Wake Up Mr. West

[NAHSTE]

Voted College Dropout, but after reading TK and Pitty's posts, have changed my mind. LR is a fucking classic. They both are really though.

 

[Herm]

I wouldn't consider Kanye West garbage. He isn't the best rapper out there, but he makes great songs and has some of the best production on his albums.

His first 3 albums we was one of my favorite rappers ever, that last album really soured me on him.

 

[Woy]

Who's the stud in your avatar?

 

[Len B]

So after listening to Kanye's albums this weekend, I would list Kanye's album like this:

1. Late Registration - 'Ye improved as a lyricist and expanded his sound. The addition of Brion to Kanye's sound took it to new heights that we haven't really seen in Hip-Hop since. Every song is incredibly strong individually and yet they all flow together seamlessly. No lull in the album at all. This is an album with no weakness.

2. Graduation - Very different sound and was offputting to those expecting a prototypical hip-hop album. Definitely an avant-garde sound, but I enjoyed the fact that West expanded his sound yet again. Kanye really streamlined his flow in terms of the technical aspects of rhyming, but it's not bad because he still sounds polished. What I like about this album is for having such a relatively upbeat sound this was a very personal and introspective album from West and I think that's what pushes it over CD for me. In hindsight, I think this album is very underrated in the scheme of his discography.

3. College Dropout - I could honestly flip a coin between Graduation and this album. These two are very close. A phenomenal breakthrough album and I could go on about how West's refreshing 'every man' approach to this album and the songs that still touch my heart to this day, but I'm sure you guys know that already. Really the only thing that 'downgrades' (which really is a stretch) this album is that album started too drag with the skits and filler tracks in like 'Get 'Em High', 'Breathe In, Breathe Out' in the middle, but picked up again with 'Two Words'. Also, West's rhyming was still unpolished in this stage in comparison to his other albums, but even so the epicness of songs like 'Jesus Walks', 'Two Words', 'Spaceship' are really too much to deny.

4. 808 and Heartbreak - While a very good album in it's own right and gets too much flack IMO, it in no way can compare to the other three. I think I'll just leave it there.

In the end, it was really difficult to put rank without truly feeling like you're slighting the other and it speaks volumes of how talented 'Ye is as an artist. What I love most about these albums is that you definitely feels as though you're growing along with Kanye, from the humble yet confident producer-turned rapper to the narcissistic "I'm the voice of a generation!" superstar we love to shit on today.

WTF... have no issues if you have Late Registration at #1, but I smh at Graduation being ahead of College Dropout. Kanye went for the mainstream pop approach on Graduation and it doesn't even hold a light to College Dropout.

 

[SHOGUN]

WTF... have no issues if you have Late Registration at #1, but I smh at Graduation being ahead of College Dropout. Kanye went for the mainstream pop approach on Graduation and it doesn't even hold a light to College Dropout.

Aside from the direction of the sound, which he did borrow influence from pop and house music instead of using sped up soul samples that we came to love from his prior albums, Kanye's approach to the album pretty much standard affair sans the numerous features. It's not as if this was a radical shift, as we foreshadowings some of what was to come on Late Registration. IE: 'Flashing Lights' is similar vein to 'Addiciton'.

I don't think it's fair to call it Pop music in the sense I think you're using it as.

And like I said, CD and Graduation are incredibly close to call for me and I'm not trying to slight Dropout with my ranking. In my eyes you could flip a coin, but what made Graduation for me was that Graduation was his most personal album prior to 808 and Heartbreaks. Dropout, while certainly had those charming records that you and I could relate to, we weren't truly given such an extended look into West the individual until Graduation. I guess I just appreciated that more than most did.

Ironically, even though I rate Graduation 'higher', I don't consider Graduation a 'classic' album like I do Late Registration and College Dropout. I love the album and feel it's underrated, but it's impact on the music landscape really pales in comparison to the other two.

 

[Len B]

Ironically, even though I rate Graduation 'higher', I don't consider Graduation a 'classic' album like I do Late Registration and College Dropout. I love the album and feel it's underrated, but it's impact on the music landscape really pales in comparison to the other two.

This makes zero sense...

 

[SHOGUN]

This makes zero sense...

It makes perfect sense. What is confusing about it?

 

[Mogriffjr]

I'd go Late Registration, College Dropout, Graduation, 808...and they are all close (1st 3)

 

[Len B]

It makes perfect sense. What is confusing about it?

You're ranking an average CD ahead of a classic CD that you admitted was classic.

 

[SHOGUN]

You're ranking an average CD ahead of a classic CD that you admitted was classic.

EDIT: You think it's average. I think it's just as good as College Dropout, but I would be foolish to deny CD's impact on the game and it's lasting power. It's no different to me saying I prefer LL Cool J's Mama Said Knock You Out album over Radio, but I still recognize the latter's status as a landmark record.

In my eyes, not every great album is a classic and there's much more to it that just the tunes.

 

[FedEx227]

I voted College Dropout but it's by a VERY slim margin. There's a few more songs on CD that I love (Never Let Me Down, Two Words, Through the Wire).

You can't go wrong with either and anyone who voted 808s should just go very, very far away.

 

[Boss AZ]

I'll go with College Dropout because it was fresh. Late Registration is up there though.

 

[HeDGi]

*head explodes* .....

 

[Len B]

Two Words was the shit... but people are dumb and didn't get Freeway's best line:

Two words... Freeway slightly retarded

They think he fucked up the line for whatever reason.

 

[Sharkweather]

Listened to all of Kanye's album this weekend for the first time in a while. I'd officially say...

1. College Dropout
2. Graduation
3. Late Registration
4. 808s

I know most people wont agree.

 

[Nash]

if you vote 808s then you can :gtfo:

my list is

1. College Dropout
2. Late Registration
3. Graduation
4. 808s

 

[NAHSTE]

Family Business + Never Let Me Down = two best songs on College Dropout.

I still think College Dropout is more consistent from top to bottom. Late Registration is great though. The production is something else on that shit. We Major and Celebration just give you that good feeling.