why was 808s and heartbreak so influential

Following the death of his mother and his separation from his fiance, Kanye was not happy. The album was made during a turbulent time for Kanye (at least by 2008 standards). All these artists and many more are indebted to what Kanye did on 808s. Drake, Post Malone, Young Thug, Juice WRLD, Future, the Weeknd: the list goes on and on. The melancholy, vulnerable, and digitally synthetic sound that 808s brought to the table is arguably the blueprint for the modern day convergence of hip hop, R&B, and pop that now dominates the charts. Thus 808s & Heartbreak shares a similar divisive status as Kid A or Blonde on Blonde, while also innovating just as much. After Graduation somewhat departed from the soulful style Kanye made his name on, many hip hop purists feared Kanye was going to abandon the sound entirely, and their fears came true.

Radiohead traded out guitars for synths on Kid A, Bob Dylan opted for electric over acoustic on Blonde on Blonde, and Kanye did something unheard of for rappers on 808s & Heartbreak. This is a look back on one of the most important and influential hip hop albums of the 2000s, which would shape the genre as well as the future of popular music for the next decade: 808s & Heartbreak.Įvery once in while, an artist hits their audience with a curveball that is at first not so well received but later turns out to be a seminal piece of work in their discography. But this isn’t the time and place to hash those issues out. Even as a card-carrying Kanye apologist I have to admit that he’s said and done things that are unforgivable. Look, it’s difficult to talk about Kanye nowadays.

Why was 808s and heartbreak so influential