If Kanye West looked uncomfortable answering Conan O’Brien’s questions last night, it wasn’t because he was nervous. This defense of Auto-Tune that came eight minutes into the interview should explain things…
“If I sing off-key it really points that out. It points out the bad notes. So I actually have to sing more perfect. But I use it because I like the electronic feel. I like the sound. I want to juxtapose Taiko drums and monk choirs with Auto-Tune. I deliver music like it’s art. I feel like I’m a Pop Artist. Sidebar: I have to use the bathroom really, really bad, and they didn’t give me enough time, I just wanted to tell you that.”
Cue awkward silence. I felt bad for him, but as Conan pointed it, it added a sense of urgency to what he was saying. Based on the dryness of Kanye’s khakis during the subsequent performance of “Heartless,” it looks like he got to use a restroom during Seth MacFarlane’s segment.
Interview
“Heartless”
808s & Heartbreak is out now on Roc-A-Fella/Island Def Jam.
You Might Also Like
 Grammys 2012 Comment Party!! |  The 5 Best Videos Of The Week |  Music’s 10 Most Scandalous Live-TV Moments |  Jay-Z & Kanye West – “Niggas In Paris” Video |
 |
 |
despite the fact that i laughed as kanye said that he had to sing “more perfect”….i’ve used auto-tune in recording projects so i know that on certain settings it’s true that it’ll make bad notes more noticeable, but it’s just the way he said it. i mean, i think the guy is a genius and great but i just had to laugh…
also, has anyone else noticed how hoarse his voice has been getting on these live performances? my theory is that since he doesn’t actually know how to sing, he’s straining his voice and if he keeps it up, he won’t be singing very long. or he’ll sound like Bob Dylan does today.
If he ever does start to sound like Dylan his records are going to sound insane.
No amount of Auto-tune will save us.
Man, that performance is BAD!
I think what you meant to say is that the performance was even more perfect.
“I deliver music like it’s art.” Way to fucking go. This fucking guy.
he obviously thinks he’s much more relevant than he actually is. People in the future telling their kids they were at the Kanye show back in ’08…lol!
Kanye is douche, to be sure, but I went to his show during the DNC and I can honestly say it was one of the most amazing shows I’ve been to. Of course he sang zero times, so that probably had something to do with it.
What are you talking about?! What is wrong with an artist wanting people to remember their shows? Really. Explain. What is the problem here?! You don’t think Wolf Parade or Arcade Fire or No Age or Fleet Foxes or whoever want people to remember their shows? Really. “lol”??
What a drag. Personality of a fencepost in the interview and one hell of a weak performance. This dude is losing it.
the man can’t win, if he keeps to himself he has the “personality of a fencepost” but if he brags and boasts then he’s full of himself. Let him do his thing. If you don’t like him, don’t keep reading posts about him and then shooting off at the mouth over how shitty he is and how crappy his performance was. I personally respect the guy for how innovative he’s been musically, and the performance was a bit off, but it’s not like I’m up there doing any better.
NOT…….i think its society’s job to call out douche bags like this….i think we shouldnt support douche bags like this…..i think we should not buy his garbage, go to his “shows”….and tell him just how bad he sucks
besides, were doing him a favor. that wouldnt be very nice to allow him to remain so delusional as to think hes great or something…..
kanye got that taiko with your mon-ayyyy
Wow! Glad someone finally put paparazzi up on the same level as the Civil Rights Movement. Celebrities today definitely face discrimination comparable to blacks in the 50s and 60s. I’m sure Kanye’s family would be right proud that he’s carrying on the family heritage of activism. Way to go, champ! You fight for those poor celebrities!
Conan doesn’t care about black people pissing their pants.
Say what you want about Kanye West but he is a real artist that constantly puts out great records.
I like Kanye a lot…but I saw this dude live at Vanderbilt University last year and after about 15 minutes of an awesome start, it delved into a weird therapy session for Kanye where he ranted for a good 20 minutes about nothing over the piano riff to “Drunk and Hot Girls” before people began booing and leaving (note this was before the death of his mother). I actually felt kind of bad for the guy. Think I’ll stick to the records from now on.
that whole thing was just akward. and fuck auto-tune. everyone knows he can’t sing. the college dropout was his magnum opus.
…and 808′s and Heartbreaks is his Chinese Democracy
First of all, this album has definitely grown on me. Sure, Kanye is a total maniac, but whatever. Give the album a few spins, it’s good. As far as the performances, I feel mixed. But one thing that confuses me more than his lack of singing ability: how is it possible that he’s that bad of a dancer??
i definetely agree! i wasnt never a Kanye’s music fan, but this album is so different! of course many of you u wont like it, but guys Kanye doesnt have to apologize that he doent actually rap at this album! rap’s out and the vocoders are in! Kanye u have a new fan!
My brother told me yesterday (via text message at 7:15 int the am) that the new Kanye CD is “dope as hell.” I rushed to download it when I got home from work.
1. Hell is not dope.
2. Neither is the CD.
I’m very disappointed.
Not sure if anyone saw this… but he has a heart made of legos on his jacket. Its pretty subtle so you have to really look for it…
Leave the good people at Lego out of this.
all the good ones are a little wierd
why is Pitchfork having a love affair with Kanye West? Dude can’t sing- he’s a producer- and he’s aping trip hop beats and arrangements – not sure what the
fuss is all about?
THESE AIN’T CONFLICT DIAMONDS IS THEY SQUID BRAINS JACOBi DON’T LIE TO ME MAYN!
this is like laughably bad. it almost feels like one of those late 90s boy bands during the chorus (imagine the backstreet boys or something singing this song). how the mighty fall.
He was talking about himself like he was some sort of genius for using an auto-tune. I have pro tools and an auto-tune plug-in on my computer in my basement… I guess I’m a genius too! Maybe I should go on TV and and stroke myself off like all other mainstream ENTERTAINERS (not artists) do about 7 or 8 years deep into their careers.
Could you repeat that?
this wasnt a good performance. it seems like hes straining or has done too many performances.
how much crap does this guy have to do before people realize he sucks and is overrated??? I guess this album settles that argument of “If Kanye put out an album that wasnt just a bunch of samples of other peoples songs, would it be any good?” This shit sucks.
Did Kanye just compare his mom sitting-in at a diner to him dealing with paparazzi? Really?
HATE HATE HATE HATE!!!
Watch this with the sound off and it’ll remind you of Blue Man Group.
i thought it was ok.
i thought it was absolutely hilarious when he talked about political activism in his family and the way that he is going to live up to that legacy is by combating the paparazzi. he is absolutely pathetic.
I feel bad for interviewers when celebrities answer with really short answers. Conan was forced to talk a lot and it wasn’t his choice.
hahaha – Blue Man Group. He is awful…..
I think he wants to be Justin Timberlake, honestly. He is definitely a good entertainer–the glitz, the fashion. But strip a true “pop artist” of all that and the music/performance should still stand. He should focus on finding his true sound and using the better of his talents. He could also benefit from a great deal of calming the F down.