West felt that his emotions could not be fully expressed simply through rapping, which he said had limitations. West stated that "This album was therapeutic – it's lonely at the top." A photograph taken by Danny Clinch of West kissing his mother on the cheek was included in the album's booklet liner notes. The loss, loneliness and longing for companionship and a sense of normality served to inspire 808s & Heartbreak. At the same time, West struggled to adapt to his newfound pop star status he had once striven to achieve, often becoming the subject of media scrutiny. Months later, West and fiancée Alexis Phifer ended their engagement and their long-term intermittent relationship, which had begun in 2002. On November 10, 2007, West's mother Donda West died due to complications arising following cosmetic surgery involving a tummy tuck and breast reduction procedure. By 2013, it had sold 1.7 million copies in the United States.įollowing the release of his third studio album Graduation, the remainder of 2007 and the following year featured events that profoundly affected Kanye West. Four singles were released to promote the record, including the hit singles "Love Lockdown" and "Heartless".Ĩ08s & Heartbreak has since been cited as a prominent influence on subsequent hip hop, pop, and R&B music, as a new wave of rappers, singers, and producers came to adopt aspects of its style and thematic content. Despite varying responses from listeners, the album received positive reviews from most critics and was named one of 2008's best records in several year-end lists. His lyrics explored themes of loss, alienated fame, and heartache, while the album's production abandoned conventional hip hop sounds in favor of a minimalist sonic palette, which included prominent use of the titular Roland TR-808 drum machine.Ĩ08s & Heartbreak debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, selling 450,145 copies in its first week. Conceived in the wake of a series of distressing personal events, 808s & Heartbreak marked a major musical departure for West from his previous rap records, instead featuring a sparse, electronic sound and West singing through an Auto-Tune vocal processor.
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