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Encyclopedia > The College Dropout
The College Dropout
The College Dropout cover
Studio album by Kanye West
Released February 10, 2004 (US)
Recorded 2003
Genre Hip hop
Length 72:00
Label Roc-A-Fella, Island Def Jam
Producer Kanye West
Professional reviews
Kanye West chronology
The College Dropout
(2004)
Late Registration
(2005)
Singles from The College Dropout
  1. "Through the Wire"
    Released: September 30, 2003
  2. "All Falls Down"
    Released: February 24, 2004
  3. "Jesus Walks"
    Released: May 25, 2004
  4. "The New Workout Plan"
    Released: Aug 31, 2004

The College Dropout is the debut album by rapper Kanye West, released in 2004. It was nominated for Grammy Award for Album of the Year and won Best Rap Album and Best Rap Song for "Jesus Walks" in 2005. It was voted as the best album of the year by Rolling Stone magazine and in The Village Voice Pazz & Jop critics poll, was ranked #1 in Spin magazine's "40 Best Albums of the Year", and received a near perfect 4.5 mic rating from The Source. The album has received great acclaim from critics and mainstream fans alike, for its balance of mainstream commercial appeal and its innovative subject matter. Comedian Chris Rock has attested to listening to The College Dropout while writing his material [1]. In 2005 Pitchfork Media named it #50 in their best albums of 2000–2004. Image File history File links Kanye West - The College Dropout Album Cover This work is copyrighted. ... A studio album is a collection of previously unreleased, studio-recorded tracks by a recording artist. ... Kanye Omari West (pronounced /kÉ‘njÉ›j/) (born June 8, 1977) is an American record producer and rapper who rose to fame in the mid 2000s. ... is the 41st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Motto: (Out Of Many, One) (traditional) In God We Trust (1956 to date) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington D.C. Largest city New York City None at federal level (English de facto) Government Federal constitutional republic  - President George Walker Bush (R)  - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence from... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Hip hop music is a style of music which came into existence in the United States during the mid-1970s, and became a large part of modern pop culture during the 1980s. ... In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. ... Roc-A-Fella Records, one of the largest United States hip hop/rap record labels, was co-founded in New York City by hip hop mogul Damon Dash and now multi-platinum rapper Jay-Z in 1995. ... The Island Def Jam Music Group is a record label formed in 1999, when Universal Music Group merged together its two companies, Island Records and Def Jam Recordings to create a super label. ... In the music industry, a record producer (or music producer) has many roles, among them controlling the recording sessions, coaching and guiding the musicians, organizing and scheduling production budget and resources, and supervising the recording, mixing and mastering processes. ... The All Music Guide (AMG) is a metadata database about music, owned by All Media Guide. ... Image File history File links 4. ... HipHopDX is a website dedicated to the coverage and examination of hip hop culture, created in the summer of 1999 by Sharath Tommy C Cherian, owner of Cheri Media Group. ... Image File history File links 4. ... The Village Voice is a New York City-based weekly newspaper featuring investigative articles, analysis of current affairs and culture, arts reviews and events listings for New York City. ... Steve Flash Juon is an American journalist and web master who writes about hip-hop music and culture. ... Image File history File links Stars10085. ... Look up blender in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Image File history File links 4_stars. ... Entertainment Weekly (sometimes abbreviated EW) is a magazine published by Time Inc. ... Mojo is a popular music magazine published monthly in the United Kingdom. ... Image File history File links 4_stars. ... Pitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork and occasionally shortened to P4K or pfork,[1] is a United States-based daily Internet publication devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. ... Image File history File links Stars10085. ... PopMatters is an international magazine of cultural criticism. ... Image File history File links Stars10090. ... Q is a music magazine published monthly in the United Kingdom, with a circulation of 140,282 and a readership of 731,000. ... Image File history File links 4_stars. ... Robert Christgau (born April 18, 1942), is an American essayist, music journalist, and the self-declared Dean of American Rock Critics.[1] In print, his name is sometimes abbreviated as Xgau. ... This article is about the music magazine. ... Image File history File links 3. ... Slant Magazine is a non-commercial film and music review website. ... Image File history File links 3. ... This article is about the online music and film magazine. ... Uncut special issue on Queen. ... Image File history File links 4_stars. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Image File history File links 4. ... A 2005 cover of XXL, featuring Snoop Dogg and The Game. ... Image File history File links 5_stars. ... Kanye Omari West (pronounced /kÉ‘njÉ›j/) (born June 8, 1977) is an American record producer and rapper who rose to fame in the mid 2000s. ... Singles from Late Registration Released: July 4, 2005 Released: October 10, 2005 Released: December 20, 2005 Released: April 24, 2006 Released: June, 2006 Late Registration is the second major label album release from Roc-A-Fella hip hop artist and producer Kanye West. ... A collection of various CD singles In music, a single is a short recording of one or more separate tracks. ... Through the Wire is the first single from Kanye Wests debut album, The College Dropout. ... is the 273rd day of the year (274th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... All Falls Down is the second single off Kanye Wests debut album, The College Dropout. ... is the 55th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Jesus Walks was the third single from Kanye Wests debut album The College Dropout. ... is the 145th day of the year (146th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The New Workout Plan is a fast paced dance song from Kanye Wests album, The College Dropout. ... August 31 is the 243rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (244th in leap years), with 122 days remaining. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Rapping is one of the elements of hip hop and the distinguishing feature of hip hop music; it is a form of rhyming lyrics spoken rhythmically over musical instruments, with a musical backdrop of sampling, scratching and mixing by DJs. ... Kanye Omari West (pronounced /kÉ‘njÉ›j/) (born June 8, 1977) is an American record producer and rapper who rose to fame in the mid 2000s. ... The Grammy Award for Best Rap Album has been awarded since 1996. ... money maker, lose yourself , sumtin esle ... Jesus Walks was the third single from Kanye Wests debut album The College Dropout. ... This article is about a New York newspaper. ... The Pazz & Jop critics poll is a highly influential poll of music critics run by The Village Voice newspaper. ... Spin is a music magazine that reports on all the music that rocks. Founded in 1985 by publisher Bob Guccione, Jr. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Christopher Julius Rock III[5] (born February 7, 1965)[6][7] is an American comedian, actor, screenwriter, television producer, film producer and director. ... Pitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork and occasionally shortened to P4K or pfork,[1] is a United States-based daily Internet publication devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. ...


In 2006, the album was chosen by Time magazine as one of the 100 best albums of all time.[2] “TIME” redirects here. ...


The College Dropout reached #1 on Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Chart, and reached #2 on the Billboard 200. In the UK, it peaked at #12 on the album chart and spent several months in the top 20. Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry. ... The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. ...


The first single from the album, "Through the Wire", which features a Chaka Khan sample, peaked at #15 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart while its successor "All Falls Down", which features R&B singer Syleena Johnson, peaked at #7. The third single, "Jesus Walks", peaked at #11 while a fourth extract, "The New Workout Plan", made a minor impression on the R&B/Hip-Hop charts (see list of US Billboard chart positions below). In the UK, "Through The Wire" peaked at #9 on the singles sales chart, "All Falls Down" peaked at #10, and "Jesus Walks" peaked at #11. Through the Wire is the first single from Kanye Wests debut album, The College Dropout. ... Chaka Khan (born March 23, 1953) is an American singer known for her 1984 cover of Princes I Feel For You, for her smash hit Im Every Woman and as a member of the funk band Rufus, with whom she recorded the legendary soul record Aint Nobody... “Hot 100” redirects here. ... All Falls Down is the second single off Kanye Wests debut album, The College Dropout. ... Rhythm and blues (or R & B) is a musical marketing term introduced in the United States in the late 1940s by Billboard magazine. ... Syleena Johnson (born on September 2, 1976 in Harvey, Illinois) is a Grammy nominated R&B singer/songwriter. ... Jesus Walks was the third single from Kanye Wests debut album The College Dropout. ... Jesus Walks was the third single from Kanye Wests debut album The College Dropout. ...


"Through the Wire" was mumbled by West while his mouth was wired shut after his near-fatal car accident in October 2002. The song describes his feelings at the time as well as the rehabilitation process following the accident, notable in the lyrics, "I drink a Boost for breakfast, and ensure for dizzert / Somebody ordered pancakes I just sip the sizzurp". The album it self went 3x Platinum in the United States. Boost is an energy drink brand that is produced within the United Kingdom by the company of the same name. ...

Contents

Track listing

All tracks produced by Kanye West.

