Mr. Can’t Tell Me Nothing: The Genius, Audacity, and Struggle of Kanye West
“You know how the game be/ I can’t let em change me/ Cause on Judgment Day, you gon blame me/ Look God, it’s the same me”
Kanye West-”Two Words”
Kanye is dropping what might be his most provocative musical work, in what might be one of his darkest personal periods. All while society is in one of the most politically, economically, and socially-charged times in recent history.
Is 808s and Heartbreak Kanye’s official “Declaration of Independence?” Or is it a living testimony of his personal anguish?
Is this new found sound still Hip-Hop? And can the Hip-Hop community handle this “New Wave Hip-Hop?”
“All the world’s a stage,
And all the men and women merely players:
They have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts”
William Shakespeare-”As You Like It”
The idea of Kanye West being a “genius” is not a new story. It is almost apart of every article or interview covering him; and he reminds us nearly every time he speaks about himself.
But the coverage surrounding his newest project, 808s and Heartbreak, and recent events in his life are not quite in this mold. What seems to be at the center of attention this time is not Kanye’s narcissistic, self indulgent diatribes–he should of won this award; or we don’t recognize how dope this is; and the proverbial not enough praise, not enough coverage, not enough recognition for something he created—a wide-spread celebration, critical acclaim of his artistic creativity is what he expects. However this time the story seems to be: What is this?
Fans don’t know what to do with it, and neither do journalist.
Part seems to appreciate the audacity of the album, due to Ye’s full out performance with the Auto-Tunes sound. Experimentation with the Auto-Tune/vocoder has been prevalent in Hip-Hop recently. It is a sound made notable lately by the success it has provided R&B artist T-Pain, and the popularity its garnered from one of Rap’s current superstars: Lil’ Wayne. 808’s and Heartbreak takes it to another level, “a whole album of vocoder” level. For the most part, Kanye’s venture marks the first time a Rap artist—and definitely a first for a Hip-Hop superstar with Pop culture crossover success— makes a complete album featuring the device.
In this way it is standard West’s: daring, different, and challenging the norm. It encompasses a certain boldness that has allowed him to create a sound, a mind frame, and fans that appreciate the artistic quality of his music. Keys, notes, kickdrums, cords, arrangements: the attention to these details, and the willingness to take these things to places others could not think of (or would not try too) is the trademark of the Kanye West sound.
But the vocoder is different. Hip-Hop has a love/hate relationship with it. It certainly has produced a sound embraced by many fans, and more readily used now by artist. But many Hip-Hop heads, critics, and listeners have no love for it. It has been labeled artificial, annoying, and cheap. Thus the sound and the music it produces has been subject to popular conversation throughout Hip-Hop over the past several month: Is it hot, or annoying?
Better put: is Hip-Hop ready for it?
It is not surprising that Common (another artist who in the past has faced intense scrutiny for doing something outside the Hip-Hop norm—see Electric Circle) seems to think so.
At an exclusive session session for his new album Universal Mind Control, Common shared with Real Talk NY and the audience how he felt Hip-Hop was ready to move into different sounds, different styles, and different places. About his own new project he said, “I just wanna make some music and have some fun…make you feel good. Take the music to the future…do something progressive.” He explained how the influence of groups like N.E.R.D. and Gnarls Barkley; producers like The Neptunes; and the success of artist like Andre 3000, have created more room to be different—to take the music to another place.
With the mix of retro-styled groups like The Cool Kids; skateboarders in the mold of Lupe; and new artists like Kid Cudi, Jay Electronica, and Blu (and many, many more) complicating what we typically think Hip-Hop should look like and sound like, maybe we are expanding. Perhaps the horizon is broadening.
But a large part of the intrigue around Kanye’s new album has nothing to do with this new sound. Much of it is surrounded around the rapper’s seemingly turbulent, erratic emotional state.
Over the past year he has had a range of devastating, personal, and volatile incidents: the calling off of his engagement with Alexis Phifer; the death of his mother Donna West; and now recently several violent, widely reported run-in with paparazzi. Ye has been open about how these events how deeply affected him—and led to the “Heartbreak” aspect of the new album. And the album cuts that have been released and leaked clearly speak about feelings of pain, depression, and loneliness.
