So, back when Kanye was first about he was known for making some really nice beats for other rappers. His first hit was Jay-Z's "Izzo (H.O.V.A)", from The Blueprint, and after that he built up a reputation for himself as a producer. Then, in 2004, after some huge success with his first few singles the previous year, Kanye finally managed to release his rap debut, The College Dropout. Music critics ate it up. It ranked among the most acclaimed albums of that year, to the point that many critics named the album in their top 10s, not just after the year, but also in 2010 after the decade was up. And, listening to it now, it's not hard to see why.
The College Dropout opens with a skit. A voice tells "Kanhye" to do something for the kids. He complies, with "We Don't Care", a song clearly dedicated to a certain demographic of kids, as well as Kanye's "niggas that drug dealing just to get by". "We Don't Care" sets the tone for the album. Kanye isn't approaching the gangsta rap topics that were commonplace at that time. Instead, Kanye looks upon his own life and raps his perspective on a wide range of topics. "All Falls Down" is an attack on consumerism, "Jesus Walks" is about Kanye's religious views and how he is unable to talk about them in the media, "Through The Wire" is about his real-life car crash, etc.
One particular trait of Kanye is his occasionally quirky lines. "Got a light-skinned friend, look like Michael Jackson. Got a dark-skinned friend, look like Michael Jackson," he raps on "Slow Jamz". As is seen in that line, sometimes Kanye does rhyme words with themselves, but rarely does it become distracting, and it in fact contributes to the personality of the album. Kanye's persona in this album is that of a regular person. He's not some thug, or some poet, or whatever. At this point in his career, he's a human being like you or I. This will change, of course, but that's another story.
Kanye's wit, intelligence, and personality certainly elevate the album, but it wouldn't be Kanye if the production wasn't awe-inspiring in its quality. Kanye's style on The College Dropout features sped-up samples of soul records, coupled with Kanye's usual brilliant composition. Each beat, from "Spaceship"'s relaxed bass to "Through the Wire"'s chirpy sample to "The New Workout Plan"'s screeching strings has an addictive catchiness to it. These are beats that worm themselves deem in your ears, to the point that they sometimes become more interesting than the lyrics even.
The College Dropout isn't a flawless record, though. The most noticeable flaw is the unfunny skits occasionally placed between songs. The latter part of the album contains some obnoxious skits attacking college and education, which are more stupid than funny. These would be improved on Late Registration before being thankfully absent from Graduation forward. Earlier in the album, skits work better with the songs, including a perfectly fine introduction. But one more baffling decision is the inclusion of a recording of the hymn "I'll Fly Away", which seems almost out-of-place on a hip-hop album. That said, it's a really good performance of the song, so I'll let it slide.
To many, The College Dropout represents the pinnacle of Kanye's work. It and Late Registration are the two albums that everyone agrees are among Kanye's masterpieces. I can't argue with that, as this album really is fantastic. From here, Kanye would never sound the same again. Join me next time for my look at Late Registration.
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