Sorry it's been a few days and I've been pretty busy...
I've decided to do a Kanye West trifecta, simply because I'm lazy and have heard both of the remaining albums quite a few times. It was early 2004 when most of the world was introduced to Kanye West. To know him before you'd have to be a hip hop head who actually reads the liner notes... for production values... on CD's. Kanye has long been a great producer, the hip-hop world has endured countless stories about how Mr. West locks himself up in the studio and creats beats. Which somehow qualifies to be the most outspoken pro-black black man on the universe. No other rapper has ever been so Afro-centric, Afrika Bambaataa has almost nothing on Kanye (bit of an overstatement). All audiences appreciated the first effort by the newly found Roc-A-Fella gem. I think Jay was behind the song selection for this album, as there were songs for everyone, but you'll soon see.
The Good:
2. We Don't Care- This is Kanye West in a lot more than a nutshell. Conscious and smart lyrics draped in soulful jazzy instrumentals.
6. Spaceship- This instrumental gives me goosebumps everytime, and this is just an introduction to GLC and Consequence who are regular visitors on Kanye's albums.
7. Jesus Walks- How controversial was this song a few years ago? It sounds the same, and is still the same average song that catapulted Kanye to superstardom.
8. Never Let Me Down- This is a great song... kind of weird that the hook overlaps Jay's verse, but not very many bad things to say about this track.
9. Get Em High- Is this the same Kanye, the moral crusader who won a Grammy for terrorizing the FCC of radio stations, who wouldn't allow him to make a song about Jesus? Yet he makes a Lil Wyte esque song... And irony of ironies this song is actually really good.
12. Slow Jamz- This is the new age Barry West, a contemporary song that sets the mood.
13. Breathe In, Breathe Out- I know a different southern rapper who could have bragged circles around Ludacris, and maybe thrown in his YEeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaa (not Lil Jon).
15. School Spirit- "We Don't Care" part 2... except it stays on subject.
18. Two Words- I've got two words: Great song.
19. Through The Wire- The infamous song that Kanye recorded through a mouth brace, and this song still sounds just as good as it did the first time Kurt Loder introduced it.
20. Family Business- Who else makes songs like this? Only Kanye.
It's almost an unspoken rule that every good rapper's first album will always be his best, and Kanye is no exception, this album is very impressive. It was back in the day, and it still is. This album marks Kanye's transition from cocky producer to cocky rapper that produces his own shit.
0-20: Terrible listening experience
21-40: Maybe one good song
41-60: A few good songs
61-80: Half are good songs, half are weak
81-100: Great listening experience, almost all are great songs
I give this album a 82, it's a solid listen all the way through. And as always I got you.
Comments always welcome.
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