Kanye has always been explicitly open about his emotions and life experiences in his music. “Through The Wire,” “Jesus Walks,” “Diamonds From Sierra Leon,” “Hey Mama”—all these songs deal with West giving us a piece of himself; sharing with us unabatedly his view on all aspects of life.
But 808’s and Heartbreak is without a doubt different. A large part of the subject matter stings with hurt.
In the lyrics of joints like “Welcome to Heartbreak,” “Love Lockdown,” “Heartless,” and “The Coldest Winter Ever” we see hear how strong his pain is. And through the many entries of his popular blog we read through his fluctuating, conflicting, tumultuous emotions of frustration, introspection, and reflection. We get “twelve minute misery freestyles,” and messages of recovery, inspiration, and creativity (see Kanye’s blog from yesterday here)
Kanye West expresses a quality that we see in Hip-Hop’s when it is at its best: sincerity, vulnerability, and openness. The danger is… well as Ye’ put, we see “The Good, The Bad, The Ugly:” cocky, egotistically, and at times petty actions. But its strength is its testimonial power: less of a marketing scheme; less fabrication; more life experiences—from the personal truth, to the creative expression of reality.
It is the genius of Kanye West to have the audacity to let us into his struggle.
But is Hip-Hop ready for this? That is the impending question.
Can our hyper-masculinity, homophobic, thug-constructed self-conscious allow us to listen to more sensitivity? Can our self-interested/industry-cultivated taste for music with a dance and a catch phase allow us to become in tune with our other emotions for a moment?
Can we learn to balance the party and the work; to be “wavy” and be socially-aware; to be strong, yet to be vulnerable?
And can we sound different—completely different? Can we handle mash-ups with Coldplay, infusions of trip-hop, and engagement with sounds not normal to the Hip-Hop feel?
Or will we just call it wack?
808’s and Heartbreak is the beginning of the challenge to conventional Hip-Hop, with more and more fellow provocateurs coming.
Hopefully Mr. West’s pain and genius can inspire; and does not break and martyr himself, and the audacity to be different.
michaelpartis@gmail.com
www.michaelpartis.blogspot.com
http://my.rawkus.com/profile/ForeThought
Suggestion Box
November 18th, 2008 at 3:48 pm
Kanye is Great. i think its stupid when ppl try to find labels to put on the music
November 18th, 2008 at 4:17 pm
808s and heartbreak is garbage and dedication 3 is garbage.
November 18th, 2008 at 4:22 pm
Yo this article is great. props 2 Michael Partis.
I have to admit at first I was very disappointed to learn that the whole album was going to be with Auto-Tune/vocoder, but the “project” has grown on me and now I am really excited as I have said numerous times on realtalkny blogs concerning Kanye. People migt see as ^^^^riding, but I just want that man ( Kanye ) all the succes in the world, thats it and thats that.
Peace.
Peace.
November 18th, 2008 at 4:24 pm
Music is very therapeutic for ya Mind and ya heart and Soul and dealing wit different heartbreaking situation could of lead to Suicide or Addiction to Drugs So i feel wit this album he Letting out his heartbreaks Being Console By the songs he releases Hes going through is Therapy So i can’t get Madd at That at All!!..PLus Im feeling the album also but soon when all the smokes clears and he heals from all thats going on in his life He’ll Be back to The YE’ We Know And Appreciate!!..Times heals all wounds some take longer then others He’ll Bounce Back Tho
November 18th, 2008 at 4:25 pm
I just want it to be acknowledged that i read the article.
other than that, fuck a kanye. I was a huge fan of his music and disliked him as a person. We give out too many passes in hiphop. Lil Wayne kissin an old ass man, R Kelly peeing on little girls, Rick Ross lying about being a corrections officer, Yung Berg saying random retarded stupid shit, Commons clothes shrinkin’, The Game recycling lyrics and name dropping on every song….when will we stop letting shit slide. Then we got the nerve to complain. I dont wanna compromise my listening experience because somebody thinks Kanye can get away with it. The only way it can stop is if we backlash on that shit.
