Artist: Kanye West | Album: – Graduation | Released On: Sept -11-2007 Rating:
8.5/10
Album Sampler:Graduation is the third major label album release from the Roc-A-Fella MC and soul sampling producer, Kanye West aka The Louis Vuitton Don .
After releasing what are now two arguably classic albums, “Late Registration” and “College Dropout,” the Chi-Town MC is back with his third installment which follows the same theme, “Graduation.”
This time though, Kanye DID deliver the material we have all been waiting for and it’s safe to say he did graduate by bringing us his best material to date.
Production: 9.0
Kanye, who’s been known run his own projects, had a few other producers come along for the journey including Jon Brion, Sa-Ra, and DJ Toomp. Timbaland also jumped aboard to redp tje drums on Ye’s second official single “Stronger.”
As always, Ye’s style of production utilizes pitched-up vocal samples, usually from soul songs, with his own drums and instruments, this time around however, he switched it up by using a wide-ranging musical scale, including classic rock and house samples—making it his most diverse album yet.
As expected, the album delivers top notch production.
Lyrics: 8.5
Fans who have come to love Kanye’s lyrical style will be pleased even more so this time around.
Stepping up his lyrical game, Ye’ seems to have crafted the form of making a simple line have more impact than actual complex verses.
Songs: 9
Keeping the album diverse, Kanye delivers a different topic in most songs through the album. From the hard-core hip hop fan to fans of punk—even to fans of techno, the albums contains something for everyone.
Variating topics throughout songs, Kanye keeps the album fresh.
As the album opens with ‘Good Morning’, it sets the stage for Ye’s talent to shine. The song,which can be seen as an introduction rides strong for the most part, however, it falls apart with the out of place Jay Z sample used at the end. It felt as if the sample was thrown on there last minute.
He quickly makes up for that when he gets into ‘Champion’ which sends a positive and uplifting message. We all need that now and then and it’s not done in a corny way.
‘Everything I Am’ is arguably one of the best tracks on the album, Kanye takes the listeners through the cheers and jeers of being a popular hip hop artist. With Dj Premiere polishing off the beat as he scratches throughout it, Kanye delivers the verses with a “F the haters” mentality.
“Homecoming” featuring Coldplay’s lead singer Chris Martin on the hook which was originally released on an advanced copy of Late Registration, was revamped for Graduation. The track, which is to Chicago what Common’s “I Used To Love Her” is to hip hop, shows love to his home town and lets the city know he is bringing real hip-hop home.
Another stand out track is the “Good Life” which is a “feel good” type of track featuring T Pain and is scheduled to be the next single off the album.
On “Drunk and Hot Girls”, Kanye shows versatility he hasn’t in the past, however, I’m not quiet sure if it worked out too well.
Kanye also did what he said he wasn’t going to do and that was having any rappers on his album with “Barry Bonds” featuring Lil Wayne. Kanye drops some real hot bars on that track making Lil Wayne’s feature seem unnecessary.
Kanye saves the best for last with ‘Big Brother’, his conflicted tribute to his mentor Jay-Z.
With the exception of 2-3 tracks, the album holds strong with 10 solid songs.
Conclusion:
Graduation is a great album from the production to the lyrics. It sounds like a project full of hit singles thrown together for one blazin album. The LP is nicely put together and flows without all of the skits which at times took away from his music in previous releases. He brought the best out of himself for this one.
It has its moments where you’re going to want a skip a track now and then, but even if you’re not feeling the lyrics in a particular track, the production makes up for it. .
With all that said, I give this album a solid 8.5
COMMENTS
i aint gon be 1 of dem gay niggaz n say 1st but chea i got dis already n it is fire kanye did his thang shout out 2 em prolly gon have da betta album den 50's even tho 50 a prolly sell mo but id recommend any1 2 cop dis im a prolly buy it wen it drops sho sum support ya digg?
^^your first, my mistake
yo mc hammer will kanye in a battle
top 5 mc's
1. mc hammer
2. weezy
3. Coolio
4. Will smith
5. Justin Timberlake
i wouldn't call this album a classic, but it is definitely nice. some of the material starts to sound the same, but the one track that stood out to me was "drunk and hot girls." kanye came with some originality and a crazy melody on that track, and the fact that i'm in college really makes me relate to a track about drunk and hot girls. seriously, that song is fire. overall, i think the review is about right. i still don't know about the four minute long song dedicated to jay-z though. maybe beanie was right about kanye, no?
Lord have mercy, Jesus Christ
He's just nice, he just slice like a ginnsu
Look at the life that I been through
I'm the last real nigga alive, that's official
Y'all don't know about my Biggie wars
Who you thought 'Kick In The Door' was for?
