What does the term classic album really mean, anyway? An album that has a strong lineup of memorable tracks? An album that has been out at least ten years and is still good? Or can a debut just drop and become an instant classic? It's hard to define what makes an album a 'classic', but Kanye West's debut album “The College Dropout” is without a doubt a classic
Although seven years sounds like a long time, in the scheme of things it’s quite small. But in 2003, when Kanye West released “The College Dropout”, he elevated himself to the upper echelon of MCs, with his raw talent and hungry heart.
It’s hard to imagine West as an up-and-comer, but back before “The College Dropout” was released, that’s all he was. With his debut album he became an overnight sensation, rap’s new wunderkind. Maybe it was lucky timing, but Kanye was able to connect to a generation of students and hip-hop fans looking for a voice. In that was he was a revolutionary in a way, becoming that voice.
West's breakthrough almost never happened. While driving home from a California recording studio after working late, he fell asleep at the wheel and was involved in a near-fatal car crash.
The crash left him with a shattered jaw, which had to be wired shut in reconstructive surgery. The accident inspired West; two weeks after being admitted to hospital, he recorded a song with his jaw still wired shut. The composition, "Through The Wire", went on to become West's breakthrough debut single and helped lay the foundation for his debut.
"Through the Wire", has a very distinctive, gritty beat and includes the sample of a "pitched up" version of Chaka Khan's 1985 single "Through the Fire". It’s Kanye at his most real, his most personal and most raw. It’s the album's most startling personal story, and it’s a tale of hope and gratitude. It’s one of the best and most memorable hip-hop tracks ever crafted.
In an age where rappers flaunt their money, cars and luxury lifestyle, Kanye introduced himself to the world in a different way, and that’s one reason why he resonated with critics and fans alike.
The second single, "Slow Jamz", is a tribute to classic smooth soul artists and slow jam songs. It contains vocals from Twista, West, and Jamie Foxx. It’s a fun, smooth track and shows Kanye’s knowledge and appreciation of past artists and music.
"Jesus Walks" is one of the most emotional and powerful tracks on the album. Artists have rapped about Jesus in the past, but no one did it with quite the same flair and bravado as West did.
A spiritual journey, the first verse of the song is told through the eyes of a drug dealer seeking God, and it reportedly took over six months for West to draw inspiration for the second verse. It was nominated for Grammy Award for Song of the Year, one of ten total Grammy nominations that West received for 2004.
One of my personal favorite tracks is “We Don’t Care”, which show off Kanye at his best, both lyrically and in his beat making abilities. When he spits the line “drug dealing just to get by, stack your money till it gets sky high”, Kanye makes the drug game sound like just that, a game. The simplicity of this line is what makes it genius.
The originality and style on “The College Dropout” was something that had been lacking in the industry for some time. Sure there were hip-hop veterans still churning out great music, but there was something about Kanye that made him stand out. An indefinable, possibly ‘timeless’ quality that made him a favorite of critics and hip-hop fans everywhere.
That youthfulness and talent will always be captured on “The College Dropout”, a classic album.
As gazza and i were just saying, this is far and away his best work. Nothing has lived up to this lyrically and with originality. "Two words" still stands as my favorite track.
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