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HE'S ADDED NEW COLOURS AND TONES TO HIP HDP'S PALETTE
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Is Kanye West just a hip hop shrew with money on his mind or a true rap visionary? Mark Robertson examines the evidence
ow many times have you heard some over the
hill rap star attempt to dismiss any attempts at
innovation and excuse creative treading water by claiming their doing it ‘old school"? I still hear it a lot. This rosy. Ray Ban-ed view. which in actuality was more Iz't'crv/mrly Hates Chris than Davy Chapel/("s Block Party A- *- dudes in polyester slacks. big specs and loafers hot wiring turntables and making it tip as they went along. The nascent charm of such endeavours was. and still is. irresistible but there‘s so much water under the bridge. so many twelves in and back out of the DJ‘s crate. that being old school alone just doesn‘t really ctrt it anymore. This is the let (‘entury and hip hop is as futuristic a music as you can find. constantly morphing with sub-genres. from crunk and Baltimore club to hyphy and snap.
If one hip hop artist personilies this new millennium attitude it is Kanye West. a proper love ‘em or loathe ‘em rap star who has pioneered his own distinct style and is growing above and beyond the production techniques that made him famous in the first place.
The unpleasant side effect of this musical progress is that mainstream hip hop (of which West is an intrinsic part) has become more about shifting units. diversifying the brand and expanding the portfolio. The iiber-bling portrayed by West's mentor and friend Jay-7. has taken the aspirational and turned it into little more than shallow gloating. The most galling thing of all is that at the heart of this is still some great music. You wish the music sucked so you could say they got big and lost their musical edge. Not so.
58 THE LIST lit 7/ Nov 2008
Musically. Kanye West has always been ahead of the curve. liver since selling his first beats in his teens he developed a style his own. The chirnprnunk soul sound he pioneered may be the inspiration for a thousand cheesey dance tracks now. but in his time he's added new tones and colours to rap music‘s musical palette.
After the global success of his liducation trilogy: 2004's The ('ollr'ga Dropout. 2005’s 1in6 Registration and 2007‘s Graduation. his fourth album is what is purpoited to be his ‘break-up album‘. lilements of 808s and llaarrbrwk have been leaked in various forms across the web. ()ne fascinating side effect of this was that a first mix of the album‘s lead single ‘l.ove Lockdown‘ was given a decidedly lukewarm response by fans online. West subsequently reworked the trippy Jap- pop tune. adding heavier beats from taiko drummers. The kids loved it.
The one-time super producer is now a self-styled futuristic soul singer. As likely to sample Tears for Fears as he ever would Notorious BIG these days. 8083' and Heartbreak is billed as his break up record and is also his first since the death of his mother Yolanda W ‘st in early 2008 — and is awash with autotune vocals (that’s the weird sound processor that makes the vocals sound a bit like (‘her‘s ‘Believe‘l and Soft (‘ell-esque synths.
Following three multi-platinurn albums with a song as weird. sad and distant as love Lockdown‘ is either brave of just plain stupid. (‘hances are it‘s the former: if anyone is sophisticated and savvy enough to pull off such a shift its the boy lee/y.
Kanye West plays SECC, Glasgow, Sun 16 Nov.
ti: Dizzee Rascal Fix up, look sharp. After bagging this year's MOBO Best UK Male award, the innovative and energetic grime MC is back. ABC, Glasgow, Sat 75 Nov (Rock 8 Pop)
2 Days in Stereo A tiny tenner gets you two nights worth of gigs. including DeSalvo, Punch 8 the Apostles and Plaaydoh. Bargain. Stereo, Glasgow, Thu 73 8 Fru 74 Nov. Death Cab For Cutie Lush, emotion-soaked indie- rock. with guests Frightened Rabbit, taking a break from cracking America. See 5 Reasons, page 65. Corn Exchange, Edinburgh, Fri 74 Nov. (Rock 8 Pop)
Vic Godard & Subway Sect and The Sexual Objects Old school new waver Godard returns with Davy ‘Fire Engines‘ Henderson's new band in tow. Citrus Club, Edinburgh, Fri 74 Nov; Stereo, Glasgow, Sat 75 Nov. (Rock 8 Pop)
The Carrying Steam Festival A celebration of song. story, politics and the life of folk legend Hamish Henderson. Various venues, Edinburgh, Fri 74 8 Sat 75 Nov. (Folk)
Kanye West See preview, left. SECC, Glasgow, Sun 76 Nov. (Rock 8 Pop)
iii Chatham County Line A highlight at this year’s SXSW, the North Carolina bluegrass band armed with fiddles, banjos. guitars and mandolins. Arches, Glasgow, Thu 20 Nov. (Folk) Portico Quartet Catch the London jazz quartet on the up. and find out how that funny half wok/ half steeldrum thing they play actually works. See preview, page 59. The Arches. Glasgow, Mon 24 Nov. (Jazz) John McCusker’s Under One Sky Norman Blake and Julie Fowlis are among the talent collaborating on this eclectic roots tour. See preview. page 59. The Old Fruitmarket, Glasgow, Wed 26 Nov. (Folk)