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[Fix The Scientist]

I'll be damned if Love Lockdown is anywhere near complete. During the hook he sounds like one of those idiots that sings (badly) when they have heaphones on.

I like this song though. But please no T-Pain on the full album.

 

[Tim-E]

Put me in the group that really likes the live version, but not the early studio version. I don't see Kanye putting out this version as a single, I'm sure it'll sound pretty similar to the live version.

 

[PhoenixDark]

Fuck this

I've been a Kanye fan for years, ever since a buddy of mine from Chicago hooked me up with a demo tape of songs. I'm more than comfortable admitting he's not a great rapper but his passion and lyrical wit make up for it usually. I loved the fact that he was this flawed artist who made his short coming known in his music - he wasn't the typical superhero/villian type rapper who sells a billion drugs a year while sexing a million women a day. His nerdiness/forced image was very believable. I loved the man in a non sexual manner, like a brother - a kindred spirit. After all I hate to admit it but Kanye is the guy who introduced me to a lot of my favorite artists today, from Portishead to Fiona Apple to Mos Def.

But fuck this. Graduation was a let down; I'm not saying it's horrible but it's one of the most average albums I've heard. So many fucking amazing hip hop albums came out in 2007, Graduation isn't even in the top 10. It's a god damn shame that he's wasting talent mimicing the gimmicks of a talentless hack now. I liked Good Life for what it was, a fun summer/spring anthem. But an entire album full of this shit? Kanye always impressed me for being one of the few mainstream rappers who had some substance in his music. With Graduation he took a noticeable dive in terms of lyricism and veered down the road of rap n bullshit, and with this new album the goddamn plane has crashed into the fucking mountain.

Kanye has made a living off being sort of a fresh new face doing shit that's been done before, but with a twist - from the soul samples (late 90s RZA) to the more introspective hip hop of Common/native tongues/etc - but now he's simply doing what everyone else is doing. Record labels are salivating at the success T-Pain has seen, and are getting tons of artists to mimic that (while not mimicking T-Pain's business plan, which is actually making him money). The result is a bunch of market tested, calculated bullshit. Even Kanye's recent production mimics the charts: consider the horribly bad loops and repetition on the Jockin Jay-Z track, as well as the Swagger Like Us track; while I thought Graduation was a step forward in terms of production and two steps back in terms of lyricism, his latest production sounds like another two steps back. It's disgusting

I'm tired of this shit. The Kanye Act was already getting tired, but it never was a problem while he made good music. I'm certainly not knocking him for doing something different - yea I would have preferred Good Ass Job but that doesn't mean he would have to re-create his past material. I would have loved to hear his takes on say jazz hip hop or rock rap after the more techno/french pop exploits of Graduation. Instead we get this generic bullshit.

Fuck that

 

[ZeoVGM]

Graduation is in the top 5 hip hop albums of 2007.

Lupe's was #1.

 

[PhoenixDark]

Graduation is in the top 5 hip hop albums of 2007.

Lupe's was #1.

You don't know what you're talking about, as usual. Graduation is an average hip hop album at best. Yes Lupe's album is better, although I wouldn't consider The Cool to be #1 either

 

[PapiShasho]

The song i hear on the radio with young jeezy is awful.

I will be getting this album.

I hope you don't mean "Put On" because that song is fire.

 

[Fixed2BeBroken]

I love the song, tho I prefer the live version better, ONLY because on the chorus of the studio version, it sounds like he is "Singing through the fucking wire"...wtf

hopefully the chorus on the official version is more...intelligible...if thats the word i am looking for.

the verses are fine/cool on the studio version....better than the live version. it's just the chorus.


and as for the song itself. it's great. I dont understand the hate. This is real stadium music. this is timeless music that kanye is trying to make. music that won't JUST exist in it's time period. Singing, as oppossed to rapping, will always be a timeless artform. anyways, i think it's a nice evolution. It's not wack shit like Ja rule's singing. it's better. it has soul.

 

[ZeoVGM]

You don't know what you're talking about, as usual. Graduation is an average hip hop album at best. Yes Lupe's album is better, although I wouldn't consider The Cool to be #1 either

Haha. I like when someone says they like something more than someone else, and the reply is "NO, YOUR OPINION IS WRONG".

I can't imagine saying Graduation is an average hip hop album in the least. Lyrically, it's probably his weakest, though not horrible (he's never been amazing, lyrially). But the AMAZING beats and production make up for it.

