On his supposedly final album, Jay-Z, hip-hop legend and mentor to Kanye West, let everyone know that, "The music I be makin' / I dumb down for my audience/ And double my dollars."
Kanye West is no different. He has made news with his oversized ego and arrogant antics, (complaining that MTV invited him to their video music award show but didn't give him an award, disparaging anyone who has anything negative to say about any of his work) as well as his unrestrained remarks. Just last week the rapper told the audience of a Hurricane Katrina relief telethon that "George Bush doesn't care about black people."
"Late Registration," West's sophomore album, struggles with his desire to be the biggest and flashiest rapper, while at the same time tries to get past the distractions to something even greater.
The first single, "Diamonds from Sierra Leone," is West's attempt to take on a big social issue (African blood diamonds), while tackling issues of his own. Over a sample of Shirley Bassey's James Bond theme, "Diamonds are Forever," Kanye makes both heavy-handed and insightful observations.
"I thought my Jesus piece was harmless / Until I saw a shortie armless," he raps, trying too hard to make a statement. But immediately afterwards, Kanye follows up with a much more subtle and personal line: "And here's the conflict / It's in a black person's soul to rock that gold / Spend ya whole life tryin' to get that ice."
The true conflict, at the heart of the song and album, is asking whether what he is struggling for is what he really wants.
"Why is everything that's supposed to be bad / makes me feel so good?," Kanye asks on "Addiction." "Late Registration" is his quest to find the answer. The barriers Kanye sees in his life and the lives of many others are addictions. He recognizes the addictions, the weaknesses, and his higher aspirations are all part of him. The album gives as much time to arrogant, flashy Kanye as it gives to his socially-conscious, personal side.
Though he tackles big issues, Kanye doesn't lose his sense of humor. "Gold Digger" features a sample of Ray Charles' "I've Got a Woman," alongside Jamie Foxx, doing his "Ray" impression. The "perils of fame" song is a bit of a clich?© ?n second albums, but West finds a way to make it sound unique. His caution against women who go after celebrities' money is so light-hearted it's hard to make any accusations of misogyny; it's more of a jab at the guys too dense to notice they were being used.
Jon Brion, who was brought on as co-producer for "Late Registration," can take some of the credit for Kanye making something more than "College Dropout 2." Brion, previously known for his experimental film scores and production work for Fiona Apple and Aimee Mann, helped diversify Kanye's sound without destroying his ability to create a dynamite pop song. Brion's addition of live orchestration and small electronic experiments brings Kanye's sound to a new level.
"Late Registration" has its fair share of songs that either flop ("Bring Me Down") or don't quite achieve what they were reaching for ("Crack Music"), and a handful of awful skits. No album can be perfect. "Late Registration" should be praised for Kanye's immaculate beats, Brion's experimentation, and the stand-out guest spots. But if there is a reason this album will one day be regarded as a classic, it's because it marks the first voice in a new generation of rappers not the material itself.
The past generation, with Jay-Z, Outkast and Eminem, acknowledged the fight between thug life and real life. Kanye embraces both parts of his hip-hop heritage: he's as showy as Jay-Z and as conscious as Common. The album's not called "Late Registration" because Kanye suddenly wants to go back to college-it's because he's finally ready to take us to school.
