Graduation (album): Difference between revisions
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The album was met by widespread critical acclaim and commercial success. Selling nearly a million copies in its first week alone, ''Graduation'', which was nominated for Grammy Album of the Year, has received three [[Grammy Award]]s, including [[Best Rap Album]], thereby making West the only artist other than [[Eminem]] to win three Best Rap Album Grammys. The continuously evolving and increasingly [[experimental music|experimental]], genre-bending sonancy of West's [[hip hop production]] was encapsulated by ''[[Rolling Stone]]'', which awarded ''Graduation'' a near-perfect 4.5 stars rating and quipped, "We look forward to Kanye’s next phase, which we will hope will include homages to [[the Melvins]] and a drizzle of [[accordion]]."<ref name="Brackett"/><ref>{{cite web |author= |title= Kanye West “Graduation” Sneak Peek: Synth Crazy! |url=http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2007/05/23/kanye-west-graduation-sneak-peek-synth-crazy/|work=[[Rolling Stone]] |publisher=[[RealNetworks|RealNetworks, Inc]] |date=2007-05-23 |accessdate=2007-05-23}}</ref> Graduation's first week sales, over 957,000, was the highest first week sales in [[Def Jam]] history. |
The album was met by widespread critical acclaim and commercial success. Selling nearly a million copies in its first week alone, ''Graduation'', which was nominated for Grammy Album of the Year, has received three [[Grammy Award]]s, including [[Best Rap Album]], thereby making West the only artist other than [[Eminem]] to win three Best Rap Album Grammys. The continuously evolving and increasingly [[experimental music|experimental]], genre-bending sonancy of West's [[hip hop production]] was encapsulated by ''[[Rolling Stone]]'', which awarded ''Graduation'' a near-perfect 4.5 stars rating and quipped, "We look forward to Kanye’s next phase, which we will hope will include homages to [[the Melvins]] and a drizzle of [[accordion]]."<ref name="Brackett"/><ref>{{cite web |author= |title= Kanye West “Graduation” Sneak Peek: Synth Crazy! |url=http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2007/05/23/kanye-west-graduation-sneak-peek-synth-crazy/|work=[[Rolling Stone]] |publisher=[[RealNetworks|RealNetworks, Inc]] |date=2007-05-23 |accessdate=2007-05-23}}</ref> Graduation's first week sales, over 957,000, was the highest first week sales in [[Def Jam]] history. |
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Banana, apple, pears, oranges, grapes, plum, kiwi friut, passion fruit. |
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==Conception== |
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''Graduation'' is the third and final installment of Kanye West's planned tetralogy of education-themed studio albums, which was subsequently discontinued due to the events surrounding the conception of his fourth album, ''[[808s & Heartbreak]]''.<ref name=ODB>{{cite web | last=Patel | first=Joseph | coauthors= | title=Producer Kanye West's Debut LP Features Jay-Z, ODB, Mos Def | url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1472302/20030604/index.jhtml?headlines=true | date=2003-06-05 | work=[[MTV]] | publisher=[[MTV Networks]] | accessdate=2009-04-21}}</ref> The album demonstrates yet another distinctive evolution in West's musical style and approach to production. After spending the previous year touring the world with [[Dublin, Ireland|Dublin]] [[rock music|rock]] band [[U2]] on their [[Vertigo Tour]], Kanye felt inspired to compose anthemic rap songs that could operate more efficiently in large arenas.<ref name=GradListen/> To accomplish this "stadium-status" endeavor, West incorporated [[synthesizer]] into his [[hip hop production]], which also finds him utilizing slower [[tempo]]s, experimenting with [[electronic music]] and influenced by [[1980s in music|music of the 1980s]].<ref name=Crosely/> In addition to U2, West drew musical inspiration from [[arena rock]] bands such as [[The Rolling Stones]] and [[Led Zeppelin]] in terms of [[melody]] and [[chord progression]].<ref name=Crosely>{{cite web |author= Crosley, Hillary|title=Graduation|url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/reviews-album/graduation-1003636811.story#/bbcom/reviews-album/graduation-1003636811.story|work=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |publisher=[[Nielsen Business Media|Nielsen Business Media, Inc]]|date=2007-09-15|accessdate=2007-09-15}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | author=Laws, Angel | title=Exclusive Interview W/ Kanye West| url=http://concreteloop.com/interviews-kanyewest| work=Concrete Loop | publisher=concreteloop.com | date=2007-10-05 | accessdate=2007-10-05}}</ref> Additionally, West further expanded his musical palette by abstaining himself from his customary [[R&B]]/[[soul music|soul]] samples and instead utilized a more eclectic variety of interpolations from music genres encompassing [[pop rock]], [[Euro disco|Euro-disco]], [[electronica]], [[progressive rock]], and [[dub music|dub]]. For much of the album, West adopted a dilatory, exuberant [[rapping|rap]] delivery in emulation of [[Bono]]'s operatic [[Britpop]] vocal stylings.<ref name=GradListen/> |
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NOW YOU KNOW MY FAVERITE FRUITS! im so dum i dont no how to spel |
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tee hee |
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==Recording== |
==Recording== |
Revision as of 23:07, 30 November 2009
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Graduation is the third studio album by American hip hop artist Kanye West, released on September 11, 2007 on Roc-A-Fella Records in the United States. Recording sessions for the album took place over the course of a two years at various studios located in New York City and Los Angeles. It was primarily produced by West and DJ Toomp, and features guest contributions from artists Mos Def, Dwele T-Pain, Lil Wayne, and Chris Martin of Coldplay. Graduation concludes the college theme of Kanye West's previous two studio albums, The College Dropout and Late Registration. The album's cover artwork was designed by Japanese artist Takashi Murakami.