But that's my heart, y'all still trippin of this Jigga shit
Real niggaz listen up and I'ma tell you how the whole thing start
Off top I brung Queens up from hard times
Rockin at the Fever, streets was all mine
It was my version of the blues, droppin our schools
The crack epidemic had rap representin new rules
So I, got in 'em shoes, tried 'em wore them
Wasn't a perfect fit, so I couldn't sport em
Young murderers ride, I knew all them
Jungle got shot, Will died, we was warring
I wrote it in my album
I was 18 when Lake seen the Island
And Lord held me down and
My surroundings started changing
I had a baby, I was making my rounds with AZ
Niggaz started noticing my flow and was open when
The Golden Child closed 'em in with more style than them older men
Puff tried to start a label, Prince Rakeem had formed Wu-Tang
Snoop and Dre had a new thang
So Puff drove his new Range through Queensbridge Projects
He let me drive it, before Ready to Die hit
BIG and I hit blunts performing at the Arc
Next thing you knew, BIG blew and all the balling starts
He had Kim and his crew, I found Fox
Only niggaz in New York with number one charts
B.I.G. was ahead of his time, him and Raekwon my niggaz
But dig it, they couldn't get along
That's when Ghostface said it on the Purple tape
Bad Boy biting Nas album cover way(?)
BIG told me Rae was stealing my slang
And Rae told me out in Shaolin BIG would do the same thing
But I borrowed from both them niggaz
Jigga started to flow like us, but hit with 'Ain't No Niggaz'
Had much Versace swagger
B.I.G. admired the Brooklyn knight and it took him in as Iceberg the rapper
Today don't know nothing, about this bullshit
There's more shit than wanting to be this King of New York shit
Rap became a version of Malcom and Martin
Rest In Peace Will, Queensbridge live on
There's some ghetto secrets I can't rhyme in this song
There's some missing pieces I had to leave out
I had lot trust for Steve Stoute
At some point till I got to know him
We old friends, but what's loyal?
Puff soaked Interscope offices
With champagne bottles on Steve, and Steve thought the drama is on me
Cause previously it would have been, against whoever
Friends forever
However, I learn, with some niggaz it's all business
But I'm a street dude with morals
To diss niggaz with Jigga too much, he used to say Jay wanted my spot
I laughed, stayed home, never hung a lot
A quiet man who used to be alone planning
Baby moms thought I was too quiet, couldn't stand it
She hit the streets, later on she hittin the sheets
With a rapper who wanted me on his songs, thinking he strong
I taught her how to watch for cars that might follow
Tauht her street shit that I know
Her weakness was shine yo
But that's her, I ain't mad baby, it made me stronger
Now I get my paper longer
Illmatic I was boss
It Was Written I flossed
One of the most creative LPs ever to hit stores
In the Firm I learned I am Nastradamus
QB's Finest, Oochie Wally, faced more problems
I gave it all up so I can chill at home with mama
She was getting old and sick so I stayed beside her
We had the best times, she asked would I make more songs
I told her not till I see her health get more strong
In the middle of that, Jay tried to sneak attack
Assasinate my character, degrade my hood
Cause in order for him to be the Don, Nas had to go
The Gam-B-I-N-O rules I understood
What you want, see, I already had
The Gift and The Curse? Fuck that shit, the first shall be last
I'm the man's man, a rapper's rapper
G-O-D S-O-N, they'll be none after
I was Scarface, Jay was Manolo
It hurt me when I had to kill him and his whole squad for dolo..
JUST COPPED THE ALBUM ON BOOTLEG.....IT'S A FUCKING CLASSIC AND FUCK YOU IF YOU DON'T THINK SO....STILL GONNA PICK IT UP IN STORES ALONG WITH MY BOY 50'S ALBUM "CURTIS".
THIS IS WHY I LOVE HIP HOP....FINALLY!!!
mentuscanabis stop jerking you dad off u can get help you know. its your life he doesn't own you
DIS SHIT IS COLD GARBAGE
kanye stole the japaneese thing from redman n shit
First bitches, hot album, a definite buy for me and a definite album of the year
You may not have been "first," but you were certainly the first fucking homo to comment
www.youtube.com/diggydocman
FUCK KANYE FUCK 50 FUCK L'IL WAYNE FUCK THE SOUTH AND FUCK YOU TOO
randallA : ahahahah dat shit was funny as fuk!!!!!
