A widespread critical success, The College Dropout was praised for West's production, humorous and emotional raps, and the music's balance of self-examination and mainstream sensibilities. As a result, certain tracks originally destined for the album were subsequently retracted, among them "Keep the Receipt" with Ol' Dirty Bastard and "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly" with Consequence. [8] After a series of meetings with Capitol Records, West was ultimately denied an artist deal. 50 in their best albums of 2000–2004. For Kanye to make an album called [The] College Dropout it was more about having the guts to embrace who you are, rather than following the path society has carved out for you". [54] The album had sold 2.3 million units in the United States by November 2004. [64] "Spaceship" was planned to be the sixth single, but Def Jam decided to move on from The College Dropout's promotional campaign to begin marketing West's next album, Late Registration (2005). She later said, "It was drummed into my head that college is the ticket to a good life... but some career goals don't require college. At one point, West hovered between making a portion of the production in the studio and the majority within his own apartment in Newark, New Jersey. [3] The Blueprint has been named by Rolling Stone as the 252nd greatest album of all time and the critical and financial success of the album generated substantial interest in West as a producer. [28] Reviewing it for The A.V. In September 2007, West's third studio album Graduation debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, selling 957,000 units in its first week, becoming the fastest-selling album in the US since Late Registration, and breaking the record for most digital albums sold in a week. Once he had completed the album, it was leaked months before its release date. I remember listening to, (performed by Twista featuring Kanye West and Jamie Foxx), (featuring Mos Def, Freeway and The Harlem Boys Choir), (Extended version featuring Fonzworth Bentley), Recording Industry Association of America, (Don't Worry) If There's a Hell Below, We're All Going to Go, "500 Greatest Albums of All Time: #464 (The Blueprint)", "Road to the Grammys: The Making Of Kanye West's College Dropout", "Kanye West: The Man, the Music, and the Message.(Biography)". [35] "Slow Jamz" features Twista and Jamie Foxx and serves as a tribute to classic smooth soul artists and slow jam songs. He has been influential in the 21st-century development of mainstream hip hop and popular music in general.. Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West was first known as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the early 2000s, producing singles for several mainstream artists. [34], On "All Falls Down", West wages an attack on consumerism. The image is framed inside gold ornaments, which Duvauchelle found in a book of illustrations from the 16th-century and West wanted to use to "bring a sense of elegance and style to what was typically a gangster-led image of rap artists". [44] The song "Last Call" is about West's transition from being a producer to a rapper, and the album ends with a nearly nine-minute autobiographical monologue that follows the song "Last Call", however, is not a separate track. Washington: American rapper and record producer Kanye West won his first gospel Grammy, for his `Jesus Is King` album. West had already taken pictures dressed as the Dropout Bear - which would reappear in his later work - and Duvauchelle picked the image of him sitting on a set of bleachers, as he was attracted to the loneliness of what was supposed to be "the most popular representation of a school". [42], The College Dropout was met with widespread critical acclaim. [92] Dagsavisen listed the album eleventh in its list of the top forty albums of the 2000s decade. 808s & Heartbreak (2008): 450,000. [9] Desperate to keep West from defecting to another label, then-label head Damon Dash reluctantly signed West to Roc-A-Fella Records. Information on Kanye West. CHANNELZEROTV.COM presents Kanye West's "Through the Wire", winner of the 2004 Source Award for "Best Music Video". The album earned the rapper several accolades, including nominations for Album of the Year and Best Rap Album at the 2005 Grammy Awards, winning for the latter. Released in August 2005, "Late Registration" hit #1 on the album chart and included the #1 pop hit single "Gold Digger." [68], Some reviewers were more qualified in their praise. ''Jesus Is King'' gets Kanye West his first gospel Grammy. [2] As of November 2020, West has certified 24 million equivalent albums units in the United States,[3] placing him among the highest-certified music artists in the United States, West's debut album The College Dropout was released in February 2004, it debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200,[4] and was certified double-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in June 2004. [1][2] The group released their first and only studio album World Record Holders in 1999. I think that's when we did 'Last Call.' We were not disappointed. [62], Four of the singles released in promotion of the album became top-20 chart hits: "Through the Wire", "Slow Jamz", "All Falls Down" and "Jesus Walks". It was released on February 10, 2004, by Def Jam Recordings and Roc-A-Fella Records. [1] All nine of his studio albums have been certified at least gold in the United States. It was his first honour from the Recording Academy in eight years, and his 22nd career Grammy. [20] It was revealed by Plain Pat that there were around three other versions of the song, but West disliked them. 1 Debut", "Kanye West, Nicki Minaj Score Big Debuts on Billboard 200", "Jay-Z & Kanye West's 'Throne' Sells 436,000, Debuts at No. "The Design Evolution of Kanye West's Album Artwork: "Kanye West × The Heavy Hitters, Get Well Soon (2003) – Clinton Sparks' 30 