Kanye West – 808s & Heartbreak (Deluxe Collector’s Set)

808s & Heartbreak is the fourth studio album by American rapper Kanye West. It was released by Def Jam Recordings and Roc-A-Fella Records on November 24, 2008, having been recorded earlier that year in September and October at Glenwood Studios in Burbank, California and Avex Recording Studio in Honolulu, Hawaii. Dominating its production, West was assisted by fellow producers No I.D., Plain Pat, Jeff Bhasker, and Mr Hudson, while also utilizing guest vocalists for some tracks, including Kid Cudi, Young Jeezy, and Lil Wayne.

Conceived in the wake of several distressing personal events for West, 808s & Heartbreak marked a major musical departure from his previous rap records, instead featuring a sparse, electronic sound and vocals sung through an Auto-Tune processor. The production also abandons conventional hip hop sounds in favor of a minimalist sonic palette, with prominent use of the Roland TR-808 drum machine. 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. Despite varying responses from listeners, the album received positive reviews from most music critics, who generally commended West’s experimentation, and was named one of 2008’s best records in several year-end lists. Four singles were released in its promotion, including the hit singles “Love Lockdown”, which became the highest Billboard Hot 100 debut of West’s career, and “Heartless”. Despite its positive critical reception, the album was largely overlooked as a contender for the 52nd Grammy Awards, although the single “Amazing” received a nomination in the category of Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group.

Among West’s most influential records, 808s & Heartbreak made an immediate impact on hip hop, pop, and R&B music, as a new wave of rappers, singers, and producers adopted its stylistic and thematic elements. It has been credited for pioneering the emo rap and experimental R&B subgenres in particular. Rolling Stone later included 808s & Heartbreak in its list of “The 40 Most Groundbreaking Albums of All Time” and ranked it number 244 on its revised list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. By 2013, the album had sold 1.7 million copies in the United States, and was certified triple platinum in the US by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in 2020.

Source: Wikipedia

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