I like to view Kanye's career in two halves: before and after 808s & Heartbreak. The varying ways Kanye carried himself throughout both periods is painfully obvious, but the thing I miss most is his sense of humor. All of his efforts post Graduation, while widely considered to be his best works, are dead-ass serious. His first three all touched on serious and conscious topics, but there was always something in the atmosphere that gave off the vibe that Kanye was having fun. His first two albums in particular were littered with skits, but they kept the experience lighthearted. Late Registration really embodies the early era Ye. The skits are more prevalent than ever and the guest list is packed with the earliest G.O.O.D. Music members. Jay Z and Consequence are both expected, but Kanye really shakes things up by collaborating with Nas, (keep in mind that him and Jay hated each other back then) Cam'Ron, The Game, and even a young Lupe Fiasco. The stars aligned and Kanye was able to create one of the most cinematic-ally brilliant albums of the decade.
I remember saying the same thing about The College Dropout, though. Hopefully I'm not disappointed...
1. Wake Up Mr. West
I may have just talked up these skits in my preamble, but that doesn't mean you have to listen to them more than once.
2. Heard Em' Say (Feat. Adam Levine)
The album really kicks off with one of my favorite Kanye songs. The overwhelmingly laid back melody is an odd choice to open the show, but somehow it ends up working. I remember hearing Kanye talk about this song a few months ago and he basically said it was his attempt at paying homage to A Tribe Called Quest. I'd never really thought of it quite like that, but now that the idea is in my mind, it's not a bad comparison. Our host flows at the same relaxed tempo that made Q-Tip a star, while his piano carried instrumental perfectly blend into the vocal performance. Great song.
3. Touch the Sky (Feat. Lupe Fiasco)
Kanye does wonders with this albums production, but the best song actually comes from the hands of Just Blaze. Sorry Kanye, but this is one of the greatest compositions Sir Blazington will ever put together. Kanye doesn't put it to waste either, as he sounds likes he had a fucking blast while recording this. I honestly forget how much lyrical power he had back in 2005. Not that he can't spit nowadays, he just chooses not to. Lupe sounds decent enough, but his presence is more of a novelty than anything else.
4. Gold Digger (Feat. Jamie Foxx)
C'mon, am I really supposed to say something about this song that hasn't already been stated? "Gold Digger" is the song that made Kanye into an all-out superstar. I promise, everyone in your family had heard this. Personally, I never remember loving the song when it first came out, but after hearing it in 2014, I can honestly say that its aged quite nicely. The hook, coming at the courtesy of Ray Charles, is catchy as hell and some of Kanye's lyrics are hysterical. That's right, all Django does is impersonate Charles at the beginning. I'm not saying Kanye broke the bank to get Jamie Foxx on the track, but however much he spent was a waste of money.
5. Skit #1
I'd at least appreciate a clever title.
6. Drive Slow (Feat. GLC & Paul Wall)
Holy shit, I completely forgot that Paul Wall made an appearance on here. He doesn't ruin anything, but I just listened to the song and don't remember a damn thing from his performance. That should speak volumes. Anyways, "Drive Slow" uses the same sample that's been included on far too many other tracks. (Tupac's "Shorty Wanna Be A Thug" and Eminem's "No One's Iller" to name a few) This song is better than all of those, though. The instrumental is smooth as shit and really hits the note Kanye was going for, but none of the MCs are slouches. As much as I love this song, I've actually yet to hear its remix with T.I., who I'm not ashamed to say I'm a fan of. If anyone's heard it, let me know how it sounds.
7. My Way Home (Feat. Common)
I told you all that this thing had no shortage of guest features. Common takes things over and never ever lets Kanye appear on his own songs. To be honest, though, this was probably the base idea of a full song that never came to fruition, being as it only last for a little over a minute. Its sounds pretty good, though, so it was a nice move throwing in on here as an interlude of sort.
8. Crack Music (Feat. The Game)
I've seen more than a few people compare this to "Jesus Walks", and I see what there going for, (epic, marching instrumental) but if you listen to even a fourth of the two songs lyrics, I can't imagine someone defending that comparison. There's not much of a deeper meaning to the song entitled "Crack Music", but it sounds pretty nice. Definitely the most in your face moment of Late Registration. On another note, his guest appearance made me realize that I used to really enjoy The Game. I don't care what you think, his last couple projects have been straight garbage.