  1. "Intro" (West) – 0:19
    • Produced by Kanye West
    • Additional vocals by Deray
  2. "We Don't Care" (West/Ben-Ari/Vannelli) – 3:59
    • Produced by Kanye West
    • Additional vocals by John Legend, Riccarda Watkins, Keyshia Cole, Terence Hardy, Diamond Alabi-Isama, James "JT" Knight
    • Violin by Miri Ben-Ari
    • Contains samples from "I Just Wanna Stop" performed by The Jimmy Castor Bunch
  3. "Graduation Day" (West/Stephens/Ben-Ari) – 1:22
    • Performed by John Legend
    • Produced by Kanye West
    • Piano by John Legend
    • Violin by Miri Ben-Ari
  4. "All Falls Down" (West/Hill) – 3:43
    • Featuring Syleena Johnson
    • Produced by Kanye West
    • Guitar by Eric "E-Bass" Johnson
    • Acoustic Guitar by Ken Lewis
    • Contains an interpolation of "Mystery Of Iniquity" performed by Lauryn Hill
  5. "I'll Fly Away" (Brumley) – 1:09
    • Produced by Kanye West
    • Additional vocals by Tony Williams, Deray
    • Piano by Ervin "EP" Pope
  6. "Spaceship" (West/Williams/Harris/Mills/Gaye/Gordy/Greene) – 5:24
    • Featuring GLC, Consequence
    • Produced by Kanye West
    • Additional vocals by Tony Williams, John Legend
    • Contains a sample of "Distant Lover" performed by Marvin Gaye
  7. "Jesus Walks" (West/Smith/Ben-Ari/Lundy) – 3:13
    • Produced by Kanye West
    • Additional vocals by John Legend
    • Contains a sample of "Walk With Me" performed by The Arc Choir
    • Contains a vocal sample of "Don't worry" performed by Curtis Mayfield
  8. "Never Let Me Down" (West/Carter/Richardson/Bolton/Kulick) – 5:24
    • Featuring Jay-Z, J. Ivy
    • Produced by Kanye West
    • Background vocals by John Legend, Tracie Spencer
    • Keyboards by Ervin "EP" Pope
    • Guitar by Glenn Jefferey
    • Contains an sample of "Maybe It's The Power Of Love", written by Michael Bolton and Bruce Kulick
    • Sample also recreated and performed by Ken Lewis
  9. "Get Em High" (West/Greene/Lynn) – 4:49
    • Featuring Talib Kweli, Common
    • Produced by Kanye West
    • Additional vocals by Sumeke Rainey
  10. "Workout Plan" (West) – 0:46
    • Performed by Candis Brown, Brandi Kuykenvall, Tiera Singleton
    • Produced by Kanye West
  11. "The New Workout Plan" (West/Stephens/Kante/Rainey/Ben-Ari) – 5:22
    • Produced by Kanye West
    • Additional vocals by John Legend, Sumeke Rainey
    • Talkbox by Bosko
    • Guitar by Eric "E-Bass" Johnson
    • Piano by Ervin "EP" Pope
    • Violin by Miri Ben-Ari
  12. "Slow Jamz" (West/Mitchell/Bacharach/David) – 5:16
    • Featuring Twista, Jamie Foxx
    • Produced by Kanye West
    • Additional vocals by Aisha Tyler
    • Keyboards by Ervin "EP" Pope
    • Guitar by Glen Jefferey
    • Contains a sample of "A House is Not a Home" performed by Luther Vandross
  13. "Breathe In Breathe Out" (West/Miller) – 4:06
    • Featuring Ludacris
    • Produced by Kanye West
    • Violins by Miri Ben-Ari
  14. "School Spirit Skit 1" (West) – 1:18
    • Produced by Kanye West
    • Additional vocals by Deray
  15. "School Spirit" (West/Franklin) – 3:02
    • Produced by Kanye West
    • Additional vocals by Tony Williams
    • Contains a sample of "Spirit in the Dark" performed by Aretha Franklin
  16. "School Spirit Skit 2" (West) – 0:43
    • Produced by Kanye West
    • Additional vocals by Deray
  17. "Lil Jimmy Skit" (West) – 0:53
    • Produced by Kanye West
    • Additional vocals by Deray, Tony Williams
    • Piano by Ervin "EP" Pope
  18. "Two Words" (West/Smith/Pridgen/Wilson/Wilson/Wilson) – 4:26
    • Featuring Mos Def, Freeway, The Harlem Boys Choir
    • Produced by Kanye West
    • Keyboards by Keith Slattery
    • Violins by Miri Ben-Ari
    • Contains a sample of "Peace And Love (Amani Na Mapenzi) - Movement IV (Encounter)" performed by Mandrill
    • Also Contains a drum sample currently unknown, but used in Jay Z's "A dream"
  19. "Through the Wire" (Foster/Keane/Weil) – 3:41
    • Produced by Kanye West
    • Contains a sample of "Through The Fire" performed by Chaka Khan
  20. "Family Business" (West) – 4:38
    • Produced by Kanye West
    • Additional vocals by Thomasina Atkins, Linda Petty, Beverly McCargo, Lavel Mena, Thai Jones, Kevin Shannon, Tarey Torae
    • Piano by Josh Zandman
    • Contains a sample from The Dells - Fonky Thang (Vocal sample)
    • Additional instrumentation by Ken Lewis
  21. "Last Call" (West/Perretta/Williams/Lewis) – 12:40
    • Produced by Kanye West, Porse
    • Guitar by Ken Lewis, Glenn Jefferey
    • Keyboard by Ken Lewis
    • Percussion by Ken Lewis
    • Piano by Ervin "EP" Pope
    • Additional vocals by John Legend, Tony Williams, Ken Lewis, Jay-Z
    • Contains a sample from "Mr. Rockefeller" by Bette Midler

