Anyone should know Kanye West. An old man, young boy, hell, even a baby. It's not just the rap community that know him, everyone does from a racist white guy to the dumbest people in the world. Sure, every now and then, he's known for his antics while promoting his albums (such as the infamous Sway incident or his recent use of Twitter, posting random and useless tweets), but it's still good to remember Kanye's evolution from a young man wearing polo shirts to the man he is today. Hence why I'm taking it back to arguably his best work, the Education trilogy (The College Dropout, Late Registration and Graduation).
Anyway... Before he made a name in the game. Before he wifed up Kim Kardashian. Before he got into a car crash that messed up his jaw. Before he started becoming interested in fashion, and started selling clothes no one could even afford. Before he became one of the best and most praised artists ever, Kanye was nothing but a young boy born in Atlanta, and raised in Chicago. Although having ambitions of becoming a rapper in the first place (and his early material from 1996, along with his demo tape, proved that), he was first known as a producer, making beats under the Roc-A-Fella wing with Jay Z (he first started in 1996, when producing for a local Chicago rapper's album, but didn't get his shine until 2000 on Beanie Sigel's The Truth and Jay Z's The Dynasty: Roc La Familia), being responsible for classics like "The Truth", "This Can't Be Life" and "Izzo (H.O.V.A.)". However, his main ambition was to be a rapper, and unfortunately struggled to secure a record deal. He was even going to sign to Capitol, until someone convinced the label president not to. Desperate to let Kanye not go to another label, Damon Dash decided to sign him to Roc-A-Fella Records, after taking him seriously as a rapper and not just a producer.
Unfortunately though, in October 2002, Kanye got into a near-fatal car crash when he fell asleep on the wheel on his way back home from a studio session. This caused him to have a shattered jaw, which was wired shut. But, 2 weeks later, after being admitted to the hospital, the accident inspired him to create the track "Through the Wire" with his jaw still wired shut, sampling the classic Chaka Khan song, "Through the Fire". It was a song that expressed what 'Ye was going through, helping lay down the foundation of his debut. It originally was released on his promo tape, Get Well Soon..., before being released in re-recorded form in September 2003. Around the time of the song's release, he announced his debut album, The College Dropout, which experienced a lot of pushbacks until February 2004.
Released: February 10, 2004
After going through some pushbacks, due to its early leak and attempts to perfect the album,
The College Dropout was released on February 10, 2004 on
Roc-A-Fella &
Def Jam. Preceded by "
Through the Wire" and "
Slow Jamz" with
Twista &
Jamie Foxx, the album was worked on for a very long time, and followed a them of making your own decisions.
Recorded over a period of 4 years from 1999-2003,
The College Dropout went through a lot of issues. After completing the album, the album unfortunately leaked months before its original release date. However, Kanye saw this as an opportunity to review the album, and after, was remixed, remastered and revised before being released, which was a main reason for its infamous delays from its original release date to (August to October 2003 to January 2004 to) finally February 2004. With production entirely handled by Kanye himself, the album featured 21 songs (14 songs, 6 skits and 1 interlude), with guest appearances from nearly everyone (well, not really, but a lot of artists came on this) such as
Common,
Mos Def,
Talib Kweli,
Ludacris,
Freeway,
GLC,
Consequence and of course
Jay Z. It was known for diverging from the then-dominant gangster persona in favor of more various and topical subjects, which can be seen in the album on songs like "
Jesus Walks" (belief in God & Jesus), "
All Falls Down" (consumerism) and "
Never Let Me Down" (racism & poverty).
The College Dropout debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200, selling 441k copies in its first week, and was a massive commercial success, with its five singles achieving chart success. It remained on the second spot for 2 more weeks, with over 328k more copies sold (186k in its second and 132k in the third). By April 2004, it was certified
Platinum in the US by the
RIAA, and as of June 2014, has sold over
3m copies (and
4m worldwide), being Kanye's best-selling album. Upon the release,
The College Dropout won a
Grammy for Best Rap Album in 2005.
Anyway, I think everyone knows how this album is, so let's get into it!
1. Intro
Just a little opening skit to set the mood up!
2. We Don't Care
After
DeRay Davis (as
Bernie Mac) tells Kanye to make a song for the kids in the intro, Kanye's first words are "
Oh yeah, I've got the perfect song for the kids to sing". And well... it kinda is a song for the kids, but it does deal with drug dealing, which was a very explicit topic for innocent kids back then to understand. Anyway, this has to be one of my favourite songs on this album. It's a very interesting track, with such a light instrumental as 'Ye raps about how people sell drugs just to get the money. And to top it off, it even has such a positive and socially aware feel to it, nothing negative and dark about it. It's a song that sets the mood very well, and it's one I love vibing out to on my way to school. What a standout!