9. Roses
I've never really cared for this song, partly because of the unsettling vibe it gives off, but I'm assuming that was the whole point. At the time, "Roses" was written for his grandmother, but with the well documented death of Kanye's mother kind of gives this song a whole new meaning. Not one of my favorites, but is can definitely appreciate its presence.
10. Bring Me Down
Here's the only part of Late Registration that really starts to drag on. After the melancholy mood of last songs, I'm honestly not in the mood to here this. Kanye is actually spitting pretty damn hard on here, but the instrumental sounds like shit, no matter how you put it. It also doesn't really help that it features one of the most generic R&B hooks I've heard this week. Meh.
11. Addiction
Ok, now we're right back on track. Not the burst of momentum I seemed to have been asking for on the last song, but this shit just really clicks. Kanye's addictions are no secret, but most of the things he brings up on here are relatable as hell to a majority of the make population. The hook is simple as hell, but the vocal deliver works perfectly with the tone of the songs. One of early signs of Kanye getting really experimental with his production, with this one working better than many of his future works.
12. Skit #2
I have nothing to say about this.
13. Diamonds From Sierra Leone [Remix] (Feat. Jay Z)
You know that awkward feeling when you're at a friends house and they're getting bitched out by their parent. That's what happens here. After Kanye brings up bloods diamonds, (to make this song feel a little more important than it really is) Jay takes it from there, ignoring the topic and completely destroying our host. I don't know if he was still pissed over "Renegade", but Jay obviously had something to prove. It works out alright for all parties, though, as this song is awesome in every category. Kanye's beat still sounds fantastic.
14. We Major (Feat. Nas & Really Doe)
Back when this album dropped, one of the biggest story was how Kanye was able to feature Jigga and his arch nemesis on back to back tracks. It's lost some of its lust (nine years will usually do that) but this songs biggest flaw is how damn long it is. This could have been three, maybe four minutes tops and it still would have made the same impact. It sort of reminds me of "Runaway", where Kanye's artistic tendencies ended up biting him. And no, I didn't just compare the quality this song to "Runaway", the latter is much better. On a more positive note, Nas sounds great on here and I'm really interested to hear how this would have sounded if Jay would have stopped by and dropped the verse that he was supposed to do. Not bad, but "We Major" hasn't aged all that gracefully.
15. Skit #3
Same comment I made on the last skit.
16. Hey Mama
This actually leaked over a year before the album drop, but that didn't take anything away from the song. Of course, this song takes in a whole different meaning after the death of Kanye's mother played such a big role in making him the man he is today. I'm glad Kanye was able to make this during her life time, as it deserved to be heard by his mother. Of the few mother dedications that doesn't sound too corny.
17. Celebration
I never cared for this song. It feels completely out of place after the last song, and there are far too many things going on for it to remain enjoyable for more than a minute. Sorry, but this one gets a skip every time.
18. Skit #4
The final skit in one of the most skit-filled skit albums I've ever heard,
19. Gone (Feat. Cam'Ron & Consequence)
Kanye brings in his buddies for one more song before the night ends and it doesn't disappoint. I'll never go out of my way to defend Killa Cam, (although Purple Haze is a great, yes great, album) but his contributions to this song are nothing short of delightful. Consequence's appearance reminds me why his album was such a disappointment, (somehow that's a compliment) but Kanye takes the cake on this one. His performance along with his work behind the boards help Late Registration end on an extremely high note.
Rating: 4.5/5
The College Dropout is overrated; Late Registration isn't. Its a brilliant album that holds up extraordinary well after nine years. Everything about the album is a progression over his debut, and his work with Jon Brion puts it right up next to Only Built 4 Cuban Linx as one of the most cinematic hip hop albums in history. Fans that prefer Kanye's first album will be shocked to learn that they will change their minds after only a couple listens. I'll always be excited for a new Kanye album, and he may wow me with his upcoming eight track album, but as of today, this is Kanye's most complete, well rounded album. Aside from a few missteps, this is the closest Kanye has come to creating the perfect album that he claims to have. For all those reasons, Late Registration is the man's best work. It's an album that you kind of have to buy.