Kanye West – The College Dropout (2xLP)

Kanye (pronounced Kaan-jee) West has been a rising star in the hip-hop producer firmament since Jay Z's the Blueprint. With his beautifully soulful beats, he knows how to get the best out of all the mc's he produces for. Now it is his turn to rap on his solo CD The College Dropout. And Kanye is a fine rapper it must be said. The man from Chicago is no Rakim, but he sounds good over his own beats. And with guests like Common, Jay Z and Talib Kweli, the high quality of this album remains constant. Highlights are We Don't Care, Spaceship and Jesus Walks, a very beautiful honest testimony to Kanye's philosophy on life. With The College Dropout, Kanye West has achieved something that few can: he has found a totally credible balance between hip-hop & R&B. Because his sound is so steeped in soul, his beats can go in two directions: Hiphop and R&B, since soul can be the basis for both types of music. Kanye succeeds wonderfully in doing justice to both black musical forms. Highly recommended!