College Dropout, The [PA] - Kanye West

Advantages: Exellent selection of songs, good beats, individual style.
Disadvantages: Some explicit lyrics making it unsuitable for a younger audience, the skits can be annoying.

Kanye West's debut solo album, released under Roc-a-Fella Records, provides us with a selection of individual, unique songs unlike no other hip hop artist. With the use of humour, excellent beats, computer enhanced vocals adding an extra special touch to his songs, Kanye West's album portrays everything needed in the struggling world of hip hop. There are no violent songs talking about abusing women, drugs (apart from references to cannabis), killings, ...
...and light hearted works of excellence...parents cannot look down on his material unlike other artist's work such as Fat Joe, Eminem's earlier material and Ja Rule. Kanye West is an admirable star and a true performer and entertainer. He manages to capture the listener with every song on this outstanding album. He respects people and life and this is clearly depicted in the album. Kanye West is a very clever artist and clearly has worked out the calculation ... Read review

Advantages: Fresh voice on the hip hop scene just what it needed
Disadvantages: Too many skits and too many tracks put in simply to make up the numbers

Kanye makes a great dbut considering he had been passed up by so many other labels e.g. capital, before being snapped up by Jay-z and roc-a-fella. It is apparent that Kanye is a producer rapper with an eye for a beat, not necessarily a bad thing! Kanye's songs in this album bring a fresh air to the hip hop scene. I decided to review this album after reviewing his second album because i simply forget it was on the site. Track by track analysis: (i ...
...9/10* 3. Graduation Day - kinda like a skit 4/10 4. All Falls Down - featuring Syleena Johnson - 10/10!!!!* 5. I'll Fly Away - 8/10* 6. Spaceship - Featuring GLC & Consequence - 7/10 7. Jesus Walks - 8/10* 8. Never Let Me Down - featuring Jay-Z & J. Ivy - 9/10* 9. Get Em High - featuring Talib Kweli & Common - 7/10 11. The New Workout Plan- 7/10* 12. Slow Jamz - Featuring Twista, Kanye West & Jamie Foxx- 9/10* 13. Breathe In Breathe Out ... Read review

Advantages: This is the way to release a record explode!
Disadvantages: none that I can find!

Kanye really makes an entrance and blasts his way into the music scene... ...this is definately an album you can listen to all the way through, each track is brilliant & creative, Kayne's laid back style combined with the likes of say JayZ is mind blowing and a real treat for the ears! ....there is nothing bad that I can say about this album, it is so refreshing to hear some really good hip hop, this is definately an album for the collection...I ...
...the Fugees & The Score, Warren G & Regulate etc etc.... ...I can honestly say that in 10 years time when you put this album on it will still sound as fresh and new as it does today! ...there are a couple of little "interludes" on this album, comme The Fugees Score, but nothing too much, just enough to give you a little chuckle, but not enough for you to have to keep getting up to forward it on to the next song and interfere with your listening! ... Read review

Advantages: Lots of hits
Disadvantages: Too many skits

..."The College Dropout" was the 2004 debut album from the producer-turned-rapper Kanye West. As Kanye started off as a producer for all the big names in Hip Hop such as T.I., Nas and Jay-Z, providing his unique chipmunk sound (where he uses a soul sample and increases the pitch, to give it an Alvin & The Chipmunks sound) to their tunes, which is why he had so many connections, and so many chose to collaborate with him on the album. (Kan)ye chose to produce the whole of the album, unlike later ones, just to show what he had to offer for other Hip Hop acts, because he was going to contiune to make beats as well as rap no matter how successful this album was (and it was as it sold for 3x Platinum). 1. Intro 2. We Don't Care This is Kanye's first consicous Hip Hop tune which he made, as he talks on the issues which black people... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Great album, some legendary songs
Disadvantages: too many skits

...Kanye West?s debut album; College Dropout is excellent. Although West showed off his quality by producing hit songs for the likes of Jay-Z this album demonstrated his ability not only to produce great tune after tune but also to rap with the best of them. West?s approach tends to have a bit more of a commercial sound than say Eminem but don?t let this fool you, he has what it takes to be the best (and he believes it more than anybody). One of my gripes with the album is the number of skits throughout and although they can be funny or set you up for the next song they do lose their appeal after a couple of hearings. Intro We Don?t Care Graduation Day ? Although basically in introduction to the next song or a skit it is quite a nice melody to listen to anyway. All Falls Down ? Awesome song, 5/5 definatly, has everything; nice... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: original lyrics, great beats
Disadvantages: may be too many skits

...I think this is the first hip hop album I?ve heard, without it mentioning how rich the rapper has become. So Kanye west, who is he? Well ever since his first solo song was released ?Though the Wire?, Kanye has become a famous name in most teenagers lives. He has become increasingly popular in 2004 and still is. Here?s a little information for those who have never heard of him. In October 2002 Kanye?s life nearly ended, when he was involved in a devastating near fatal car crash, where he suffered serious injuries and left his jaw fractured in three places. Ever since then, Kanye has understood the preciousness of life and is grateful that he survived. He wrote this album based on his life. Each song is original and involves some aspect of life. Below I have written my thoughts on all the tracks on the album except for the skits... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful