• Hey Guest. Check out your NeoGAF Wrapped 2025 results here!

Vox: Kanye deconstructed: The human voice as the ultimate instrument

Status
Not open for further replies.
I haven't watched the video yet but I feel like Wayne, Chance, Young Thug and maybe even Kendrick are better examples of rappers using their voice as instruments.
 
Rembrandt said:
I haven't watched the video yet but I feel like Wayne, Chance, Young Thug and maybe even Kendrick are better examples of rappers using their voice as instruments.
Click to expand...

Call me crazy, but perhaps you should watch the video first. I don't know, just an idea. I realize it's kinda out there though.
 
not a Kanye Fan as such I don't get the hype, but after watching the video, I have respect for his style and ideas.. have to check his stuff out.

Love the Song power
 
I'm in the camp that the ending to Runaway is artistically fascinating, masterful and maybe my favorite thing he's ever done. Don't get me wrong, I love College Dropout and stuff, but Runaway's ending is just so bold in a way I think he always wanted to be.
 
Been known this, it's why I spread the gospel of Yeezus at all times.

But yeah, I think 808's & Yeezus are the two albums where you hear his experimentation with vocals succeed the most. I mean shit, he practically invented a new genre of rap with 808's.
 
This just made me way more hyped to see him live

Bronx-Man said:
Been known this, it's why I spread the gospel of Yeezus at all times.

But yeah, I think 808's & Yeezus are the two albums where you hear his experimentation with vocals succeed the most. I mean shit, he practically invented a new genre of rap with 808's.
Click to expand...


I think him and 50's album battle sealed the deal and killed the gangsta rap mentality. Would there be a Drake without Kanye? I dont think so
 
There's no doubt in my mind that he's the greatest mainstream artist of our generation. His influence is immeasurable.
 
good to see a positive kanye thread. too many people drag his publicity battles into discussions over his pretty much unquestioned artistic genius and musical talent

its why I don't even think his crazy rants are bad, he's horrible at formulating his thoughts in a speech format but in his musical realm he speaks so clearly
 
Yeah I remember talking about Ye with some good friends of mine and the line that I used was "as a celebrity, sure, he's annoying. as an artist? man is a genius."
 
Fantastic video at showing how Kanye has moved rap forward in so many areas, and it even explains it in a way that people who hate on him for his personality should be able to objectively recognize the pure talent he has.
 
NYCmetsfan said:
good to see a positive kanye thread. too many people drag his publicity battles into discussions over his pretty much unquestioned artistic genius and musical talent

its why I don't even think his crazy rants are bad, he's horrible at formulating his thoughts in a speech format but in his musical realm he speaks so clearly
Click to expand...

I've been a Ye fan since "Through the wire" even before that when he was the hottest producer around. But Ye does make it hard as fuck to be a fan not going to lie. People do have a hard time separating the artistic value he brings from the person you see on an open mic.

I'm surprised we haven't had "Kanye is trash" post in this topic yet. Anyone that says that should be forced to watch this vid. His contributions to the genre and ground paving for a new genre is undeniable.
 
Emarv said:
I'm in the camp that the ending to Runaway is artistically fascinating, masterful and maybe my favorite thing he's ever done. Don't get me wrong, I love College Dropout and stuff, but Runaway's ending is just so bold in a way I think he always wanted to be.
Click to expand...

It's my go-to when I hear someone shitting on his musical ability or use of autotune/vocoder effects. The man secretly made one of the best guitar solos of the 2010's, but the trick is that he isn't using a guitar.
 
Red_Man said:
Fantastic video at showing how Kanye has moved rap forward in so many areas, and it even explains it in a way that people who hate on him for his personality should be able to objectively recognize the pure talent he has.
Click to expand...

It made me respect Kanye more but kind of not really like the narrator.
 
Plywood said:
I want Kanye to do a soundtrack for a high profile vidya.
Click to expand...

Kanye went to E3 and had a Persona 5 badge on.

Danny Brown loves Persona 4.

Kanye/Danny collab-soundtrack confirmed for Persona 6.