November 18th, 2008 at 4:26 pm
its not hiphop because a hiphop artist is doing it
the beats aren’t hiphop, the rhymes arent hiphop, its not even R&B. i dont care what it is if i like it, im not a genre stomper. but this shit is not rap its not r&b its not soul, its pop, madonna music, niggas is foolish for giving this cat props for going in a different lane, no. sure he wants to express himself whatever. its not that creative, its def not innovative, he can’t hold a note with autotune on him, niggas cosignin that shit is crazy get the fucck outta here jus drop the album already and fade to black.
November 18th, 2008 at 4:27 pm
and he looks like a gay samurai in the first picture at the beginning of the article. You aint Bruce Leroy
November 18th, 2008 at 4:30 pm
Realtalkny is in luv! LOL
November 18th, 2008 at 4:44 pm
“gay samurai” “Commons clothes shrinkin”???
Incredible how homophobia expresses itself, anyway I think its cool to see grown men not dress in oversized clothes making them look like little kids.
Ps. I am big fan of Prince and I could not care less how he dress even though its not my style.
Peace.
November 18th, 2008 at 4:50 pm
this shit is some fuckin t pain bullshit
November 18th, 2008 at 4:58 pm
To Ed,
Its not homophobia, kid. These cats just look mad funny. You cant tell me that Commons clothes dont be looking like a Michael Phelps swimsuit? I’m a huge Common fan since way back in the day, before the “still gettin mine in the 1-9-9-9″ days. I’ve seen him go from the vest and baggy jeans and timbs to the crochet hats and bill cosby sweaters to this new style. Got nothing to do with homophobia. i’m in ATL, man. Gay dudes rock all types of gear. So no disrepect or offense, not all the comments i put down are meant to be taken fully serious. just for shock value.
November 18th, 2008 at 5:05 pm
Shut the fuck up already. He has said that IT’S NOT A HIP HOP ALBUM. And that line is not about him as a musician but him as a person, and if u watch a recent interview with Kanye u can tell he haven’t changed at all he’s just going into a different direction.
November 18th, 2008 at 5:17 pm
I think that Kanye is hip-hops version of Prince(not in let me call Kanye a fag to make myself feel more manly kinda way) in his music he walks the line between music genres. Prince always walked the line between Funk, Rock, RnB and Pop, Kanye walks the same lines between Hip-Hop, RnB, Pop and Rock. I know allot of people hate the auto-tune but if you listen carfully to 808’s and Heartbreak you can hear that Kanye is using it in a completly differnt way the T-Pain does. I don’t think it’s Kanye’s best ablum but I think the honesty/emotion in the lyrics make it more compelling then just another hip-hop album or even just another Kanye album.
Regardless of whether you like the music or not you have to admit it takes fucking balls to do some shit like completly step out of your style and try something new. Kanye didn’t have to do this if you listen to his latest productions Swager Like Us, History, Jockin Jay-Z you can tell he has not lost his hip-hop producers touch so it wouldn’t have been hard for the guy to just drop that type of album but dude flipped his style because that wasn’t the music he wanted to make and I can’t help but respect that.
November 18th, 2008 at 6:02 pm
I think the album will do good as far as sales. Maybe not 2.5 million good but probably 1.2 - 1.5.
My girl and her friends are lookin forward to it. My little sis and her friends. Thats two different generations. Women are always in stores like target so he wont do bad on sales. I’d like to hear it before I committ my $13 lol. Good article btw, last one set the bar kinda high though.
