Posted on 08/29/2005

 

The sophomore slump: it is the most feared affliction for any artiste. The usual solution is to duplicate the freshman product as much as possible. But Kanye West is not the usual hip-hop artist. Quite possibly the most outspoken of any musician of the moment, West is also the most egotistical and likely thinks himself the second coming of Christ. He's established a rapport amongst artists of all genres (from Jay-Z to John Mayer) through his production; and really hit it big with his 2004 debut College Dropout, the first in a planned series of four higher-education themed albums.



hich brings us to Late Registration, one of the most highly anticipated albums of 2005 and an album which could make or break Mr. West's career. Does Kanye deliver with his new release? "Hell Yes" would be a massive understatement.

Deciding that his production work (easily some of the best in hip hop in the last five years) just wasn't enough to outdo his debut, Kanye employed producer Jon Brion (of Fiona Apple and "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" fame) to help spice the mix. The result is an eclectic mix of instrumentation and experimentation blended with the typical Kanye sound of sampled soul (both sped-up and slowed down this time around).

"Heard 'Em Say" features an unlikely collaboration with Adam Levine of Maroon 5, and with its lullaby-like piano melody, serves as the introduction. Levine tells us "nothing's ever promised tomorrow, today", while West displays his improved lyrics and flow. Less successful is the collaboration with Brandy, "Bring Me Down". Although the track features a wonderfully epic beat created by a 20-piece orchestra, Kanye recycles his sub-par verse from the underground classic "Wack Niggaz", while Brandy's vocals appear uninspired.



anye's knack for odd and rare samples has gone out the window in favor of more recognizable tunes. Curtis Mayfield's "Move On Up" is chopped up in the Just Blaze produced "Touch The Sky", an upbeat, danceable, and soulful track that is one of the many highlights of Late Registration. Ray Charles' recognizable crooning has also been given the Kanye treatment, courtesy of the second single, "Gold Digger", which cleverly features Jamie Foxx's uncanny imitation of Charles.

As with College Dropout, Kanye's latest offering is heavy with big-name guest appearances. G.O.O.D. Music labelmate GLC and Houston grill-maker Paul Wall show up on the melodic and jazzy tribute to cruising, "Drive Slow". Common, fresh off the success of his stellar Kanye produced album Be, returns the favor with his own solo track "My Way Home". Def Jam president Jay-Z lends his support to the "Diamonds From Sierra Leone" remix, which features new West lyrics addressing conflict diamonds. Meanwhile, Nas drops by for the seven-minute "We Major".

Never one to stifle his thoughts or feelings, Kanye lashes out "Crack Music", a politically-charged track addressing Presidents Reagan and Bush, the Black Panthers, Osama Bin Laden, and the infestation of crack in the 80s, amongst other issues. With heavy horn tracks counteracted by a melodic chorus, the track becomes eerie as the raps end and haunting strings and spoken-word poetry carry the song to its conclusion.

Picking up where "Family Business" left off, West offers us two compositions dealing with his family. First is the heart-breaking "Roses" a tribute to his sick grandmother, where Kanye finds himself fending off his popularity while he tries to support his stricken family and compares family visits to the hospital to the delivery of flowers. Equally touching is "Hey Mama", a dedication to his mother, a spacey tribute seemingly out of the '60s.

"Gone", an upbeat and orchestral song featuring Cam'ron and Consequence, crescendos with dark violin riffs and a fitting album-closing verse from Kanye.

Of course, Late Registration is not without fault. Kanye is well known for often being a below average rapper, which is apparent during some raps. But for the most part, he is much improved on this release. He has also reached a new high with both his production and concepts, and has provided the rare hip-hop album that doesn't lower the IQ of the listener.

With Late Registration, Kanye has proved he's more than just a one-album wonder. I'd be surprised if this album DIDN'T receive more accolades and better reviews than its predecessor, for the simple fact that he made no attempt to rehash his previous material, and took major risks instead (which have paid off). Mr. West seems to have mastered the art of making hip hop for everyone: the backpacker, the TRL fan, the indie kid, etc. And that spells a very big name for many years to come.