3. Graduation Day
So continuing off the intro,
Bernie Mac aka
DeRay Davis didn't like how the "
song for the kids" ("
We Don't Care") focused on drug-dealing, causing 'Ye to not graduate from college. Here, in this little skit, he gets
John Legend to sing about what he's gonna do, now that he isn't graduating, which is doing something that's better than that. I know normally for a skit, I shouldn't be getting in depth
AT ALL, but I think it was necessary for this one!
4. All Falls Down (feat. Syleena Johnson)
On this classic track (arguably his best song ever made), 'Ye gets
Syleena Johnson to interpolate a line from a
Lauryn Hill track ("
Mystery of Iniquity") as he raps about race, class and wealth, while frequently bringing up self-consciousness over a very sombre beat. This always managed to be one of my favourite songs from him. The concept of this song was great, and even to this day, I still get chills hearing this track. Plus, the video is memorable (
Stacey Dash tho! Just made me wonder what the hell even happened to her).
5. I'll Fly Away
A little singing interlude that leads very nicely into this following standout...
6. Spaceship (feat. GLC & Consequence)
'Ye gets fellow Chicagoan
GLC &
Consequence to discuss the plight of the black man in the ghettos of Chicago. As
Tony Williams sings the classic hook, 'Ye also talks on other topics such as his time as a ghostwriter, and also the lack of recognition he got. GLC & Consequence, on the other hand, respectively focus on their own problems, with G talking about switching from crime to rap and Cons discussing how he had been working hard, as he was trying to pursue a rap career. Both the song and the video has a concept of jobs and struggles, being something smooth and a strong effort on the album.
7. Jesus Walks
This classic song right here never gets old. I grew up listening to this joint, and damn, is it amazing! Here, Kanye discusses how Jesus "walks" with all types of people, from the sinner to the saint. The first verse is told through the eyes of a sinner, whereas the second verse is used for 'Ye to express his critical views on how the media avoid songs that address faith and religion, and even to this day, it's pretty relatable. Everything about this song is great, the choir sample, the lyricism and content, the verses, and obviously the classic beat.
8. Never Let Me Down (feat. Jay Z & J. Ivy)
'Ye gets the one and only
Jay Z, along with poet
J. Ivy to jump on this wonderful cut, which is interpreted differently by the 3. Jigga starts off by talks about how he'll always deliver and never let the rap game down, but both Kanye & Ivy take the song to more serious extents. 'Ye thanks his grandparents for making him and his mother (RIP) who they are today, while also doing some social commentary, and Ivy concludes with a poem, dedicated to his belief in God. This song was such a personal cut, and it was nice to hear the 3 go at it on this track, Easily a standout on the album!
9. Get 'Em High (feat. Talib Kweli & Common)
Talib & Com get on as they create a live crowd anthem, which is an advantage for the trio to show off their skills. 'Ye was pretty good, and his flow on here was very impressive. But I was really interested when Talib came with a killer verse and I was very happy hearing it. Com did well with his verse, but if I'm being honest, it didn't necessarily suit the vibe and sounded like it was used to keep the track going, This isn't really one of my favourite tracks, but I can still vibe out to it.
10. Workout Plan
The skit interlude that leads up to a classic Kanye song...
11. The New Workout Plan
This song is a classic, gives me a lot of memories, considering the infamous video for it. But in all honesty, it has to be one of my least favourite song and single off the album. Like, I understand it wasn't meant to be
that serious, but it's not one that I can put as a standout. I like the concept, the way the track was like (especially the ending part) and of course the video. But, like I said, my least favourite.
12. Slow Jamz (feat. Twista & Jamie Foxx)
An alternate version of the classic
Twista single is found on this album, and as you can see from its length, it's not necessarily the same. While Twista & Ye's verses remain the same, along with
Jamie's hook, there's an opening skit, extended vocals from Jamie before Twista does his hook and the omission of the ending from Twista. I really like this version more than the normal single version, although I wish after Jamie did his extended vocals near the end, the Twista outro would come along instead of the hook. I still love it tho.
