Jason Spinola
Pathways
Piece of Music Essay
September 29, 2010
Welcome to Heartbreak
Kayne West (ft. KiD CuDi)
Kanye Omari West is an American rapper, singer, and record producer. West first rose to fame as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, where he eventually achieved recognition for his work on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint, as well as hit singles for musical artists including Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and Janet Jackson. West released his debut album The College Dropout in 2004, his second album Late Registration in 2005, his third album Graduation in 2007, and his fourth album 808s & Heartbreak in 2008. These four albums have received numerous awards, including a cumulative twelve Grammys, and critical acclaim. Mr. West who is known as a musical genius now runs is own record label called “GOOD Music.”
When I was thinking of a piece of music, I choose one of my favorite genres (rap/hip-hip) and I brainstormed artists that are deep into their craft. Kayne stoke out and his song Welcome to Heartbreak was a deep, real song. The tone he uses to tell the story leaves the impression he sounds vulnerable and lost in the world. Throughout the album you can hear the sadness and the outcry of Mr. West pouring his heart out.
Welcome to Heartbreak is about how people can talk about their wife, kids, and a happy family while Mr. West can only talk about cars, woman, and his house. He’s basically saying the greatest things things in life aren’t objects, it’s the people around us. I think many people can relate, but those more blessed can especially because they tend to be more materialistic and conceited. On the other hand those who are regular working class citizens need to appreciate family and be content with that. There are many people in this world that wish they just had a home or family to turn to. This song came of 808’s & Heartbreak, an album Kanye dedicated to his mother Donda West who died due to complications from cosmetic surgery a year before the album. Months later, he broke his engagement with his fiance leaving him lonely and at the center of media criticism.
Although it was an unpopular for a rap artist to make a pop album Mr. West did it and achieved more success by it. Me personally, I thought it was a phenomenal album. I could connect with a lot of the songs because they were about real life and situations. The piece of music was different and meaningful so it stood out many different races, and music fans. The album makes prominent use of the voice audio processor technology of auto-tone.