Inspired by Dublin rock band U2 to make more inspirational, anthemic rap music, West incorporated synthesizer into his production and dabbled with electronic music while sampling a wide spectrum of musical genres. Lyrically, Graduation is more introspective in comparison to its predecessors, as West dedicated a much of the album towards analyzing himself and conveying his ambivalent outlook on his newfound fame.
The album was met by widespread critical acclaim and commercial success. Selling nearly a million copies in its first week alone, Graduation, which was nominated for Grammy Album of the Year, has received three Grammy Awards, including Best Rap Album, thereby making West the only artist other than Eminem to win three Best Rap Album Grammys. The continuously evolving and increasingly experimental, genre-bending sonancy of West's hip hop production was encapsulated by Rolling Stone, which awarded Graduation a near-perfect 4.5 stars rating and quipped, "We look forward to Kanye’s next phase, which we will hope will include homages to the Melvins and a drizzle of accordion."[8][11] Graduation's first week sales, over 957,000, was the highest first week sales in Def Jam history.
Banana, apple, pears, oranges, grapes, plum, kiwi friut, passion fruit.
NOW YOU KNOW MY FAVERITE FRUITS! im so dum i dont no how to spel
tee hee
Recording
West began working on Graduation immediately after the release of his second studio album Late Registration. By late September 2005, he had already completed three songs for the album, which he intended to contain a total of twelve tracks.[12] Around the time of the recording of the studio album, Kanye listened to songs by folk singer-songwriters Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash in hopes of developing methods to augment his wordplay and storytelling ability. The former had been recommended to him by multiple friends, including English disc jockey Samantha Ronson, who all claimed that the way West dealt with the press reminded them of Dylan.[13] Kanye also listened to his favorite alternative rock bands, including The Killers, Radiohead, Modest Mouse, and Keane for ideas on making his music more stadium-friendly.[13] In comparison to previous albums, Graduation expresses fewer guest apperarances. T-Pain, Detroit R&B singer Dwele, and New York rapper Mos Def are featured within individual tracks to sing hooks and choruses. In January 2007 interview with Billboard, West revealed that he had collaborated with Coldplay lead vocalist Chris Martin on "Homecoming", and that the song was might possibly be released as lead single of Graduation.[14] The collaboration came about the year before when the two met during an impromptu jam session at Abbey Road Studios.[15] Though he originally intended Graduation to be completely devoid of guest rap verses, Kanye later invited New Orleans rapper Lil Wayne on the track "Barry Bonds."[16] At the time, the two had been collaborating, with West working on the production of Tha Carter III.[17] It was around the time of the filming of the music video for "Stronger" that the album started taking definite form, whereas prior West had been "aimlessly making songs". The sci-fi imagery of the Hype Williams-directed video inspired West to take his music in a more futuristic direction.[18] After the filming of the video, which begun before West had even written the song's second verse, he went back to redo and re-record various portions of "Stronger", watching films like Total Recall for ideas.[18] West cites "I Wonder" as one of his three favorite tracks from the album. He considered releasing it as a single but released "Flashing Lights" instead.[19] The album sees the return of multi-instrumentalist Jon Brion, who had played a key role as co-execute producer on Late Registration, for the track "Drunk and Hot Girls."[14] The beat of "The Glory" was originally conceived for West's G.O.O.D. Music associate, close friend, a fellow Chicagoan MC Common, whose seventh studio album Finding Forever was being produced and recorded by West simultaneously with Graduation.[17][20] As was the case with their previous albums, certain tracks West originally crafted for Finding Forever that Common passed on subsequently ended up on his own album.[21] "Everything I Am" was yet another song made for Common that he passed on, a fact which West addresses within the song's intro.[17] Though "Bittersweet Poetry" appears as a bonus track on the album, the recording had actually been one of the very first tracks made for Late Registration.[22] After seeing the 2004 biographical film Ray together, Kanye and John Mayer decided to collaborate on a recording and immediately went back to the studio to compose a song called "Bittersweet". The two had previously worked side-by-side while creating "Go!", the third single for Common's album, which had come about when Mayer went to visit West at The Record Plant in Los Angeles.[23][24]
Music
Musical style