13. Breathe In Breathe Out (feat. Ludacris)
Only God knows how I fully vibe out to this track than most of the tracks on the album (other than
Last Call, We Don't Care and
All Falls Down). It's actually that good! While
Luda provides a catchy hook, Kanye comes with 3 decent verses over a fire instrumental. His flow was very impressive on this track, and his bars were sick (that PhD line was funny tho). Not to mention, it gets me bobbing my head a lot. One of my favourites.
14. School Spirit (Skit #1)
...
15. School Spirit
I actually like this song. The
Aretha Franklin sample, the jolly vibe, 'Ye's lyrics, everything about it is so good. Ok, apart from the fact that it's censored. Anyway, Kanye gives off a very good feel to this song, as he talks about college and chasing his dreams. It's pretty great, another one of my favourites, but I hate the fact that it's off-puttingly censored.
16. School Spirit (Skit #2)
I always ask myself why didn't they put both the skits together with the song. Because there was no need for separating them.
17. Lil Jimmy (Skit)
You gotta be bullshitting me! 2 skits.
2 FREAKING SKITS!!
18. Two Words (feat. Mos Def, Freeway & The Harlem Boys Choir)
All I gotta say is this song
BANGS!!! Period. This song is amazing, the choir, the appearances from Mos & Free, the killer verse from 'Ye and the switch up near the end. "
Two Words", basically follows the trio following what the title says, spitting their verses with two words (or two stressed syllables) for every quarter bar. And they all impress me with their flow on this one, especially Kanye, as he focuses on his home town, his production work, being nominated for a Grammy as a producer, and also reflects on social issues in America. This song is too epic. The beat gives a cinematic and big vibe to the song, and plus, the video, although low-budget unfortunately, even gives a better way of how I see this song. So damn GOOD!
19. Through the Wire
It's funny how a near-fatal car crash got him to make this song aka his best song ever. I don't even need to explain. This song is just too good!
20. Family Business
On this personal song, Kanye discusses family issues, not just in his family but others, as he touches on his success, reflects on early life and family, and much more. I really find myself liking this song with every listen. The positive feel to it is just amazing, and Kanye keeps up with the content very well on this song, as he shows love to not only his family, but others too. A great song!
21. Last Call
This has to be my favourite closing track ever. I don't even care if he raps for 4 minutes and leaves 6 minutes to talk about his early life and career up to that album. This is just FIRE!!! The beat, Kanye's flow, everything! As I said at the start, Kanye only raps for 4 minutes with impressive lines such as "
Though the fans want the feeling of A Tribe Called Quest/But all they got left is this guy called West" and of course, "
Killin y'all niggas on that lyrical shit/Mayonnaise-colored Benz, I push Miracle Whips" over a chill beat courtesy of Kanye obviously and
Evidence. After that, he spends 6 minutes telling the audience about his life and career before the album, and even flat-out admitted that he took the drums from
Dr. Dre's "
Xxplosive" for the
Dynasty standout, "
This Can't Be Life" with
Jay Z and his
Roc-A-Fella squad. What's funny is that no one would EVER admit taking drums from other songs (apart from the "
Amen break" and "
Funky Drummer"). I just love this song! It's simply amazing... arguably the best way to end an album.
You know what, I seem to remember not liking
The College Dropout like that. I dunno, I always fawked with
Late Registration more for some reason (you'll find out why soon). But listening to it today, it's pretty understandable why nearly everybody loves this album. Over 12 years later, and it's still a freaking classic. The College Dropout was an amazing introduction to Kanye, and who he was. Almost every track on here is a standout, I'm not even bullshitting. From "
We Don't Care" to "
Last Call", the album doesn't fail to impress me. It's so good that even if you take away one track from it, it'll shatter. Kanye manages to make the features sound good and comfortable, and with every appearance, it doesn't feel bland or forced. And not to mention, the subject matter on this album is just wonderful, dealing with self-consciousness, family, success, education and more. Every track on here gives a very different vibe, and Kanye is so consistent with it that it just makes you speechless. There are only 14 actual tracks (the remaining are only skits) and pretty much every track freaking delivers, even "
The New Workout Plan".
The College Dropout made a mark in the game, proving that you don't have to be a street rapper to make it into the industry, and without it, God knows how we'd know Kanye as today.
BUY THIS SHIT! The fact that every track on here is freaking listenable just says enough!
Recommendable Tracks
Through the Wire
All Falls Down
Last Call
Jesus Walks
We Don't Care
Two Words
Never Let Me Down
Spaceship
Breathe In Breathe Out
Honourable Mentions
School Spirit
Get 'Em High
Family Business
OK, on to the next one!