Kanye Omari West (pronounced /kɑnjɛj/) (born June 8, 1977) is an American record producer and rapper who rose to fame in the mid 2000s. ... DeRay Davis (born Antwan De Ray Davis) is an African-American stand-up comedian and actor. ... Miri Ben-Ari (born in 1978) is an Israeli Grammy-award winning classically trained violinist known primarily for her work on several hip-hop projects. ... John Legend (born John Stephens, 28 December 1978, Columbus, Ohio) is an R&B singer, songwriter, and pianist. ... Keyshia Michelle Cole (born October 15, 1981) is an American R&B singer-songwriter and record producer known for her soulful voice. ... Miri Ben-Ari (born in 1978) is an Israeli Grammy-award winning classically trained violinist known primarily for her work on several hip-hop projects. ... Jimmy Castor is an American R&B and funk musician from New York City. ... John Legend (born John Stephens, 28 December 1978, Columbus, Ohio) is an R&B singer, songwriter, and pianist. ... All Falls Down is the second single off Kanye Wests debut album, The College Dropout. ... Lauryn Noel Hill-Marley (born May 25, 1975) is an American vocalist, singer, rapper, musician, record producer and film actress. ... Syleena Johnson (born on September 2, 1976 in Harvey, Illinois) is a Grammy nominated R&B singer/songwriter. ... Lauryn Noel Hill-Marley (born May 25, 1975) is an American vocalist, singer, rapper, musician, record producer and film actress. ... Ill Fly Away, written by Albert E. Brumley in 1929 [1], is a famous hymn most associated with American Baptists[2] and the Church of Christ. ... Albert Edward Brumley was a shape note gospel music composer and publisher. ... Tony Williams (December 12, 1945 – February 23, 1997) was an African American jazz drummer. ... Disambiguation: For the Welsh rap group Goldie Lookin Chain see their wikipedia entry. ... Consequence (born Dexter Raymond Mills, Jr. ... Marvin Gaye (born Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. ... Disambiguation: For the Welsh rap group Goldie Lookin Chain see their wikipedia entry. ... Consequence (born Dexter Raymond Mills, Jr. ... Marvin Gaye (born Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. ... Jesus Walks was the third single from Kanye Wests debut album The College Dropout. ... Che Smith, known by the stage name of Rhymefest, is an American hip hop artist (born January 1, 1977) from the South side of Chicago in Jeffrey Manor whose first official album, Blue Collar, was released on July 11, 2006. ... Curtis Mayfield (June 3, 1942 – December 26, 1999) was an American soul, funk and R&B singer, songwriter and guitarist best known for his anthemic music with The Impressions and composing the soundtrack to the blaxploitation film Superfly. ... Jay-Z (aka the Jigga, HOV and Hova, born Shawn Carter on December 4, 1970 in Brooklyn, New York) is an African American rapper/hip hop artist and record label executive; one of the most popular and successful rappers of the late 1990s and early 2000s. ... Michael Bolotin (born February 26, 1953), better known as Michael Bolton, is an American singer-songwriter, known for his soft rock ballads and powerful singing vocals. ... Bruce Kulick (born on December 12, 1953 in Brooklyn, New York) was the lead guitarist for the rock band KISS from September 1984 to February 1996. ... Jay-Z (aka the Jigga, HOV and Hova, born Shawn Carter on December 4, 1970 in Brooklyn, New York) is an African American rapper/hip hop artist and record label executive; one of the most popular and successful rappers of the late 1990s and early 2000s. ... Tracie