Kanye West
The College Dropout
Roc-A-Fella (2004)
Each year there are only a few hip-hop discs I pick up and really enjoy. They have to be more than something I'll listen to for a month and then quickly tire of (ex. 50 Cent). The disc this year is Kanye West's The College Dropout. I first got the album way back in February, during the initial hype for "Through the Wire." It was pretty much an impulse buy, though, because I didn't like "Through the Wire" all that much at the time. All of those feelings would soon change in the past three months of listening. Kanye West, as you will learn in the 12 minute untitled track, has produced the beats for numerous tracks involving most notably Jay-Z. At the same time, though, he was a struggling MC, and wanted to rap on albums. He finally got his chance, but at the same time wanted to make something much different than any other mainstream MC. He continuously comments to the listener that he's not using guns or violence to comprise the songs, but instead family life, and what it is to be a self-conscious black man in an urban world. His songs are backed up by his … Read more
Harkonen & These Arms Are Snakes
Like a Virgin
Hydra Head (2004)
When I was in the sixth grade I had a birthday party and for some reason one of my classmates, … Read more
Animal Collective
Sung Tongs
Fat Cat (2004)
So here I am. Thinking of everything else I could be doing that does not include listening to the never-ending … Read more