November 18th, 2008 at 6:15 pm
like i’ve said thousands of times b4.. i will download… and if it is hot i will buy…. nuff said
November 18th, 2008 at 6:40 pm
The entire album is dope…
November 18th, 2008 at 6:48 pm
NO THIS SHIT AINT HIP HOP
THIS GENRE IS SUMWHERE BETWEEN R&B and 70s blues
but i cant hate and say its wack, he has the right to make music in any style he chooses 2
i just rather kanye the rapper
AND NO THIS AINT NO FUCCIN WAVE
NOBODY SHOULD EVER COPY THIS STYLE OF MUSIC AND I HOPE NO ONE ELSE TRYS 2
November 18th, 2008 at 7:19 pm
Man im tired of muhfukas usin dat autotune shyt…its coo for T-Pain to do it cuz he been doin it since he came out but errybody else needs to cut dat shyt out REAL TALK!
November 18th, 2008 at 7:51 pm
This article was nuts, bruh! Good transitions and you didn’t drag on your points. Kept your shit MOVIN.
You barred this part..>
“Can our hyper-masculinity, homophobic, thug-constructed self-conscious allow us to listen to more sensitivity? Can our self-interested/industry-cultivated taste for music with a dance and a catch phase allow us to become in tune with our other emotions for a moment?”
__________
As much as I liked the article, I did not feel “Love Lockdown”…and “Heartless” didn’t have as much staying power in my brain as I first thought it would.
I’m all for artists expressing themselves (which I hope most already do)…but if it’s not PRODUCT….it’s not gonna work. For example.
Let’s just pretend he didn’t put “stronger” on graduation, but then put it on 808 and heartbreak and autotuned his verses a bit, and then put it as the last track on his album…
That shit would be sick. All I’m saying is… it’s not just his SOUND that people don’t like…. it’s the overall quality of it. The addictiveness. The relate-ability.
Like you said, Kanye made mega hits with personal shit like ‘Jesus Walks’…. but just cuz ‘Love Lockdown’ is personal…doesn’t make it hot.
That’s probably what most people are getting at.
November 18th, 2008 at 7:52 pm
I think that to many people here don’t have an open mind to different types of music. Music isn’t just hip-hop ya know. Kanye went in a different direction and those that try and act hard who call Kanye a fag are the same ones who probably just listen to guys like Jadakiss, Styles and nothing else. I’ve been in a Kanye fan since 02 and trust me, I miss the old West but at the same time, I understand what he’s going through and this a album for him, not you. Whether you like it or not is your opinion, but I think most that are open to different types of music will.
November 18th, 2008 at 10:26 pm
@Mic Sorc
To be honest, I cant see whats wrong with Commons style,
I think it is rather dope and I love Kanye´s fashion sence even though most of it is not something I would wear.
Yeah I know that when someone says fag it doesnt nessesarily mean “gay bashing”, but I´m just tired of all the “hate” against Kanye, Nas, Lil´Wayne etc.
Anyway, enough about how dudes dress.
I dont think people made Love Lockdown nr.1 on iTunes because It is personal to Kanye.
Peeps really like this track, me personally I dont feel it.
One last thing about Kanye. If he had released a “proper HIP HOP - RAP ” track, people would still hate on it !!!.
C´MON we all know this is true.
The comment´s would have been -
“KANYE CANT RAP”
“IT`S GARBAGE”
“HE SHOULD STICK TO PRODUCING FOR JAY-Z”
“HE AINT GOT SWAG”
and on and on and on….
PEACE ___ :O) _—–_____________________
November 18th, 2008 at 10:38 pm
LMAO Y’all bloggers are mad funny…Realtalk ridin’ Kanye again…this album is not a masterpiece by any definition of the word…he’s trying to make people think he’s such a genius and in all honesty it does not work. There are good songs on the album but the majority sounds the same and its not even like its anything innovative…come on now…talking about politically charged times and in his darkest period…it’s really NOT that serious
November 19th, 2008 at 2:31 pm
FUCK KANYE!!!
When are you lames going to stop supporting him? HE’S NOT A RAPPER, HIP HOP ARTIST OR HIP HOP. Kanye is a MUSIC ARTIST. PERIOD. He’s alright at what he does, but his ego and arrogance is out of control. I’ve never supported him or his music and this hot garbage is something else for me not to support.
STOP JOCKIN REAL TALK - IT’S A LOT MORE PEOPLE THAT’S CONSIDERED A REAL GENIUS ASIDE FROM KANYE.