 

[Dr. Strangelove]

and as for the song itself. it's great. I dont understand the hate. This is real stadium music. this is timeless music that kanye is trying to make. music that won't JUST exist in it's time period. Singing, as oppossed to rapping, will always be a timeless artform. anyways, i think it's a nice evolution. It's not wack shit like Ja rule's singing. it's better. it has soul.

What. I very much disagree. Rapping is still a young form of expression, but it isn't going anywhere.

Graduation is in the top 5 hip hop albums of 2007.

Lupe's was #1.

You must listen to a painfully limited selection of hip hop then.

 

[Fixed2BeBroken]

What. I very much disagree. Rapping is still a young form of expression, but it isn't going anywhere.


You must listen to a painfully limited selection of hip hop then.

as a musical artform, rapping won't be around forever mainstream wise and isn't timeless...maybe to our generation....but previous generations don't get it, and new generations arent garunteed to get it.

however, previous, current and new generations will always get singing.

Now just as an artform, rhyming in itself will never go anywhere...

and all this, is coming from an emcee. so yea.

You must listen to a painfully limited selection of hip hop then.

pfft....i listen to more hiphop than most hiphop heads and I think lupe's the cool was the best hiphop album last year. its all opinion at the end of the day. if someone likes something more than someone else, than thats what it is. it doesnt mean they dont listen to enough of the genre.

 

[Jason's Ultimatum]

Kanye has gone to far. Can't we keep Kanye they've already take Andre 3000 from us:lol

Speaking of Andre 3000, is Outkast working on a new album?

 

[Fixed2BeBroken]

the love below was amazing. Though I prefer andre as an emcee more than a singer. but that's just cause dre is such a great emcee. in my top 5. unlike kanye.

 

[Nabs]

Graduation is in the top 5 hip hop albums of 2007.

Lupe's was #1.

not on my list. the production of lupes album wasn't very good to me. albums by ugk, cunninlynguists, brother ali, black milk, betta half, jay-z, and y-society were better.

i liked graduation, but it felt incomplete when compared to his last album. i liked a lot of the production though... liked the direction it took. not as much as i liked late reg, but hey...

i'll give this album a very fair chance. kanye is one of those artists that can switch it up at any moment and surprise you.

 

[Kastro]

Haha. I like when someone says they like something more than someone else, and the reply is "NO, YOUR OPINION IS WRONG".

don't you do this all the time?

 

[Dali]

I hate to admit it but Kanye is the guy who introduced me to a lot of my favorite artists today, from Portishead to Fiona Apple to Mos Def.

Wow. I'd hate to admit that too.

 

[PhoenixDark]

Haha. I like when someone says they like something more than someone else, and the reply is "NO, YOUR OPINION IS WRONG".

I can't imagine saying Graduation is an average hip hop album in the least. Lyrically, it's probably his weakest, though not horrible (he's never been amazing, lyrially). But the AMAZING beats and production make up for it.

Amazing production does not "make up" for horribly bad lyrics and poor flow on a god damn hip hop album. Unless of course your interest in rap/hip hop is reduced to only listening to beats.

(no particular order outside of the first two)
Y Society - Travel At Your Own Pace
Blu and Exile - Beneath the Heavens
Pharoahe Monch - Desire
Lupe Fiasco - The Cool
Ghostface Killah - The Big Doe Rehab
Cunninlynguists - Dirty Aces
Brother Ali - The Undisputed Truth
Scarface - MADE
Little Brother - The Getback
Panacea - The Scenic Route

All better than Graduation, and I'd say even Talib Kweli's mehfest Eardrum is better as well. Graduation is definitely better than the massive disappointment that was Finding Forever

 

[ZeoVGM]

not on my list. the production of lupes album wasn't very good to me. albums by ugk, cunninlynguists, brother ali, black milk, betta half, jay-z, and y-society were better.

I 100% disagree with that. The Cool is my favorite hip hop album of the past few years.

Amazing production does not "make up" for horribly bad lyrics and poor flow on a god damn hip hop album. Unless of course your interest in rap/hip hop is reduced to only listening to beats.

Beats + flow are what matter to me the most. Whether it be rap, rock, or whatever else, I can look past poor lyrics when a song sounds fucking awesome.

I get if lyrics mean more to you than they do to me. That's fine. But the only time I'm bothered by lyrics is if they're cringe-worthy bad. And I find Graduation's lyrics to be just kind of there. They don't stand out as horrible or great.