With Graduation, West departed from the warm soul samples of The College Dropout and the lush chamber pop orchestration of Late Registration and moved towards a more atmospheric rock-tinged, electronic soundscape. The musical evolution arose from him listening to muscial genres encompassing European Britpop and Euro-disco, American alternative/indie rock, and his native Chicago house.[6] Towards this end, Kanye retracted the live instrumentation that characterized his previous album and had it replaced with heavy, gothic synths.[25] West injected distorted synth-riffs, rave stabs, house beats, and an array of modulated electronic sound effects into his hip hop production.[6] Despite the dominant synthetic attributes, the emphasis on organic string arrangements that accentuated Late Registration remained a significant factor on Graduation.[13] Also, similar to its predecessor, the album didn't relegate itself to simplistic looping techniques typical of conventional hip hop and instead continued to implement sudden musical shifts within its multi-layered song structures and express intricately composed introductions, bridges, and codas.[26] Under the belief that his previous album had been too indulgent and poorly arranged, West fashioned Graduation to contain less ornate production and made the album completely devoid of skits and sequenced it in such a way that it produced a more cohesive package.[8][13]
Production
The album's opening track, "Good Morning" intiates the opus on a sparse note, retaining metallic percussion and a simplistic chorus in which West recites "Good Morning" backed by a melody laced with sythesizer and a nonverbal vocal sample of "Someone Saved My Life Tonight" by Elton John.[27] The anthemic "Champion" contains slight jazz-pop influence, eschewing trumpets in favour of bright synthesizers and featuring breezy hooks provided by chopped up a vocal sample of "Kid Charlemagne" by Steely Dan. It also contains a reggae-flavored bridge delivered by Connie Mitchell of the Australian electronic group Sneaky Sound System.[27] More than any other song on the entire album, "I Wonder" was most influenced by the music of Dublin rock band U2, as West elaborated that he had sought out to make a hip-hop equivalent to the band's "City of Blinding Lights" with the track.[28] It begins with a piano-led introduction that contains a hook provided by a vocal sample of "My Song" by British jazz-folk poet Labi Siffre, before transforming into a convoluted synthesizer riff punctuated by a distorted beat amd ethereal electronic keyboards. During the song's bridge, the chord progression alternates, its organic piano keys return, and it adopts a string section which replicates the melody of its synths. The composition then enters a coda where its instrumental plays alongside a sweeping string arrangement before finally drawing itself to a close.[6] "Good Life" utilizes multi-tracked, interlocking vocals that harmonize with guest singer T-Pain's auto-tuned voice. The song's melody is based on sampled keyboards from P.Y.T. by Michael Jackson, with the tempo slightly decreased and the pitch raised to the point its sound resembles squealing shrieks.[29] "Barry Bonds" is built on a moaning bass line and gothic organ, while punctuated by wailing sampled from "Long Red" by Mountain.[7][8] "Drunk and Hot Girls" exhibits a sluggish waltz pitched with the rhythm of an Eastern European drinking song.[30] It contains a mix of dark orchestration and detuned electronics with elements of "Sing Swan Song" by German progressive rock band Can.[6] West claimed that while listening to the song, he heard the line "drunk and hot girls" in place of the actual "drunky hot bowls" lyrics.[13] Rather than rap, West and guest artist Mos Def sing along to the song's melody.[7] Composed in the key of F♯ minor, "Flashing Lights" is written in common time and moves at 90 beats per minute. The main and background vocal range for the song spans nearly three octaves, from C4 to E5. Opening with a gradual, rising crescendo of symphonic strings, the songs emits synth twinklings before transforming into a moderately-paced, synth-driven beat. After the introduction, in which Mitchell's processed vocals repeat the titular hook four times, West raps the two verses, each one followed by the chorus sung by Dwele coupled with the hook. Following a break, the song enters a passage where its heavily manipulated hook echoes in and out before the coda draws the composition to a close.[27] The tracks "Everything I Am" and "The Glory" experience an ephemeral, nostalgic return of West's past production techniques.[1] "Everything I Am" gradually alternates between two piano loops accentuated by soulful cooing, coupled with a scratched hook formed with a vocal sample containing the line, "Damn, here we go again" from "Bring the Noise" by Public Enemy provided by DJ Premier.[27] The uptempo "The Glory" revisits the "chipmunk soul" that once defined Kanye's early production, displaying a defiant, sped-up vocal sample of "Save The Country" by Laura Nyro backed by uplifting string arrangements and a gospel choir symphony.[1] Chris Martin sings choruses and provides gospel-style piano playing on "Homecoming", where the chatter of a noisy crowd can inexplicably be heard in the background.[13] Like many songs on the album, "Big Brother" expresses slow, rock-tinged production, featuring mid-tempo drum programming embellished with melodic synthesizer and backed by rhythmic, distorted guitar chords. The album's final track "Good Night" expresses production characteristics that would be the foundation of West's next musical evolution. Within the minimalistic song, Kanye juxtaposes the crude, mechanical sounds of 8-bit music with the elegant, traditional sound of a classical piano.[30]
Lyrical content
