Ali's Basement

 

So far in 2007, I have been really disappointed with all major-released hip hop music. But, I knew Kanye was going to be dropping Graduation this year and he always delivers. Now, I had heard the two singles ”Can’t Tell Me Nothing” and “Stronger”, both which I enjoyed. I’ll be honest, I didn’t think ”CTMN” was an instant hit and then I gave it a closer listen and I realized how amazing the beat was and how well the lyrics and Jeezy adlibs fit with the song. I thought “Stronger” was an instant classic with the sample of Daft Punk, I label it ‘Song of the Summer’ and I’m still jamming to it till the end of the year.

Rating System: ♦ (next track) to ♦♦♦♦♦ (heavy rotation) 

Find the samples from Kanye West’s Graduation here

1. Good Morning (Intro)

Ye’ enters the track with a simple drum beat and launches into “Good Morning” with a hollowing sample in the background. It sent chills down my spine. Right off the bat ‘Ye spits a hype rap and stunts on the track, “I’m the fly Malcolm X, buy any jeans necessary.” ♦♦♦♦♦

2. Champion

“Did you realize that you were a champion in their eyes!” sings Lauryn Hill. He get’s personal on this track talking about his childhood and coming up in the game, as he says “to me giving up is harder than trying.” This is a true life anthem. ♦♦♦♦♦

3. Stronger

“Do anybody make real shit anymore?” Yes, Mr. West, you. I was hooked the minute I heard this song, it’s my freakin’ jam. ‘Ye stunts so hard on this: “bow in the presence of greatness, cuz right now thou has forsaken this, you should be honored by my lateness, that I would even show up to this fake shit.“ You should have said that shit at the VMAs and then walked out, lol, that would have been dope. This track will get you so hype, it’s got me high on life right now. I will bang this anywhere in the world, it’s hood, it’s pop, it’s dance, it’s whatever you want. “Don’t act like I didn’t tell you.“ ♦♦♦♦♦

4. I Wonder

“I wonder if you know what it means, what it means, to find your dreams” … wow, you can just zone out to this track. I’m zoning right now just listening to it. This is another pick me up track, ‘Ye has achieved his dreams and now he wants his fans to do the same, so he asks do you know what your dreams are? “You ever wonder what it all means, you wonder if you’ll ever find your dreams.“ Dream big folks. ♦♦♦♦

5. Good Life (feat. T-Pain)

“Like we always do at this TIME!” This is single #3 and I LOVE this track, it’s got me so amped. Folks, welcome to the good life of music and watch out for a shout out to your hometown, big ups VA. The writing on here is hilarious, “You pop the trunk, I pop the hood, Ferrari.” When I first heard that T-Pain was on it, I was a bit concerned thinking that he was just jumping on the bandwagon, but I understand his vision after watching 106, “my albums are time capsules and when you look back at ‘07, who are you going to remember? Kanye, T-Pain and Lil Wayne (also featured on the CD)”. The video is bananas too, check it out. ♦♦♦♦♦

6. Can’t Tell Me Nothing

I know a lot of people don’t understand this song but he’s basically explaining his past actions, in terms of his tantrums and acting out. Also, just because he’s got money now doesn’t mean he’s going to change or forget where he came from. You just can’t tell him nothing, he’s going to be him and you got to love him for that. I like to see this kind of passion from my entertainers. ”If the devil wear prada, adam & eve wea nada, I’m in between but way more fresher.“ The video is off the hook and do check out the remix with Jeezy, Lil Wayne and Busta Rhymes. ♦♦♦♦♦

7. Barry Bonds (Feat. Lil’ Wayne)

Here is another track I was worried about. I think Wayne puts out some good stuff from time to time but he’s too inconsistent. Also, he’s an idiot half the time by saying he is the best rapper alive. Well, obviously we see how wrong he is, ‘Ye murders him on this track. This track doesn’t really fit with the rest of the album but it’s pretty much just a swagger fest between ‘Ye and Wayne, it’s good entertainment. The beat is real simple, but it’s sick and goes real hard with the horns and drums. ♦♦♦