Spencer (born in Waterloo, Iowa) is an American singer-songwriter, actress, and model. ... Michael Bolotin (born February 26, 1953), better known as Michael Bolton, is an American singer-songwriter, known for his soft rock ballads and powerful singing vocals. ... Talib Kweli (born Talib Kweli Greene in Brooklyn, New York City on October 3, 1975) is an American MC from Brooklyn, New York. ... Lonnie Rashid Lynn, Jr. ... Talib Kweli (born Talib Kweli Greene in Brooklyn, New York City on October 3, 1975) is an American MC from Brooklyn, New York. ... Lonnie Rashid Lynn, Jr. ... The New Workout Plan is a fast paced dance song from Kanye Wests album, The College Dropout. ... Slow Jamz is the first single from Twistas album, Kamikaze. ... Cavalier Terrell Mitchell, (born on November 27, 1973 in Chicago, Illinois) better known by his stage name Twista (formerly Tung Twista), is an American rapper that held the title of fastest rapper in the world according to the Guinness World Records in 1992, being able to rap 11. ... This biographical article needs additional references for verification. ... Hal David (born May 25, 1921 in New York City, New York) is an American lyricist and songwriterFicticiousbyMichaelAlfredMontalbano. ... Cavalier Terrell Mitchell, (born on November 27, 1973 in Chicago, Illinois) better known by his stage name Twista (formerly Tung Twista), is an American rapper that held the title of fastest rapper in the world according to the Guinness World Records in 1992, being able to rap 11. ... Jamie Foxx (born December 13, 1967) is an American actor, singer, and stand-up comic. ... Luther Ronzoni Vandross, Jr. ... “Luda” redirects here. ... Aretha Louise Franklin (born March 25, 1942) is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. ... Aretha Louise Franklin (born March 25, 1942) is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. ... Mos Def (born Dante Terrell Smith on December 11, 1973 in Brooklyn, New York City, U.S.), is an American rapper and actor. ... Leslie Pridgen (born July 8, 1979 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) better known as Freeway is an American rapper signed to Jay-Zs Roc-A-Fella imprint under Def Jam Recordings. ... Mos Def (born Dante Terrell Smith on December 11, 1973 in Brooklyn, New York City, U.S.), is an American rapper and actor. ... Leslie Pridgen (born July 8, 1979 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) better known as Freeway is an American rapper signed to Jay-Zs Roc-A-Fella imprint under Def Jam Recordings. ... Mandrill is a funk band formed in Brooklyn, New York City in 1968. ... Through the Wire is the first single from Kanye Wests debut album, The College Dropout. ... For other persons named David Foster, see David Foster (disambiguation). ... Cynthia Weil (born October 18, 1937 in New York City) is a prominent American songwriter. ... Chaka Khan (born March 23, 1953) is an American singer known for her 1984 cover of Princes I Feel For You, for her smash hit Im Every Woman and as a member of the funk band Rufus, with whom she recorded the legendary soul record Aint Nobody... The Dells are one of the longest standing R&B groups; formed in 1952 in Chicago, Illinois, and still going as of 2005. ... An American Hip-Hop artist and producer and memeber of the Rap Group Dilated Peoples. ... Bette Midler (born December 1, 1945) is an American singer, actress and comedienne, also known to her fans as The Divine Miss M. She is named after the actress Bette Davis although Davis pronounced her first name in two syllables, and Midler uses one. ...