 

[PhoenixDark]

I 100% disagree with that. The Cool is my favorite hip hop album of the past few years.



Beats + flow are what matter to me the most. Whether it be rap, rock, or whatever else, I can look past poor lyrics when a song sounds fucking awesome.

I get if lyrics mean more to you than they do to me. That's fine. But the only time I'm bothered by lyrics is if they're cringe-worthy bad. And I find Graduation's lyrics to be just kind of there. They don't stand out as horrible or great.

Good Morning
Can't Tell Me Nothing
Stronger
Barry fucking Bonds
Drunk and Hot Girls
Flashing Lights
Homecoming
Big Brother (which is just fucking sad)

The punchlines/similes/etc are pretty bad for the most part on that album.

 

[dskillzhtown]

Is this a publicity stunt?

http://omg.yahoo.com/news/kanye-west-bodyguard-arrested-at-los-angeles-international-airport/12993

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Kanye West and his bodyguard, Don Crowley, were arrested at LAX this morning, the LAX Police Department has confirmed to Access Hollywood, which was the first news outlet to break the news online today.

The incident took place at 7:51 AM this morning at the entrance to the security checkpoint for American Airlines at Terminal 4. The two were en route to Honolulu at the time.

According to an eyewitness on the scene who spoke with Access, the incident began when Kanye approached a camera that was being aimed at him by a photographer.

According to the gossip Web site TMZ.com, the paparazzo was attempting to photograph the rap star, when Kanye allegedly confronted the photographer, grabbing his camera (reportedly valued at over $10,000) and smashing it to the ground. Kanye then smashed another piece of the camera, possibly the flash, to the ground.

A TMZ videographer named Erik, who was also present, was attempting to videotape Kanye and the photographer, when Don (the bodyguard) grabbed TMZ's video camera. A struggle reportedly ensued between Don and Erik.

 

[Barkley's Justice]

seriously, roger troutman wants his vocoder back

 

[ZeoVGM]

Good Morning
Can't Tell Me Nothing
Stronger
Barry fucking Bonds
Drunk and Hot Girls
Flashing Lights
Homecoming
Big Brother (which is just fucking sad)

The punchlines/similes/etc are pretty bad for the most part on that album.

Homecoming and Big Brother... You think those are "cringe-worthy bad" lyrics?

Seriously?

Then what is "Soulja Boy" to you?

 

[PhoenixDark]

Homecoming and Big Brother... You think those are "cringe-worthy bad" lyrics?

Seriously?

Then what is "Soulja Boy" to you?

I don't "cringe" at Soulja Boy because I don't take him seriously as an artist, and neither does he. When a respected artist releases content that clearly shows a lack of quality/care, like the lyrics on Graduation, that strikes me as more of a glarring problem. I can listen to Soulja Boy and laugh it off.

 

[thetechkid]

I don't "cringe" at Soulja Boy because I don't take him seriously as an artist, and neither does he. When a respected artist releases content that clearly shows a lack of quality/care, like the lyrics on Graduation, that strikes me as more of a glarring problem. I can listen to Soulja Boy and laugh it off.

The fact that you listen to it period is a serious problem.

 

[harSon]

Amazing production does not "make up" for horribly bad lyrics and poor flow on a god damn hip hop album. Unless of course your interest in rap/hip hop is reduced to only listening to beats.

(no particular order outside of the first two)
Y Society - Travel At Your Own Pace
Blu and Exile - Beneath the Heavens
Pharoahe Monch - Desire
Lupe Fiasco - The Cool
Ghostface Killah - The Big Doe Rehab
Cunninlynguists - Dirty Aces
Brother Ali - The Undisputed Truth
Scarface - MADE
Little Brother - The Getback
Panacea - The Scenic Route

All better than Graduation, and I'd say even Talib Kweli's mehfest Eardrum is better as well. Graduation is definitely better than the massive disappointment that was Finding Forever

We may have started out on the wrong foot PD but all that is in the past. You complete me.

 

[ZeoVGM]

YAAAH trick YAHHHH

Throw some D's on dat report card.

 

[Princess Carl]

Good Morning
Can't Tell Me Nothing
Stronger
Barry fucking Bonds
Drunk and Hot Girls
Flashing Lights
Homecoming
Big Brother (which is just fucking sad)

The punchlines/similes/etc are pretty bad for the most part on that album.

