Hip hop don Kanye West is to appear on hit TV program American Idol as a vocal tutor.
The best selling rapper recently shocked fans with his new album ‘808s And Heartbreak’. Containing a mixture of antique technology – the 808s of the title – and singing it was a departure from West’s earlier work which was predominantly rap based.
West controversially used the computer program Autotune when recording his vocal parts. The device ‘fixes’ any wrong notes, making the vocal part seem perfectly in tune. Its detractors, however, claim it produces a cold, synthetic sound.
The star’s subsequent tour ‘Glow In The Dark’ was however a massive success, playing to sold out venues across the world.
The star’s use of the Autotune program means he is a controversial choice for a tutor. Given his reluctance to sing live, and a noted preference for rapping, West seems a strange, if somewhat entertaining choice.
Kanye West’s public pronouncements recently have seen him fall out with Radiohead, after the group allegedly snubbed him at the Grammys.
The hip hop star has also been attempting to break into the world of fashion, collaborating with Louis Vuitton on a new pair of trainers.
Kanye West will appear on American Idol this Saturday (March 14th).