In comparison to previous albums, which were largely driven by observational commentary on matters pertaining to social welfare, Graduation is more introspective in nature and addresses personal themes.[31] Kanye stated that he wanted to make inspirational music and placed more focus on individual perspective and experience that listeners could connect with in an attempt to create "people's theme songs."[28] Dismayed that the messages behind his complex lyricism were frequently lost on listeners and didn't carry well during live performances, West made an attempted to simplify his lyrics and use more skeletal rhyme schemes for his verses while concentrating on speaking volumes with sparser wording on Graduation.[28] Having committed a significant amount of time towards elevating his storytelling ability time by listening to folk musicians, Kanye manages to form a lyrical narrative within nearly every song on the album.[13] West dedicated a majority of the album towards conducting an analysis himself and conveying his ambivalent outlook on his newfound wealth and fame. As such, Kanye's subversive songwriting fluctuates between playful self-aggrandizement and critical self-doubt.[7] While confident, extroverted and celebratory at face value, countless songs contained on Graduation were thematically distanced and retained melancholic subtext.[1] Some music critics remarked that compounded with Kanye's urgent, emotional rap delivery, the record sounded as if he were experiencing an existential crisis.[32]
The free-associative "Champion" is primarily composed of motivational lyrics, but Kanye also briefly touches on the strained relationship he had with his father–who divorced from his mother when he was just three-years-old–eventually reaching the conclusion that even with their ups and downs, in the end, his father was a champion in his eyes.[33] West described "Stronger" as an "emancipation", as he uses the song to vent his frustration over mistakes he has made in the past.[18] "I Wonder" carries an introspective tone, retaining a chorus about finding one's dreams, while West uses the verses to describe the struggle a person experiences in determining the meaning behind their life and achieving those dreams.[7] Inspired by watching Bono open stadium tours, West concentrated on speaking volumes without using too many words on the the song and delivers his raps in an exuberant, staccato manner.[28] Using the same vocal stylings, "Flashing Lights" tells the operatic narrative of man contemplating the complexities of a tragic relationship. "Can't Tell Me Nothing" serves as West's reflection on his fame and is characterized by bitter remorse and defiant self-awareness. West begins the song by expounding his conflicted feelings regarding wealth and desire, describing a compulsion to spend that overwhelms any and all other objectives in life.[7] He ties this into his perceived overall inability to keep himself together even as he grows into an increasingly prominent figure in the public eye.[34] West regains his lyrical dexterity on "Barry Bonds", a competitive, though friendly battle with Lil Wayne in which the two MCs exchange braggadocios rhymes.[16] "Drunk and Hot Girls" is a first-person narrative that illustrates a man courting an intoxicated woman in a club but gets more than what he bargained for.[28] "Everything I Am" is a song of self-examination, in which Kanye attempts to confront his fallacies by surveying the consequences of his outspokeness ruminating over various ways people expect him to conduct himself. In the track, Kanye addresses his indifference towards constructing a gangster persona, his refusal to dress and act like every other rapper, his inclination towards socio-political commentary, and his lack of self-restraint.[29] Kanye comes to the conclusion that while he will never be able to live up to people's expectations and will always be disadvantageously flawed, its all these imperfections and more that serve to make up who he is.[7] When writing the song, West thought of a young girl in high school dealing with people coming down on her.[13] "Homecoming" serves as a tribute to Kanye's hometown of Chicago, Illinois. Using an extended metaphor that personified the city as a childhood sweetheart named Wendy, West rhymes about his guilt over leaving Chicago to pursue stardom.[29] The song's opening lines lyrically reference "I Used to Love H.E.R.", a similarly metaphoric hip hop song made by West's close friend and labelmate Common, who later appeared in the single's music video.[30] Kanye dedicated "Big Brother" to Jay-Z, whom he feels so close to that he sees him as a brother. Within the song, West dually details his love and admiration as well as his envy and antagonism towards Jay-Z, metaphorically equating their relationship to that of a sibling rivalry.[13] West also uses the song's chorus as a subsidiary dedication to his mentor No I.D., who first taught him how to produce music.[35] Similar to its musicality, the songwriting characteristics of the album-closing track, "Good Night" alludes to West's next musical evolution. The majority of song is composed of repetitive recitations of its choruses and bridges by Mos Def and Al Be Back. West melodically raps only one single verse in which he nostalgically reminisces over taking trips to the museum with his grandparents. As his verse draws to a close, West chastises that a person can't dwell on the past and charges himself with living his life like he has no tomorrow. In retrospect, with the death of his mother Donda West less than two months after the album was released in addition to the dissolution of his engagement with fiancée Alexis Phifer, the trace amounts of melancholy found scattered throughout Graduation would all but envelop West's next studio album, 808s & Heartbreak.[36][37][38]
