Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Kanye West - 808s & Heartbreaks | Thoughtless But Not Heartless
()
Artist: Kanye West
Album:
808s & HeartbreaksLabel: Roc-A-Fella
Release Date: November 24, 2008
The older models that once dominated hip hop have officially been superseded by auto-tune—a corrective action amidst a heavily saturated genre. The hyper-inflated, mechanical effects of the aforementioned tool undoubtedly help to achieve a heavy-hearted tone. And it definitely compliments the lonesome lyrical content, which West strains to convey with a puerile sense of entitlement—as though he's the only person ever to have experienced such personal anguish. But, more often than not, the picturesque pretense strewn throughout 808s & Heartbreak masks any semblance of true emotion at hand, constituting a pretty wearisome gimmick.
If the primary objective of West's fourth album to date truly is emotional nakedness—as displayed in a relatively primitive manner to a select few at the Ace Gallery in Los Angeles on October 14th—then he has certainly foundered in a sea of acrimony. Songs like the leading single, "Love Lockdown," and "Heartless" stray from grandiloquence to prove a point. The rotund-yet-minimal instrumentation paves the way for his plaintive, robotic wailing. And it's plain to see that his adversaries are complicit in wrong-doing. But West often fails to communicate anything beyond the self-evident.
And what's more, "See You In My Nightmares," which features Lil Wayne's gruff and sophomoric double entendres, serves as the pinnacle of all contrivances. The listener finds Wayne rattling off indignant ripostes: "You think your shit don't stank/ but you are missis P U." The childish rhyme renders whatever context he's striving for utterly meaningless.
Kanye West - "Heartless"
Unfortunately for West, the same can be said for "Robocop," as it is predominantly comprised of two slapdash remarks. Through a series of repetitions of "okay" and "spoiled LA girl," he finds himself striving for an embittered, self-involved disposition—a cockeyed stance that has evolved into a pretty pitiful idiosyncrasy. And once this level of minimal focus becomes apparent, the real truth becomes exponentially difficult to ignore: 808s & Heartbreak lacks forethought and West may be characterized by greater discrepancy and lesser self-awareness forevermore.
The verisimilitude of his performance is about as plausible as T-Pain being "N Luv (With A Stripper)." To paraphrase a good friend, "The talk box died with Roger Troutman, everyone else should just quit it." And thus the notion of an automated, pitch-perfect response to the trials and tribulations of life suggests thoughtlessness, but certainly not heartlessness. We've all got our coping mechanisms; some are simply more skin-deep than others.
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
After rising for years, the number of residential installations in the city of Los Angeles began to drop in 2023. The city isn’t subject to recent changes in state incentives, but other factors may be contributing to the decline. -
The L.A. City Council approved the venue change Wednesday, which organizers say will save $12 million in infrastructure costs.
-
Taxes on the sale of some newer apartment buildings would be lowered under a plan by Sacramento lawmakers to partially rein in city Measure ULA.
-
The union representing the restaurant's workers announced Tuesday that The Pantry will welcome back patrons after suddenly shutting down six months ago.
-
If approved, the more than 62-acre project would include 50 housing lots and a marina less than a mile from Jackie and Shadow's famous nest overlooking the lake.
-
The U.S. Supreme Court lifted limits on immigration sweeps in Southern California, overturning a lower court ruling that prohibited agents from stopping people based on their appearance.
Best of LAist