West goes into mid-life crisis mode penning some of the most introspective lyrics hip hop has ever heard. Welcome to Heartbreak featuring Kid Cudi (Produced by Kanye West, Jeff Bhasker, Plain Pat) Kanye even lets the beat knock for over 3 minutes layered with nothing but cheesy keyboard choir effects.Ģ.

The minimalist beat and abstract crooning of Yeezy set the tone for the entire album as you know you’re going to “hear some next shit”. Now peep the breakdown crybabies!Įven though this song is about questioning his woman’s faith, it still knocks like any other Kanye intro.

Although, I found this album to be substantively refreshing and indicative of Kanye pushing the envelope, his singing is William Hung-esque at times. West’s foray into the world of broken beat/euro/emo music, Kanye brings a hip hop sensibility to the music that attempts to “create something never done in hip hop” (hmmm cough, cough, Andre 3000’s “Love Below”). Who says hip hop has to be just “rap”, Kanye certainly doesn’t.

Should a hip hop site actually review this non-rapping Kanye album? Why not.

Best Songs: Say You Will, Welcome to Heartbreak, RoboCop, Street Lights, Coldest Winter, Pinocchio Story

Kanye 808s and heartbreak concert