Artwork
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/ac/Dropout_Bear_Grad.png/200px-Dropout_Bear_Grad.png)
West collaborated with Japanese contemporary artist Takashi Murakami to design the art direction of Graduation as well as the cover art for the album's accompanying singles.[39] Often called "the Warhol of Japan", Murakami's visual art is characterized by cartoonish creatures that appear friendly and cheerful at first glance, but possess dark, twisted undertones.[40][41] The collaboration between the two came about when West visited Murakami's Kaikai Kiki studio in Roppongi Hills during a brief trip to Tokyo, Japan in the midst of touring the year before.[42] The album artwork expresses colorful, pastel imagery influenced by Murakami's affiliation with anime and manga. Its production process took place over the course of several weeks, with West constantly visualizing new images and emailing the ideas to Murakami and his team.[43] Bringing the educational theme expressed by West's previous albums to a close, the visual plotline of the images contained within the liner notes lead up to a graduation ceremony that takes places within a fictional college institution situated within a futuristic metropolis called Universe City.[17] Murakami explained the metaphor behind the artwork saying:
The cover is based on Kanye's theme of student life. School. It's a place of dreams, of righteousness, a place to have fun. It's also occasionally a place where you experience the rigid dogma of the human race. Kanye's music scrapes sentimentality and aggressiveness together like sandpaper, and he uses his grooves to unleash this tornado that spins with the zeitgeist of the times. I too wanted to be swept up and spun around in that tornado.[44]
The story centers around "Dropout Bear", West's anthropomorphic teddy bear mascot.[45] The illustrations chronicle Dropout Bear overcoming various obstacles in an effort to reach his college campus in time for his ceremony. The story begins on a rainy day with Dropout running out of his apartment to his car, modeled after a DeLorean. When the car's engine dies, he is forced to find an alternative method of transportation. Dropout attempts to hail a cab but it speeds right past him, soaking him with puddle water, he then tries to get onto a metro rail but just misses it as it pulls away. With no other options, he is reduced to pursuing his goal on foot. As Dropout races down sidewalks populated with multi-eyed, living mushrooms, he is pursued by a monstrous rain cloud that attempts to swallows him whole. Eventually, Dropout Bear arrives at the university makes it to his graduation ceremony to stand before his colleagues, a variety of anthropomorphic creatures like himself. The visual story concludes with Dropout Bear being catapulted from the university into the sky on the back cover.[27] The cover art for Graduation was cited as the fifth best album cover of the year by Rolling Stone.[46] The designs of album artwork were later brought to life by Murakami the through the use of cel-shaded animation within a three-minute animated music video for "Good Morning".[47]
Release and reception
Release
On May 11, 2007, it was announced that the release date for Graduation was set to be September 18, 2007.[17] Following the release of the album's lead single "Can't Tell Me Nothing", West released a free mixtape under the same name onto the internet in promotion of the album on May 27.[48] The mixtape featured preview clips of certain songs that would later appear on Graduation and showcased various artists signed onto West's G.O.O.D. Music label as well as collaborations with other unaffiliated musicians.[49] It also contained the debut single "Us Placers", the first song made by Child Rebel Soldiers, a new supergroup that West had formed with Lupe Fiasco and Pharrell Williams.[48] At the end of May, Island Def Jam pushed the album's release date up to an unspecified late August date, a decision West first announced on the introductory track of his Can't Tell Me Nothing mixtape.[50] On July 19, the release date of Graduation was changed once more and moved to September 11, 2007, the same U.S. release date as New York rapper 50 Cent's Curtis and country singer Kenny Chesney's Just Who I Am: Poets & Pirates.[51] When first presented with the proposal of his label moving Graduation's release date yet again as well as the idea of a sales race between him and 50 Cent, West initially expressed his indifference towards the thought, saying, "When I heard that thing about the debate, I thought that was the stupidest thing. When my album drops and 50's album drops, you're gonna get a lot of good music at the same time."[52] However, then Def Jam president and CEO Jay-Z welcomed the competition, feeling that it would be prosperous for hip hop and the date became permanent.[53] Three months prior to the September 11 release date, West extended his gratitude towards 50 Cent for the enthusiasm and excitement that the friendly competition produced. Though confident that he would emerge victorious, West stated that he would be perfectly fine with losing to 50 Cent, saying that he'd rather, "be #2 on that day rather than come out and be #1 on a day nobody cares about."