Kanye West Appreciation Thread

[FreeSpeech]

Eminem is my favorite rapper always will be. However, after a good deal of thought, I have decided that Kanye is my #2. Go ahead and flame my opinion, IDC. I know he isn't the most maniacal technical rapper, but he is a great lyricist. To me, he is incredibly relatable, on par with Eminem, sometimes more so.
Reasons I love Kanye:

-College dropout: Amazing debut. While I prefer SSLP, it's just as good. So many amazing songs, like Jesus Walks, Through The Wire, All Falls Down, Family Business, etc. The features were incredible, he brought out the best in everyone. The skits were great, I love how he put a Baptist hymn on the album (I'll Fly Away). New Workout Plan is a great radio song.
-Late Registration: Probably my second favorite album of all time, behind MMLP. A masterpiece. Heard Em Say and Bring Me Down are 2 of the most beautiful rap songs ever. Again, every single feature was awesome, even Paul Wall. Testify, Gold Digger, great radio songs. The Shirley Bassey sample on Diamonds is one of my favorite samples, it's eerie when put with the song content. I also love the jazz infusions throughout the album. Man, I could go on and on about how amazing this album is...
-Graduation: Here, Kanye departs from the sound of his first 2 albums, but it's still amazing. Songs like Can't Tell Me Nothing, Everything I Am, Flashing Lights, and Homecoming are just on some other level. Stronger and Good Life (I normally don't like Pain) are fantastic radio songs.
-808s and Heartbreak: Not a rap album, but I love it. IMO, Autotune is a great tool if used correctly, which Kanye did. Combined with the 808 sound, it gave the album a great robotic feel, which really helped show Kanye's depression. Say You Will, Heartless, and Love Lockdown are all amazing. I can really identify with his album.
-MBDTF: So, so good. One of the most artistic, experimental hip hop albums out there. The whole album is one long story. What I love about it is you can tell Kanye made it for himself, he didn't make it to sell big. There are no obvious radio songs, other than All Of The Lights I guess. People complain that it doesn't have a ton of rapping, but I'm fine with that, because it's still a great album.
-Production: Who else has produced almost every single track on all their (great) albums? Maybe a handful of people, if that. Kanye is my favorite producer of all time. His music has such soul to it. I love the classic jazzy feel to Dropout and Late Registration, the fresh hip sound of Graduation, the robotic 808s, and the dark MBDTF (The repetitive piano on Runaway amazes me, so simple but so beautiful).
-Voice: "They say I talk with so much emphasis, ooh they so sensitive!" I love Kanye's voice and delivery, one of my favorites in hip hop.
-Song content: I love his song content. I identify with so much of it. Him and Eminem are my go to guys.
-Influence: I credit Kanye with getting rid of the dominance of gangsta rap, which IMO is a very good thing. If there was no Kanye, I'm confident there would be no Cudi, Lupe, etc. I mean, they'd still be rapping, but they wouldn't be where they are today.

I'm not trying to start an argument or anything, obviously every one has different taste, but these are some of the reasons why Kanye is my second favorite rapper of all time.


The only thing I have against him is acting like an asshole in public, but I'm not gonna judge. Who knows what's going on in his life? Dude lost his mom, his girl, etc. I'm not making excuses, but everyone goes through bad times.

APPRECIATE HIM

[DƎRDYPK]

I pray for a Kanye/CuDi album
that'd be the best album of

































ALL TIME!

[Almostlity]

Can you read my mind? I really don't have anything to add..

Every album he has made is fantastic, even 808s.

[Satire]

He's underrated as fuck on this forum because of the vs. Em comparisons tbh.

He's not my favorite but he's a good songwriter and one of my favorite producers. I like every one of his albums.

[Hiphopdane]

If he stays the same he is gonna be mentioned in the same breath as legends such as Dr. Dre, DJ Premier and Pete Rock before long.

He isn't anything special as a rapper to say the least so I would love if he produced albums for great rappers like he did for Common (Be). That is pretty much the only thing that seperates him from the producers I mentioned before.

I also love how he contributes with some great music for the radio and shows that you don't need to comprise yourself to make money. Let alone that he has always stayed true to hip hop. Well, he has worked with some really questionable rappers such as Officer Ricky and Big Sean but also let Raekwon, Talib Kweli and Mos Def have verses on his albums.

[Master Chief]

People might get the perception that I hate him because I bash MBDTF for being overrated but I actually use to be an Almostlity level Kanye stan...until MBDTF which let me down like crazy. Graduation is one of the best albums of the decade.

808's is awesome as well. Better listening experience than MBDTF.

