50 Cent and Kanye face off with album releases -- Kanye West
By Ryan Groshong
Admit it: You thought hip hop was dead. You've heard about the shrinking album sales, you've gotten sick of the endless parade of one-hit wonders and you swore to yourself that if you had to listen to "Party Like a Rock Star" one more time, you were going to turn your back on rap forever.
Well, you might have to reconsider.
Kanye West's third album, "Graduation," is nothing short of a classic. And even though it might not be enough to single-handedly save rap music, it should be enough to convince you to give it one more chance.
On "Graduation," West cements his place among the shrinking group of artists in hip hop who continue to prove that commercial success and artistic achievement don't have to be mutually exclusive. West never sacrifices his art for commercial success. Luckily for the listener, he realizes that he can do both.
Though West's first two albums, "The College Dropout," and "Late Registration," were both strong in their own right, "Graduation" is West's most shining success thus far.
Thankfully, there are no skits on this album, nor are there the kind of filler songs that made "Late Registration" feel a bit too long. West is more focused here, and the result is 51 minutes of vintage Kanye.
Right off the bat, on the album's first track, "Good Morning," West demonstrates the most welcome surprise of the record: His lyrical abilities have noticeably improved. Though he may not have the most creative wordplay, his voice and style are uniquely his. His commitment to originality, combined with his willingness to be personally revealing on songs like "Champion" and "Everything I Am," make his lyrics accessible, and engaging.
Later, on the hit single "Stronger," West uses a Daft Punk sample to perfection and creates a beat that's impossible to forget. Given that Timbaland also had success with a similar electronic beat on "The Way I Are," one can't help but hope that both super-producers will explore the electronic sound further.
And even though T-Pain is becoming more and more cliché by the day, his studio-synthesized vocals are perfect for the hook on "Good Life," West's strongest party cut yet.
If there is a weak spot on "Graduation," it's the somewhat bizarre sound of "Drunk and Hot Girls." The beat feels like getting the spins after a long night out and is out of place with the rest of the album.
Despite this one song, "Graduation" is one of the best albums to come out this year, regardless of genre.
Though Kanye may get annoying at times, with his unrelenting need to tell the world what a genius he is, after this album, it's getting harder and harder to blame him. He may just be right.
Grade: A-
Contact Ryan Groshong at (408) 551-1918 or rgroshong@scu.edu.