Late Registration (Digital Album)

by

Kanye West

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Everybody knows by now that Kanye West's solo debut The College Dropout was 2004's most critically acclaimed mainstream album, which earned the rapper producer numerous award nominations, including 10 grammy nominations in which he ended up winning three, and now people are calling the album a hip hop classic-with good reason, cause it was a breathe of fresh air to hip hop in a time when hip hop was dominated by popish hits and useless southern hip hop club records. However, when everybody learned that Kanye was working on a second album which he called Late Registration, we all wondered if Kanye would be able to bring it on the second album, and boys and girls, all i need to say is hell yeah, he did. Not only is Kanye's new album the most original hip hop album in years, but it is so incredible that it could compete with Common's BE for the Rap Album of the Year which was expected. This album is so full of great music at a whole new level never seen in hip hop before, which indicates that Kanye West's Decison to work with Jon Brion on production was not a mistake at all. West tackles a lot of issues on this album like his addiciton to money, girls and weed on the unique "Addiction", Conflict diamonds on "Diamonds from sierra leone remix", his actions at last years American Music Awards in "Diamonds from sierra leone", Crack in black America in "Crack Music", the Death of this grandmother and the classic track "roses" and a tribute to his mother on "Hey Mama". The only cons on Late Registration is Kanye's ability as an mc-and this doesnt take away from the feel of the album as he is still an above average rapper compared to 90% of the laughable, non talented rappers now, but we should cut kanye some slack since he is constantly trying to improve his mc skills and it shows in his rhymes. one of the most catchy lines in thi album was on his feel good track "Celebration"- "See You Kno' Ma' Style Im Very Wild' And I Vow' That Ma' Child' Will Be Well Endowed, Like Hiz Daddy, And Tell Em' That Yo' Momma' Had A Fatty, He Looked Up To Me Said,"Daddy Thats The Reason That You Had Me?", Yup! We Wuz Practicin', Till' One Day Yo' A** Bust Threw' The Packagin', You Kno' Wut Tho'? You Ma' Favorite Accident"-to me thats an amazing line! Back to the subject matter on this album, i do not think any rapper now will even imagine touching the topics kanye tackled on this album..and this shows how talented he is as both a rapper and producer.As for the skits, they are not useless as other critics would say, instead they are used for pacing and to tell a better story of the process in which kanye dropped out of college! here are my individual ratings of the songs on the album.

1. Wake Up Mr. West:NR

2. Heard 'Em Say featuring Adam Levine of Maroon 5- Melodic track, kinda emotion, but great overall: 4.5 stars

3. Touch The Sky featuring Lupe Fiasco-one of the best songs on the album, a real feel good track and a highlight in the album: 5 stars

4. Gold Digger featuring Jamie Foxx- second single, with a good message going out to all those gold digging women: 4 stars

5. Skit #1:NR

6. Drive Slow featuring Paul Wall & GLC-Nice Track, Kanye paul Wall and GLC delivers, better than i thought it would be: 4.5 stars

7. My Way Home featuring Common-wow, common brings it with his poetry, shouldnt this be on BE instead: 5 stars

8. Crack Music featuring Game- kinda dissappointed that the game did not have a verse, still has a good message and good rhymes from kanye..and i love that military style beat: 4.5 stars

9. Roses-a classic song: 5 stars all the way!!!

10. Bring Me Down featuring Brandy-wow, Brandy can still sing..this song is wonderful: 5 stars

11. Addiction-i personally love this song, and i think i am addicted to listening to it..it is the most original hip hop song this year: 4.5 stars

12. Skit #2: NR

13. Diamonds From Sierra Leone (Remix)featuring Jay-Z-another classic song, kanye and Jay's verse are incredible- 5 stars!!

14. We Major featuring Nas & Really Doe- Now this is 7 minutes of real hip hop..kanye almost matches the mighty nas lyrically..great song: 5 stars

15. Skit #3

16. Hey Mama- kanyes tribute to his moma: 5 stars

17. Celebration- this is the best production on the album, feel good track, most funny lines!-4 stars

18. Skit #4

19. Gone featuring Consequence & Cam'Ron-Great beat, average lyrics: 3.5 stars

20. Diamonds From Sierra Leone- we've all heard this: 4 stars

21. Late- a song about being late in life, incredible sampling: 4 stars

Some Idiot wrote in a previus review that Kanye doesn't write his own lyrics! This is BS! The liner notes that say "written by C. Mayfield" etc are referring to the samples Kanye uses, not his own lyrics! If you knew anything about music you would know who C. Mayfield is(an old soul legend - FYI) maybe you would question how he was able to write lyrics for Kanye since he is dead!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Anyway the lyrics sound so typical Kanye, it's absurd to think they were ghost written!!!!!!!!!!!

Also why does eveyone hate on him for the whole Bush comment. Give hip props for having the balls to speak his mind!!! Do you think the help would have been as slow if the victims had been predominantly white? Get real! Kanye has good grounds for his comment!

Anyway good album, even if he is not a lyrical genius at least he is doing something different, and you have to like the passion that goes into his music, which is sorely lacking in alot of todays stuff.