Kanye West has produced for some of the best in the business. Names like Jay-Z and Talib Kweli, and Mos Def come to mind first. Recently he came out with his solo album, The College Dropout and looks to be recognizes as a MC not just a producer. Does he succeed? Read the review and find out.

“We Don’t Care” is for all those people who think that the youth and young adults aren’t going to make it. Kanye with children singing helping to sing the chorus asks lets those people know if your going to be a monkey be a gorilla meaning do the best you can and live to see the day.

“When I All Falls Down” uses a Lauryn Hill phrase from her unplugged song “Mystery of Iniquity” (sung now by Syleena Johnson) and explains how self conscious people are in a couple of scenarios including one about himself. Kanye did this song in poem form at Def Poetry Jam last year. Guitar strings dominate the song and Kanye shows his sense of humor on this track. This is a very truthful cut.

Kanye, GLC and Consequence talk about getting past those bulls—t jobs, situations and people and to something better in “Spaceship”. The beat is mesmerizing and features the sounds of Marvin Gaye’s “Distant Lover” in the background and hook. Consequence returns after a layoff in mainstream. He is most notably a cohort from the A Tribe Called Quest Album Beats, Rhymes & Life album. One of the best cuts on the LP.

“Jesus Walks” is a spiritual song that lets people know that the higher power walks with them in anything they due so all respect must be paid. The song contains music from “Walk With Me” by the Arc Choir and it sounds like an Army march and a Negro spiritual. Very soulful and with a point this song is to prove that even a song about religion and God can get major burn on the radio if it is hot!

“Never Let Me Down” featuring Jay-Z and J. Ivy, a new singer is one of the albums best cuts with Jay-Z being his cocky self while Kanye West quietly steals the song beginning his verse talking about his grandfather’s struggles to stay alive and live right: “ I get down for my Grandfather who took my momma Made her sit in that seat where white folks ain’t want us to eat At the tender age of 6 she was arrested for the sit-ins And with that in my blood I was born to be different”. The chorus sung by a church choir seemingly sings of the higher power never letting anyone down.

“Get Em’ High” features Common and Talib Kweli and is definitely top three songs on the album for lyrics. Kanye spits first then intros a meeting with a young woman from the Midwest who doesn’t believe West knows Kweli. Kweli proceeds to get on the track and rip it although not on your usual topics which leads to Common who has the best verse on the song letting people know he is back (if he ever left) and that Electric Circus sound was a vacation but the raw beats and lyrics are still home. The beat is simple and effective. Kanye comes out the gate early and show his versatility with the flow.

“The New Workout Plan” is Kanye borrowing off the sounds of the seventies and Zapp and Roger. In the song, which is for the ladies, Kanye asks for them to do Pilates and to get right for the summer and they man cause “nobody likes a little tight ass”. Funny and actually a good song for working out Kanye even has testimonials on the song!

“Slow Jamz” is the second single (kind of) off the album and it features Twista and Jamie Foxx, and was on both Twista’s and West’s albums. Foxx gives the ladies some love by letting people know they want “some Marvin Gaye, some Luther Vandross, a little Anita, will definitely set the party off right”! And Kanye hit people with one of the best lines in a while: “She got a light skin friend look like Michael Jackson, got a dark skin friend look like Michael Jackson”! This is definitely a song for the year and maybe the decade with its popularity.

“Breathe In Breathe Out” is a bubbly track featuring Ludacris on the hook and on it Kanye hits up those fans in the Midwest and south with some familiar themes. Another great track on the LP Kanye even apologizes to Mos Def and Kweli for talking about rims, women, money and jewels. It’s cool Kanye it’s when you do it for a most of your album that people will get scared. This was a nice change up and showed Kanye can get gully and stupid on a track. 'Cris even if only for a chorus is a great edition to the song.

“School Spirit” is designed to get those frats and sororities up and bouncing in the party and at the probate. In the song West just talks smack about women, the whole college scene and his experience in school, albeit brief. The chorus has the historically black frats and sororities in it and asks them to step. A ok track that will make more sense if you have been exposed to the college scene.

“Two Words” brings Mos and Kanye West together with Freeway and the Harlem Boys Choir for the best song on the album. Mos comes out like gangbusters with lines like: “two words United States, no love, no breaks” The song features the boys choir on the chorus and hook and Freeway also kills the track. Kanye represents for Chicago nicely and the song sounds like a triumphant victory song. This song is very powerful with a church feel to it.

“Through The Wire” is the first single off the album and talks about Kanye’s rise from the near death experiences of a car crash to where he is today. The borrowed Chaka Khan chorus is perfect for the tone of the track and you can really appreciate it after hearing the album despite the overplaying on the radio.

“Family Business” is one of the most intimate tracks on the album and it will have you reminiscing about your family times and days. Kanye talks about those family get togethers and slumming it with the brothers, sisters and cousins. Really heartwarming and full of ghetto tales this song shows the well roundedness of West.

“Last Call” co-produced by Evidence of Dilated Peoples is a unique song in which Kanye describes his journey from Chicago to New York City and success. He talks about his getting signed to the Roc and the other labels who missed out or tried to play him. It’s a biographical account of how he got into the business and he shows that with persistence you can do anything.

Overall this album was a breath of fresh air, Kanye is a very good young MC and with his beats backing him up he is very hard to beat. His album is all self produced besides the last song that Kanye co-produced with Evidence and he brings a lot of soul and church sounds on this album and that is good cause you feel the beats and choruses from your head to your feet.

Kanye on this album shows his versatility and the fact that he is a positive brother who sees the big picture but still can walk and talk among the hood dwellers. You want to take about what’s wrong today he can do that or if you want to talk about some females he can do that.

He is the best thing that has happened to the Roc in a while because he grabs a whole other market. West also made sure that his Chicago ties were kept in tact and his collaborations with Common and Twista were hot. The skits and interludes were a bit long and I hope that children that hear the school skits realize that college is a worthy endeavor despites Kanye’s triumphs after dropping out. Kanye is one of few, for most others college gives you more experience and knowledge that will be beneficial in life and hopefully your checkbook.

I also wonder would people think this album was as good if it was on Capitol or some other smaller label. Would this album have slipped under the radar and been a slept on album if not for who West has worked with and for?

Just a thought!

Despite that I’ll give The College Dropout 4.5 globes. Kanye will keep people interested in Hip Hop if he continues to give the people hard beats and lyrics thoughtful and worldly yet still capable of hitting hard.

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