Favorite Mixtapes", "Kanye West: How the Rapper Grew From 'Dropout' to 'Yeezus, "American album certifications – Kanye West – The College Dropout", "Kanye West is 'humbled' by fans as his debut turns ten", "The UK's Official Top 40 biggest rap albums of the Millennium revealed", "Does Kanye West's 'The College Dropout' Stand the Test of Time? Williams had impressed West by singing improvisations to "Spaceship" during one of their drives together. [75] The staff of Mojo said its exceptional hip hop production was miraculous during a time when hip hop's practice of sampling was becoming "increasingly litigious",[70] and those of URB deemed it "both visceral and emotive, sprinkling the dancefloors with tears and sweat". Diverging from the then-dominant gangster persona in hip hop, West's lyrics concern themes of family, self-consciousness, materialism, religion, racism, and higher education. He sells his first beat to local Chicago rapper Gravity for $8,000. He began his career in the early 2000s as a producer for the record label Roc-A-Fella Records, before releasing his first solo rap album ‘The College Dropout’ in 2004. The skit is followed by "We Don't Care" featuring West comically celebrating drug life with lines like "We wasn't supposed to make it past 25, joke's on you, we still alive" and then criticizing its influence amongst children. Rapper Kanye West on the cover of Time: Will rap music shed its "gangster" disguise? [79] The album elsewhere topped year-end lists by Rolling Stone,[80] Spin,[81] Vibe,[82] and PopMatters. [43], "Through the Wire" features a high-pitched vocal sample of Chaka Khan and relates West's real life experience with being in a car accident. Pat said in reference to the Franklin sample: "That song would have been so weak if we didn't get that sample cleared". (C) 2008 Roc-A-Fella Records, LLC The song features Jay-Z, who rhymes about maintaining status and power given his chart success, while West comments on racism and poverty. Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. [55] By June 2014, the album had become West's best-selling album in the US, with domestic sales of 3,358,000 copies. [39], "Never Let Me Down" is influenced by West's near-death car crash. [13] In June 2018, West released both his eighth studio album Ye,[14] and his second collaborative album Kids See Ghosts (with Kid Cudi). https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2019/11/5/kanye-west-album-ranking [6] Record companies ignored him because he did not portray the gangsta image prominent in mainstream hip hop at the time. It was his first honour from the Recording Academy in eight years, and his 22nd career Grammy. American rapper, musician and record producer Kanye West has released nine studio albums, two collaborative studio albums, one compilation album, two live albums, one video album and four mixtapes. Kanye West. [28] West explained, "My persona is that I'm the regular person. Saint West. He also crafted hit songs for Ludacris, Alicia Keys, and Janet Jackson. View in App. [56][57] On November 23, 2020, The College Dropout was certified four-times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). He recorded the remainder of the album in Los Angeles while recovering from the car accident. Kanye Omari West (/ ˈ k ɑː n j eɪ /; born June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, record producer, fashion designer, and politician. 11 days … [76] Dave Heaton from PopMatters found it "musically engaging" and "a genuine extension of Kanye's personality and experiences",[35] while Hua Hsu of The Village Voice felt that his sped-up samples "carry a humble, human air", allowing listeners to "hear tiny traces of actual people inside". [12][13] West added that "the album was my medicine", as working on the record distracted him from the pain. The College Dropout debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200, selling 441,000 copies in its first week of sales. [11] West's sixth studio album Yeezus was released in June 2013 and debuted at number one in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zeleand. [25][26][27] Music journalist Kelefa Sanneh wrote, "Throughout the album, Mr. West taunts everyone who didn't believe in him: teachers, record executives, police officers, even his former boss at the Gap". [34] Garry Mulholland of The Observer described it as a "towering inferno of martial beats, fathoms-deep chain gang backing chants, a defiant children's choir, gospel wails, and sizzling orchestral breaks". [8], In November 2010, West released his fifth studio album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, with the fourth-highest ever digital first-week sales. Intent on … [65] At one point, "Two Words" was also intended to be released as a single, and a video for the song was filmed, and later uploaded by West online in 2009. [35][37] "Jesus Walks" is built around a sample of "Walk With Me" as performed by the ARC Choir. Peak chart positions for albums in Germany: (To access, enter the search parameter and select "Search by Keyword"), Peak chart positions for video albums on the Top Music Video chart in the United States: no u, highest-certified music artists in the United States, Recording Industry Association of America, "Bluesfest review: Twenty minutes late, Kanye West still captures massive crowd", "Kanye West – Chart History: Billboard 200", "Kanye West's Sales Triumph, By The Numbers: He Thumped 50 Cent In Almost Every Market", "Kanye Edges GNR, Ludacris For No. [10] Compilation album Cruel Summer released with his label GOOD Music in September 2012 debuted atop the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. [78], The College Dropout was voted as the best album of the year by The Village Voice's Pazz & Jop, an annual poll of American critics. For the article on dropping out of college, see, As a young black kid, especially one who got to walk the line between some dangerous