8. Drunk And Hot Girls (Feat. Mos Def)

The two disappoints on the CD are back to back. This is not the best way to use Mos Def, you can barely hear him on the track. I’m still not used to this track and it’s going to take several spins for it to grow on me. I kind of understand how it fits into the “college” theme, dudes are always trying to get with these drunken hot girls and in the end it turns out to way more effort than it’s worth. Basically, ‘Ye tells of his gripes with these girls and in the end he gets stuck with the girl for life when he planned for only one night. According to Crimson White ”He got the idea for the song when he misunderstood a lyric in the Can song “Sing Swan Song.” The song features eerie strings over hard-hitting synths while Kanye raps about girls in tight dresses putting drinks on his tab and all the other troubles women bring him..” I still wish ‘Ye and Mos would have spit fire on some social/political issues, but I guess he had a  little ’sippy, sippy’ on this track. ♦♦♦

9. Flashing Lights (feat. Dwele)

This track starts of with a very epic beat and launches into a catchy chorus of “flashing lights, lights lights” with Dwele adding an additional chorus that adds to the allure of this track and his voice rides the beat very nicely. This is another one you can zone out to and it’s just so futuristic, you’ll love it.  I can’t wait to hear this booming in stadiums and arena across the world. ♦♦♦♦♦

10. Everything I Am

This is my joint right here! One of my favorite tracks, folks sometimes your shortcomings are what make you unique. The piano rides the beat so well, I can’t believe Common passed on the beat. DJ Primier provides the perfectly placed cuts and scratches as ‘Ye spits, “I never could see why people’ll reach a, Fake-ass facad they couldn’t keep up, Y’see how I creeped up?, Y’see how I played a big role in Chicago like Queen Latifah?“ ’Ye also takes time to drop some knowledge on social issues and shows clearly why his music is on a higher level than any of this gun-totting rappers, “I know that people wouldn’t usually rap this, but I got the facts to back this, just last year, Chicago had over 600 caskets, man, killin’s some wack shit, oh, I forgot, ‘cept for when nigga’s is rappin’” ♦♦♦♦♦

11. The Glory

‘Ye takes it back to the College Dropout days on this one with the hype soulful sample. He spits fire out the gate, “Can I talk my shit again? Even if I don’t hit again?“ ’Ye just stunts on his track and tells you all he did it for the love, the hype, the game, and he’s taking it all. So many good one-liners on this one “class back in session so i upt it a grade, two years the dwayne wayne became the wayne wade” and when he spits his hardest stunt, he goes ape shit, “but with my ego, I can stand there with a speedo, and still be looked at like a fukin hero.” WOW ♦♦♦♦♦

12. Homecoming (feat. Chris Martin)

I love Coldplay and when I heard about the collabo I was really excited especially after hearing Jay-Z’s ‘Beach Chair’. But, to my disappointment ‘Ye used the lyrics from ‘Home’ which was left off of College Dropout and replaced the soulful beat featuring John Legend with Chris Martin. Now, I understand that he wants to always push the envelope and keep reinventing himself, but I see nothing wrong with using a formula that the people love. I have to tell you the John Legend version kills this version. If you can find it check it out. I still like this track because the story is so good, check for the methapor game on this one, it’s sick. ♦♦♦♦

13. Big Brother

I’m the biggest ROC fan and I love Jay-Z, the GOAT. A lot of people don’t understand my fascination with Jay and Kanye, they’re always trying to argue about Pac, BIG, and Nas, but you know what, those dudes just don’t do it for me, they don’t hype me up and motivate me like Jay and ‘Ye. This is one of the realest tracks from Kanye, probably one of his most personal ones as well. He speaks about the ups and downs of his relationship with the boss, Jay-Z. Some good and some bad, though I’d love to get into Jay’s head and understand his reasons for keep Kanye at a distance, was he teaching him a lesson or just not letting him get too close? I guess we’ll never know. But, ‘Ye paints this picture beautifully on a nicely matched up beat.

14. Good Night (feat. Mos Def & Al Be) (BONUS AUS/UK/JPN ONLY)

I was extremely upset this wasn’t on the CD in the US. If the CD begins with Good Morning, why not end it with Good Night? Mos is killer on the hook, it’s pretty mellow track but I really like it. I highly recommend everyone finding this track and adding it to their collection. ♦♦♦♦

Ladies and Gentlemen, turn up your stereos and get ready for the best ride of ‘07, your only complaint will be that you want more Kanye!

~ by alisbasement on September 13, 2007.