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Kanye West: Graduation

Say what you will about Kanye West’s trademark arrogance (which was on full display during his dramatic temper tantrum at the recent Video Music Awards), but there’s no denying the man’s considerable talent when it comes to beat-making. His quality is easily the first thing that you notice when listening to Graduation. In a polarizing but bold move, West trades in his standard soul sampling for a far more eccentric and experimental sound. Instead of Curtis Mayfield and Chaka Khan, West draws from Elton John, Steely Dan, and electronic band Daft Punk. West’s own musical touches are overwhelmingly progressive, pulsating with electronic synthesizers and a European style. While many will likely be upset over West’s more pop-oriented sound, his ambitious new direction results in one of the most unique rap albums in recent years in terms of production. Standout tracks include The Glory, an uplifting crowd-pleaser backed by soothing strings and pianos, and the mesmerizing Flashing Lights, which one can only describe as a hip hop song set in the 23^rd century. Even the album’s only mishap, a peculiar club track named Drunk & Hot Girls, has such an incredibly multilayered sound that it deserves the label of “noble effort” rather than just “complete failure.”

While West has always stayed a cut above the rest production-wise, his inconsistent lyrical abilities have drawn the most criticism from hip hop purists. This is ultimately where Graduation finds its flaws. Strangely enough, West seems to step forward as well as backward this time around, for his flow and rhyme scheme have improved considerably from his last two albums. This is especially true on the first track Good Morning, where West rides the beat effortlessly, and the closing track Big Brother, where he cleverly and honestly pays homage to a certain legendary rapper. However, unlike his past CDs in which West covered topics ranging from Jesus to conflict diamonds, the content on Graduation is severely lacking. West talks about his own personal dilemmas, and surprisingly, this doesn’t turn out to be a good thing. He becomes redundant, covering ground already gone through in his previous efforts – that is, his cockiness, insecurity, and never ending aspirations for success. While many more accomplished emcees have remained compelling with subject matter lacking in variety, West isn’t a good enough lyricist to pull it off. Still, the improvement that he shows on the album suggests that in time he will become one.

Despite the aforementioned weaknesses, Graduation remains one of the strongest rap releases this year. With the numerous ring-tone ready beats and carbon copy rappers prevalent throughout mainstream hip hop, it’s refreshing to hear a high profile emcee who dares to be different.

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50 Cent: Curtis

When listening to Curtis, there was a moment when I was completely taken aback. Opening with a brief intro that samples obscure British-gangster-flick dialogue, 50 proceeds to completely demolish the first track, My Gun Go Off. Backed by rippling guitar licks and a sinister, intense, and icy cold flow, he assaults your ears with dark and menacing threats. For a brief moment you forget that you’re listening to a guy who has an investment in Vitamin Water and a mansion in Connecticut. Not since Get Rich Or Die Trying has he sounded this dangerous. It’s gangsta rap at its most powerful. Then comes the next track, Man Down. With its edited first verse that rails against the police and snitching, you’d think that this track would have the same effect as the one preceding it. But as soon as 50 reverts back to that lazy dumbed-down flow he has now unfortunately become known for, the intense feeling of the first track is gone. Man Down represents the central problem of both Curtis and 50 Cent’s present career: it’s painfully predictable and by the numbers.

Curtis is certainly not a bad album. As usual, 50 proves that he’s one of the best in hip hop when it comes to a good ear for beats. My Gun Go Off, the thumping headbanger I Get Money, and the surprisingly personal (at least for 50) Curtis 187 are all album highlights. Yet too much of Curtis is formulaic standard fare. There’s the obligatory misogynist track Come & Go, the sensitive tough guy track Follow My Lead with Robin Thicke, and the bland lead single Amusement Park - which sounded a lot better when it was called Candy Shop, and still even better when it was called Magic Stick. The most disappointing song on the album, however, is easily Ayo Technology with Timbaland and Justin Timberlake. Over a beat that sounds like a lesser version of the smash hit My Love, 50 attempts in vain to match his slow and laid back flow with Timbo’s upbeat and aggressive production. It ends up sounding incredibly forced and awkward, saved only by Timberlake’s scene-stealing vocals, which obviously are a better compliment to Timbaland’s style.

To his credit, 50 does step his game up lyrically from his previous album The Massacre, which was even more repetitive and boring. Still, he doesn’t come close to matching the hunger showed on his brilliant unreleased album Power of the Dollar nor the epic and booming production of Get Rich. For those who are content with the same old “I’ve got more money/women/guns than you” 50, the album will likely satisfy. However, if you were hoping for a more introspective album in which 50 expands as an artist rather than play it safe, Curtis will certainly disappoint.

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The final verdict for both? B+ for Graduation and C+ for Curtis. Curtis just doesn’t try anything new while Graduation actually shows a considerable amount of growth. Judging by the projected first week sales in which Graduation is ahead by a considerable amount, it’s safe to say that many hip hop fans feel the same way.