Released: August 30, 2005
After the release of
The College Dropout, Kanye gained a lot of recognition for his sound and content, as he sold so much copies from the album, going TRIPLE-platinum. His style of sped-up samples and what fans coined as "
chipmunk soul" had been copied by many people, after the release of his first album, and because Kanye felt he was too dependent on that style, he started to find a new sound. In 2004, he founded
GOOD Music (
Getting Out Our Dreams), signing people such as
John Legend, Common &
Consequence. A few months later (in 2005), he was nominated for 10 Grammies and won one for
Best Rap Album.
In fall 2004, Kanye started to work on his sophomore effort. Because of this, he invested $2m, taking over a year for him to craft it. Being inspired in his early career by the live
Portishead album,
Roseland NYC Live, he was known to use string instruments in his production. Although at the time, he couldn't afford enough live instrumentals for
The College Dropout, his success from that album got him to hire a string orchestra for his second album. He also collaborated with film score composer
Jon Brion, and by August 2005, his long-awaited sophomore effort,
Late Registration was finally out!
Released just before September,
Late Registration was the second of the education-themed trilogy. Following the major success of his previous album, it was an album known for showing 'Ye's progression of his content and production style. As he was finding a new sound, 'Ye hired a string orchestra and worked with Jon Brion for his production. Like
The College Dropout, there are 21 tracks on there (this time, around 16 tracks + 5 skits), with features from
Nas, Really Doe, Adam Levine, Brandy, Cam'ron, Consequence and
Lupe Fiasco. It was also known to spawn some of his best songs such as "
Touch the Sky", "
Heard 'Em Say", "
Diamonds from Sierra Leone" and "
Hey Mama".
Late Registration debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200, selling
860k copies in its first week, which was nearly double the amount that
The College Dropout sold. For two consecutive weeks, it remained on the top spot, and already by its second week, sold over 1.1m copies. The album received widespread acclaim from critics, getting 5 stars from
Rolling Stone, The New York Times and
AllMusic. It was called the best album of 2005 by
USA Today, Spin &
Time. In 2006, the album won a Grammy once again for
Best Rap Album.
But the question is, was it any better than
The College Dropout? Let's see...
1. Wake Up Mr. West
And we're back at it again with the fake
Bernie Mac aka
DeRay Davis. Still a classic opening skit tho.
2. Heard 'Em Say (feat. Adam Levine)
The "
Wake Up!" command leads into what could arguably be one of his best songs to date. With
Adam Levine on the hook, and a laidback beat with a
Natalie Cole sample, Kanye reflects on the harsh realities in life, and how things happen for a reason. The song is a good way to get into the album, as Kanye's content is more intact, and the hook from Adam is just... amazing! Certainly added something to that song. A standout on the album.
3. Touch the Sky (feat. Lupe Fiasco)
It's funny how my favourite song not only from this album, but from Kanye, isn't even produced by him.
Just Blaze samples the classic "
Move On Up" by
Curtis Mayfield, creating such a fire beat as Kanye provides 2 verses with a lot of memorable lines. I grew up listening to this track, and the video has gotta be a classic in my eyes.
Lupe Fiasco even jumps on this track, making his major career debut, and he freakin' killed it!
4. Gold Digger (feat. Jamie Foxx)
It's kinda like what I said about "
The New Workout Plan". Great song, a classic, but a weak song on the album. That's not to discredit it though, but it's catchy AF. The hook, the sample,
Jamie Foxx's contribution at the start, the verses; they are everything that makes this track memorable over 10 years later.
5. Skit #1
I gotta say, I don't mind the 4 skits on the album. Skits are known to annoy the listener, and some think the particular album would be better without it, but it actually gives a better listening experience. And this skit is hilarious! "
We can't afford no gas!"
6. Drive Slow (feat. Paul Wall & GLC)
"
Drive Slow" has gotta be my favourite Kanye track to vibe to (Keyword:
TO VIBE TO. Doesn't mean it's better than "
Touch the Sky" or "
All Falls Down"). It just has that vibe for me to cruise in my imaginary car (I'm broke as fawk, boy. Plus, I'm only 14).
Paul Wall &
GLC come on this track, as they all spread a general message on taking life easy.
Tony Williams even comes across with some great vocals. This song is so amazing! The beat is too chill, considering the "
Wildflower" sample, and all 3 deliver on the track. Plus, the video creates a better vibe. Speaking of which, I think I need to watch that now.
