808s & Heartbreak is the fourth studio album by American hip hop artist Kanye West, released on November 24, 2008, by Roc-A-Fella Records and Def Jam Recordings. The album marked a sharp creative departure from West’s earlier soul-based hip-hop sound, embracing icy synthesizers, minimalist arrangements, and heavy emotional expression. The project was born out of personal tragedy: the sudden death of West’s mother, Donda West, in 2007, and the end of his engagement to longtime partner Alexis Phifer in 2008. 808s & Heartbreak is characterized by its heavy use of Auto-Tune, stripped-down electronic beats, and prominent drum programming from the Read more on Last.fm.
