808s & Heartbreak is the fourth studio album by American vocalist and record producer Kanye West. It was released on November 24, 2008, by Def Jam Recordings and Roc-A-Fella Records.
What is TR-808s & Heartbreak?
Trading in the warmth of soul samples for the azoic thump of the TR-808 drum machine and traditional hip-hop lyricism for dour pop singing filtered through the artful pitch destruction of Auto-Tune, 808s & Heartbreak would go on to create a new template for hip-hop and pop music that endures a decade later.
What happened to 808808s and heartbreak by Kanye West?
808s & Heartbreak is Kanye West’s fourth album, released in 2008, and it was a base breaker as far as fans were concerned. The album was formed off the back of an extremely difficult time for West; his mother died and his relationship with on-and-off again girlfriend/fiancé Alexis Phifer finally ended for good.
Was 808s & Heartbreak a risk or an opportunity?
To put it lightly, 808s & Heartbreak was a risk. You can find the rest of the Yeezy Season series here. Kanye’s performance of “Love Lockdown” at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards gave birth to an artistic evolution that, in the nearly 10 years since, has single-handedly changed the sonic course of rap more than any other.
What is the meaning of 808s and heartbreak?
West’s lyrics on the album explore themes of loss, alienated fame, and heartache, inspired by the breakup with his fiancée, his struggles with pop stardom, and the death of his mother. 808s & Heartbreak debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, selling just over 450,000 copies in its first week.
Where did 808808s come from?
808s came from suffering multitude losses at the same time—it’s like losing an arm and a leg and having to find a way to keep walking through it. After the release of his third studio album Graduation in 2007, Kanye West experienced profoundly-affecting events in his personal life.