7. My Way Home (feat. Common)
On a track that was originally meant for his album
Be,
Common jumps on an interlude to let out his thoughts out on home, with the theme being "
Home is where the hatred is" (instead of "
heart", and is also the name of the
Gil Scott Heron song that is sampled here). I liked the concept of this song, and letting the sample ride out at the end was pretty good as well. It was a nice interlude to bridge the gap on the album.
Noice!
8. Crack Music (feat. The Game)
On this standout, 'Ye compares the crack cocaine epidemic in America to the addiction of hip-hop in America and also touches on conspiracy theories that have to do with politics.
The Game comes on the track and
HE KILLS IT! Nah, I'm just playing, he's only on the hook, and he still adds a spark to it. The drums on this are just incredible, and the background vocalists do their thing to make the track complete. Plus, the instrumentation is
WAYYYY too much, especially near the end.
9. Roses
Kanye switches up the vibe with a personal track, which was dedicated to his grandmother, who had a near-death experience at the time he wrote this (and dropped the album). Here, he talks about seeing his grandmother, fearing that it's be the last time he'd see her alive, and also touches on how the doctors are trying to save her. The legendary
Patti LaBelle also contributes to the track on the outro, and you could feel the emotion when she sang. This track is a very deep cut, and is very great, but let's be real, it's kinda hard to listen to it, considering the unfortunate death of his own mother (RIP).
10. Bring Me Down (feat. Brandy)
"
Bring Me Down" is basically a musical middle-finger to the haters who bring him down in everything he does.
Brandy returns the favour from "
Talk About Our Love", to sing the hook. Unfortunately though, this was a song I didn't necessarily care about. Sorry but, even if the content was good, and the build-up instrumentation was on point, I was a little underwhelmed by this track. Oh well, on to the next one!
11. Addiction
God damn, do I love this track! There's just something about it that makes it so GOOD. Here, 'Ye touches on addiction, as the title says, touching on fame, girls, money & weed; and the first line on the song says it all: "
Why everything that's supposed to be bad make me feel so good?". His flow and subject matter on here is on point, and the overall song gives such a smooth and laidback vibe, especially the last verse, where he tries to ask to do a threesome (the flow on that verse was actually dope).
12. Skit #2
We broke, broke, broke, phi broke (we ain't got it!). Damn, I love these skits.
13. Diamonds from Sierra Leone (Remix) [feat. Jay Z]
Instead of putting the original version on, the remix is instead added, which is actually better than the original single version. Here, 'Ye uses the remix to go into detail on "
conflict diamonds" after doing some research on how they were mined, giving the song a sense of importance. However,
Jigga comes through, steering clear of politics, and instead, raps about how awesome he and his record label are; with highlight bars such as "
I'm not a businessman, I'm a business, man!/Let me handle my business, damn". He straight-up kills it, even if he mentioned signees who aren't that relevant no more, hehe.
14. We Major (feat. Nas & Really Doe)
Allow me to say that this song is just
EPIC. The instrumentation is too much, and Kanye,
Nas &
Really Doe (along with
Tony Williams) give such a cinematic and big vibe to make those 7 minutes of your time worthy. Although the hook from
Really Doe sounds more like a verse rather than an actual hook, Kanye really starts off very decent, but when
Nas came through, he murked that beat. And then comes
Tony Williams singing, making the whole track complete (I could do without the outro, although it gets me to hear Tony's singing again). This song puts me in such a happy and epic mood. It's that GOOD!
15. Skit #3
Once again, another skit, but this time, the brothers get a little personal. I think that's all that needs to be said.
16. Hey Mama
Considering the death of 'Ye's mother,
Donda West, the mood changes when you listen to this song. It makes you feel for and appreciate his mother for making him become who he is today. Without her, this guy wouldn't exist, we wouldn't be hearing this album, and I probably would've been reviewing another album. This has to be one of Kanye's best songs ever, and I still love how he has his mother in his heart. RIP...
17. Celebration
I like this song a lot. The song has such a jolly and celebratory vibe, as the title suggests. Kanye provides 2 verses, which were pretty good, while John Legend does background vocal duties. I used to think it wasn't memorable, and I was only interested in the beat and hook. But with every listen, it has gotten better. This song ROCKS!
18. Skit #4
In this skit, the brothers expose Kanye for being an impostor, as they found him with new shoes, hehe (their main point of the fraternity was to be broke and poor), and kicked him out. I think it's better to describe this skit, because it perfectly leads to this track...
