Too soon to call Kanye West’s Graduation a classic album? Not at all. A few years ago when we first opened up the doors here at nappyafro, Graduation was one of the first albums I got to review for the site (Even before we made up our minds to go with the track by track format). It was also the first album on nappyafro to receive 4.5 out of 5 rating. And still to this day I find myself going back to this album and still enjoying it. Yes, Graduation more than deserves the Classic Material title.
Now I can go a lotta ways to prove this point. I could go track and track and show you how almost all the songs are top notch. Or I could talk about how the album showed progression and shifted to a more electronic feel. Or how each track fits with the whole scheme of the album. Or how Ye wasn’t afraid to share production credits with the likes of Nottz, DJ Toomp, & Jon Brion. Or how Kanye flexed his lyrical muscle and buried Weezy on “Barry Bonds”. Or even how this album gave Curtis Jackson a big L in the sales competition.
If Kanye West ended his career today he would have a lotta accolades, but this would be the go to album to showcase his talent. It also proves that he will never have the burden of trying to top his first album like some of Hip-Hop’s elite because so far Graduation is his best album.
Then why did I give Graduation a 4.5? “Drunk & Hot Girls”. In years of listening, it’s starting to grow on me. But switch that track out with the bonus cut “Good Night” and it may deserve the 1/2 of a star.
Sidenote: Front page image.