The era before Kanye West lost himself to mental illness, narcissism, clout, and other things was a much simpler time. Spanning over a course of almost 20 years, Kanye's discography is something to be proud of. He gave us hits and bangers that spoke to my spirit. His lyrics and melodies made the producer-turned-rapper become a musical icon. And as I sit and type up this article, his "Late Registration" album blasts at full volume in my earbuds. I find it hard to sit still when "Crack Music" comes on.
Kanye wasn't always one to follow the crowd to try to stay relevant. He pioneered his own beats and rhymes, which made him one of a kind in the music industry. He spoke about issues that were prevalent in his Chicago community. Things that his listeners could actually relate to.
Today we see Kanye rap about things like owning millions in art and jewelry, supporting infamous political leaders, and his wife's...assets. We no longer hear about the senseless killings of black people, conflict diamonds, or people making illegal ventures just to support themselves from him. And I truly believe that era of Kanye West is no more.
My favorite songs before "The Life of Pablo" album include "Heartless," "Heard 'em Say," "Jesus Walks," "Blood on The Leaves," and "Through the Wire," just to name a few. This Kanye was all about using the perfect samples and creating the most effortless beats.
"808s & Heartbreak" is a prime example of how Kanye swayed away from his usual style of taking samples and flipping them. He introduces to us new beats and synthesizers and the like. The trilogy albums "The College Dropout," "Late Registration," and "Graduation" all give us classic beats and samples, tying in many memorable melodies and lyrics. They all speak about the struggle that black people, Kanye included, go through just to make ends meet.
I really love "Through the Wire" solely because he speaks about his own experience about being in a horrific car accident. In fact, he recorded the song with his jaw still wired not long after the accident. He even samples Chaka Khan's "Through the Fire." And I had to stan him even harder for that.
That is what made Kanye so popular. His uniqueness and personal experiences to which we could all somehow relate to. Right now, Kanye doesn't do that for me, so I'm stuck listening to everything pre-TLOP. And that's fine by me.