Kanye West
The College Dropout
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Hitmaker Kanye West’s solo debut was delayed so many times it’s a wonder he didn’t donate all the tracks to his high-profile clients Ludacris, Jay-Z and Alicia Keys. But the Chicago native largely lives up to the buzz with this disc, which subverts gangsta cliches by setting the self-effacing lyrics against sunny melodies. Kanye’s got a great ear for ace soul hooks, but just as good are Kanye’s rhymes. The skits and cameos are a little too plentiful, but that’s par for the course in mainstream hip-hop. On the other hand, tracks as good as “Two Words” (featuring Mos Def) and “Through the Wire,” with its sped-up Chaka Khan sample, are rarities in radio-friendly rap–smart, sensitive, adventurous and catchy.
Take away: Star maker
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Edited by Cara DiPasquale ([email protected]) and Ben Delery ([email protected])