Kanye West - The College Dropout

2004

Track Listing                                                  

1. Intro                                       12. Slow jamz

2. We don't care                        13. Breathe in breathe out

3. Graduation day                     14. School spirit skit 1  

4. All falls down                         15. School spirit            

5. I'll fly away                             16. School spirit skit 2                          

6. Spaceship                             17. Lil Jimmy Skit                                                                          

7. Jesus walks                          18. Two words

8. Never let me down                19. Through the wire

9. Get 'em high                          20. Family business

10. Workout plan                       21. Last call

11. The new workout plan                                                

Featured Artists:  Syleena Johnson, GLC, Consequence, Jay-Z, John Legend, Talib Kweli, Common, Twista, Jamie Foxx, Ludacris, Mos Def, Freeway, The Harlem Boys choir

Produced By :  Kanye West, Porse

Samples :  We don't care - I just wanna stop by The Jimmy Castor Bunch

All falls down - Mystery of Iniquity by Lauryn Hill

Spaceship - Distant lover by Marvin Gaye

Jesus walks - Walk with me by The Arc Choir

Jesus walks - If there's a Hell below, we're all going to go by Curtis Mayfield

Never let me down - Maybe it's the power of love by Ken Lewis

Slow jamz - A house is not a home by Luther Vandross

School spirit - Spirit in the dark by Aretha Franklin

Two words - Peace and love, movement IV by Mandrill

Through the wire - Through the fire by Chalka Khan

Family business - Fonky Thang - The Dells

Last call - Mr. Rockefeller by Bette Midler

Notes

This is quite possibly on the best debut albums for a rapper.  The album is just loaded with great hits, and to me it's the not radio friendly tracks that stand out.  The album pleases all fans of hip-hop from die hard fans to casual pop music fans.  Tracks like "All falls down" and "Jesus walks" were played over any hip-hop or pop station all over 2004 & 2005.  The album features several other big name rappers including fellow Chicago rapper Common, who I believe his verse on "Get em high" put him back on the map.  The album has had nothing but positive reviews from fans and critics, though it was not a number one record, it peaked at number 2 on the Billboard charts.

Recommendations

Even though there are several whack skits and a super whack track ("The new workout plan"), the album is a hip-hop classic and should be in everyone's library.

If you plan on purchasing The College dropout

There are several expensive imports to this album, which I would stay away from.  I've actually purchases this album twice and my original looked like the picture above.  Since then there has been a remake with an all white background. This is typically the only version you are going to find, and the one I recommend.  You will be able to find this in any major record store or at Cdnow.com.

If you don't plan on purchasing The College dropout  but want to hear some tracks from it

Two things.  You either don't own this album because you don't like good hip-hop, or you do own this album.  There is no reason why you just own a few tracks, that would be pointless since the entire album is great.  If you're crazy and just wanting to own a few I start with my top 5 and then move from there.  These tracks can be purchased at either Itunes or Napster. Interested in more Kanye? Check out my ideal compilation at my Kanye West Home Page. 

My Top 5