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Kanye West
By Marcus Townsend
Kanye West is an influential American rapper, producer, fashion designer, and entrepreneur who has made an impact and provoked controversy in equal measure in the fields of music, fashion, and pop culture. West was born on June 8, 1977, in Atlanta, Georgia, but moved to Chicago at a young age and went on to attain fame as a producer before emerging as one of the typically contested figures in hip-hop.
Throughout his time in music, he has made over 10 studio albums. This is so interesting because each of his ten albums, takes place during a different point of Kanye’s life, and it shows within in his lyrics and how he chooses to use his voice in his songs. Out of the 10 albums, there are multiple albums that have influenced his career and have had a major impact on how he used his voice and continued to use it for the rest of his career.
1. The College Dropout
The College Dropout is the Kanye’s debut project and was the album that kickstarted his rapping career. Before this album Kanye was only seen as a producer, most notably producing songs for Jay-Z on his hit project, “The Blueprint”. The album dives into the meanings of aspiration and identity, as well as claims of self-doubt. Kanye frankly faces his obstacles concerning such issues regarding what society expects, the education system, and the compulsion to conform. The College Dropout describes how he decided to leave school for the pursuit of music, a step many deemed a gamble, but which became an integral part of his character. Songs like “All Falls Down” and “Through the Wire”, point at those themes perfectly, while the song “Jesus Walks” speaks upon faith and spirituality. Showing him finding his voice spiritually too is also a pivotal theme of this album as well.
2. Late Registration
Late registration is the follow up to his debut album, “The College Dropout”. It is essentially a sequel to his continued dilemma of hardships and struggles. Throughout the album, Kanye borrows inspiration from the society's pursuit of status and wealth, especially how it manifests for the rapper. He addresses the cost of lifestyle luxury and moral dilemmas with tracks such as "Diamonds from Sierra Leone," while "Gold Digger" critiques gain-driven relationships. Issues such as feelings of doubt, pressure, and lack of security are subjects that Kanye throws upon himself. His song "Heard 'Em Say" points mostly to social concerns and worries, then again, he spoke of addiction to things and desire's Moh-like effect of destruction; besides, there's really nothing more to discuss on "Addiction". Kanye takes the search for of the social and political context in which he talks about issues concerning class, race, and identity. For instance, the song "Crack Music" touches on the critique of the systemic influence of the drug war on that famous "Roses". The album is also about the relationships that Kanye has with family or other people around him. "Hey Mama" is simply a demonstration of his love together with the gratitude he must have for his mother.
3. Graduation
Graduation is the third and final album to complete the trilogy with “The College Dropout” and “Late Registration”. Graduation is Kanye's homage to his own personal accomplishments and ambition. The album portrays the authenticity of making it in the music industry and expresses wanting to push boundaries and overcoming obstacles. Tracks like "Stronger" and "Good Life" mark the euphoria and raptures of success, while "Champion" manifests the determination and will to achieve excellence. In addition, life reflections on what is denoted by flashes of riches is majorly talked about on "I Can’t Tell Me Nothing." Aspects of loneliness, insecurity, and much more public exposure are brought through failed eclipses. A closing bracket on public treason lies between celebrating success and intricacies that come with it. Graduation proves enough confidence to offset the doubting Thomases, nay-sayers, and obstacles. With a Daft Punk sample, "Stronger" and "I Wonder" showcase his self-empowerment and belief in his vision. He is committed to this course even against the resistance of faces that have been raised against it. Same as that, it does reflect the truth that Kanye wants to change hip-hop-and even music-as a whole with his voice.
4. 808s & Heartbreak
808s & Heartbreak, as suggested by the title, is one of the most emotional Kanye West albums he has. It took a major turn from the school theme shown previously from the last three albums. This album was recorded during a very turbulent time in Kanye’s life, and he uses his voice throughout the album to paint the viewer a picture of what troubles he faced. One of the main themes throughout the album was Kanye's wrestling with grief, loss and accompanying emotions derived from a lost relationship with his mother and fiancée. For the most part, the album speaks to his emotional distress and the emptiness he faced after the departure of his mother, Donda West, and the unresolve of his relationship with his fiancée. Some songs like "Coldest Winter" and "RoboCop" are about heartbreak, emotional detachment, and yearning. This is where the isolation and loneliness manifest; Kanye uses Auto-Tune to portray a level of vulnerability or emotional depth. Tracks like "Heartless" and "Welcome to Heartbreak", are a very much a picture of a man outside of the world around him and one who really wrestles with a certain emptiness that neither fame nor wealth can fill. Of course, the bulk of the album is dedicated to grief and loss, but it also turns on themes of love and failed romances. It illustrates how love is complicated, often painful or even squandered in the end. On the other hand, tracks like "Love Lockdown" and "Heartless" highlight the challenging maintenance of relationships within the chaotic fabric of his personal life and public personal. On this album, the brashness that normally defines Kanye is stripped away. It allows him to present a rather introspective and emotionally raw side of him. The minimalistic yet hauntingly produced album matches the emotional gravity of the lyrics such that Kanye would express his vulnerability as he hadn't done before.
5. My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy is one of the most critically acclaimed albums and is highly regarded as his best body of work. This album takes place a year after Kanye goes on stages at the MTV awards and disregards Taylor Swift winning her award by saying Beyonce should have won instead. This incident sparks a downward spiral in Kanye’s life and is a complete shift from his album, “Graduation”. A central theme of this album is the rendering of the dark side of fame. Some singles such as "Power" and "Runaway" deeply criticize all those things that come to mediate arrangements such as pressures and distortions put by celebrity status, thus it's conceptualized by the wielding of power and the temptress. Throughout the album, atonement is felt, most especially in tracks like such as "Blame Game" and "Lost in the World," where he battles individual battles and seeks redemption in his relationships and within himself. The album explores relationship and love as complex; mostly, it is troubled and characterized by emotional suffering. Tracks such as "Runaway" and "All of the Lights" touch upon yearning, shame, and the dissolution of romantic ties, where Kanye gives himself a piece of advice by reflecting on what he deems bad, and the emotional wreckage left in his wake. Tension throughout the album exists between the fanciful and the real. A "dark twisted fantasy" represents a surreal quantity, almost nightmare-like, to Kanye's experiences in this struggle for making some measure of harmony between his desires and grim realities. The album works with this juxtaposition to really blur lines between the ideal life of success and the painful reality that comes with success.
Conclusion
Kanye West has had plenty of changes and developments in his music throughout his career, these developments being a sign of his influence over music and culture. His transition from The College Dropout (2004), for which he brought about a unique combination of soulful production and introspective lyrics, to the experimental sounds of 808s & Heartbreak (2008), his work has never failed to exemplify personal strife and social critique. Each album has been chronologically important in understanding his own life, ambitions, and artistic vision.
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