I guess i just listen to him differently.

I thought that all of the songs above were amazing lyrically, and that's one of the main reason why i still listen to them.

I thought graduation was an amazing album, and it was the first i got to hear from Kanye, and from that point on, i began listening to all of his other albums.

 

[my name is ed]

Ill wait til a few more songs are released before I condemn this album. I wish Kanye tried harder on his lyrics though. What was that one line off Graduation? "fly malcom x by any jeans necessary"? ugh

 

[neptunes]

The fact that you listen to it period is a serious problem.

WHAT!?!

is something wrong in listening to soulja boy and similar sounding hiphop?

 

[Timo]

Live version is shit tons better. I really like it. It's catchy, and i dunno, powerful.

 

[btkadams]

the live versionw as better because it felt so much more powerful when the percussion came in. they gotta make the percussion on the cd version have a fuller sound.

 

[keanerie]

i really like "Love Lockdown" - the autotuning is fine, and the rawness of is really surprising and well, actually moving.

i think people are jumping the gun a little after only two songs - i'd love to see some crow eating if it turns out to be really great.

honestly i hope the rest of the album has the same feeling as this, though obviously i'd like to hear some rapping as well. but imagine it, the hip-hop blood on the tracks - how cool would that be?

and it's got a kick-ass title!

 

[thetechkid]

WHAT!?!

is something wrong in listening to soulja boy and similar sounding hiphop?

It's not even music, and should not be considered music.

 

[ToyMachine228]

Not feeling the actual song Love Lockdown. Just doesn't seem like Kanye.

 

[kruskev]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqDaOcF-Gk4

is this song anyone else's favorite?
I wish Jon Brion would collaborate with kanye again. Late Registeration is flawless

 

[neptunes]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqDaOcF-Gk4

is this song anyone else's favorite?
I wish Jon Brion would collaborate with kanye again. Late Registration is flawless

Little Brother - Hate (prod. by Kanye)

sound familiar? he gave this beat to little brother (way after late registration) must have been a leftover/throwaway

yeah, I really like Jon Brion's re-imagining of kanye's samples (assuming he does that of course)

 

[disco]

Love Lockdown is great. Should be a good album.

 

[thetechkid]

Not feeling the actual song Love Lockdown. Just doesn't seem like Kanye.

I agree, I was hoping for more of a Graduation feel.

 

[pjberri]

You don't know what you're talking about, as usual. Graduation is an average hip hop album at best. Yes Lupe's album is better, although I wouldn't consider The Cool to be #1 either

Lupe's album was most definitely not better, a lot of it is embarrassing to listen to. Graduation was an above average album, it's no worse than College Dropout, which was marred by skits for Africa and a weaker second half, but stood out because his unique approach to his writing and some really great songs.
Graduation doesn't really have as many low points, but due to his uninspired lyrics it doesn't have as many highs either. The vocals are pretty much just a vehicle for the production. Graduation isn't really any worse than albums I've seen you hyping, like Desire.

 

[PSGames]

Wow, that's a strange song.
Is it actually Kanye who's singing this? Like, singing, not rapping? I'm listening to love lockdown on the blog from the OP, and I'm having a hard time believing this is Kanye.


Either way. It's....different. Kind of like it.

Play it 2 times, you won't be able to get it out of your head. I'm hooked :lol

 

[Oozer3993]

I liked Good Life for what it was, a fun summer/spring anthem. But an entire album full of this shit?

Did you even listen to the song? LL is NOTHING like Good Life. Not even close. One is a light, "summer/spring anthem" filled with throw away lyrics and the other is a wailing wraith of a song, laser focused on the breakup with a long time fiance. The vocoder in LL is used to distort Kanye's voice, to make it distant and cold to match how he feels. The vocoder in Good Life is used because it's T-Pain's gimmick.

Kanye always impressed me for being one of the few mainstream rappers who had some substance in his music. With Graduation he took a noticeable dive in terms of lyricism and veered down the road of rap n bullshit, and with this new album the goddamn plane has crashed into the fucking mountain.

LL has arguably the most substance in any of Kanye's songs since All Falls Down. The first single off of this new album is about his break-up, which he claims responsibility for, and includes a deflated balloon in the shape of a heart for it's artwork. How the hell is that "the road of rap n bullshit?" You're telling me Flo Rida and Young Jeezy have heartbreak anthems on their albums?

