Kanye West aces the test with 'Dropout'
By Mark Nemtsov
The introduction track to "College Dropout" is a 19 second clip of a voice saying "Hey Kanye, me and the other parents were wondering whether you could do something beautiful, something that the kids will like." Few rap albums in the last decade have accomplished this goal better than Kanye West in his debut album.
West has been a producer for Jay-Z and Alicia Keys, among other artists, for several years now. But like many other producers, he was not sufficiently recognized by the public until he put out a record of his own. "Through the Wire," his first single has been getting a lot of radio airplay.
The song is a testament to West's personality and skills, since it is not about "getting tipsy," and he does not have a famous voice like Nate Dogg hammering out the chorus. Instead, "Through the Wire" is about West nearly dying in a car accident and being forced to eat Ensure while having his jaw wired shut â€" not the type of song subject that should spark a hit album.
However, "College Dropout" has become exactly that. West's ability to fuse humor, like on the track "The New Workout Plan," about how ladies should get fit in order to snag a rapper or a ball player, mix it with the gritty realties of growing up in the projects of Chicago, like on the track "Two Words" with Mos Def and Freeway of the Roc-A-Fella, and add in his own set of morals and personality, like on the track "Jesus Walks" where West talks about the temptations in his life and pleads with God to protect him, have given him a powerful combo with which to take over the rap scene.
He has brought the otherwise underground concept of "backpack hip hop" to the mainstream market. West may not be the smoothest rapper and his rhymes are not as slick as Jayâ€"Z's.
For instance, he has moments where his style is a touch staccato and he has moments of constant repetition, like on the track "Graduation Day." But his voice never gets boring and the sometimes slower style works is effective for conveying his message and clever raps.
West is original but, unlike many other non-conformist rappers, he is not trying be morally superior to the others in the hip-hop game.
He's trying to make money, as he admits on the track "All Falls Down," but all in his own way.
He is trying to succeed, but not willing to compromise his standards, and tries to drive messages of social consciousness and mix them with clever and funny songs.
West, who speaks extensively about education and the usefulness, or lack thereof, of college degrees, takes his freshman album very seriously, and so should we.
This isn't a run-of-the-mill party hip-hop. There are real thoughts from a talented rapper who allows his audience to see the versatility and manifold nature of his personality and style.
There is a sense of a deep thinker who is aware of his surrounding environment, his good fortune and his unorthodox approach to such a populist music style such as hip-hop.
"College Dropout" is truly a beautiful, well balanced, self aware album that has a lot of relevance to the issues that many, if not deal with, understand.
Grade: A-