What happened to Kanye West?

I remember buying Yeezy's debut album, The College Dropout, in sixth grade. I listened to it religiously, quickly learning every word and rhyming along as the disc spun in my walkman.

Kanye instantly became my favorite rapper. He seemed to do it all. He had wit, lyrical talent and a production style of soulful sampling that put Chicago hip-hop on the map. West's music garnered immediate success. His first three albums each won "Rap Album of the Year" at the Grammy's, pumping out anthemic hits like the moving "Jesus Walks", the boogie-down, sing-along "Gold Digger", and the swagger-fueled "Stronger". The "Louis Vuitton Don" earned his seat on the Mt. Olympus of hip-hop.

Then, things changed. Kanye started to become known more for his outlandish behavior than for his music. Sure, he's always had his fair share of foolery (Tay-Swift and the hilariously awkward Hurricane Katrina Relief incident come to mind), but West didn't let his antics supersede his dopeness as an artist. He was able to make-up and even laugh them off. Now, it seems different. Now that the humor isn't there, it's a whole lot of seriousness, best exemplified by his acceptance speech at the VMA's last week. West's bewildering rant, capped off by an announcement to run for presidency in 2020, left many including me shaking heads and laughing. This is the impression Kanye leaves on a lot of people now. He seems to see himself as a noble crusader, out to shift the direction of the world, when in reality he looks like a desperate clown. Instead of delivering punchlines, he's become one.

What happened to Kanye the aritst, the emcee millions of us fell in love with? He was funny, he was humble and he was dope. Maybe somewhere below the stratosphere of his ego, that person still exists. Luckily, his music is his legacy. It still makes me want to rap along just as I did when I was younger. Here are six of my favorite songs to remind you that Kanye West used to be cool.

1. "The New Workout Plan"

"1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and get them sit ups right" Kanye instructs at the beginning of the song. This is 'Ye at his loosest, parodying motivational workout videos that help women land a wealthy man or "at least a dude with a car." You can't help but laugh at his bluntness and the testimonials given by the those who "completed" the workout plan: "My names Ella-May from Mobile, Alabama, and I just wanted to say since listening to Kanye's workout tape, I've been able to date outside the family, I got a double wide, and I rode the plane." West just wants everyone to have fun on this track.

2. "Family Business"

Kanye illustrates the ties that bind loved ones together on his most sentimental song off The College Dropout. Whether it's reminiscing of childhood stories over the dinner table or talking with an incarcerated relative, it's those good and bad times West says that bring family close. He showed the rap game how to be real without acting like a thug. "I woke up early this morning with a new state of mind, a creative way to rhyme without using knives and guns/Keep your nose to the sky, keep your heart to God and keep your face to the rising Sun," West rhymes.

3. "Drive Slow (remix)" feat. Paul Wall, GLC & T.I.

On "Drive Slow", Kanye paints the picture of an aspiring youth growing up in the Chicago hood, rapping over a spooky beat accentuated by tip-toeing piano keys. You can't help but nod your head along to the slow-tempo vibe this song emits. Yeezy's verse, along with solid deliveries from the three featured emcees and haunting vocals from Tony Williams, displayed his love for chilled-out rap tracks and pure hip-hop.

4. "Grammy Family" feat. Kanye West, Consequence & John Legend

This is technically a DJ Khaled song (what does he even do?) and was released on GOOD music labelmate Consequence's Don't Quit Your Day Job! album. This Kanye-produced track is a deep-cut gem. Yeezy's verse boasts with bravado, letting listeners know what kind of show-stopping night he and his crew are about to have at the Grammy's. 'Ye took the prize home that year, too, winning "Rap Album of the Year" for his Late Registration album, back when he embraced award shows instead of sabotaging them.

5. "Everything I Am"

Off his third album, Graduation, we hear Kanye at his most humble. Rapping over a soulful Phillip Mitchell sample, "I'll never be as laid back as this beat was/I never see why people reach a fake-ass facade that they couldn't keep up", he opens the door to his insecurities and introspection. He's a rare down-to-earth voice amidst the ostentatious culture that too often floods the hip-hop and pop world.

6. "Monster" feat. Jay Z, Nicki Minaj, Rick Ross & Bon Iver

This star-studded track off Kanye's magnum opus, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, has the gang of emcees unleashing relentless verses, especially one from Nicki, over Yeezy's thumping beat. Some say West's production was at its peak on this album. He collaborated with an array of artists, proving he can put his ego aside in order to do what he's best at, making great music.

Kanye West's latest album, reportedly called SWISH, is rumored to be in the works. I hope the record and the events that ensue once it drops are more about the music than anything else.