I would have loved to hear his takes on say jazz hip hop or rock rap after the more techno/french pop exploits of Graduation. Instead we get this generic bullshit.

Fuck that

Generic? If LL is generic, then please, point me to where I could hear a bunch of songs just like it. This isn't everyone and their mother trying to ape "Irreplaceable." This is Kanye making a bid for true music icon status, which is what he's always said he wanted.

 

[Jake.]

:lol at entire thread.

 

[Square Edge]

Can someone please explain to this nub what auto tuning is?

 

[aznpxdd]

Can someone please explain to this nub what auto tuning is?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fpu6C70WROM

 

[sc0la]

Amazing production does not "make up" for horribly bad lyrics and poor flow on a god damn hip hop album. Unless of course your interest in rap/hip hop is reduced to only listening to beats.

(no particular order outside of the first two)
Y Society - Travel At Your Own Pace
Blu and Exile - Beneath the Heavens
Pharoahe Monch - Desire
Lupe Fiasco - The Cool
Ghostface Killah - The Big Doe Rehab
Cunninlynguists - Dirty Aces
Brother Ali - The Undisputed Truth
Scarface - MADE
Little Brother - The Getback
Panacea - The Scenic Route

All better than Graduation, and I'd say even Talib Kweli's mehfest Eardrum is better as well. Graduation is definitely better than the massive disappointment that was Finding Forever

DESIRE is one of my favorite albums of the year. Good stuff

 

[Square Edge]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fpu6C70WROM

Holy shit, haha. So that is what's going on in songs like "Low" and "Good Life", eh?

 

[pakkit]

Fuck Protools.

This is the worst song Kanye has ever put out. It sounds like GarageBand noodling, but a single? Kanye isn't getting my money.

This guy produced most of Blueprint, one of the strongest rap albums ever when it comes to beats, and now he's chilling with Weezy and T-Pain as they all pretend that they can sing?

Kanye West doesn't care about music, people.

 

[Staccat0]

Love Lockdown is great. Unique and powerful. Does the Auto Tuning thing in a fresh way.
Minimalism may not appeal to many hip hoppers but sounds raw and sweet to my ears.

It dont sound like its timeless but it will do for now. If the rest of the album is this good or better I'll buy that shit day one.

Fuck Protools.
Kanye West doesn't care about music, people.

who does? Who cares?
I don't.
Music is for old people who wanna stroke a fucking beard and sip wine.
I like art.
I like passion.
This song sounds far more genuine than much hes done.

Amazing song? naw, but mainstream rap could use a Blood on the Tracks or Plastic Ono Band.

Will this be it? Prolly not, but its a step in that direction if the rest of the album is similar.

Auto tune is the only thing that worries me.

P.s. What does protools have to do with this?

Lupe's album was most definitely not better, a lot of it is embarrassing to listen to. Graduation was an above average album, it's no worse than College Dropout, which was marred by skits for Africa and a weaker second half, but stood out because his unique approach to his writing and some really great songs.
Graduation doesn't really have as many low points, but due to his uninspired lyrics it doesn't have as many highs either. The vocals are pretty much just a vehicle for the production. Graduation isn't really any worse than albums I've seen you hyping, like Desire.

Embarrasing and ambitious is better than perfect but boring. The Cool will still be listenable in a few years. Graduation prolly wont. I didnt hate graduation but it was a fairly predictable rap/pop album without a lot of substance.
The Cool grows on me.
sure "dumb it down" has some cringe-worthy lines, but the album has some subtle and clever things going on that I can really sink my teeth into.

 

[Fixed2BeBroken]

Fuck Protools.

This is the worst song Kanye has ever put out. It sounds like GarageBand noodling, but a single? Kanye isn't getting my money.

This guy produced most of Blueprint, one of the strongest rap albums ever when it comes to beats, and now he's chilling with Weezy and T-Pain as they all pretend that they can sing?

Kanye West doesn't care about music, people.

what the shit does pro tools have to do with anything? are you retarded?

I mean if you don't like the song, then you don't like it, but saying fuck pro tools doesn't make any sense. It's like saying "fuck 128 track boards, effect machines, tapedecks, digital performer, logic, or anything that involves tracking music.

 

[~Devil Trigger~]

T-Pain...

 

[Stoney Mason]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fpu6C70WROM

:lol :lol

That is awesome. Hadn't seen that before.