Kanye West, arguably the most conceited producer-cum-rapper in the world, drops his latest school-themed installment today. It's redundant to praise Graduation when he's already done so much of it himself. But it's easy, so here goes:
The man is a genius. Clever sampling, playful rhythms and humorous pop culture references are the record's backbone. The production is perfect (come on, it's Kanye). He proclaims, this is my dissertation in the opener, Good Morning
before launching into pointed rhymes. West touches on father-son relationships in Champion and achievement in I Wonder a staccato highlight of the album.
Most songs are about self-glorification. Some of it's funny: I don't see why I need a stylist when I shop so much I could speak Italian.
Glory is brilliant. With stinging rhymes, Can't Tell Me Nothing is the album's most introspective and fierce track. Throughout Graduation, radio-ready beats and memorable, melodic combinations run rampant. Too bad it has no soul.
The album is void of tracks as arresting as Diamonds from Sierra Leone as catchy as Gold Digger or as personal as Through the Wire. Instead, West waxes materialistic-fabulous over slick and creative set-ups ready for even new listeners. He goes as far as collaboration with Chris Martin on Homecoming.
Skip Stronger. Over-synthesized voices crack beneath West's determined but unconvincing pick-up: you could be my black Kate Moss tonight. The track turns bizarre with I would do anything for a blonde dyke
which he rhymes with Klondike. Weird.
West is a hip-hop rarity'a music mogul with both critical and commercial acclaim who hasn't alienated fans. He amasses headlines for public flamboyance and unbelievable egotism, but with six Grammy awards, perhaps it's earned arrogance.
Better question: will 50 Cent retire? Okay, so his claim was retracted, but it makes for interesting speculation.
Even with its duds ' Drunk and Hot Girls being the most heinous ' my money's on Graduation. And that's where West wants it.
Graduation is like a new, designer handbag (Kanye would say Louis Vuitton). It has stat us, style and the self-gratification and guilt that come with extravagance. Oh yeah, and it's empty. It sounds more like a subdued continuation or degeneration than a graduation.
West's talent is still obvious, displayed in a formula that works well'heavy with high-pitched samples ripped from soul songs, with calm rapping laid smoothly overtop. Cross your fingers that he heads to grad school.
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