LATE REGSITRATION review: Kanye raises the bar in hip hop with latest release

Kanye West
Late Registration
Roc-A-Fella/ Def Jam Records
Release date: August 30, 2005

First things first, if you are into gangsta lyrics spit on over used samples (basically what is what almost everyone else is doing), go back and do whatever it was you were doing. Stop, don’t pass go, don’t collect $200 and proceed to the next review, this CD isn’t for you. If you want something new, creative and music that pushes up the bar and set trends instead of following them, then by all means please proceed.

On Late Registration, the Chi-town native who crashed the party with his debut disc, College Dropout and had both clubs and radio stations world wide playing a track called Jesus Walks in the same playlist with Luke’s Doo Doo Brown. He came on the scene not able to be classified as a conscious rapper, b-boy or a bad-boy chasing bling and bitches, he was a little of them all.
On Late Registration, Kanye stepped up his lyrical game a notch or two, drops some relevant info and revolutionary themes, in a way you have to listen a few times before you get it all. He also flosses his fly production skills, proving despite popular belief the whole world of music can be used in hip-hop, everything 21 string arrangements, to Gil Scott Heron and Ray Charles vocal samples to Patti Labelle, Brandy and Adam Levine singing hooks. Instead of tryna do it all his self and pocket the remaining of his production budget, he comes out his pocket and spends more. Fiona Apple producer Jon Brion makes his hip hop production debut as co-pilot on the production end.

One of the things that first struck my while Kanye who is both on of the most humblest cats and most arrogant at the same time when playing and discussing his sophomore effort for the Atlanta press and retail owners, it is hard to tell what is sampled and what is played live, cause they are so well mixed. The second was anyone on Roc-A-Fella Records (The house that S. Carter built) that cab get Nas to spit 16 on his project, alone is worth ya hard earned cash. Anyone who can drop an album with guest appearances by heavyweights Jay-Z, Nas, Common, Brandy, Patti LaBelle, Adam Levine of Maroon 5, Jamie Foxx, Cam'ron, Consequence, the Game, Paul Wall just to name a few, and still hold his own, remind you whose album it is and not come off basically like another compilation-style album is another reason this CD is worth the price of admission.

This CD where you have to try hard to find that album filler track is full of potential singles. From the lead off single ‘Diamonds Of Sierra Leone’ with the Shirley Bassey's Diamonds Are Forever sample which went from a Roc-A-Fella is still alive and well theme to educating the public on conflict diamonds. Then there’s “Heard Em Say”, Adam Levine of Maroon 5, who Kanye lost the Best New Artist Grammy in 2005 to, that has potential to be a big crossover success.

Three strong tracks that should receive madd radio play even if they don’t get released as singles as "Drive Slow" with Paul Wall and GLC, "Addiction", and "Gone with Consequence" with Cam'Ron. All three feature that great soulful Kanye-style beats and the guest artists are used to enhance the song, and don't over-power the cuts. Must hear track is "Hey Mama," where Mr. West pays tribute to his mama, who had to work nights to keep on the lights.

Late Registration will be one of those album that you will hear something you missed every time you listen. Its one of those album that when looked back on it the future it will be seen as one that raised the bar, and ahead of its time. But the problem with an album like that, although I expect it to do big numbers, its never truly appreciated during its initial release.

Instead of rapping about how much money which is the norn these days he used his name and fame to address some issues. He is probably one of the few mainstream rap artists willing to tackle politics: the links between the jewelery trade and Sierra Leone's civil war on Diamonds ... , the blunting of black militancy by drug use on Crack Music, inadequate US health care on Roses.

"Are you hearin' what Gil Scott Heron was hearin',

when our heroes and heroines got hooked on heroin?" asks Crack Music

"I thought my Jesus piece was so harmless," he cries on Diamonds ... ,"

"until I saw a picture of a shorty, armless".

Late Registration is worth the price of admission and should spawn both pleanty of singles and videos. Kanye announced the album's arrival in typically boastful style: "It's killing everything out there ... I'm carrying the whole of hip-hop." After hearing Late Registration, the boastful statements sounds less like flossing than a stating the facts.

My name is AJ Woodson

and that's my opinion....