:58
The first single ‘Love Lockdown‘ premiered live for the first time on the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards. The song quickly exploded at radio with the video premiering nationwide on the Ellen Degeneres show. ‘Heartless‘, the second single, is next up to hit the airwaves further amplifying the story behind the musical direction for ‘808s & Heartbreak’.
The entire album is sung by West with the aid of Auto-Tune, aside from one verse by Young Jeezy, a duet with Lil Wayne, additional vocals by Kid Cudi and a freestyle by West at the conclusion of the record. West has stated that he loves using Auto-Tune and is dismayed that the term has been commonly associated with being “wack”. He considers the technology “the funnest thing to use.”
He later stated that he wishes to present the music as a new genre called “pop art“, not to be confused with the visual art movement of the same name.
Album Information
Released November 24, 2008
Recorded 2008
Genre R&B, pop, pop rap
Label Roc-A-Fella / Island Def Jam
Producer Kanye West, No I.D.
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(+12 rating, 3 votes)
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November 18th, 2008 at 2:28 pm
I take a pretty objective look at everything before I make any sort of judgement on it, having said that, f*** you Kanye West, your head is bigger than your talent, what happened to those sick beats you used to create? “the funnest thing to use”? Are you f***ing kidding me?
Hopefully your new album is titled “re-registration” cuz you need to go back to school son.
November 20th, 2008 at 6:17 pm
Smh at kris, who ever doesn’t appreciate 808’s doesn’t like music. He said it’s not a rap album to those of you dumbassez who kant stand different shyt..itz 2008.get some diversity in your music..can’t wait til mondaii….OBAMAAA
November 21st, 2008 at 2:32 am
KANYE WEST IS THE BEST MOTHER F***ING ARTIST OF ALL TIME. 808s is going to be the best album yet. All the haters can fuck themselfs because they dont know what music is.
November 21st, 2008 at 3:49 am
This album is garbage.
2-3 good songs on, I hate that he used the vocoder the entire album, it sounds horrible.
Two thumbs down
November 21st, 2008 at 4:33 am
on some real ISH… KANYE is the BEST artist out there… notice i say artist and not rapper (that tittle would belong to Jay). I’ve herd the whole album and its CRAZY… some people are just not open minded, creative, or smart enough to understand some of his ideas in the album… those of us who are will just have to deal with ignorance.. its the way of the world
November 21st, 2008 at 6:20 pm
this is such a good album. i liked all the other kanye stuff too and this one is much different but it still just as good. kanyes the greatest. amen.
November 22nd, 2008 at 5:36 am
No, this album is not an artistic display, it is a massacre. It is horrible–that’s being kind. However, you can use it to fling out your window while your driving because I bet most of you won’t be able to make it through the entire thing, like myself. Listen to Bill, Kris, or myself or anyone of us and save the money or whatever. Sorry, when I want some soft shit I will turn to whoever but when I am expecting great groundbreaking hip hop, like I am used to with Kanye, then it is even more of a let down when he puts out this slop. GARBAGE!!
November 22nd, 2008 at 7:04 am
Ok! I’m a hardcore hip-hop fan and love music in general. This record is GENIUS and peple should sometime hang the hard part and give music it self a chance. He’s grown, he’s got fame and money, he can do whatever he want’s a people with musical skills like his don’t do anything without some good advanced planning. LEARN YOU PEOPLE.
November 23rd, 2008 at 6:45 am
I’m a big hip-hop/rap fan as well as many other genres as I consider myself eclectic. This album is easily one of the best albums to come out in years, with many more songs that years down the road I’ll be able to turn back on and jam to. Songs like Street Lights at first felt waay too mellow and slow, but after I actually listened to it for the first time I can easily say that’s my favorite song right now, and it may continue to be down the road. He finds the best ways possible to send his messages while maintaining amazingly memorable sound and coherence. Artist of the year, seriously. If you’re too ignorant to allow yourself to listen or enjoy more than one type of comfortable music, you need to take a good look at yourself and hopefully change.
November 23rd, 2008 at 12:20 pm
K-west…. MMMMM …MMMmmm …. I just heard most of the tracks and didn’t like it….. Its missing the quick sharp raps and new fresh beats…..!!!!!! He is trying something new…. Im going to get the album and going to see if it grows on me. I can see y everybody is pissed off cuz its not Mr. West Mr.Fresh Mr. by him self he so impressed….. ITs a gressed ball and im not feeling it…. I can see 2 singing songs,,,,, not whole album !!!!! I know I dont know SH&#T but I know what I like…. I know MR.West is doing J-Z album and this is where ill get my money back…. Its going to be good. lATES…………………………
November 23rd, 2008 at 1:26 pm
this album is a work of art. the drums, lyricism; yeah the auto-tune maybe overused but i like to see the best rappers in the game try and make this project. every jam from ye does not require making your head bob. it’s like blogging your feelings; kanye is putting it on a cd. just listen and understand, and wait for him to get back into “good ass job” summer of 2009. like i said: work of art.