Singles chart positions

Singles - Billboard (North America)

Year Single Chart Position
2004 "All Falls Down" Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles and Tracks 4
2004 "All Falls Down" Hot Rap Tracks 2
2004 "All Falls Down" Rhythmic Top 40 7
2004 "All Falls Down" The Billboard Hot 100 7
2004 "All Falls Down" Top 40 Mainstream 22
2004 "All Falls Down" Top 40 Tracks 12
2004 "Jesus Walks" Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles and Tracks 2
2004 "Jesus Walks" Hot Rap Tracks 3
2004 "Jesus Walks" Rhythmic Top 40 16
2004 "Jesus Walks" The Billboard Hot 100 11
2004 "Through the Wire" Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles and Tracks 8
2004 "Through the Wire" Hot Rap Tracks 4
2004 "Through the Wire" Rhythmic Top 40 10
2004 "Through the Wire" The Billboard Hot 100 15
2004 "Through the Wire" Top 40 Mainstream 32
2004 "Through the Wire" Top 40 Tracks 25
2004 "The New Workout Plan" Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles and Tracks 59

Credits

  • Executive Producers: Shawn Carter, Damon Dash, Kareem "Biggs" Burke, Michael B Siegel
  • Co-Executive Producers: G. Roberson, Kyambo "Hip Hop" Joshua, Kanye West
  • A&R Direction: Hip Hop Since 1978, Patrick "Plain Pat" Reynolds
  • A&R Coordinator: Shalik Berry, Ramses Francois, Darrin Asemota
  • Direction of Joint Ventures: Darcell Lawrence
  • Recording Administration: Tony Vanias
  • Mastering: Eddy Schreyer
  • Marketing for Hip Hop Since 1978: Al Branch
  • Marketing for Roc-a-Fella Records: Girard Hunt, Osayamen Asemota
  • Marketing for Def Jam: Shante Bacon
  • Management: John Monopoly, Don C., Benny MEdina, Andrei McQuillan
  • Art Direction & Design: Eric Duvauchelle, Mike Godshall, Jim Morris, Stephanie Reynolds, Lauri Rowe
  • Dropout Bear Logo Design: Bobby Naugle, Sam Hansen
  • Costumes: O Share Stylez, Kanye West
  • Legal Counsel: Alison K. Finley
  • Business Affairs: Randy McMillan, Antoinette Trotman, Ian Allen
  • Sample Clearance Agent: Eric Weissman

Jay-Z (aka the Jigga, HOV and Hova, born Shawn Carter on December 4, 1970 in Brooklyn, New York) is an African American rapper/hip hop artist and record label executive; one of the most popular and successful rappers of the late 1990s and early 2000s. ... Damon Dash, also known as Dame Dash, (born May 3, 1971 in Harlem, New York) is an African-American label executive; the former CEO and co-founder of Roc-A-Fella Records with Shawn Jay-Z Carter and Kareem Biggs Burke. ... Roc-A-Fella Records is an American hip hop/rap record label. ... Def Jam Recordings is an American based hip-hop record label that operates as a part of The Island Def Jam Music Group, which is owned by Universal Music Group. ...

Unused tracks

  • "Peace" aka "Doing Fine"
  • "Dream Killers" aka "Gossip Files"
  • "Keep the Receipt" (featuring Dirt McGirt)
  • "Heavy Hitters" (featuring GLC-appears on College Dropout:Video Anthology and is Jesus Walks' b-side)
  • "Be Alright" (featuring Mase and John Legend)
  • "Hey Mama" (appears on Late Registration)
  • "I Need to Know"
  • "The Good, The Bad, The Ugly" (appears on Consequence's Don't Quit Your Day Job!)
  • "Home" (featuring John Legend) (an alternate version of this track appears on Graduation as "Homecoming" with Chris Martin instead of John Legend)
  • "Wow"
  • "My Way"
  • "Out of Your Mind" aka "Arguments"

Russell Jones appears as Dirt McGirt Ol Dirty Bastard (also known as ODB, Dirty, Dirt McGirt, Dirt Dog, Big Baby Jesus, Osirus, Joe Bannanas, and Unique Ason), born Russell Tyrone Jones (November 15, 1968–November 13, 2004), was an African American rapper with one of the most highly distinctive... Disambiguation: For the Welsh rap group Goldie Lookin Chain see their wikipedia entry. ... Mason Durrell Betha (born August 27, 1978 in Jacksonville, Florida),[1] known by stage name Ma$e, is an American rapper, best known as an artist on Sean Diddy Combs hip hop label Bad Boy Records during the late 1990s. ... John Legend (born John Stephens, 28 December 1978, Columbus, Ohio) is an R&B singer, songwriter, and pianist. ... Singles from Late Registration Released: July 4, 2005 Released: October 10, 2005 Released: December 20, 2005 Released: April 24, 2006 Released: June, 2006 Late Registration is the second major label album release from Roc-A-Fella hip hop artist and producer Kanye West. ... Consequence (born Dexter Raymond Mills, Jr. ... Dont Quit Your Day Job! is a sophomore album by rapper Consequence released on March 6, 2007. ... Graduation will be the third major label album release from Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam hip hop artist-producer Kanye West. ... This article is about the Coldplay musician. ...

