Campus Chronicle

Issue date: 1/26/09 Section: Entertainment

One thing that Kanye West is best known for is thinking outside of the box. With every album, the Chicago MC has brought something innovative to the table. But on his new LP, 808's and Heartbreak, some may say that he is pushing the envelope too far. Unlike most rappers, Kanye bares his soul by singing instead of rapping. This is, by far, the riskiest thing that he has ever done.
The death of his mother and the sudden break up with his fiancé has sent Mr. West on an emotional rollercoaster. On the song "Coldest Winter," he sends a heartfelt farewell to his late mother, Donda West. Kanye then reflects on his relationship with his ex, Alexis Phifer on the tracks "Heartless" and "Bad News." On these two songs, West expressed how her infidelity ended their relationship and led to his heart being broken. His emotions goes from sad, to mad, on the song "See You in my Nightmares," featuring Lil' Wayne.
Kanye displays more than heartbreak on this album. On the track "Street Lights," he uses the "lights" as a metaphor for missed opportunities in his life that's keeping him from reaching his ultimate goal, whatever that may be. The Louis Vuitton Don opens up even more on the bonus track "Pinocchio Story." On this song, he talks about his desire to live a normal life. The he and his new artist, Kid Cudi, raps about how chasing the "Good Life" has overshadowed the simple pleasures in their lives on "Welcome to Heartbreak."
808's and Heartbreak is not Kanye's best album, but surprisingly, it is pretty good. Although he sings well, his fans would rather hear him rap. The production on the album was good as well. His beats didn't sound like traditional Hip-Hop songs, but he managed to make it work. Hopefully, this is a one time experiment for Kanye West.

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