COLLEGE DROPOUT - KANYE WEST

Every year a popular hip-hop producer will shelve their production savvy to pick up the microphone and make yet another ego driven rap album. Usually, the end result is a tragedy ala Easy Mo Bee, Jermaine Dupri and Timberland. While worrying about guest appearances, video budgets, and street cred lyrics, the beat maker will turn a blind eye to their production. As a result, the audience is left with a record with bullshit raps and cutting room floor beats that Mc Hammer wouldn’t touch.

Stepping to the plate is Kanye West, in-house Roc-a-Fella producer, whose body of work is a who’s who list with the likes of Talib Kweli, Ludacris, Beanie Siegel and the Jigga Man. With his debut “College Dropout”, he salutes twenty-somethings who forgo a college education to enter the minimum wage work force just to make ends meat. The LP begins with an inspirational skit by comedian Bernie Mac who asks Kanye to sing a song with a message to all the kids in the ghetto. He introduces “We Don’t Care” an Ode to all the hard working drug dealers in the world. This track tells us we are in for one hell of a trip. The production on “College-Dropout” is mind boggling with memorable tracks like the Lauryn Hill inspired hook “All Falls Down”, the hypnotic beats of “Get Em High”, and a sped up Michael Bolton sample “Never Let Me Down”. These memorable classic cuts will stay with you for years to come. While most the songs are hard hip-hop tracks, this album contains something for the ladies out there with the street ballad “Slow Jamz.”

While the production is astounding, Kanye’s vocal presence will have backpackers and some hip-hop fans shaking their heads in disbelief at his delivery, but after a couple of listens people will understand Kanye’s style of rhyming. For an album with lots of comic relief and funny raps, “College Dropout” also hosts many inspiring tracks like “Jesus Walks”-- his attempt at calling to God for guidance. As well as “Through the Wire”, West’s autobiographical track reflecting on his humble beginnings from an absolute nobody to a Rap celebrity and his near death experience, which gives this record the substance many releases don’t have. Kanye West’s album is a breath of fresh air in the polluted atmosphere of the hip-hop world and an instructional blueprint for future producer/rappers on how to make a hip-hop classic.

What’s in my record bag? MUST HAVE 12 inch vinyl:

THE GOOD
Ghostface - " Run"
This song is the hottest joint burning the mix-tape world. With stealthier rhymes from
Ghost, Jada and, newcomer Comp makes this release the pick of the week.

THE POP
G-unit-“Popping Thangs”
This sophomore single from the biggest posse group, makes this a must have for the club circuit. The Dre beat gives this track the standout classic that 50 and crew has been waiting for.

THE INDIE
Smiley the Ghetto Child- “The Wake-Up Call”
Least known rapper gets the Primo touch with this head nodding song. The track is so mesmerizing you forget there’s another side to play.

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