The College Dropout

I've heard some Kanye before but I was surprised how much I liked this album. Perhaps my rating is influenced by not really expecting that much out of it? Usually I hate these kinds of rap albums with skits and stuff in them, but I didn't even mind them here. I was with it the whole way through.

Ughh!! As I write this in 2026, I can wholeheartedly say I don’t listen to Kanye anymore. It pisses me off that he went from a person who can make such an insightful album like this with topics on family, self confidence, religion, and still throw in the occasional banger with funny metaphors and non sense; to now be a person who spews hate, talks down on black people….i mean, yall know. The lists goes on and on. But I can not understate how important it was for hip hop to have an album like this in 2004. Gangster rap was still continuing to rise. 50 Cents Get Rich or Die Trying had just been the best album a year before this. But then when this came along, it breathed new life into the genre that had been missing for so long. An average black man saying, hey, I’m not about to rap about guns and killing people and I’m still going to make bangers. It was refreshing and totally changed the landscape and mind sight of so many rappers for what was possible. And if I’m being honest, there’s also this nostalgia factor for me, as I was 13 when this album came out and for me, I finally felt like their rapper talking about things that I can relate to. All this to say, I gave it 5, but I really despise who this person turned out to be and this is a situation where I truly am removing the art from the artist or looking at the artist for who he was when he made this album.

I listened to some of it, but after 10 tracks I had to throw in the towel. Might have got 2 stars as there was something slightly different from what was typically being played in the early 00s, smoother, more soul like I guess.

But also, what a prick

I’m not listening to anything by this SEE YOU NEXT TUESDAY!!! I give it 0

First... 76 minutes? Really?

Next... he's really not as funny or as deep and as intelligent as he thinks he is.

Okay, the production is pretty good, but the rhymes are a bit naff.

Although the brief snatch of I'll Fly Away is quite sweet.

And yes, I am aware that Kanye has shown himself to be capable of being an Olympic grade arse.

It's been two years since I last had to deal with Kanye West, when I listened to My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy and saw his demons. In real time, Kanye himself hasn't exactly distanced himself from the fascism and domestic abuse allegations. But we don't need to cover that today, for this album came out before most of Kanye's controversies. That's right, it's his debut record, The College Dropout.

As I've said in the past, Kanye once cared about creating and producing music, and it's very evident on this record. The production is admittedly pristine throughout the whole listen, making effective use of snappy beats and sped-up vocal samples. Yeah, this and Kanye's other early albums popularized the "chipmunk soul" style of hip hop music that would flood the market over the next couple of decades, and can be ear-grating at its worst. But on here, he made it pretty easy to listen to, such as Marvin Gaye's croons from "Distant Lover" nestled into the backdrop of the sing-along chorus of "Spaceship", the second verse of Blackjack's "Maybe It's the Power of Love" used for the hard-hitting "Never Let Me Down", and Chaka Khan's anthemic chorus to "Through the Fire" reinterpreted for "Through the Wire". Plus, not every sample needed to be sped up to be incorporated well, such as Lauryn Hill's "Mystery of Iniquity" used for "All Falls Down," or The ARC Choir's "Walk With Me" over the drums from Lou Donaldson's "Ode to Billie Joe" on "Jesus Walks".

As for the lyrical content... I'm admittedly torn. On some level, I get what he was going for with this record. He was trying to realize his aspirations of becoming a rapper and overcome those who didn't believe in him: his school teachers, the police, record executives at Capitol, and even his former boss at the Gap. Not to mention, he also addressed his own superficiality in the rap game on "Breathe In, Breathe Out", as well as his near-death car accident that fractured his jaw and had his mouth wired shut on "Through the Wire". Hell, even on this record, he's having to overcome the snide bars that Talib Kweli gave him for "Get 'Em High", or the self-posturing Jay-Z made on "Never Let Me Down" as he struggled to acknowledge accepting Kanye on his Roc-A-Fella Records label. There's something palatable about defying the odds to make a name for yourself, especially for a perceived nerd who dropped out of college to pursue a music career and take that risk.

Yet at the same time, man, this album can also come off as very self-centered in places. His reverse psychology ploy to get his songs on the radio in the second verse of "Jesus Walks", his multiple advances toward women on "Get 'Em High" and "The New Workout Plan," with the latter track also boasting a rather cringeworthy incest joke, and, to top it all off, that nearly nine-minute monologue at the end of "Last Call". Given what Kanye would become, the signs were there. That's not even mentioning the multiple skits throughout the record that haven't aged well, or the egregious name-dropping of R&B singers he did with Jamie Foxx and Twista on "Slow Jamz".