[GladHeAteHerr]

I like Kanye but I don't regard him as highly as you..Not exactly my favorite type of hip hop, but that's alright. I still enjoy a listen occasionally. I prefer Lupe also..

[°[~CHR!$~]°]

since i watched Kanye West @ VH1 Storytellers i gained extremely respect for this dude
he is a true artist

[dead prez]

-Production: Who else has produced almost every single track on all their (great) albums? -

RZA, KRIT, K-os

-Influence: I credit Kanye with getting rid of the dominance of gangsta rap, which IMO is a very good thing. If there was no Kanye,

Gangsta rap has long been dead before Kanye even entered the scene, so I don't know what you're talking about. If you're referring to 50 cent, he's not even gangsta rap, he's poppy glossy radio rap for W iggers.

And really not to go off on a tangent, but I actually miss hardcore rap, and it's in a state of depression right now, when we're rap's being ran by backpacker/alternative shit.

I'm confident there would be no Cudi, Lupe, etc. I mean, they'd still be rapping, but they wouldn't be where they are today.

This is like crediting Eminem for signing 50.

The only thing I have against him is acting like an asshole in public, but I'm not gonna judge. Who knows what's going on in his life? Dude lost his mom, his girl, etc. I'm not making excuses, but everyone goes through bad times.

I actually like the fact that he's an asshole, he's a character and one of the biggest personalities in rap. Yes moreso than Eminem for that matter, the whole Taylor Swift incident was hilarious, so was the Katrina comment.

With that said Kanye is great, and gets a lot of unneeded hate for whatever reasons. He makes good music, and is artistic and isn't some worthless hot 16 rapper. And yes MBDTF was one of the best albums of last year, definitely a classic.

[FreeSpeech]

-Production: Who else has produced almost every single track on all their (great) albums? -

RZA, KRIT, K-os As I said, only a handful, and none of them have a better solo album than Kanye.

-Influence: I credit Kanye with getting rid of the dominance of gangsta rap, which IMO is a very good thing. If there was no Kanye,

Gangsta rap has long been dead before Kanye even entered the scene, so I don't know what you're talking about. If you're referring to 50 cent, he's not even gangsta rap, he's poppy glossy radio rap for W iggers.

And really not to go off on a tangent, but I actually miss hardcore rap, and it's in a state of depression right now, when we're rap's being ran by backpacker/alternative shit.
No, before Kanye (almost) every rapper embodied the ghetto, street image. NOw, we have dudes like Cudi, Lupe, etc.

I'm confident there would be no Cudi, Lupe, etc. I mean, they'd still be rapping, but they wouldn't be where they are today.

This is like crediting Eminem for signing 50.
Ummm no, it's not at all. 50 would have been huge regardless of if Em had signed him. This has nothing to do with signing. Kanye opened the doors for suburban rappers who don't sag their pants and act hood to be in the spotlight. It has to do with setting precedents, not signing.

The only thing I have against him is acting like an asshole in public, but I'm not gonna judge. Who knows what's going on in his life? Dude lost his mom, his girl, etc. I'm not making excuses, but everyone goes through bad times.

I actually like the fact that he's an asshole, he's a character and one of the biggest personalities in rap. Yes moreso than Eminem for that matter, the whole Taylor Swift incident was hilarious, so was the Katrina comment.
Yeah, i like it a lot of the time, but sometimes he's just too immature.

With that said Kanye is great, and gets a lot of unneeded hate for whatever reasons. He makes good music, and is artistic and isn't some worthless hot 16 rapper. And yes MBDTF was one of the best albums of last year, definitely a classic.
Yep

[dead prez]

As I said, only a handful, and none of them have a better solo album than Kanye.

Rza's out of place I admit, Krit and K-os definitely fit the bill as self producing artists though. And Joyful Rebellion is as good as any Ye album.

-
No, before Kanye (almost) every rapper embodied the ghetto, street image. NOw, we have dudes like Cudi, Lupe, etc.

Gangsta rap pretty much died with 2pac, and when Kanye bursted into the scene I think you mean crunk was running the radio. Unless of course you consider 50 cent's awful glossy poppy image as gangsta. And really there's a difference between gangsta and hardcore, DMX is hardcore rap not gangsta.

Ummm no, it's not at all. 50 would have been huge regardless of if Em had signed him. This has nothing to do with signing. Kanye opened the doors for suburban rappers who don't sag their pants and act hood to be in the spotlight. It has to do with setting precedents, not signing.

You say that like it's a bad thing.

[dead prez]

As I said, only a handful, and none of them have a better solo album than Kanye.

Rza's out of place I admit, Krit and K-os definitely fit the bill as self producing artists though. And Joyful Rebellion is as good as any Ye album.