^^^^^lol example of a gay niggaa why say 1st homie makes u look lyk a child
it's dope, I give it an 8...Kanye can rap about bitches, jewelery, money and cars without sounding like it...sometimes his flow gets kinda strange on certain tracks but he made a nice album...great production
good review...
'underground kingz' was the album of the year till i heard 'graduation'
Real Talk but how come nobody really talks bout UGK's joint that is STRAIGHT FIRE its kinda dope cause now I respect Pimp C as an artist but I've always had tha respect for him as a man dig?...ghost...
I liked Underground Kingz, but I felt Ear Drum and Finding Forever more.. just an opinion.
"Graduation is a great album from the production to the lyrics. It sounds like a project full of hit singles thrown together for one blazin album." - Bet they wont say that about Curtis...LOL
hah, we all know fif doesn't exactly have a reputation for having high-processed lyrics, and broad topic songs. i wonder what the critics have to say about club-bangers, pop songs, and guns, guns, and more guns.
don't get me wrong, i'm coppin Curtis.
btw, digging that Homecoming song.
yo would you let kanye west fuck you?
damn, he got you reviewin now whitefolk?...good shit..
i agree with this review, nicely done.
and yeah, lil' wayne wasn't neccesary at all...but solid album as mentioned...
album is fire..... just cop it online i listened to it like 7 time and im fukin consemplating buyin 2 on the 11th
only thing i dont like about the album is that there ain't no skits!!!!
yo 10!
nuff said!
I cant believe im sayin i like Barry Bonds with Wayne on it! lol
that beat is MONSTER.
i'm not a kanye fan, but he gets mad respect for that beat.
waynes verse: not so much respect.
Lmao, same.
kayne sounds the same on every song his voice is always the same tone i feel like every song is the same wit a different beat. i rate it a 7 . ppl say all fif does is rap about guns guns and more guns but wasnt that the thing u loved about get rich or die tryin fuckin hipocrate faggits ... ride kaynes shit more dick ridas
CUUUURRRTTTIIIISSSSS def a better gangsta cd and better club bangers o yea and his mtv music is better then yeys too
8.5? come on man,even if you a Kanye fan be real.
I'd give this 10 for orginality cos the beats are all unique.
But the lyrics ain't all that,kanye ain't improved as an artist.
As a HIP-HOP album i'd give this 7.
I ain;t dissapointed,cos i knew it would be like this.If 50 can't make a better album than this,he should put down the mic.
YEAH super CO SIGN!!!!!!1
cosign...I'm not a big Kanye fan but DAMN! dis album is crazy. Every single song is a classic. On his last 2, I always skip a few tracks but this one I listen to everything. Plus I really love the track "Big Brother" especially the last verse. No wonder Jay got emotional...
On a scale of 1 - 10, I will give this a solid 9.9 and I'm still gon cop the original when it drops to support the kanye/50 thing!!!
CURTISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS / Graduation
September 11
Just cause it's Ye doesn't mean it has to be a ten. He thinks its a good album, just not a classic.
damnnn the album sample is firee, definitely coppin this, wats the track that starts around 4:05 its ill
Stronger samples Daft punk moron
wtf are u talking bout???
im saying at 4 minutes & 5 seconds on the album sample that came with the review, that aint stronger moron.
How you gone review the leak? I know he's got more, The album is hot though. I'm buying it two more times.
sound real good......i'm buying both..kanye and 50.
8.5 ?? What whats wrong with you? This album is perfect. Theres not a bad song. He showed us some personal stuff, he gave us somethings to bump, he gave us reflection, he gave us fun... What is this album lacking? I personally want more instrumental space and talking in between tracks, and yes maybe even snippets...but none of that should reflect the overall score of the music, presentation and writing...which Kanye def deserves a 10 or 9.5.
I give this review a 4.5 for WACK.
Why dont u say graduation is a flop cause i listen to it ...and i find it really sucks
You don't know shit about hiphop...
^^ but some faggot nigga with a BLACK WALL STREET avatar knows hip hop?
nigga sit down and shut the fuck up
I'mma go download it now. sorry.....i just cant wait for it to drop
me too, dats why I downloaded it. I saw it leaked and I was like "I'm not gon download dis". I went to bed and I was thinking "What if you die and you never get to reach September 11", i then ran to the computer and downloaded it. lol. But I'ma still cop it when it drops!!!
CURTISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS /Graduation
September 11
Graduation is crack..the beats are crazy and his lyrics are on point IMO...There might be 1 song that i dont really like and i cant name it right now..lol...overall i would give it a 9...oOo yeah and i have Curtis also and its not all that good and im not sayin its trash but IMO Graduation is better than Curtis..