[54] A month later, on August 10, 50 Cent stated during an interview with SOHH that he would end his career as a solo artist if Graduation sold more copies than Curtis in the United States.[55] However, he later retracted his statement within an MTV interview due to contract agreements with Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope Records.[56] Incidentally, West and 50 Cent later joined each other onstage to provide a surprise performance before an audience of over 20,000 people for a show held on August 22 in Madison Square Garden during Ciara and T.I.'s Screamfest '07 tour.[57] On August 28, 2007, West hosted an album listening session for Graduation at New World Stages in New York City, where he explained his influences and aspirations for the album and played songs over clips from a variety of futuristic sci-fi films, including Tron, Akira, 2046, and 2001: A Space Odyssey.[28] In a survery conducted by Billboard, results displayed that an estimated 44% of readers predicted that Graduation would sell more units over 50 Cent and Kenny Chesney.[58] Sales projections for first week scans based on early store sales reports indicated towards the 575,000–700,000 range for Graduation, while Curtis was projected in the 500,000–600,000 range.[59]
Commercial performance
On the very day of its release, Graduation sold over 437,000 copies and by the end of its first week, the album had grossed a total of over 957, 000 copies in the United States alone.[60] Graduation became West's third consecutive studio album to top the Billboard 200 and also debuted at number one on the album charts in the United Kingdom as well as Canada.[61][62] It was within the very same week that "Stronger" topped the Billboard Hot 100, giving West his third number-one single.[63] Upon its release, Graduation achieved the highest first week sales week for any album in 2007, topping Linkin Park's Minutes to Midnight, which sold 625,000 units. The album was also West's highest first sales week to date, surpassing the 860,000 opening week of his previous album Late Registration. It registered the best first-week sales totals of any record released within the last two years, with the last being West's own Late Registration.[64] Additionally, Graduation became ranked as the fifteenth highest sales week for an album since Nielsen SoundScan began tracking data in 1991, as well as the highest sales week at the time of its release for an album since 50 Cent's The Massacre (2005).[65] It also set the record for the largest week of an album digitally downloaded, registering over 133, 000 paid downloads, beating Maroon 5's previous set record of 102, 000 for It Won't Be Soon Before Long.[66] Graduation's first week sales of 957,000 and Curtis's first week sales of 691,000 marked only the second time ever since the inception of Nielsen SoundScan that two albums debuted within the same week with totals surpassing 600,000 copies in the United States. The first occurrence of such an event was in September 1991, when Guns N' Roses conjunctively released Use Your Illusion I, which sold 685,000 copies, and Use Your Illusion II, which sold 770,000 copies. The first week sales totals of Graduation and Curtis have outsold the first week sales totals of Guns N' Roses' two albums.[65] After years of slumping sales, the album competition between the two releases and the resulting record breaking performances both albums displayed was considered to be a "fantastic day for hip-hop."[67]
In its second week on the Billboard 200, Graduation slid to number two with the release of Reba McEntire's Reba: Duets, selling 226,000 copies while maintaining its dominance over Curtis, which sold 143,000.[68] The next week, with the releases of over 40 new albums, Graduation dropped three spaces to number five and registered 133,300, reaching a cumulative total of 1.3 million copies by October 3.[69] Selling 92,400 units, the album descended two spots the following week to reach number seven.[70] During its fourth week on the chart, Graduation experienced a slight rebound and rose from number seven to six on October 17, selling 71,000 copies.[71] The following week, the album began to descend once more, selling an estimated 54,000 copies and dropping three places to reach the ninth position on October 24.[72] By year's end, Graduation was the third most-downloaded and best-selling album of 2007 on iTunes Store.[73] Graduation became West's third consecutive studio album to sell over two million units in the United States and has since been certified 2× Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.[74] Exactly one year after the fact, as of September 12, 2008, Nielsen Soundscan reported that Graduation had grossed over 2,166,000 copies in the United States, securing its eclipse over Curtis which sold over 1,336,000 copies and had since been surpassed by Kenny Chesney's Just Who I Am: Poets & Pirates which sold over 1,424,000 copies.[75]
Critical response
