Album Review: Kanye West's "Graduation"

Who is Kanye West? I'm not sure, but if his 3rd album is any indication, he's definitely growing as a man and as an artist. Kanye has made a name for himself not only with his interesting raps and beat productions, but with outspoken comments after Hurricane Katrina ("George Bush doesn't care about black people"), tantrums and over the top awards show behavior, and his outspoken and nearly unprecedented attempts at encouraging other rap artists to cease homophobia in hip/hop.

The video above, the second single from his new album, "Graduation", is a jubilant affirmation of the good life achievable to all of us. Granted, most of us don't have the money Kanye has (nor the haters), but in spite of the affirmative-action for the ego that is most rap music (Kanye Included), one can still listen and connect to the expressed appreciation of the possiblities that this country can provide with hard work and a few bucks in your pocket.

While boastfulness and other rap staples are still present in his music, Kanye seems to be growing up, in several songs discussing the mistakes he has made in relationship to other people, the importance of family and home, and his unwillingness to present himself with an unsustainable facade of "hardness" or thuggery so common in Hip/Hop. Kanye's voice isn't as profound, scary, or deep as most rappers, and thankfully he doesn't try to imitate them. Where he shines are with lyrics and beats, and the creativity he displays in keeping his sound fresh. His first single off the new album (see video below), titled "Stronger", brings hip/hop in a new direction, involving dance innovators daft punk to help out with the noise.


A few tunes I've taken particular interest in are "Flashing Lights", and "You Know", along with the first two singles shown above, which I recommend if you only want to download a few songs instead of the entire album. While non hip/hop fans may not dig the entire work, I at very least recommend "Graduation" for it's interesting beats.