-
No, before Kanye (almost) every rapper embodied the ghetto, street image. NOw, we have dudes like Cudi, Lupe, etc.

Gangsta rap pretty much died with 2pac, and when Kanye bursted into the scene I think you mean crunk was running the radio. Unless of course you consider 50 cent's awful glossy poppy image as gangsta. And really there's a difference between gangsta and hardcore, DMX is hardcore rap not gangsta.

Ummm no, it's not at all. 50 would have been huge regardless of if Em had signed him. This has nothing to do with signing. Kanye opened the doors for suburban rappers who don't sag their pants and act hood to be in the spotlight. It has to do with setting precedents, not signing.

You say that like it's a bad thing.

[FreeSpeech]

Rza's out of place I admit, Krit and K-os definitely fit the bill as self producing artists though. And Joyful Rebellion is as good as any Ye album.
Joyful Rebellion does not come close to any Kanye album (not including 808s, obvioulsy). If you're talking just lyrical ability, then maybe. However, it can't compare when it comes to the beats, production, song writing, etc. Plus Kanye voice/delivery >>>>> K-OS. K-OS has nothing that touches Jesus Walks, Heard Em Say, or tons of other Yeezy tracks.

Gangsta rap pretty much died with 2pac, and when Kanye bursted into the scene I think you mean crunk was running the radio. Unless of course you consider 50 cent's awful glossy poppy image as gangsta. And really there's a difference between gangsta and hardcore, DMX is hardcore rap not gangsta.
I'm not saying it was genuine, but before Kanye, practically every big rapper was hood or gangsta. And yes, DMX has lot's of gangsta songs, stop splitting hairs. I love Pac, DMX, Game, etc but it's refreshing to have a superstar rapper who doesn't portray that lifestyle. "I woke up early this morning with a new state of mind, a creative way to rhyme, without using knives and guns" - Family Business.

Ummm no, it's not at all. 50 would have been huge regardless of if Em had signed him. This has nothing to do with signing. Kanye opened the doors for suburban rappers who don't sag their pants and act hood to be in the spotlight. It has to do with setting precedents, not signing.

You say that like it's a bad thing.

Yes, it is. It pisses me off to see Black people walking around dressed "ghetto". Look how everyone dresses now:
http://wsuent.files.wordpress.com/2010/ ... n-copy.jpg
Is farrrrr better than a bunch of dudes who look like they just hopped out the projects. You can still dress true to the culture without looking hood.

[slimshadylappin]

First 3 were great but it went downhill after that when he started "experimenting" . Some say MBDTF is a classic but tbh I enjoy the first three far more. 80's was a disaster.

Despite what anyone thinks of him he has been one of the or maybe the most relevant in the game since his debut and I respect that.

[dead prez]

Joyful Rebellion does not come close to any Kanye album (not including 808s, obvioulsy). If you're talking just lyrical ability, then maybe. However, it can't compare when it comes to the beats, production, song writing, etc.

Oh I can not to mention how much more versatile of an Mc K-os is than Kanye.

Plus Kanye voice/delivery >>>>> K-OS.

Really this is their biggest disparity that leans heavily towards K-os, I will admit he has an odd voice, that takes some getting used to but by no means is it bad. Not to mention Kanye's terrible breath control.

K-OS has nothing that touches Jesus Walks, Heard Em Say, or tons of other Yeezy tracks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXWu8j-SOdY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzrnYk4Haks
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHqGEzU225c

I'm not saying it was genuine, but before Kanye, practically every big rapper was hood or gangsta.

Rakim, Common, a whole slew of other mcs? Canibus when he was about to blow (but failed miserably) was by no means hood or gangsta either.

And yes, DMX has lot's of gangsta songs, stop splitting hairs.

Gangsta and hardcore are not interchangeable, yes they may intertwine. But they don't always lead to the other, I must name multiple Gangsta/political mcs who aren't hardcore whatsoever? Or how about Hardcore mcs who aren't Gangsta whatsoever?

I love Pac, DMX, Game, etc but it's refreshing to have a superstar rapper who doesn't portray that lifestyle. "I woke up early this morning with a new state of mind, a creative way to rhyme, without using knives and guns" - Family Business.

It's alright, I guess, but far from new. Really this whole non gangsta rap image isn't anything new at all.

Yes, it is. It pisses me off to see Black people walking around dressed "ghetto". Look how everyone dresses now:
http://wsuent.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/4937_90353023585_90352253585_1855553_6525712_n-copy.jpg
Is farrrrr better than a bunch of dudes who look like they just hopped out the projects. You can still dress true to the culture without looking hood.

Fashion style is completely subjective, not to mention I think everybody looks like fags on that pic.