19. Gone (feat. Cam'ron & Consequence)
This song basically closes off the whole album, as Kanye,
Cam'ron &
Consequence all deliver some of their best verses they've ever wrote. I freakin' love this song. Cam & Cons both do their thing and provide some good raps, but when that beat switched up at the end for 'Ye to rap another verse, that was when it got serious. He murked that! Easily one of my favourite verses from him. And this was such a good way to conclude the album!
The following tracks are considered to be the album's bonus tracks:
20. Diamonds from Sierra Leone
The original single version of "
Diamonds from Sierra Leone" is put on the album as a bonus, and it's actually relieving to hear it, considering that I actually grew up hearing this version more. But, let's be real, the original sounds way too normal and... meh, compared to the remix. Maybe that's because Kanye managed to be schooled on "
conflict diamonds", and hearing this now, it was better for the remix to be on this album.
21. Late
My favourite out of the bonuses. This track is just too smooth and relaxing. The violin intro got me hooked onto the song, and then just hearing the sample got me amazed, even to make the sample sound like it was saying "
I'll be late for that" (when it was actually "
I'll erase away..."). Hearing this makes me wonder why it wasn't added onto the regular tracklist and instead was a bonus. "
Bring Me Down" was better not on the album, to be honest, and even "
Gold Digger" should've been cut... wait, I'm kinda reaching when I say that. Maybe not that song, but this track could've easily been added. One of my favourites on the album and it's a hidden track.
Late Registration has easily got to be my favourite album from Kanye. With every listen, it gets freakin' better than it was the first few times I've heard it. Yeah,
The College Dropout is a fire album, and I've started to love it more than ever before. But this,
THIS is just amazing.
Late Registration shows the quick and natural progression in 'Ye, as he started to change his sound. The often-imitated "
chipmunk soul" sound was reduced on here, and instead was replaced by epic instrumentation, better people to hold him up on the album, and great samples for 'Ye to choose from. It was an album that felt refreshing, compared to his other albums (
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy is the only album of his that musically comes close to this), and has to be Kanye's most complete work. The skits on here add a spark to the album, and isn't one to annoy the listener. In fact, they're actually memorable. And there's only 1 or 2 tracks that I think are mediocre. There isn't any filler
AT ALL! From start to finish, what we hear is a complete refreshing album, that was made with a budget of $2m.
Buy this album NOW! No matter how many times I touch this album, it'll never get old. NEVER! That's how great it is. It's interesting that the most successful rapper signed by Jay-Z is the guy that used to exclusively sit behind the boards.
Recommendable Tracks
Touch the Sky
Heard 'Em Sky
Drive Slow
Crack Music
Addiction
Diamonds from Sierra Leone (Remix)
Late
Hey Mama
Gone
We Major
And now...
Released: September 11, 2007
Immediately after the release of Late Registration, Kanye started working on his third album, Graduation. Already by late September, he had completed 3 tracks. Around the time of recording, he was listening to a lot of people for inspiration: singers such as Bob Dylan & Johnny Cash for introspection and augmenting his wordplay/storytelling ability, along with bands like U2 and The Rolling Stones for melody and chord progression. With this, he decided to incorporate synthesizer sounds into his production and dabbled with electronic music, while sampling a wider spectrum of musical genres. During this though, he was touring with U2 on the Vertigo Tour from 2005 to 2006.
When Graduation's release date of September 11 was announced, it was quickly put into a sales battle with 50 Cent's Curtis, as they were both releasing on the same day. Both albums garnered major publicity, and big promotion, with 50 even saying he'd retire if he didn't sell more than 'Ye (which didn't even happened, haha). And then the day came...
Graduation was the third installment of the planned education-themed album tetralogy (but unfortunately, ended up actually being the final installment... well, as of now, I think). Released on September 11, 2007 (aka the 6th anniversary of... you know what), it was another distinctive progression in his musical style and approach to production, as he incorporates synthesizer sounds into his production and dabbles with electronic music, while sampling a wider spectrum of musical genres. Lyrically, Graduation is more introspective in comparison to its predecessors, as West dedicated much of the album towards analyzing himself and conveying his ambivalent outlook on his newfound fame, continuing the education theme of The College Dropout and Late Registration. Unlike the previous two albums, the album was known to be short on features, getting Mos Def, Lil Wayne, T-Pain & Dwele. Plus, there's an absence of skits, leading to more music (there was actually supposed to be 2 musical interludes on here, but were actually omitted on the final product. I would've loved to hear them).
