Months later, West and fiancée Alexis Phifer ended their engagement and their long-term intermittent relationship, which had begun in 2002. On November 10, 2007, West's mother Donda West died due to complications arising following cosmetic surgery involving a tummy tuck and breast reduction procedure. By 2013, it had sold 1.7 million copies in the United States.įollowing the release of his third studio album Graduation, the remainder of 2007 and the following year featured events that profoundly affected Kanye West.
Four singles were released to promote the record, including the hit singles "Love Lockdown" and "Heartless".Ĩ08s & Heartbreak has since been cited as a prominent influence on subsequent hip hop, pop, and R&B music, as a new wave of rappers, singers, and producers came to adopt aspects of its style and thematic content. Despite varying responses from listeners, the album received positive reviews from most critics and was named one of 2008's best records in several year-end lists. His lyrics explore themes of loss, alienated fame, and heartache, while the album's production abandons conventional hip hop sounds in favor of a minimalist sonic palette, which includes prominent use of the titular Roland TR-808 drum machine.Ĩ08s & Heartbreak debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, selling 450,145 copies in its first week. The album features guest appearances from Kid Cudi, Young Jeezy, Mr Hudson, and Lil Wayne.Ĭonceived in the wake of several distressing personal events, 808s & Heartbreak marked a major musical departure from West's previous rap records, instead featuring a sparse, electronic sound and West singing through an Auto-Tune vocal processor. West recorded the album during September and October 2008 at Glenwood Studios in Burbank, California and Avex Recording Studio in Honolulu, Hawaii, with the help of producers No I.D., Jeff Bhasker and others. It was released on November 24, 2008, by Roc-A-Fella Records. 808s & Heartbreak is the fourth studio album by American hip hop producer and vocalist Kanye West.
0 kommentar(er)
