Play that beat!

Believe me, I adore playing an old school hit like nobody's business, but sometimes there's nothing better than putting on one of your favorite long players, enjoying it for what it is: a tip-top, start to finish "headphone masterpiece".



Usually when I get my iPod up and running, I know exactly what is going to get played, but then there are other times when my mind goes blank and I have no idea what I want to hear and just get my scan on til I encounter something that will satisfy the senses. This past Saturday, on the ride home from work, I decided to press play on this album, something I hadn't done in quite some time. Now, like many people, I purchased this album based on the production Kanye did on other people's tracks. Sure I had never really heard him rap—except on Slow Jamz—but his production skills led me to believe that this album would at least be somewhat decent. Little did I know that The College Dropout would be one of the first hip-hop albums to speak to me—as a black man—in a long time. No offense to those of you who are not black, but with this album Kanye managed to speak on growing up black, growing up in the hood, being misguided, working for the man (YES, THE WHITE MAN GETS PAID OFF ALL OF THAT) and more, as if his album was a guide to the sociology of Urban Life. What else makes this disc wonderful? The fact that West tackles all of the aforementioned subjects without making them sound or feel dated (‘cause rappers have been on the whole low-class/materialism/racism/hoes/bitches/faith thing for a while); the fact that a producer can make an album that does not fail in being extraordinary lyrically and in the delivery department; the fact that he has a sense of humor often lacking in hip-hop (“Slow Jamz”, “New Workout Plan”, “Breathe In, Breathe Out”); the fact that he could take such elitist subject matter and make it universal to all; and most importantly, the fact that he has the courage to say things that many of us won't, don't, or do, but only in the comfort of our own living rooms (e.g. “racism's still alive/they just be concealing it.”) I can't stand his ego, and I am not too keen on the whole Kanye being a prophet thing, but the kid is talented and the "game" needs him. Plus, any rapper who moves me to cry through song gets points in my book. (This happened out of nowhere last summer while on a bus heading to work. The stories and experiences of “Family Business” were so familiar and refreshing to hear on tape.)So big ups Mr. West for knocking your first effort out of the park. Definitely not an easy thing to do.
Key Tracks: We Don't Care, Jesus Walks, All Falls Down

And now, a little old school funk, courtesy of Mr. West.

Work it out!