Kanye West — Late Registration

Kanye West's first disc, The College Dropout, won Grammys, sold tons of copies and taught millions how to pronounce the rapper's name. With Late Registration, West shows off all he's learned since releasing his triumphant 2004 disc.

The thinking man's Diddy bravely does away with many of his signature production moves and with the help of film soundtrack veteran Jon Brion, he creates a deeper, more soulful sound. The samples this time come at a normal speed and better match the lyrical themes, like the snippet of Ray Charles' "I Got A Woman" that helps to power "Gold Digger" and West's melodic flow remains one of hip-hop's most distinctive.

He also isn't afraid to cast a critical eye toward his own success — on a remixed version of "Diamonds From Sierra Leone," he makes the link between his lust for bling and the corrupt gem trade. Having joined hip-hop's honour society as a freshman, Kanye West keeps his grades up in his sophomore year.

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