Release Date: February 10, 2004 The College Dropout Record Label: Roc-A-Fella
Produced by Kanye West
02.) “We Don’t Care” (4.5 out of 5)
Produced by Kanye West
This was the perfect track to kick-off “The College Dropout”. Kanye sums it up perfectly by spittin’, “If this is your first time hearing this/You are about to experience somethin’ so cold man!”. This track perfectly sets the tone for the rest of the album. Kanye’s lyrical performance is awfully reminiscent to that of Talib Kweli’s classic “Get By”… which KanyeWest produced.
03.) “Graduation Day” (interlude)
Produced by Kanye West
04.) “All Falls Down” (feat. Syleena Johnson) (5 out of 5)
Produced by Kanye West
Kanye West puts on an outstanding lyrical performance over his outstanding production. Kanye tells the tale of the “Self Conscious” tendencies of young people. The line “Couldn’t afford a car so she named her daughter Alexis (A Lexus)” basically sums-up the plot of the track. If this isn’t considered classic material then I don’t know what is.
05.) “I’ll Fly Away” (interlude)
Produced by Kanye West
06.) “Spaceship” (feat. Consequence and GLC) (4.5 out of 5)
Produced by Kanye West
“If my manager insults me again I will be assaulting him/After I ***** the manager up then I’m gonna shorten the register up!”. If you can’t relate to Kanye’s verse on this track… then you probrobly have never held a job. Consequence and GLC also drop great verses over another one of Kanye’s signature sped-up samples.
07.) “Jesus Walks” (5 out of 5)
Produced by Kanye West
This is one of my personal favorites featured on “The College Dropout”. Listen to the lyrics and you’ll see why I say that this will end-up as a
contender for 2004’s best lyrical performance. Kanye’s production perfectly fits the theme of this track. This is nothing short of outstanding…
08.) “Never Let Me Down” (feat. J. Ivy and Jay-Z) (5 out of 5)
Produced by Kanye West
The production on this track is Grammy-worthy. Kanye West drops an absolutly outstanding verse on this track. Jay-Z drops two outstanding
verses aswell. As-a-matter-of-fact… it’s difficult to decide who drops the better verse on this track… it’s very impressive that Kanye West can
hang with Jay-Z lyrically. J. Ivy drops a lyrical gem on this track also. It’s rather confusing though… it’s difficult to make-out whether J. Ivy is just speaking or rhyming. If he’s infact rhyming then he really needs to work on his flow.
09.) “Get ‘Em High” (feat. Common and Talib Kweli) (4.8 out of 5)
Produced by Kanye West
This may be the best production featured on “The College Dropout”. It also sounds different than any other production featured on the album. If you ask me… Common is HANDS-DOWN the star of “Get ‘Em High”. Hopefully his lyrical performance on this track will give him some of the respect he deserves. Kanye West and Talib Kweli (more-soKanye) both drop great verses. But for some reason I’m a little dissapointed with Kweli’s verse.
10.) “Workout Plan” (interlude)
Produced by Kanye West
11.) “The New Workout Plan” (5 out of 5)
Produced by Kanye West
The production alone on this track easily rates at a “5”. I also love the overall originality of the production. I especially love Bosko’s talk-box drop on this track. Everything about this track is irrisistibly catchy… and when I say catchy… I mean catchy. Good luck getting this track out of your head.
12.) “Slow Jamz” (feat. Jamie Foxx and Twista) (4.8 out of 5)
Produced by Kanye West
The production and the hook on this track easily rates at a “5”. Twista’s flow on this track is also next-to perfect. What’s great about this track is that it’s so damn original. The only reason that I couldn’t find myself to give this track a perfect rating was due to Kanye West’s lyrical performance. It’s by no means wack or even half-way bad… I simply think that it could have been better.
13.) “Breathe In Breathe Out” (feat. Ludacris) (4.2 out of 5)
Produced by Kanye West
Let me start by saying that Kanye’s lyrical performance on this track is arguably his best overall lyrical performance featured on “The College Dropout”. “Eventhough I went to College and dropped outta school quick/I always has a P.H.D…. A Pretty Huge Dick!” and “Baby I fully understand let me help you out with a plan/While he trickin’ off don’t get no rich nigga/Give me some head that’ll really piss him off!” will easily end-up being two of the best punch lines of the year 2004. The production on this track is nice and Ludacris does a pretty nice job with the hook. I’m still dissapointed that Ludacris didn’t drop a verse on this one… it could’ve taken this track to that next level.
14.) “School Spirit, Skit 1” (interlude)
Produced by Kanye West
15.) “School Spirit” (4.2 out of 5)
Produced by Kanye West
Kanye West drops a couple nice verses over one of his signature sped-up samples on this track. This is another track that you’ll find stuck in your head in a matter of days… “School Spirit Muthaaa Fuuuccckkkaaa…”
16.) “School Spirit, Skit 2” (interlude)
Produced by Kanye West
17.) “Lil’ Jimmy” (interlude)
Produced by Kanye West
18.) “Two Words” (feat. Freeway, Mos Def and the Harlem Boys Choir) (5 out of 5)
Produced by Kanye West
Once again creativity reigns supreme on this classic track. Mos Def does an outstanding job proving why he may be the most under-rated MC in Hip-Hop. Freeway and Kanye West also drop outstanding verses over the amazing production of Kanye West. It doesn’t get too much better than this… What more can I say?
19.) “Through The Wire” (5 out of 5)
Produced by Kanye West
I feel as though I don’t even half to justify why I’m calling this track a classic… for the simple reason that if you’ve heard it you should feel the same as me about this track. Everything about this track is a picture of perfection.
20.) “Family Business” (4.5 out of 5)
Produced by Kanye West
The production on this track is top-notch. This track will send you down memory lane… it’ll also make you suddenly want to be around your extended family.
21.) “Last Call” (5 out of 5)
Produced by Kanye West
“Killin’ y’all niggas on that lyrical shit/Mayonaisse colored Benz I push Miracle Whips!”… if you aren’t feeling that line then I don’t know what’s wrong with you. The lyrical performance, the production and the overall concept of “Last Call” is nothing short of classic material. I can sit through the entire twelve mintues and forty seconds of this track without feeling the urge to hit the stop button.
CONCLUSION
This album may be one of the greatest debuts in the history of Hip-Hop. There is not a shadow of a doubt in my mind that “The College Dropout” is nothing short of a classic. The album contains absolutly no filler-material or “skipper tracks”; I can honestly say that I’ve never skipped a single track on the album… I even love the skits because they serve a purpose. The creativity and the quality of this album is simply un-matched in today’s Hip-Hop scene. From the second I first heard “Through The Wire” I couldn’t wait for this album to drop. I’m glad to say that this album is everything I expected it to be… and MORE! If you don’t own this album then please (for your own sake) go out RIGHT NOW and pick-up a copy of “The College Dropout”… you’ll thank me. Kanye West is more than just an outstanding producer… He’s the savior of Hip-Hop!
FINAL RATING: 5 out of 5