environments and some much better ones, Kanye was this beautiful means to be true to both sides of me. Following multiple delays, West released his ninth studio album Jesus Is King in late-October 2019. [134] "It feels like that album birthed an entire sub-genre", Max Weinstein wrote in retrospect for Vibe, going on to say, "The palette of emotions was so broad, the depth of topics so searingly relevant, that it was bound to make an impression on any artist that heard it. "[133], According to DJBooth journalist Brad Callas, the album also "helped solidify chipmunk soul as not only the defining sound of the Roc-A-Fella era but also the most popular sub-genre in hip-hop". [45], The album's title is in part a reference to West's decision to drop out of college to pursue his dream of becoming a musician. [90] In 2012, Complex named the album one of the classic albums of the last decade,[91] and the 20th best hip hop debut album ever. The album won in four out of the five rap categories, and West became the first solo artist to have his first three studio albums be nominated for Album of the Year. Studio albums: 9: Live albums: 2: Compilation albums: 3: Video albums: American rapper, musician and record producer Kanye West has released nine studio albums, two collaborative studio albums, one compilation album, two live albums, one video album and four mixtapes.West has sold 21 million albums and 100 million digital … [85] Rhapsody named it the seventh best album of the decade and the fourth best hip hop album of the decade. Kanye's first big break arrives. [136] Music journalists such as Meaghan Garvey, Andrew Barber, and Erika Ramirez also connected to the album during their formative years, with Barber saying in a roundtable discussion for Noisey, "I could identify with this project the most because I was in college at the time, and I felt like an underdog in my own life. [49][50], In its first week of release, the album sold 441,000 copies and debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200 chart, being held off the top spot by Norah Jones' second studio album Feels Like Home. It avoided the usual plotlines about sex, money and violence and touched on everything from his faith to his fears of failure and other crises from his life. "[132] Today commented that "The College Dropout, stood out in the rap landscape because of its atypical prose. Source: ANI. "Fade" is a song by American rapper Kanye West from his seventh studio album, The Life of Pablo (2016). And Grammy-winning rapper Kanye West grabbed the No. [5] "Family Business" is a soulful tribute to the godbrother of Tarrey Torae, one of the many collaborators in the album. [19], The song "School Spirit" was censored for the album because Aretha Franklin would not allow the rapper to sample her music without censorship being promised. "All Falls Down" contains interpolations of "Mystery of Iniquity", written and performed by, "Jesus Walks" contains samples of "Walk with Me", performed by The ARC Choir and ", "Never Let Me Down" contains samples of "Maybe It's the Power of Love", written by, "Two Words" contains samples of "Peace & Love (Amani Na Mapenzi) – Movement IV (Encounter)", written by Lou Wilson, Ric Wilson and Carlos Wilson, and performed by, "Family Business" contains samples of "Fonky Thang", written by, "Last Call" contains samples of "Mr. Rockefeller", written by Jerry Blatt and, Eric Duvauchelle – art direction and design, Stephanie Reynolds – art direction and design, This page was last edited on 4 April 2021, at 19:11. Diddy. Intent on pursuing a solo career, he signed a record deal with Roc-A-Fella and recorded the album over a period of four years, beginning in 1999. [63] "The New Workout Plan" was the fifth and last single. [48], The College Dropout was originally scheduled for release in August 2003, but West's perfectionist habits producing the album led to it being postponed three times. Don't let society tell you, 'This is what you have to do. [7] West's fourth studio album 808s & Heartbreak was released in November 2008, and became his third consecutive number one release on the Billboard 200. Credits are adapted from the album's liner notes. Best of Kanye West: https://goo.gl/2FXUVWSubscribe here: https://goo.gl/AgJE59Music video by Kanye West performing Homecoming. 1 Album on Billboard 200 Chart", "Official: Kanye West's 'Yeezus' Sells 327,000; Debuts at Number 1 on Billboard 200 Chart", "Kanye West scores Number 1 album with Yeezus", "Kanye West's 'Yeezus' Rises to No. "9. https://worthly.com/entertainment/highest-selling-kanye-west-albums-time [22], West finished recording around December 2003, according to his older cousin and singer Tony Williams, who was recruited by the rapper two weeks before the album's deadline to contribute vocals. Who is Kanye West? Due to his association with D-Dot, West wasn't able to release a solo album, so he formed and became a member and producer of the Go-Getters, a late-1990s Chicago rap group composed of him, GLC, Timmy G, Really Doe, and Arrowstar. [35], On "Jesus Walks", West professes his belief in Jesus, while also discussing how religion is used by various people and how the media seems to avoid songs that address matters of faith while embracing compositions on violence, sex, and drugs. 1 on Billboard 200", "Pink Earns First No. The album became West's first to top Top Christian Albums, and Top Gospel Albums charts,[16] and made him tie Eminem as the only other act to have nine successive studio albums debut at number one the Billboard 200. Music Talks Most Memorable Studio Sessions With Kanye", "Kanye West on His Next Album, Designing Yeezy, and Kobe Bryant", "No Reading And Writing, But Rapping Instead", "Kanye West Collaborating With Lauryn Hill on New LP", "Common, John Mayer Drop in to Preview Kanye West's Dropout", "15 Things You Didn't Know About Kanye West's "The College Dropout, "The 100 Best Kanye West Songs: 24.