Comments on: LA Weekly: 808 State-Kanye West’s Melancholy Hasn’t Fully Dimmed His Megalomania

By: bromwich

bromwich — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 07:24:42 +0000

@ Trey

Apparently (according to some interview I heard with Kanye) Jeezy was around during a lot of the recording of this album, and got to weigh in on some of the songs. Kanye said in this same interview that he thinks Jeezy’s a brilliant musician, and implied that he’s so brilliant because he can evoke such strong emotion with such terrible lyrics.

After about twelve listens I like the Wayne song a lot more than I used to. How come in every review I read Kanye gets a ton of credit for using auto-tune to sound cold and emotionless but Wayne doesn’t get any credit (and in fact gets only derision) for sounding like he’s being tortured as he records his verse. I think it’s pretty damn good.

By: Ray Jackson

Ray Jackson — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 21:21:48 +0000

^^There’s not a doubt in my mind that Sly knew what “encomium” means.

I myself had to look it up.

…such highfalutin verbosity is kind of intimidating.

By: Sly

Sly — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 13:19:26 +0000

lol

By: Passion of the Weiss

Passion of the Weiss — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 19:04:02 +0000

I don’t hold hip-hop reviews to different standards than non hip-hop reviews. Wouldn’t that be uh…racist?

There’s always Dictionary.com

By: Ray Jackson

Ray Jackson — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 18:39:50 +0000

“Indeed, a noirish nimbus of poetic justice encircles Kanye West’s fourth album: Gone are the encomiums to consumerism.”

LOL…who you tryin to impress brother?

The 1% of the population that actually knows what “nimbus” and “encomium” mean?

Just a little pretentious for a hip hop review don’t cha think homebody? This is Kanye West we’re talking about…it’s not that deep.

PEACE.

By: Passion of the Weiss

Passion of the Weiss — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 22:52:19 +0000

Don’t. You won’t like it. I like “My President is Black” ok and it certainly trumps Nas’ black president efforts, but I feel Kanye understands how to use Jeezy better than Jeezy understands how to use Jeezy (see also “Can’t Tell Me Nothing”).

The pacing of Amazing is immaculate, the long pause between verses, the beats earthquake tremble, Jeezy’s voice used as blunt, bludgeoning object. It’s not the lyrics, it’s the tone. It’s probably the first time I’ve ever understood why anyone would like Jeezy.

Granted, I find listening to more than 16 bars of him tedious, but still. And yes, Recession remains totally boring, save for “Circulate” and arguably “My President.”

By: Curtis

Curtis — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 22:47:10 +0000

Honestly does anyone here listen to Kanye West for any other reason then to hear where he is taking the music? Personally I am impressed with a pop star of Ye’s magnitude that recreates his sound each album. I don’t want to hear Kanye West rap in 2008, I’m not sure if I want to hear a Kanye West soul beat in 2008, but a pop album? Why the fuck not? Heartless and Love Lockdown are the two best pop singles of the year.

By: Tray

Tray — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 22:15:18 +0000

I’m not even the slightest bit interested in hearing the record, but I’m surprised by your praise of a pretty mediocre Jeezy verse on ‘Amazing.’ Yeah, he sucked on The Recession and we seem to be the only people aware of that, but he’s certainly earned the plaudits he receives on My President Is Black. That really might be the song of the year.

By: Passion of the Weiss

Passion of the Weiss — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 20:27:42 +0000

Glad to hear I’m not the only one. The reception among my friends and the critics seems to have been decidedly mixed, so I’m really curious what everyone else thinks.

By: anne.

anne. — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 16:42:03 +0000

i’m seriously into it. he’s balls deep in the art scene, so why wouldn’t we expect a more conceptual record? and what better time to release it? this new shamelessness looks good on him.