UHHHH Kanye wants to be an R&B singer now???

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

Seriously?

Kanye West - Love Lockdown [2008 MTV VMAs]
Uploaded by soopah256

I...this...what? You know, I'm actually just in total awe of his sheer gumption right now. And also wondering just how many singing lessons he must have had to get through that without disgracing himself...like, it's obvious he's no singer, but his voice is more than palatable, and he doesn't hold back on some of those notes. The song is totally bare-bones minimal, but I think I love its brooding intensity, the lack of melodic variation ends up really hypnotic and compelling.

Also: DRUMS.

Other things that happened at the VMAs (I can't watch highlights as that would mean active exposure to Russell Brand, ugh): Jordin Sparks was a div on stage, and T-Pain turned up ON AN ELEPHANT:



EDIT ugh the picture of the elephant has inexplicably disappeared. It is here: http://concreteloop.com/2008/09/events-2008-mtv-video-music-awards/t-pain-arrives-on-an-elephant/

Comments

[katstevens.livejournal.com]

This is what auto-tune was made for - and I mean that in a good way! This sounds great apart from his wobbly low notes.

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

WHAT IT DO
ELE TO THE PHIZZAINT

[chezghost.livejournal.com]

Nice tune so why Kanye wants to mark that down by singing on it himself I dunno. Maybe slightly better than Diddy tho.

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

Cuz he has the biggest ego in pop and believes he can do anything? His voice kind of works here anyway, I can't quite imagine anyone else singing it...maybe J Holiday or Usher, someone who could match the song's intensity. Lloyd would be too wispy and Ne-Yo too understated, much as I love them. Listening to 'Love Lockdown' last night I found it literally breathtaking: what I haven't worked out is whether I was holding my breath for fear that Kanye would fall flat on his face, or because of the song's power (inc his performance). Mixture of both I guess.

It goes way beyond the bits of singing Diddy and other rappers have done in the past...it's not the usual half-rapped/half-sung chorus in a limited range, it's a proper attempt at full-throttle R&B.

[koganbot]

This is mesmerizing. I think many singers could do this better, but most of them wouldn't, because they'd think they had to put something into the singing, while Kanye just pushes it onward. Not just a keeper, but a grower. I'm quite happy with this, and even having read your writeup I'm surprised at how well he pulled it off.

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

apparently this is the studio version: http://www.zshare.net/audio/185463400d4d711d

really lacks the mesmerising intensity of the live version, where you feel as if he's pushing himself to the limits.