November 24th, 2008 at 3:30 pm
Me personally, I think think this album is insane. It sounds like a pop artist from london made this album. I think the album is amazing. Its something a lot of people aren’t ready for. This how music gonna sound in the future. Heartless is my favorite track on the album
November 25th, 2008 at 1:36 am
I bought the album, and i have to say that its different, but its very catchy. I must say that i love it, even after being skeptical. Hands down its great!!!!
November 25th, 2008 at 3:06 pm
Mmm I Just Bought His album on itunes store
it sounds ???
good
not great but good
he should have put more top selling artist on his album
like
T-Pain
The Game
& More Lil’ Wayne
He Should Have Made 16 tracks and not use to much auto-tune
only on hooks
if u notice he sings on every song
where is the rap
something
i would have to say ill give him a
5 out of a 10
good
could be great
it’s somehting new in the music world
November 25th, 2008 at 6:44 pm
dont get me wrong, i love Kanye and his creativeness but anyone who gets this album will be sadly dissappointed.
November 25th, 2008 at 6:57 pm
THIS ALBUM BLOWS
Did the Beatles ever rap? NO, because it wouldn’t be good
Did Kanye ever do pop? Unfortunately, and its a disaster known as 808
I love ‘College Dropout’ and ‘Graduation’, but honestly, 808s made me want to kill myself
November 26th, 2008 at 2:26 am
The start of the millennium started a decline in creativity within the music industry…hip hop/rappers began producing radio friendly club hits leaving us with sugar coated lyrics and catchy beats. I respected mc’s such as kanye, common, talib ect., for not “selling” themselves to the mainstream bs. Needless to say, after hearing Kanye’s new album i’m very disappointed. I have no doubt that he will sell millions of records seeing as todays kids are going crazy over the whole T-Pain sound…but lets face it, the song structure is just not that good. The lyrics take a “lazy” formulaic club single approach…a repetitive one to five line verse which is repeated over and over until all you hear is that one annoying auto tuned hook for the rest of the day. For everyone who says this is a timeless album…go to the record store or itunes and listen to some ’90’s R&B…songs where the singers can actually sing without voice manipulation, and the songs rely on more than a couple lines of lyrics…that’s real music what we have now is just lazy.
November 26th, 2008 at 5:56 am
I’m really sorry but to all you pussy’s out there saying this is art can go screw yourselves, KanYe has betrayed his fans by creating this lazy piece of s***. Where has all the classic gone?
KanYe can’t sing - and this album is straight proof of that.
Thats just how i feel.
November 30th, 2008 at 11:46 pm
This album is crap
December 2nd, 2008 at 2:19 pm
I havent heard the whole CD YET, but u can tell he’s still grieving for his Mom + EX- girlfriend. It’s an “okay” album, I love Kanye West, but he really needs to take some time and go grieve on his own. Its just my opinion, agree or disagree, it’s how I feel.
December 4th, 2008 at 3:08 am
Unless you are an artist, or in his shoes I dont think ud understand…this is one of the best ways to deal with grief and sorrow. Like he said he used the jaggy auto tune along with the simple beats to make music based on what the album is actually called…808s & Heartbreak…
whats wrong with sticking with the subject?
personally….9.5 out of 10
but im no cockrider..this n***a shoudve had at least a few more tracks on here…graduation also left me trackthirsty.
December 4th, 2008 at 11:22 am
lol Ke is right, Kanye West is in a lot of pain and you can tell. If you ask me, that’s where people’s best work comes from. 808 and Heartbreak is like bringing together Cold Play and 90’s R&B with a Hip Hop tone. If you look at the music, its changing. I don’t generic lyrics with no meaning behind it. Kanye West has said that he always speaks from his heart and a real artist has the guts to do that. You want commercial, go listen to Soulja Boy. Can’t wait for the next Kanye.
December 8th, 2008 at 12:58 am
this is a dope ass cd simple as that nothing else to be said.
December 13th, 2008 at 12:11 am
Kanye West is from the planet Neptune. This album is very depressing. After I listen to it I had diareeha for a week. Go do something else with your money. Go buy a hamster.
January 26th, 2009 at 3:41 pm
I love Kanye! He is like one of my favorite artist no sh**, but this album is horrible and depressing! There are like 3 songs I like on it. I was hoping it would grow on me…but, not yet:(
January 31st, 2009 at 7:06 am
All those folks saying he needs to go back to school or its sh** not old school..I really beg to differ..this album is more old school than anything out there- rapping wasnt or shouldnt be about saying something dirty or clever to that makes u go woaaa..it was about expressing your feelings about an issue or period your going tro. Back then rappers sung, spoke, beat boxed, anything to get the point across, this album has more meaning than any rap/hip hop/pop album out now or in the near future. Finally someone to take us back to Rhythm first..and then Poetry, Kayne said he made the beats, and beat boxed along with them till words came from his soul…Realist.
March 6th, 2009 at 8:01 pm
hey a few of the songs on here where well okay, but a whole album of his new r&b pop thing too much. he had some good songs from before why change. i give him credit for the writing his own songs though.
March 17th, 2009 at 5:31 pm
This new album by west is really impressive. The beats are still really catchy in songs like paranoid and robocop. Along with that its a great way to show his fans how he feels about the latest things that have poped up in his life. Overall its a great album. I support the changes he has made to his music and look forward to future albums of his.