In a recent interview with Paste magazine, producer and hip-hop bombshell Kanye West let the public in on his plan. "I decided that I'm really going to be the number-one artist in the world," he said, "And that's the way I'll really get up into that multimillion. I'll get up there through music."
He may be a lot of talk, but the truth is, he's on his way.
With the release of his third album, Graduation, Sept. 11, West not only graduates into a comfortable place in the pop canon but finds himself next to musicians such as Bob Dylan as one of the few contemporary artists whose last three albums have been ambitious, interesting and consistently good.
Following previous multi-platinum hits The College Dropout and Late Registration, Graduation continues West's celebration of himself and simultaneously adds a new layer of depth. West's "celebration of the self" has been evident through all of his albums. But it goes beyond what we hear in his music. It is embedded in his style, in his character and in all those stories we've read on Page Six about West saying "George Bush doesn't care about black people." It is beyond bombastic or arrogant; it's a complete self-assurance in his talent and capabilities. It's coupled, however, with a sense of realism acknowledging the fact that the face of pop and hip-hop is changing.
Finished within weeks of its release, Graduation taps some of the more-used sources in sampling, namely Michael Jackson, R&B and soul, as well as less conventional sources in rock music. The CD opens with "Good Morning," during which West ushers in the listener over synthesizers (West's favorite toy) and a constant snare hit. In it West addresses the college motif (dropping out, shout-outs to teachers, etc.) present throughout all of his solo albums before letting Jay-Z call out to hustlers. The next song, "Champion" (this reviewer's favorite track on the album), is West's shout-out to himself. It's the quintessential celebration song and could stylistically be placed next to The College Dropout's "All Falls Down" and Late Registration's "Heard 'Em Say." Chorus: "Did you realize / that you were a champion?" West: "Yes I did."
You've probably heard at least one of the singles on the radio, either West's adaptation of Daft Punk's funky-robot sound in "Stronger" or his token "serious" attitude in "Can't Tell Me Nothin." Despite the seemingly glaring difference in style and sound in the songs, both are exemplary of West's "name-dropping." Each song hits several cultural reference points, and both drop name brands, celebrities and easily identifiable advertisements.
West has been equated to the artistic level of Andy Warhol, not only in his celebration of everything himself but in his celebration and recognition of a new sort of contemporary kitsch that is prominent in his music and image. The synthesizers, the gold chains and weird sunglasses, the album cover done by Takashi Murakami (a Japanese artist who specializes in celebrating low art) and the supposed-arrogant self-image all paint West as a product and advocate of contemporary world culture. And like Warhol, who was often accused of elitism and being all show, West seemingly struggles with being taken seriously as a character.
West isn't right on all the time. Some songs on Graduation lack his unique style. "Drunk and Hot Girls" featuring Mos Def, for example, doesn't seem to fit with the rest of the album. It's literally what you think it might be about, but with an unpleasant and distasteful sound. It's surprising that a talent-loaded artist like Mos Def (and West, actually) would sing over a menacing beat the lyrics "We gone through too much bullshit to mess with these drunk and hot girls."
Luckily, songs like "Everything I Am," a slower bluesy track with soul and crowdpleasers like "Good Life" featuring T-Pain (blast this one in the car with the windows down) balance out the very few weaker parts of Graduation. And maybe that's OK; despite what he may say or think, West isn't always perfect. Graduation signals West's graduation into maturity: technically as a producer, success-wise as a celebrity and musically as an artist. No longer will you have to skip the skits on West's albums; now you can look for thoughtful bonus tracks (will John Mayer's "Bittersweet Poetry" make the cut?) and listen for West's use of unconventional sounds and influences in his music. But really, and perhaps most importantly, you can help West pat himself on the back. He deserves it.
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