Here Kanye explores a failed relationship that continues to haunt him, this time with assistance from a hook featuring the soulful vocals of DetroitвЂ™s Dwele. The albumвЂ™s fourth single, вЂњFlashing LightsвЂќ is similarly synth-driven, but is much more deliberate in pace. The hook and bridge are sung by T-Pain, who was then at the height of his powers and popularity, and he lends it his own infectious charisma. The soaring synths and the warped vocal sample from вЂ™s вЂњP.Y.T.вЂќ make this salute to his own victories feel especially epic, though it only clocks in at three and half minutes in length. вЂњGood LifeвЂќ was the albumвЂ™s third and best single, a loud and boisterous club anthem/concert pleaser. West kicks three straight-forward eight-bar verses showcasing his new flow and production style, as he raps, вЂњGood morning, look at the valedictorian / Scared of the future while I hop in the DeLorean.вЂќ. The album begins with вЂњGood Morning,вЂќ WestвЂ™s mission statement for the album, showing his вЂњgraduationвЂќ from his previous persona to megastar. Graduation was one of the better albums of 2007, and a case can be made that it's WestвЂ™s best overall album. West may have sounded insufferable when he lectured about what he was trying to do with his music, but the execution remained strong. It would be reasonable to believe that an arena rock inspired rap album would collapse under the weight of its excess, but West holds it all together and turns all of the apparent pretensions into a great album. As a result, the production and rapping on Graduation shifted, as he even further simplified his lyricism and delivery to make it more appealing to mainstream audiences, and delved into rock and electronic music while creating the soundscape for the album. Now he spoke of mostly listening to alternative rock groups like The Killers, Modest Mouse, and Feist. The days of West rapping over sped-up soul samples were drawing to a close. And much of the music on Graduation was created with that goal in mind. Inspired by his experience opening for U2 on their вЂњVertigoвЂќ tour, West professed his desire to record the type of material that would play well in front of crowds of tens of thousands. Rather, itвЂ™s the first appearance of вЂњStadium StatusвЂќ Kanye. To be clear, the Kanye on Graduation isnвЂ™t вЂњMe and my girl split a bucket at KFCвЂќ Kanye. Graduation marked the beginnings of WestвЂ™s ascendance to what he has become today. The success of Graduation was less about Kanye ending 50 CentвЂ™s dominance, and more about KanyeвЂ™s transformation into a bona fide rap superstar. However, that read on the situation pretty much misses the point. Most of it centers on how by besting 50 in first week sales, he finally вЂњkilledвЂќ gangsta rap. Over the last decade, much has been discussed about how with Graduation, Kanye changed rap music. The album sold 2.7 million units, earned West three Grammies, and is one of the strongest entries in his catalogue. Meanwhile, Graduation was, well, Graduation. Without the context of the orchestrated rivalry, it remains an album of little note. Truthfully, both artists benefited greatly from the hype around their competition.Д¬urtis was 50вЂ™s last platinum album, and much of its success sprung from the hype leading up to its release.

There was lots of ink, digital and otherwise, spilled about how Kanye had crushed 50 Cent, but I doubt thereвЂ™s a mainstream rapper out today who wouldnвЂ™t give up a pinkie-toe for almost 700,000 in first week sales. Kanye вЂњwonвЂќ the competition, with Graduation racking up 957,000 units sold in its first week compared to 50 CentвЂ™s still-impressive 691,000. The lead-up was filled with all of the hype of a congressional race, with photo-ops and bold pronouncements.ДЄt one point, 50 claimed that heвЂ™d retire if Kanye outsold him in the first week, later modifying his statement. The вЂњrivalryвЂќ was marketed as a referendum on who would be the face of popular rap music moving forward.

Months before, Def Jam Records had decided to move up WestвЂ™s release date in order to directly вЂњcompeteвЂќ with 50 Cent, then an unstoppable sales juggernaut. The hype leading up to this release date was something that rap music hasnвЂ™t seen since. 50 Cent was set to drop Curtis, his fourth effort, and Kanye was preparing to release his third album, Graduation. It was Sunday, September 9th, less than 48 hours before the release date of both artistsвЂ™ newest albums. West stood on his toes so he could look 50 eye-to-eye. 50 Cent was clad in a jacket and jeans, while Kanye was wearing a tux and sneakers. 50 Cent and stood on stage at the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards, face-to-face, ice-grilling each other. Happy 10th Anniversary to Kanye WestвЂ™s third studio album Graduation, originally released September 11, 2007.

Kanye West Graduation Zip