The College Dropout sold 440,000 copies in its first week, impressive for an artist’s first album.įollowing the release of a rapper’s first album, there is often speculation as to whether an artist’s next album will carry the same success. This first album was met with high praise as Kanye displayed his style by rapping about topics that resonated with him, instead of talking about violence and drugs, which were the dominating topics of the industry at the time. In another standout song from the album, “ Through the Wire ,” Kanye proves his devotion to creativity as he raps about after being involved in a near-fatal accident, which resulted in his jaw being wired shut.Īlbum cover for College Dropout. Image credit: Def Jam Recordings and Roc-A-Fella Records. In this album, Kanye proved his confidence in the single “ Jesus Walks ,” where Kanye says, “They said you can rap about anything except for Jesus.” This song delves into his need for Jesus while simultaneously grabbing people’s attention, as the rap industry had never heard music like this before. Kanye may have described himself best when he said, “I’m on a pursuit of awesomeness, excellence is the bare minimum.” He has been on the forefront of music since the success of his 2004 freshman album, The College Dropout. While his portrayal in the media sometimes paints him as crazy, there is no doubt in my mind that he is the one of the greatest musical artists alive. Living in 2020, it is seemingly impossible to find a person that has not heard of Kanye West. Warning: Some songs mentioned below may contain profanity. Letters to the Editors will be published, but they are subject to revision based on content and length. You can respond in the comments below, but please do so respectfully.

The Match welcomes thoughtful commentary and response to our content. The opinions published by The Match are solely those of the author, and not of the entire publication, its staff, or Collegiate School.

Draw kanye west graduation album