8.5 ok yea rite...9.5....listen to the album 1 more time...dis shit is a modern classic and 20 yrs from now dat shit is goin to b considered 1 of the best album of the century
classic stuff production 10/10 his flow 6/10 probably the best album so far...
Yeah this album will be a classic...Real talk
NOT A CLASSIC A STEP UP FROM LAST ALBUM SOLID THATS IT
FUCK KANYE FUCK 50 FUCK L'IL WAYNE FUCK THE SOUTH AND FUCK YOU TOO
this cd ass
I heard this album yesterday and thought, what the fuck is wrong with niggas these days?
shit was trash
if you niggas think that album is a classic, I dont even wanna know what other bullshit yall listen to
Graduation is NOT a classic, not even close
any1 that thinks dis album is trash jus doesnt kno hip hop n is jus a dumb person i guess if a nigga aint rappin bought guns n killin ppl it aint good yaw niggaz is stupid step yaw hip hop game up ya digg
kanye album hot but he dont get no respect after he was acting like a scared lil girl when beanie called him gay lol
Just heard the album it's not as good as I thought, but it's decent.
Not a classic but a solid album
Ya'll Lil Wayne, Game, G-Unit, 50 dick riders I just wanna ask.... If this NOT a classic album what is??? Start ya answers....here_______
you gonna sit here and say this is better than doctors advocate?
come on man,lyrically kanye's album isn't hot.
Its the beats that make you think this album is amazing.
LEAST KANYE HAD A BETTER VERSE ON DIDNT GET FAR! lol
besides GAME HIMSELF AINT EVEN A GREAT RAPPER...all that name droppin and sayin Dre name every song...ON MIXTAPES HE COOL...better than albums!
Kanye 1st 2nd and Graduation cd is better than GAME 1st and 2nd cd! lol
U TRIPPIN!
Get Rich or Die Tryin, Illmatic,Street Discipile, Hip Hop Is Dead, Blueprint, Reasonable Doubt, Black Album, Chronic 2001, Straight Outta Compton, Amerikas Most Wanted, All Eyez on Me, Ready to Die, Doggy Style, Me Against The World, Documentary, Doctors Advocate, The Fix
those are classics dawg, Graduation is good but dont fall under that category
Straight Outta Compton (NOPE) Niggaz4Life was the classic!
Get rich (NOPE) Massacre was!
Documentary, Doctors Advocate
(NOPE!!)
Some of these classics u call are a NO NO!!!
yo would you let kanye west fuck you?
Where can I download it??
go to www.tonyyayolovesthekids.com
WTF!!
ima say this as a kanye west fan..this album is aight id give it a 7.5, expected waayyy more..sometimes i just had to skip even tho he only delivers 13 songs..that kinda pissed me off, and yea this shit is nowhere near late registration.
let me be the 1st to say it
Do you think Kanye wrote that Wayne verse...all that ad libin and shyt! IM JUST SAYIN...no hater...Wayne good (IF HE MAKE HIS OWN SHYT) but its still in the air if he does or not!
I think Gillie his old ghostwriter...the new one is Currency and Mr West!
so u goin by wat other peps say and think? why cant u have your own opinion about things. how do u now its true, word of mouf?
just an opinion dude!
So lets say, another ghostwriter came out and say the same thing Gillie said,,,would you avoid it.
Currency was his ghostwriter THEN WHAT
what u gonna say, WHY CURRENCY AINT BLOW UP?
Naw he cant cuz he in the same boat like Gillie
Label to label BUT he aint broke, he just need the right people to push a nygga...ya feel me
UHHHH...THOUGHT THIS HASNT CAME OUT YET???
ehh not as good as the first 2
nd theres no skits, which makes it seem as if its not really part of the whole "school" series. and the Homecoming song is a old verse wit a new beat, it was the track Home off his mixtape. the original beat and hook was better IMO
its far from an 8 every song he samples somethign he cant make a beat or a song without using a sample his lyrics are wack song titles are gay but if anyone wants it i have the retail grouprip
That what im talking about. Fucking 8.5 get the fuck outta here. Maybe 7 but I gotta hear the complete album first.
only 8.5....i give it 10
i need that monkey 50 cent pic....how u get it
i'm still refusing to listen to it when it is leaked... if it's a classic then it should be worth the wait.. so i am waiting for the 11th
nygga stop lying
at least i keep it real...im playin the shyt out of it
ima buy it still on the 11th
tha nigga that kept it too real... (dontdropthasoap)lol
nygga dont drop ya face in some soap LOOKIN AZZ NYGGA!
where yo Un Casa lookin azz picture at...?