MUSIC REVIEWS
Kanye West - Late Registration
David Allun Jones
Was Kanye's off-script rant on the recent Hurricane Katrina telethon a heartfelt spew of pent up frustrations at the government or an attention grabbing publicity stunt ensuring wide spread media attention and possibly an even bigger debut sales week? Knowing Mr. West it was both, and it's that questionable off stage behavior that could become the biggest challenge to a flourishing career. From his tempter tantrums at being shut out at award shows to his shameless self-hyping and conceited arrogance, Kanye ends up getting attention, but for all the wrong reasons. If he would just shut up and let his music speak for itself, critics probably wouldn't hesitate to reward him with perfect scores.
College Dropout was a masterpiece, a hip hop landmark as important as the debuts from Jay Z, Biggie, Nas and Snoop. West's smart, witty wordplay and valiant struggle to be both a God-fearing, socially conscious backpacker poet and Cristal-popping, diamond encrusted rapper made him the most interesting ( and relatable) hip hop figure in a long time. Songs like "We Don't Care", "All Falls Down" and "Jesus Walks" will always resonate as endearing musical achievements. Over a year later and West is forced to prove himself once again, but many, fed up with his tireless lip service secretly want him to fall flat on his face. Knowing their desire, West is determined to best a classic, but can he do it? Unfortunately to some, he can, dishing out another must-have with the "edu-taining" Late Registration.
The second chapter of an on-going college theme that, like the first album, fails to hold up after the first handful of songs, Late Registration is supposed to be the disc where he's living life comfortably post-success and dealing with the turmoil that being a multi-platinum Grammy winner brings. Though time is spent sipping champagne and dismissing the jealous, it's not done the way you expect and Kanye would be satisfied to know that his efforts to not be predictable have worked.
Being a success may bring him better looking females and the means to buy expensive whips, but West still wants to stay true to himself and rep for the everyday man. It's an appreciated move that keeps his lyrics miles above everyone else's. He flashbacks to a time before the high-profile production credits when most wouldn't touch his beats or when his mother lay on her near-deathbed with her family praying for a miraculous recovery, expressed in Kodak-like precision ("Roses). He dwells on the negative perception that he wouldn't amount to much, comments on the government's involvement of the 80's crack epidemic ("Crack Music") and ponders the juxtaposition of wearing diamonds despite the abuse the children of Sierra Leone might have went through to make him bling ("Diamonds Are Forever").
Even more light-hearted tunes are performed with a heavy hand. The catchy hit "Gold Digger" pairs Kanye with the uber-talented Jamie Foxx in an extension of his Oscar-winning "Ray" performance but even it's playful vibe couldn't detract from the thoughtful Maury Povich-commentary underneath. Meanwhile, celebrity contributions from Jay Z, Paul Wall, Brandy, Common, Nas and Cam'ron (alongside lesser-known GLC and Consequence) are all surprisingly stellar with each artist dropping grand cameos, no doubt influenced by the feverish input of West.
Late Registration's greatest outside influence arrives with noted alt/ rock producer Jon Brion. He brings along a sense of richness to his arrangements, embellishing on West's soulful sample loops with live instruments and classical twists that open up what could've been stilted hip hop beats into something much more wondrous and epic, making the music as larger than life as Kanye can be at times.
An album that is as much hip hop as much as it isn't, Late Registration becomes another musical highlight that will spur even more arguments of West's skills for years and possibly grab him the Album of The Year Grammy he lost the last time around. Still, Kanye might not want to hi-jack such acclaim by continuing to overshadow his top notch work with such silly pronouncements and self-cheerleading. The album doesn't need his help to become the behemoth it should, and most likely will, become.
