Kanye's 'heartbreak' and drama
Charlotte Downes
Issue date: 11/19/08 Section: The Edge
From this summer's Bonnaroo set that started two hours late and was greeted by jeering fans throwing trash to his recent arrest in England, it has been a rough few months for Kanye West.
West's album, "808's & Heartbreak," which will be released Dec. 16, is predicted to be a bittersweet (with emphasis on "bitter") chronicle of a consuming, tumultuous breakup. However, many people are doing more than speculating and guessing - the album is accessible on any BitTorrent site.
While it isn't unusual anymore for an album to be online before its release date, the unauthorized sneak peeks are a little more intense than normal. Details about the record including cover art were leaked by Target and Amazon.com's retail Web sites.
West is also in battle with MTV Europe. After witnessing Rick Astley beat out U2 and Green Day for Best Act Ever, West called out the awards show, saying that awards were based only on attendance. However, many critics feel that West may have a valid point. West won Ultimate Urban Act over Lil' Wayne. Although fans may disagree, West says the only reason he beat Lil Wayne is because he was present at the award show.
And on top of all of this stress, West is being sued by Suge Knight, who was shot in the leg in 2005 at West's pre-VMA party in Miami. According to Spin magazine, Knight was robbed of a $135,000 15-carat diamond earring and suffered from a shattered bone in his upper right leg.
Although Knight has recently filed for bankruptcy, he will still be allowed to keep a percentage of the court award, should he win the case.
Luckily, his legal woes are limited. After his arrest in England for allegedly shoving a camera into a paparazzi member's face, West was released from police custody and not charged with assault.
Despite the drama, West will likely get nothing but support from fans everywhere. His performance at 2008's Lollapalooza was well received, and critics and illegal downloaders alike are hailing his new album as brilliant. The talented West has nothing but potential in his future. Besides, it's doubtful that fans will turn on him. As long as the song "Homecoming" off of "Graduation" can still make all the Chicago kids cry, we will always love Kanye.
West's album, "808's & Heartbreak," which will be released Dec. 16, is predicted to be a bittersweet (with emphasis on "bitter") chronicle of a consuming, tumultuous breakup. However, many people are doing more than speculating and guessing - the album is accessible on any BitTorrent site.
While it isn't unusual anymore for an album to be online before its release date, the unauthorized sneak peeks are a little more intense than normal. Details about the record including cover art were leaked by Target and Amazon.com's retail Web sites.
West is also in battle with MTV Europe. After witnessing Rick Astley beat out U2 and Green Day for Best Act Ever, West called out the awards show, saying that awards were based only on attendance. However, many critics feel that West may have a valid point. West won Ultimate Urban Act over Lil' Wayne. Although fans may disagree, West says the only reason he beat Lil Wayne is because he was present at the award show.
And on top of all of this stress, West is being sued by Suge Knight, who was shot in the leg in 2005 at West's pre-VMA party in Miami. According to Spin magazine, Knight was robbed of a $135,000 15-carat diamond earring and suffered from a shattered bone in his upper right leg.
Although Knight has recently filed for bankruptcy, he will still be allowed to keep a percentage of the court award, should he win the case.
Luckily, his legal woes are limited. After his arrest in England for allegedly shoving a camera into a paparazzi member's face, West was released from police custody and not charged with assault.
Despite the drama, West will likely get nothing but support from fans everywhere. His performance at 2008's Lollapalooza was well received, and critics and illegal downloaders alike are hailing his new album as brilliant. The talented West has nothing but potential in his future. Besides, it's doubtful that fans will turn on him. As long as the song "Homecoming" off of "Graduation" can still make all the Chicago kids cry, we will always love Kanye.
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