Graduation received generally favorable reviews from music critics, earning a rating of 79 out of 100 on Metacritic.[76] In a review of the album, Rolling Stone wrote that, "None of the beats clobber you as immediately as "Jesus Walks" or "Gold Digger," but most of them improve on every listen: This is an album that you first like, then love. ... As a lyricist, West will never possess the pure cool or formal mastery of his mentor Jay-Z, but he's grown as a writer. (See the off-kilter, dreamlike "I Wonder".) And given the lousy year hip-hop has had, the music needs his spazzed-out, neurotic creativity more than ever. As for the rest of you rappers: Try harder."[8] Billboard gave a favorable review in which it described the album as a logical step in the musical progression that West intiated on his debut. On its general review of the album, it described Graduation as, "An impressively creative hip-hop album that will hopefully inspire West's peers to try new sonic avenues."[31] Spin described the album as "memerizing and alienating, like all the purest forms of pop culture."[77] Los Angeles Times music critic Ann Powers gave a 3.5/4 rating while asserting that the subtle, nearly undetectable dark tone of the album is the byproduct of West enduring the inevitable psychological toil that comes with paving the way for the progression of his genre as a whole:
Graduation's intricate musical environments take a while to comprehend, and at times they seem at odds with West's confrontational lyrics. But this contradictory music makes sense when heard as an attempt to express an internal struggle -- between the Kanye West hip-hop made and the West who can't be contained by it or any other genre. It's hard to stop running with the crowd, even for a trendsetter. But West is on the verge, and moving forward."Marshall Mathers is West's peer in many ways -- a joker who couldn't be more serious, displaced and mobile because of race instead of class and an innovator in a genre that he must at least partially destroy to renew.[4]
Stylus Magazine found the disc to be less bloated in comparison to his previous work, saying, "Sure, the music still overflows with West’s trademark generosity, but there are fewer moments of bloat than on the caloric Late Registration .... In some ways, Graduation serves as a document of West’s maturation. Musically, at least, it’s the most accomplished thing he’s ever done."[29] West also received a rating of XL from the hip-hop magazine XXL, which rated his first and second albums with a classic rating of XXL. Allmusic gave the album a 4-star rating, while stating in a review, "Those who have admired Kanye as a sharp producer while detesting him as an inept MC might find the gleaming synth sprites ... to be one of the most glaring deal-breakers in hip-hop history. Though the synthesizer use marks a clear, conscious diversion from Kanye's past productions, highlights ... are deeply rooted in the Kanye of old, using nostalgia-inducing samples, elegant pianos and strings, and gospel choirs. So, no, he's not dreaming of fronting A Flock of Seagulls or joining Daft Punk. He's being his shrewd, occasionally foolish, and adventurous self."[1] Rock critic Robert Christgau wrote, "Rank this minor success with hooky background music like 50 Cent's The Massacre--no deeper than Coldplay when you pull out the measuring stick, but a lot smarter. Compared to 50's, the hooks are pretty pricey. Yeezy loves designer labels and procures for himself the finest fromage--Elton John to Steely Dan to Daft Punk softening us up for gay cult hero Labi Siffre, like that. Nevertheless, every single track offers up its momentary pleasures—choruses that make you say yeah on songs you've already found wanting, confessional details and emotional aperçus on an album that still reduces to quality product when they're over.[2] Giving the album a 8.7/10 rating, Pitchfork Media enjoyed the accessibility of West's sonic experimentation, complimenting him for his visionary proficiency with interweaving seeminly disparate elements and bridging musical gaps.[6] PopMatters commented that "Graduation will certainly yield its fair share of hits, and deserves to. But it is also a simpler affair than the previous two albums, less attention-grabbing. The songs aren’t as richly dressed, and he doesn’t seem to be trying as hard. He sounds less like he’s pushing to create something epic, and at that he succeeds—as good as Graduation is, it doesn’t have the larger-than-life presence of Late Registration. It’s more manageable, more everyday."[7] Entertainment Weekly noted that "West's vocal mediocrity wouldn't be so glaring if the production were more of a diversion. There are no truly tragic compositions on Graduation—though the droning "Drunk and Hot Girls" could have been half as irritating at twice the speed—but most of the music just seems uninspired."[3] The Chicago Tribune gave the album a favorable review, claiming that "West is at his best".[30] [34] Online music magazine Pitchfork placed The Meadowlands at number 88 on their list of top 200 albums of the 2000s.[78]
Influence and acclaim
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a1/Kanye_West_Chicago_Tour_2008.jpg/220px-Kanye_West_Chicago_Tour_2008.jpg)