The album received positive reception from critics for its experimentation, production and content, but unlike Late Registration, mostly received 4/5 ratings from companies like AllMusic, The Guardian & Spin. As for the sales battle with 50 Cent's Curtis, Graduation managed to win the battle, debuting at #1, selling 957k in its first week (with 50's album selling 691k copies and debuting at #2). This was marked a turning point in hip-hop, proving that the dominance of gangsta rap was brought to an end, paving the way for new rappers who weren't following the hardcore gangster style. Not only was Graduation his highest first sales week to date (surpassing the 860k opening week of his previous album Late Registration), but was the highest first week sales week for any album in 2007, topping Linkin Park's Minutes to Midnight, which sold 625k copies.
Anyway, was this the best of the trilogy? Or was it great, but wasn't any Late Registration? Let's see...
1. Good Morning
Please notice the fact that when you start the album, there is no opening skit and no sign of the fake
Bernie Mac aka
DeRay Davis. As a matter of fact, there is no skits on this album
AT ALL. What is used as an opening track is a relaxing and chill song you could use to get through the day. Even the video with the
Dropout Bear animation is sick, and makes the whole song better. A good opening track to the album.
2. Champion
This song is catchy AF. Containing a funky vibe and some reggae influence, 'Ye raps about a range of things, such as his success and how
Lauryn Hill has been absent for some time, while spreading a positive and motivating message of working hard and trying to be successful.
Connie Mitchell comes through and sings the bridge near the end, adding a jolly and Summer-like vibe. One of my favourites on this album!
3. Stronger
One's of 'Ye's biggest singles, which samples the classic
Daft Punk track, "
Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger". With its electronic and clubby feel to it, I'm surprised I still love this track. I remember being younger when this came out, and I just liked it. Nowadays, I appreciate it more. It's something meant for the clubs, and was more of a party/getdown song than a lyrical track. Yeah, the
Daft Punk song is obviously better, but damn, is this song fire!
4. I Wonder
The vibes are in full effect on this one as 'Ye samples a
Labi Siffre track to make a motivating track, that touches on his dreams and success, while creating an emotional scene of a girl who went back to her hometown after having an argument with her man. This song was very interesting, and Kanye's flow on this was amazing. Labi's sampled voice suited the track just fine and the song had such a dreamy and relatable feel. The meaning in this song is too much. This has to be one of the best songs on the album!
5. Good Life (feat. T-Pain)
I think we should all know this song by now, unless you're living under a rock or something. The sampling of
Michael Jackson's classic "
PYT", along with an interpolation from
The College Dropout track, "
School Spirit", Kanye &
T-Pain hook up for a feelgood song to contemplate the finer things in life; while telling his haters to continue hating as he watches them, continuing to make more money. Almost 9 years later, and this song is still a freakin' tune. It's one to make me happy, and continue on life, and I have a lot of memories from it, especially the creative video.
6. Can't Tell Me Nothing
I remember one time, I think 2008 or '09, I searched this song up, after randomly finding it on Wikipedia. I never remembered it playing on my TV, apart from "
Stronger" and "
Good Life", so I listened to it, and I loved it ever since. Of course, due to my search for more good music (no pun intended) as I got older, I haven't banged it out like I used to. But shit, this song is still banging! With background vocals from
Jeezy, Kanye makes an anthem to celebrate success, and also shout out critics & haters, over a dark and booming beat. Fire!!!!
7. Barry Bonds (feat. Lil Wayne)
'Ye gets
Lil Wayne on the album for a brag-rap exchange, as the two rap about their flashy high-cash lifestyles, and the fact that they make successful hits (Kanye still makes hits, Wayne, on the other hand, er... he's kinda lacking). 'Ye was decent on his verse, but damn, did Weezy snap on this one! Hearing bars like "
My teeth and my ice so white like Shady" and "
I'm so f***ing good like I'm sleeping with Meagan" just makes me reminisce about the days when Wayne was killing it. GOD DAMN! Another one of my favourites.
8. Drunk and Hot Girls (feat. Mos Def)
I honestly think this song is just too overhated. Yeah, if you ask me, it's easily the most mediocre song of the album, but some just trash it like it's the worst he has ever made, when it's just... average. Now about the song, it's not as good compared to the majority of the album, and Kanye was lacking on this one. In fact,
Mos Def's contribution on this track was the most disappointing part. I fully wanted to hear him rap, not just sing on the hook, and make a below average singing verse. I was utterly disgusted! Not really, but I wasn't really happy with that. Plus, I hate the fact that it runs for 5 minutes, considering how average it is. Anyway, on to the next one!
