Why Graduation is the greatest Hip-Hop / Rap album of all time

Graduation is the third studio album by American rapper and producer Kanye West, released on September 11, 2007, through Def Jam Recordings and Roc-A-Fella Records.

This is my favourite album of all time.

I have listened to many singles, albums, and EP’s in my time, but none have grasped my musical attention so much as Graduation. In my opinion this album was the one to solidify Kanye West’s reputation in the game, and also the album to get his name out there. 

The Build-up to Release

The release of this album was unique, as 50 Cent’s Curtis also happened To be releasing on the same day. There was big competition between the two albums, but most people, including the media, thought that Curtis would win by a long shot.  

The Release

Turns out, 50 Cents Curtis didn’t stand a chance against Graduation. 

Kanye West’s Graduation sold over 957,000 copies in the first week of sales ( 437,000 of which were sold on the release day ), while 50 Cents Curtis sold only a a third of that, with 691,000 copies sold. This was a big shock to the media, and everyone else. 

As of recently, the album has sold over 5 million copies.

The Music

Now for the actual music. 

Graduation derives from the style of his first and second studio albums, The College Dropout, and Late Registration, and instead decides to go for a more stadium-sounding soundtrack, which he got inspiration for while touring with U2 and the Rolling Stones in 2006. He also got slight inspiration from listening to electronica, HD synthesized music, and EDM.

Another thing different from his previous albums is the length. Late Registration and The College Dropout each have just over 20 songs, while Graduation only has 13 songs. This may seem like a downside, but all these tracks are more high-quality than his other work, so it seems this album is  really quality over quantity. 

Each Song in this album offers a unique sound. Some songs have loud, echoey base, some have little focus on the beat, and some adopt completely electric-sounding instrumentals. In my opinion, this is his most diverse album ever, and no two songs sound like each other. While some could say that it’s a more mellow sounding album, I’d have to disagree, as there are tracks like Stronger, and Good Life. 

To wrap this up, I would say that while this album is supported by heavy electronic beats, there is still a noticeable instrumental part in some songs in this album. The different sounds in each song are unique from each other, and no two songs sound alike. 

If I had to pick a favourite song form this album, it would likely be Champion, or Good Morning.

 

Legacy

This album had quite the impact on the hip-hop and rap community.

Graduation’s triumph over 50 Cent’s Curtis has been accredited with being the album that dethroned gangsta rap, and brought conventional rap/hip-hop back into the limelight. The album won the AMA favourite rap/hip-hop album award, and also won best rap album at the Grammy’s.