Kanye West's debut looks to change the rap game

Kanye West the producer has the most radio airplay and most singles on the Billboard Hot 100, with four in the Top 50. So will Kanye West the rapper's debut album, The College Dropout, "drop then flop" -- as Kanye puts it in his own words? Impossible.

The final product of Kanye's concentrated efforts and best material, The College Dropout doesn't lack depth, hitting listeners with sarcasm from the get go. With burning social commentary on "All Falls Down," "Spaceship," and "Jesus Walks," Kanye is relentless and unafraid to tackle serious issues including racism and religion. His flow is best on these tracks, and the blend of intense lyrics over mournful rhythms contains some flashes of brilliance. It is no wonder that Kanye West is single-handedly moving hip-hop in a new direction -- shifting it to his own soulful Chicago roots.

Coming out of a new urban tradition, Kanye is one of the most exciting people in hip hop today. The Midwest is new to hip hop, and hip hop heads are ready to listen to new stories of life out there. "Spaceship" is a notable storytelling effort. The first half of this track really feels like a singer/songwriter cut, missing only the acoustic guitar. Kanye describes his experiences struggling to move up and out of the working class world. He sings the hook and his voice is surprisingly affecting.

But the album breaks from soulful beats (sped-up Motown and gospel samples infused with strings) and introspective, complicated lyrics to reveal a brash and cocky young rapper more concerned with fashion than lyrical depth. At his worst, Kanye is no better than rappers like Cam'ron, who depend on incessant and generic couplets to hold tracks together.

Tracks like "Workout Plan" are still catchy because the production quality does much to cover the weak raps. A few high profile appearances also help to improve tracks like "Get Em High" and "Two Words." Respected lyricists Common, Talib Kweli, and Mos Def are true hip-hop poets, and because of their clear lyrical superiority Kanye was smart to seek them out on these cuts.

The end of the album returns with a smoother sound; the finale of "College Dropout" is a lead-in to the new hip hop Kanye is pushing. The last three tracks, including the popular "Through the Wire," are amalgams of rap, R&B, and soul which leave no room for rap's underground element. Either an evolution or a split in the rap world seems imminent. At the very least, Kanye created a trend, and it's heavy to think that one man is responsible for such change.

"College Dropout" isn't an instant classic. The album has problems, mostly centered on Kanye's lyrical ability. Sometimes he can't rap, and it doesn't help that he keeps his self-importance on the surface of some tracks. Hot lines drop once in a while, but many lyrics are noticeably thin.

The incredible talent needed to consistently produce a complete album and sustain a career seems to elude Kanye. Perhaps it's asking too much of a rapper to immediately surface as one of the greats, but Kanye's "Midas touch" as a producer set the high standard for Kanye West the rapper.

The Kanye craze has been building since he laced hit beats for Jay-Z's original version of Blueprint. As demand for his production skills rocketed, Kanye eventually signed to Jay-Z's Roc-A-Fella Records as a rapper, all the while remaining active as a producer. He graced Jay-Z's last three albums as well as making beats for several fan favorite tracks, such as the current Alicia Keys and Ludacris hits, "You Don't Know My Name" and "Stand Up," respectively.

Meanwhile Kanye had been teasing fans with tastes of his skill as a rapper on a series of mix tapes, most recently Kon the Louis Vuitton Don. The mix tape material wasn't exceptional, but Kanye's silly, nonchalant flow appealed to hip hop and R&B fans alike. But silly can't make a whole album, and the flow remained a big question mark. Luckily, Kanye knew that, and his newest release shows it.

For a freshman effort, Dropout is a remarkable surprise, especially considering all the time West has to develop. But right now, The College Dropout has to be part of your collection.