Those albums were great. Can't include any of the other albums, because at the most, each of those got a max of 2 listens from me. Besides a few songs here and there, I haven't really liked anything he's dropped post graduation.
The ONLY thing wrong with this album is the overabundance of skits. I dont like "Breathe In Breathe Out" either but gets a pass from all the rest of the tracks.
It's funny you mentioned that particular song. This book I'm reading "Kanye west - God & Monster" mentions how everybody including Ye knew that track didn't fit the album but he kept it anyway just cause of the fact he got that Luda feature
This album wasnt just a classic cuz the songs were good but also cuz the sound and message that was diff than everything else out at the time when it was mostly about sellin dope n being a thug.
I think that's what some of us forget sometimes when we discuss this album. It's easy to look at music now n think "of course it worked" but there were alot of factors not in kanyes favor..such as
* gangsta rap dominating hip hop
* the trend of producers turned rappers putting out wack albums at the time (timbo, pharrel)
* dude was rapping about loving Jesus while wearing a pink Polo (stop n seriously give that some thought for a minute..dude was on rocafella not reach records)
* his album was actually supposed to be a rocafella compilation with just his beats n mostly roc artist rapping on em
The Album aged horribly, A Hip Hop Classic but not a Masterpiece, Album have a fillers. Here's why College Dropout is beloved the album drop at a time when The Mainstream was Nothing but Crunk, Snap, Aftermath/Shady/G Unit, Murder Inc people was tired of that Shit, Kanye brought the Underground back to mainstream
'03-'04 Kanye..took me awhile to grow on to his music around that time but once I heard Jesus Walk for the first time, that was when I took interest in his music.
College Dropout is a classic to me, Even with the skits & Workout Plan.. The theme for the album was pretty refreshing for what we was getting in Hip Hop at the time