Rolling Stone placed the album at number five on its list of their Top 50 Albums of 2007."[79] Graduation was listed at number nine on the Billboard Critics' Poll.[80] Time listed Graduation as the tenth best album of the year.[81] A year-end poll conducted by Entertainment Weekly cited Graduation as the best album of 2007.[82] The album was listed as the fourth and eighteenth best record of the year by Spin magazine and Pitchfork Media respectively.[83][84] PopMatters also listed Late Registration as the fourth best album of the year, writing, "His rhyming style is unique for how intuitive it seems. It might not be technically perfect, but it jibes perfectly with the lyrical diversity of his songs, the way he goes from boasting and joking to crying and reminiscing in a heartbeat. It's an album that dares to be stupid and smart, angry and silly, painful and joyous. The rhymes are further elevated by a layered, carefully crafted sound of melodic, atmospheric soul. Guest vocalists sing with yearning; strings and horns blend with samples of old soul and blues songs; MCs from disparate backgrounds make show-stopping appearances and disappear. Boundaries smoothly slide into each other, and everyday music is built." [85] Graduation was listed at number thiry-five by The Observer on its best fifty albums of fifty albums of the year.[86] The Daily Telegraph placed the album at number fifteen on its list of "Pop CDs of the Year", writing, "Kanye West finally grew up on this album, delivering more inventive, precision-tooled hip-hop but wearing a much more furrowed brow as he explored his existential anxieties. Dark and addictive."[32] Graduation was cited as the second best album of the entire decade by Complex magazine.[87]
At the 50th Grammy Awards, West led the field with a total of eight nominations, including Album of the Year, Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for "Good Life", and Best Rap Song for "Can't Tell Me Nothing".[88] He won the Grammy awards for Best Rap Solo Performance for "Stronger", Best Rap Song for "Good Life", and finally Graduation received the award for Best Rap Album.[89] At the 34th annual American Music Awards, West received the awards for Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Male Artist as well as Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Album for Graduation.[90] However, West offered the former to Lil Wayne, who he felt was more deserving of the award due to his musical efforts in 2008.[91] Praising the artistry expressed by Graduation, the success of its singles, and the imagination of its accompanying international tour, MTV crowned West as the year's #1 Hottest MC in the Game on May 16, 2008.[92] Incidentally, U2 later asserted that touring with West had a significant effect on their own music as well in regards to No Line On The Horizon. Bono elaborated that West's rapping inspired him to utilize more percussive consonants for his songwriting and vocal performance.[93] The album, particular with the standout songs "Stronger" and "Flashing Lights", has been accredited to not only encouraging hip hop artists to incorporate house and electronica elements into their music, but also for playing a part in the revival of disco and electro-infused music in the late 2000s.[94] West also received prasie for his ability to appeal to diverse audiences such as indie rock listeners and rave enthusiasts without alienating hip hop audiences.[95][96]
Track listing
All lyrics were written by Kanye West.
No. | Title | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Good Morning" | Kanye West | 3:15 |
2. | "Champion" | Kanye West, Brian Miller | 2:47 |
3. | "Stronger" | Kanye West, Mike Dean* | 5:11 |
4. | "I Wonder" | Kanye West | 4:03 |
5. | "Good Life" (feat. T-Pain) | Kanye West, Mike Dean*, DJ Toomp* | 3:27 |
6. | "Can't Tell Me Nothing" | Kanye West, DJ Toomp | 4:31 |
7. | "Barry Bonds" (feat. Lil Wayne) | Nottz, Kanye West* | 3:24 |
8. | "Drunk and Hot Girls" (feat. Mos Def) | Kanye West, Jon Brion* | 5:13 |
9. | "Flashing Lights" (feat. Dwele) | Kanye West, Eric Hudson | 3:57 |
10. | "Everything I Am" | Kanye West | 3:47 |
11. | "The Glory" | Kanye West, Gee Robertson*, Plain Pat* | 3:32 |
12. | "Homecoming" (feat. Chris Martin) | Kanye West, Warryn Campbell | 3:23 |
13. | "Big Brother" | DJ Toomp | 4:47 |
No. | Title | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
14. | "Good Night" (feat. Al Be Back, Mos Def) | Kanye West | 3:06 |
No. | Title | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
14. | "Good Night" (feat. Al Be Back, Mos Def) | Kanye West | 3:06 |
15. | "Stronger" (A-Trak Remix) | Kanye West, Mike Dean* | 4:34 |
No. | Title | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
14. | "Good Night" (feat. Al Be Back, Mos Def) | Kanye West | 3:06 |
15. | "Bittersweet Poetry" (feat. John Mayer) | Kanye West | 4:02 |
(*) designates co-producer
B-sides
Song | Length | B-side of |
---|---|---|
"Barry Bonds" | 3:24 | "Can't Tell Me Nothing" |
"Can't Tell Me Nothing" | 4:32 | "Stronger" |
"Can't Tell Me Nothing" (Remix) | 4:07 | "Good Life" |
"Stronger" (Andrew Dawson Remix) | 4:45 | "Flashing Lights" |
"Good Night" | 3:06 | "Homecoming" |
Charts, sales and procession
Charts positions
|
Year-end charts
Sales and certifications
|
Chart procession and succession
Personnel
Information taken from Graduation liner notes.[27]
# | Title | Notes |
---|---|---|
1 | "Good Morning" |
|
2 | "Champion" |
|
3 | "Stronger" |
|
4 | "I Wonder" |
|
5 | "Good Life" |
|
6 | "Can't Tell Me Nothing" |
|
7 | "Barry Bonds" |
|
8 | "Drunk and Hot Girls" |
|
9 | "Flashing Lights" |
|
10 | "Everything I Am" |
|
11 | "The Glory" |
|
12 | "Homecoming" |
|
13 | "Big Brother" |
|
14 | "Good Night" |
|
15 | "Bittersweet Poetry" |
|
Release history
Region | Date | Format | Label |
---|---|---|---|
Ireland | September 7, 2007 | CD, digital download | Universal |
United Kingdom | September 10, 2007 | CD, LP, digital download | Mercury |
United States | September 11, 2007 | CD, LP, digital download | Roc-a-Fella |
References
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{{cite AV media notes}}
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