EDIT: On topic, the way Kanye layers vocals on top of one another and somehow makes them work with all these disparate instruments is something I don't think I've seen anyone really replicate. Take All of the Lights. That song contains 16 or so voices all layered on top of one another in addition to this drum pattern that seems out-of-left-field as the basis for a hip-hop song in addition to a brass section in addition to whatever synths are lying beneath all that. It's so over-the-top and maximalist it should be cacophony, but he delicately balances all of these elements against one another and in the end you get this moment, where you're at the brink of being overwhelmed of all these noises but it never goes over the edge into cacophony.
 
Article inspired to make a Kanye playlist featuring songs from all over his discography. Listening to it on shuffle, it's interesting to see how Kanye has evolved throughout his career, I'm also taking note of the sonically touches that define each era of his. I love it when an artist doesn't repeat themselves ala The Beatles or Radiohead.
 
DietRob said:
I've been a Ye fan since "Through the wire" even before that when he was the hottest producer around. But Ye does make it hard as fuck to be a fan not going to lie. People do have a hard time separating the artistic value he brings from the person you see on an open mic.

I'm surprised we haven't had "Kanye is trash" post in this topic yet. Anyone that says that should be forced to watch this vid. His contributions to the genre and ground paving for a new genre is undeniable.
Click to expand...

I've learned to tune out everything Kanye that's not music, but one thing I appreciate is that whatever Kanye is, he's never disingenuous.

Whatever bullshit he says, I know that he 100% believes it to be true. A lot easier to stomach a charming idiot like him instead of say, Drake, whose entire being is artifice.

It's some anime destiny shit that he'd be mortal enemies with Taylor Swift.
 
Rembrandt said:
I haven't watched the video yet but I feel like Wayne, Chance, Young Thug and maybe even Kendrick are better examples of rappers using their voice as instruments.
Click to expand...
I haven't read your other posts yet, but I feel as though every other NeoGAFfer is a better example of a Member.
 
Why do the songs on that video sound better than the one's on my phone ? I was hearing little things I never heard before.
 
DietRob said:
I've been a Ye fan since "Through the wire" even before that when he was the hottest producer around. But Ye does make it hard as fuck to be a fan not going to lie. People do have a hard time separating the artistic value he brings from the person you see on an open mic.

I'm surprised we haven't had "Kanye is trash" post in this topic yet. Anyone that says that should be forced to watch this vid. His contributions to the genre and ground paving for a new genre is undeniable.
Click to expand...

I would say what Kanye does isn't even that bad... Most of it is drama about stupid trivial stuff he says... He's not violent and he doesn't spill hate speech. He just tweets, has an ego, and dunks on Taylor Swift...
 
Red_Man said:
Fantastic video at showing how Kanye has moved rap forward in so many areas, and it even explains it in a way that people who hate on him for his personality should be able to objectively recognize the pure talent he has.
Click to expand...
This, its always funny to hear someone who doesn't engage with Rap calling Kanye talentless whenever his name starts trending for whatever shenanigan he was up to at that time. His influence has crept over rap for more than a decade now.
 
This video is basically just a description of his production technique. Why this technique constitutes good art, and in what ways it pushed anything forward, are simply asserted by the narrator and are not elaborated upon at all.
 
Snowman Prophet of Doom said:
This video is basically just a description of his production technique. Why this technique constitutes good art, and in what ways it pushed anything forward, are simply asserted by the narrator and are not elaborated upon at all.
Click to expand...

Yeah, it's cool from a production standpoint, but like where is the real substance? Basically it comes down to "Kayne manipulates a lot vocal samples" and incorporates them into his beats and songs.

The part at the end about 'creating' his own choir? He's extremely successful, of course he could afford to bring people in and have connections to get what he wants. "Sounds like it's recorded in a church, even though it's probably recorded in a pretty small studio.." Yeah... it's called convolution reverb. Pretty basic production technique. And the choir going from right in your to sounding distant... also pretty basic production. There's plug ins to do that.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

Decinstructing deconstruction
17
185
epicurius-seven replied
  • Poll
What do you prefer more, human voice or natural voice in the media?
4
786
Codes 208 replied
The Road Between Us: The Ultimate Rescue
1
354
Poppinfresh replied
Free Game Pass Ultimate 1 Month
4
404
flying_sq replied
Val Kilmer Resurrected by AI to Star in ‘As Deep as the Grave’ Movie
2
51
1K
EverydayBeast replied
Top Bottom