Miscellaneous

  • Kanye West was unable to get permission from Lauryn Hill to use a vocal sample from her track "Mystery of Iniquity" on her MTV Unplugged album. Instead, Syleena Johnson re-sang the lyric, for the song "All Falls Down". The song later appeared with the original sample on the compilation CD Freshmen Adjustment, which also contained the song "Wow" which Kanye mentioned in the song "Last Call"
  • Fellow Chicago rapper Rhymefest co-wrote some of the lyrics on "Jesus Walks"
  • Aretha Franklin would not allow Kanye to sample her song "Spirit in the Dark" if it contained curse words, so this is why "School Spirit" is the only censored track on both clean and explicit versions of the album.
  • The track "The Good, the Bad, the Ugly" featuring Consequence which was released to promote the album was discarded by Kanye and has since appeared as a track on Consequence's album Don't Quit Your Day Job!
  • Evidence of Dilated Peoples co-produced "Last Call" and claims that he co-produced "a lot of [other] songs" on The College Dropout, although is credited for no others.[3]
  • "Jesus Walks" was a song written and recorded as a solo track for Rhymefest, but since he did not have a record deal at the time, he and Kanye re-wrote the song and it appears on Kanye's debut. This is why an all Rhymefest bootleg version of this track can be found on the net, it is the original.[4]

Image File history File links Broom_icon. ... Lauryn Noel Hill-Marley (born May 25, 1975) is an American vocalist, singer, rapper, musician, record producer and film actress. ... MTV Unplugged is a series showcasing popular musical artists playing acoustic instruments. ... Syleena Johnson (born on September 2, 1976 in Harvey, Illinois) is a Grammy nominated R&B singer/songwriter. ... Che Smith, known by the stage name of Rhymefest, is an American hip hop artist (born January 1, 1977) from the South side of Chicago in Jeffrey Manor whose first official album, Blue Collar, was released on July 11, 2006. ... Jesus Walks was the third single from Kanye Wests debut album The College Dropout. ... Aretha Louise Franklin (born March 25, 1942) is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. ... Consequence (born Dexter Raymond Mills, Jr. ... Dont Quit Your Day Job! is a sophomore album by rapper Consequence released on March 6, 2007. ... An American Hip-Hop artist and producer and memeber of the Rap Group Dilated Peoples. ... Dilated Peoples is an underground hip hop group residing in California. ... Che Smith, known by the stage name of Rhymefest, is an American hip hop artist (born January 1, 1977) from the South side of Chicago in Jeffrey Manor whose first official album, Blue Collar, was released on July 11, 2006. ... Che Smith, known by the stage name of Rhymefest, is an American hip hop artist (born January 1, 1977) from the South side of Chicago in Jeffrey Manor whose first official album, Blue Collar, was released on July 11, 2006. ...

References

  1. ^ http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1096499-3,00.html
  2. ^ http://www.time.com/time/2006/100albums/index.html
  3. ^ http://www.mvremix.com/urban/interviews/evidence.shtml
  4. ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYRRi6MKm-E

  Results from FactBites:
 
Kanye West: The College Dropout - PopMatters Music Review (933 words)
Yes, Kanye West's debut album The College Dropout is proof that you can be one of hip-hop's hottest producers and still be proficient at writing and delivering rhymes, that not all producers sink a track when they get on the mic.
Yes, The College Dropout is an example of a much-hyped, long-delayed, heavily bootlegged album that is worth every second of the wait, that is just as good as you expected it to be.
A college dropout himself, West uses the cover art and a serious of skits to frame the album as a commentary on the educational system, a criticism of what people expect to gain from school and of the tenuous connection which that often has to what is taught and learned.
UH -Top Education Stories - The College Dropout Boom (4369 words)
College graduates have received steady pay increases over the past two decades, while the pay of everyone else has risen little more than the rate of inflation.
To get into a good college, the sons and daughters of the upper middle class often talk of needing a higher SAT score than, say, an applicant who grew up on a farm, in a ghetto or in a factory town.
Some colleges, like Emory University in Atlanta, have climbed fast in the rankings over precisely the same period in which their percentage of low-income students has tumbled.
  More results at FactBites »


 

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