All in all, I get the appeal Kanye used to have at the beginning. The College Dropout proved influential in bringing conscious hip-hop to the mainstream at a time when gangsta rap was prevalent, and it certainly showcased the potential this producer-rapper once had, even with some glaring issues. Unfortunately, that potential has long been squandered, as this album nowadays represents a bygone era for the man.

I love this album. At this point in time, Kanye is still just a young dude trying to make a name for himself, and you can tell he’s putting his whole heart into it because his pen game is about as good as it gets in his entire discography. His production chops are already apparent, though nobody would be able to guess the sound direction he’d go in just a few years later. That’s what crazy to me every time I listen to The College Dropout - this is the man who made Yeezus 9 years later, and as insane as that contrast is, you do see a logical progression between the two with each project he put out.

As impressive as his evolution as a producer ended up being though, never again would we get an equally soulful, bright, funny, and optimistic album as this one. I mean damn, even the skits are a master class. This is the Old Kanye at his peak!! And for that reason, even if it’s a relatively imperfect project, it stands uniquely high among his entire catalog.

Standouts: We Don't Care • Spaceship • Slow Jamz • School Spirit • Lil Jimmy Skit • Through The Wire • Family Business

unfortunately incredible

You can say a lot of things about nazis but they make good albums, at least this one. There is an excellent balance between rap and pop. I did not like the inclusion of straight up religious songs and the skit tracks, are they supposed to be funny? Not really sure. Last month I listened to His las album Bully and it sounded nothing like this, this has songs that you want to come back to.

Terrible human, but amazing artist. I’ll never stop streaming 🤷🏾

Yes Kanye is a loathsome individual, but before that became a reality he made great music.

This is just a great debut that showcases his production skills that gave him his breakthrough. The combination of old school samples and beats make this an enjoyable listen. Whilst he’s never been the greatest rapper ‘musical’ genius (and this is very much where that ends) perfectly matches his flow and that of his guests (with the possible exception of Ludicrous) to his production.

The singles are all great as are tracks like ‘School spirit’. Yes as always the skits aren’t needed, but that’s a general hip-hop thing for you and the final track definitely takes his unmatchable levels of self belief well beyond anything that is enjoyable but this is a minor quibble on an otherwise classic album

I still think Kanye West is an absolute fucking arsehole and this could be the best album ever made but, after this 1001 album listen, I am never listening to it again as I'm not willing to give him my 0.00000002p streaming revenue for repeated listens. Anyway....

This is, by far the best of the three Kanye albums this project has made me listen to. As is standard for me, I remain incensed by artists who make albums over an hour long and fill it full of fucking skits/random talky bits, but otherwise this is mostly fine. I have never had an issue with his production, but I don't even don't hate his singing on this.

However, Last Call... fucking hell, Kanye. I don't care! Just shut the hell up! It was so annoying I debated taking a star off.

3/5

i miss the old kanye

Went into this thinking it will be absolute shit (especially since i don't like rap), but it's not half bad.

Last call is lowkey tight
Spaceship too

It is more respectful than i expected honestly. I thought that it was gonna be like one eminem album that i got, that just hated on everybody for no reason, but this is surprising interesting and with a good rhythm. I genuinely like the beat. That is so rare for me.

Amazing album from the time before Kanye lost his mind and became a complete piece of shit.

Bardzo ładnie pan Kanye zagrał w niedzielne popołudnie, nie spodziewałam się tak "miłej" płyty z jego strony. Natomiast nie zmienia to mojego zdania na temat jego jako osoby, i nie, nie można oddzielić artysty od jego twórczości. Płytę oceniam dobrze, ciebie nie.

I've nothing worthwhile to say. Like Kanye.

8/10

A good album from before he went totally insane

It’s a very good album, that’s difficult to listen to without feeling bad about it.

Some people call ABBA or Britney or Spice Girls their guilty pleasure.

I don’t get that. Why be guilty for liking music you like? Who are the arbitrators of taste to decide what you should feel guilty for?

In saying that, I feel pretty guilty about liking this one… you know on account of the creator being a nazi and all.