Kanye does it differently with 'Graduation'

By Alex Conover
Cardinal Staff

Are you sick of repetitive, gimmick-filled pop rap? Is Soulja Boy’s “Crank Dat” dance not doing it for you? Before you give up on hip-hop, give Kanye West’s “Graduation” a spin. It might just renew your faith in the genre.
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There are many other hip-hop artists making improvements to the scene, but no one is doing it quite like Kanye. His first two albums were almost revolutionary (“College Dropout” brought the sped-up soul sample, “Late Registration” brought the multi-layered orchestral beat). “Graduation” is no different.

Most of the tracks on the album follow a similar formula: laid-back synthesizers laced with hard-hitting hip-hop beats. Although many songs sound similar in style, each one is distinctive. “Flashing Lights” has a light, catchy riff, while “Barry Bonds” (Don’t get the name? Listen to the hook) sounds like the low octave of a church organ.

Although his producing style continues to progress, Kanye didn’t forget the sampling that made him famous. “Graduation” is filled with cleverly-cut snippets of artists like Elton John, Steely Dan, and Michael Jackson, but the real pride of the album is “Stronger.” In his first single, Kanye shows his producing versatility by drawing elements from the techno song “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger” by Daft Punk. Bringing in Timbaland to program the drums, the two producing superstars combined styles to bring us a smash hit and the most impressive effort of the album.

With such impressive beats, it’s easy to overlook Kanye’s lyrics. Just like his producing, however, Kanye’s rapping is clearly different from his last album. Especially in tracks such as “Can’t Tell Me Nothing,” he uses different emphasis styles to get his point across. One thing that is very different from his past albums is the general lack of skits or guest artists; there are only two verses on “Graduation” that are not done by Kanye, one of them being a very unimpressive cameo from Lil’ Wayne.

Whether you are a diehard hip-hop fan or a casual listener, you will find something to like in Kanye’s latest release. By their third album, many artists succumb to laziness or lack of creativity; “Graduation” defies both, proving to fans that Mr. West still has the ability to make hits and keep us listening.

The Good:
-Kanye’s lyrical abilities continue to improve.
-Heavy in synthesizers, the beats give a mellow, laid-back feel. There are also plenty of samples in his classic style.
-Unlike other albums, “Graduation” has no skits and is a solid 51 minutes of music.

The Not-So-Good:
-Besides Stronger, nothing jumps out at first. The album takes a few listens to adjust to.
-One of the best parts of past albums were exceptional guest verses from artists like Jay-Z, Twista, and Lupe Fiasco. “Graduation” contains only two, including a weak effort from Lil’ Wayne.

Best Tracks:
Stronger, Can’t Tell Me Nothing, Good Life, Homecoming

Final Rating: 8 out of 10