Kanye West Premieres "Love Lockdown" At The VMAs
Britney kept her cool, Weezy kept his pants on, and Russell kept the censors -- if not Jordin Sparks -- at bay. Indeed you know it's an off-year for the MTV Awards when the most shocking moment is Demi Moore's appearance. The fellas in Tokio Hotel looked terribly bored after winning Best New Artist (that made five of us, zing). But while this year's kinder, gentler, Disneyer VMAs (promise rings for everyone) offered few watercooler moments, we did establish rules for next year's drinking game: throw one back every time there's an awkward product placement (I'm king of zings). Give it up for a brokenhearted Kanye who took the night off from his coolhunting blog to close the show with a drumline-backed "Love Lockdown." It was the song's world premiere in an era when it's damn near impossible to pull off a world premiere on live TV. Watch, and see the winners list, this way SQUID BRAINS...
Graduate School (not the real title) is allegedly out before the end of the year.
Here's who won moonmen tonight:
Video Of The Year: Britney Spears - "Piece Of Me"
Female Video: Britney Spears - "Piece Of Me"
Male Video: Chris Brown - "With You"
Rock Video: Linkin Park - "Shadow Of The Day"
Hip-Hop Video: Lil Wayne - "Lollipop"
Pop Video: Britney Spears - "Piece of Me"
Dancing In A Video: The Pussycat Dolls - "When I Grow Up"
New Artist: Tokio Hotel
Posted at 11:51 PM by Scott in Video
Tags: Kanye West | MTV Video Music Awards
Kind of a boring track, isn't it? I expected a bit more than some repetitive drivel.
Score = -2
unashamed Ye fan thinks this is really bad. sadly.
Score = -1
It's really, really simple.. but it kind of grows on you..
I highly doubt he's anywhere near finished with this track.
He actually debuted another song just recently called "Heartless" that REALLY caught my attention.. I'm hoping someone can score a great copy of that one..
Score = 0
The single goes on sale today, so it is finished. Though I imagine the studio version will sound better.
Score = 0
Out.. today? Dang.
Is Ye pulling an 'ol Radiohead?
..and yeah, here's hoping the studio version does the track some justice.
Score = -1
And in other non-news, somehow Britney Spears manages to win 38% of the awards given at the ceremony. Back to you in the newsroom, Bob.
Score = 2
I'm not saying this just to be negative (seriously), but the VMA's was so horrid, I had to turn it off half an hour in. I mean even in past years when I thought it was bad, it was still entertaining enough that I could actually sit through the entire show. I mean you really can't wax poetic about the VMA, but boy, what a vapid hollow shell of its former self it's become.
Score = 6
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0aK1FuTRBQo
If you skip ahead five minutes you'll find "Heartless" .. the video itself is definitely poor quality, but you'll get the basic formality of the song..
Seems like he's singing his own stuff now?
Score = 0
I can totally hear a pitch shifter keeping him in tune. Ye must be a terrible singer without it.
Also, props to Russell Brand for ripping on the Jonas Brothers all night. Those little promise ring-wearing shits deserved it.
Score = -4
Kanye actually "sang" Love Lockdown at the DNC in Denver last week.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hf25ggs1CR8&feature=related
Score = 2
Eh, the first stab at the Jonas Brothers was funny. But then it got old REALLY quick.
Score = 1
Yeah, the singing is definitely less impressive with autotune. He sounds kind of like a digitized Nina Simone.
Score = 0
T pain has change rap music and made it this
Score = 1
the whole t-pain autotune fuckery is one trend in rap that got old REALLY quickly. it's sort of a shame that the mainstream rappers that are actually GOOD don't want to rap anymore: they just want to sing badly and make their voices sound like a cheap alternative to using a vocoder.
Score = 4
This is definitely a grower. When he performed it, I was like "meh, this is okay". But I found myself singing the chorus later that night. It's catchy in a very subdued way. Interested to see how this new album sounds.
Score = 0
uhhh sam sparro?
Score = 0
I like the beat, but no rap...WTF??
Score = 0
How can they have an awards show for videos that are never shown on their network?
Score = 0
The VMA's were horrible, but...
Call me crazy..
BUT
When I was watching Kanye West's performance... the first thing that came to my mind was: "Marvin Gaye XXI".
Score = 3
Who started this "Ye" crap? I'm going to need addresses.
Score = 5
tell me one thing... why watch this crap in the first place?
Score = -3
Its not hot but, hell, he's done everything else, he just experimenting. shoot, he paid. it dont matter what he do.
Score = 0
wait a second... "Dancing In A Video"? what the shit? and half of the awards were won by britney spears and linkin park? have we learned nothing in the past ten years?
Score = 3
what's with all the outrage about the VMAs?!
IT'S THE VMAS! duh!
Score = 0
Yeah, as someone said earlier, I did get a little bored with the song and it kind of became predictable at the end, but it is extremely catchy. It was a nice performance with just him and the musicians and such. I'm glad that he didn't pull every rapper and their mama on stage with him. Did anyone else notice that the entire venue seemed really small this year?
Score = 0
Nice understated back drop - reminded me of early VMA performances. The auto-tune seems more of a gimmick than a crutch, since he wouldn't shut the damn thing off during Lollapalooza. Drove me away, for sure. (Sure loves those Taiko drums, though...)
Score = -1
Was that Slipknot - the entire band - playing the marching drums in the background?
Score = 0
I love that Kanye's experimenting. It's obvious he's always looking for new ways to stretch and diversify his music. And with the autotune trend happening, he's got the means to do so, because- yes- it's obvious that he would not sound good without it.
But it gives him new ways to express himself and I'm all for it. I mean, when Birdman does it, of course it's superfluous. But it's giving good rappers more ways to get out their creativity. Not everyone can have the voice of a Ja Rule. LoLZ
It's repetitive, but catchy, and an intriguing experiment. Even if the new album doesn't end up as satisfying as past releases, I'd much rather have a subpar release of Kanye stretching out and trying to reach new boundaries than a subpar release of 'Ye running in place (which is what Graduation came dangerously close to too many times).
Score = 4
Here's a working video:
http://xhibiting.wordpress.com/2008/09/08/kanye-west-love-lockdown-2008-mtv-video-music-awards/
Score = 0
Wow! Love Lockdown is SICK!!! He has come up with a totally different sound!!! How do you not get that?! Can't you appreciate something "different".....get out of your box!
Score = -1
even if he can't sing (and i think he knows he kinda can't), he still manages to write catchy vocal hooks. which may make it even more impressive.
Score = 0
yeah, how do you guys not like this? this is great.
i think it actually sounds a lot like a radiohead song; like something you might hear on amnesiac.
holy shit i think i'd pay anything to hear thom yorke sing this.
Score = 0
radiohead? are we listening to the same song here?
Score = 0
Yeah, I think that Kanye probably looks up to Radiohead conceptually, but this isn't overtly reminiscent of anything they've actualy done.
The influence Jon Brion has had on Kanye is phenomenal. What an unlikely, great relationship.
Score = 1
this song is f*^kin great. the man broke up with his girl and he is being a rockstar about it and and putting it to poetry nopone csn be mad at that. so its simple, i bet if you listen a few times it's alot more complex than you think.
Score = 0