graduation

No. 3: Graduation

Graduation is the album that brought Kanye pop stardom. It took him from being a young golden boy of the rap world, to a legitimate global star. He shows he has “graduated” from his old sound and is now ready for the spotlight. Although most people only know this album for “Stronger,” nearly every track could have just have easily been a hit.

What separates this album from his first two is not only the change in production, but also a change in tone.His experience and knowledge show, and it seems that he knows that this album is his next step. If it weren’t for two of Kanye’s worst songs, “Drunk and Hot Girls” and “Barry Bonds” perched together right in the middle of the album, it would be solid from beginning to end.

On “Can’t Tell Me Nothing,” Kanye proclaims “I told God I’d be back in a second, Man it’s so hard not to act reckless.” This line shows that Graduation is the project where Kanye really grows up. He isn’t rapping about praising God anymore, but instead challenging him. Kanye takes off on Graduation, and his world has never been the same since.