Tuesday, June 12, 2007

KANYE WEST – ALL FALLS DOWN (ROC-A-FELLA RECORDS/MERCURY)


KANYE WEST – ALL FALLS DOWN (ROC-A-FELLA RECORDS/MERCURY)

Realistically here is some kind of slow hip hop song that when listened to too often can bring about some kind of meltdown in the listener, a self loathing ditty to bring about the defeat in bling.

Over time Kanye has managed to prove that he is one of the most spiky characters around the genre. At a time when mainstream hip hop has exploded into a horrible, bastardised beast of what it formerly was as R&B licks suffocate so much of what once great somehow Kanye managed to pull the sound off, even acting like a dick in the process but managing to remain likeable in the process.

With “All Falls Down” Kanye seems intent on bursting the aspirations of his audience. Originally intended to have involved Lauryn Hill on a much larger scale it is actually the voice of Syleena Johnson that provides the lush chorus and hook to complement Kanye’s delivery and flow.

It is a rare example of a modern hip hop song that appears to condemn the materialistic lifestyle pushed and promoted by so many in their messages and videos. With it comes a kind of integrity handed to Kanye that gives off an impression of grounding him and lends a “for real” aspect to his rhymes and activities. This was a tender release by him before he became the entertaining wayward son seemingly not afraid to make a fool of himself in public as he struggles to curb his mouth and behaviour and achieved a new kind of notoriety away from his music. In many ways this was where it became and demonstrated humility that sadly now feels fleeting.

Regardless of any such perception though there is no doubting that this is a great song. Its mind tempo downbeat vibe is on that has felt like a stranger to mainstream hip hop in recent years and sometimes when you just leave the music to do the talking even the worst of actions cannot corrupt such a legacy.

Bonus points also for giving the gorgeous Stacey Dash a seemingly much needed job in the video. Now where did her career go?

Thesaurus moment: emo.

Kanye West
Roc-a-fella Records

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