Single Review
"Love Lockdown" - Kanye West
"Love Lockdown" was performed at the VMAs on September 7, released on the 18th, and by the 25th, it reached #3 on the Billboard Hot 100. The most astonishing fact is that a month before "Lockdown" stormed the charts, it didn't even exist; West wrote the song only 28 days before it reached its peak on the Hot 100. Today it's music video was premiered on the Ellen DeGeneres show. Why bother with TRL anymore in its dying days, right? (It's interesting to note that Britney Spears will also be premiering her music video for "Womanizer" on a television show not at all related to MTV. Catch it on 20/20 this Friday, or on YouTube minutes afterwards.) Mr. West is never at all subtle about his motives behind his songs. "Stronger" was an unabashed attempt to create a storming pop anthem which was successful and now "Lockdown" is his attempt to transcend the preconceived notions of what kind of music a rapper is supposed to make. His VMA closing performance was supposed to be "explosive" but that isn't the best word to describe the song; It's definitely a slow burner. It took going to his Glow In The Dark Tour to realize that most of the hooks in his songs aren't him rapping, but, his ingenious use of samples. That ceases to be a problem (if you think it's a problem) if he sings all the way through. The 808 pulses like an irregular heartbeat gently until the taiko drums raise the track to a tribal war chant. Another stellar track from hip-hop's foremost innovator