9. Flashing Lights (feat. Dwele)
The electronic-influenced "
Flashing Lights" gets
Dwele on the hook while 'Ye rhymes about the flighty, capricious ex-girlfriend he can’t stop thinking about. This "
girl" seems to be a parable, representing the public, and how Kanye is addicted to the fame and public attention. Dwele helps with the hook, making the subject more interesting as he says that he and the "girl" wasn't expecting to have such need for attention. It's an interesting track, and gives such a good vibe.
10. Everything I Am (feat. DJ Premier)
No,
Premo doesn't provide a beat or actually has a rapping verse on here (which would've been the most awkward thing to hear), but instead, has some dope scratches on there. Here, Kanye explains that his personality was the reason he is here today, and how he was one of the big stars that made it out from
Chicago. And seriously, hearing this song and what he said was right. I honestly think without 'Ye pushing himself to become a rapper and even being one to talk about social issues, we wouldn't be hearing these albums today. The subject matter on here was too much, and 'Ye really delivered on this one. Another great track!
11. The Glory
This song is just freaking beautiful! On this song, Kanye samples a soulful track, which takes a throwback to his "
chipmunk soul" style in his early years of his career. Here, Kanye provides two verses, which focuses confidently on himself, how great he is, and his ability to make successful hits; also his position in the rap game, considering the Grammy's and success he has had. He even reflects on leaving a legacy, and how he wants to be compared to the greats like
Biggie,
Pac,
Big Pun and
Big L, when he dies. Damn tho, this song has to be my top favourite on the album! The beat is just amazing, Kanye lyrically delivered, and hearing that soul sample was just beautiful...
12. Homecoming (feat. Chris Martin)
Another one of my favourites from Kanye. Before I actually listened to this album in full, I used to put this on repeat. That's how much I loved this song. Getting
Coldplay's
Chris Martin on hook duties, 'Ye uses an extended metaphor to show his love for
Chicago, pretending as if it was a lost girlfriend, and even uses a line from the
Common classic "
I Used to Love H.E.R.". Kanye's storytelling on this was just interesting, as he wonders if the city still thinks of him as he's touring, making dope albums and hits, and winning Grammies. The piano loop is fire, and Chris really did well on the hook too!
13. Big Brother
With
DJ Toomp on producing duties this time, Kanye dedicates this closing track to the one and only
Jay Z as he details the ups and downs of his working relationship with him, from how he used to look up to him to managing to be a producer for him and even signing a deal with him to make dope albums. Kanye tells a story so interesting and deep, that it's very nice to really hear his side of things and how his relationship with Jay has turned out to be. A great concluding song on the album.
The following is a bonus track:
14. Good Night (feat. Mos Def & Al Be Back)
Once again,
Mos Def is on singing hook duties, while Kanye and fellow
Al Be Back rap about their shit. Kanye about nostalgic memories and dreams, and Al repeating his 4 lines twice. It's a decent bonus track and Kanye delivered, but I never really cared for it much. However, I've started to like it more now.
Graduation has to be the most straightforward album out of the whole trilogy. It's another that shows Kanye's progress throughout his career, and his ability to make good music (again, no pun intended) is just too much. From start to finish, Kanye doesn't fail to deliver, with no skits in between or a big bunch of guest appearances. Kanye manages to keep things short and sweet instead of filling the whole album with 13-15 tracks and over 7 skits, and even with the small amount of features, Kanye still does well. Speaking of which, the features really add a lot to the album.
Lil Wayne killed it on "
Barry Bonds".
Mos Def, although disappointing, actually did a good job on both "
Drunk and Hot Girls" and "
Good Night". And hearing
Chris Martin &
T-Pain on their respective hooks for "
Good Life" and "
Homecoming" was very appealing. It may not be the best Kanye album (
Late Registration and
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy got those spots), but it's damn sure still a great ass album.
Buy this album! This is another dope album from Kanye, and proves how great Kanye is. From start to finish, this album is
FUEGO!!! And although not intended to, was the best way to end the trilogy,
The Spectacular Se7en
The Glory
Homecoming
I Wonder
Champion
Good Morning
Barry Bonds
Can't Tell Me Nothing
