Okay, full disclosure: this was supposed to be a review of Kanye’s new album, The Life of Pablo. The album was set to drop last Friday, which is coincidentally our production night. However, since Kanye is Kanye, he decided not to release it in time for us to write our review. Thanks a lot, Yeezy. Instead, we’ve decided to rank West’s six previous albums in anticipation of his new album — whenever he decides to release it.
(Ed. note: Kanye released The Life of Pablo in the early hours of February 14th, so click here for the full album review.)
Max Hill – Editor-in-Chief
-
Graduation
Don’t get me wrong — Graduation isn’t a bad album. I genuinely don’t think Kanye is even capable of making a straightforward bad record. However, he is capable of making a mediocre one, and this is it: Kanye’s pop rap charm hit saturation point here, and tracks like Chris-Martin feature “Homecoming” and Krautrock-sampling “Drunk and Hot Girls” just don’t hold up against Yeezy’s discography.
-
808s & Heartbreak
Arguably his most divisive record, 808s is a lot better than you remember, thanks to Kanye’s surprising knack for pop melodies (“Love Lockdown,” “Paranoid”) and ahead-of-his-time production style. Everyone from The Weeknd to Drake to Future owe their sad-rapper image to Kanye circa 2008, and though the album is definitely not his strongest work, there’s lots to love here.
-
Yeezus
I think a lot of people straight up don’t get Yeezus. It’s not about the lyrics, it’s not about the samples, and it’s not about the crappy album art. It’s about the aesthetic: this is the sound of a public figure tearing his image apart at the seams for everyone to hear, and it’s equal parts disturbing and invigorating. “Soon as they like you, make ‘em unlike you,” as he says.
-
The College Dropout
This record and Late Registration are basically equally great. It’s tough to pick. The College Dropout has a lot going for it: it’s Kanye’s first effort, he’s full of energy, and the guest verses are straight-up incredible. However, I’d say this album sounded better when it leaked six months before its official release, back when Lauryn Hill featured on “All Falls Down” and guest verses from Dirty Ol’ Bastard and John Legend were still included.
-
Late Registration
On the surface, producer Jon Brion was a weird choice: most of his credentials came from weepy indie flicks like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, not rap records. Luckily for him (and us), it ended up being a perfect choice. Late Registration is near flawless, and features Kanye at his most tender (“Hey Mama,” “Roses”) and his most provocative (“Gold Digger,” “Gone”). Plus, it sounds incredible. Like butter.
-
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
Anyone who ranks this any lower than number one is messing with you. MBDTF is the perfect mix of everything that makes Kanye legendary: fantastic, quotable lyrics; lush maximalist production; perfectly chosen guests; and an almost uncomfortable level of honesty about his personal life. As I wrote before, all of Kanye’s albums are great, but only MBDTF ranks with the best records in the history of the genre. (Also, that Nicki Minaj verse on “Monster”? Unbeatable.)
Nick Bondi – Sports Editor
-
Yeezus
An easy choice for me. First, the production is straight-up weird. On first listen, I was really feeling “On Sight,” and then he drops that sample right in the middle of the song. Secondly, the lyrics are terrible. “Bound 2” is a perfect example of this — he obviously put no thought into the lyrics for that one. Even the mastering of the album is way off. People don’t want to admit that Kanye made a bad album, but this is definitely a bad album.
-
The College Dropout
A tough choice between this and 808s for this spot. The guest verses are excellent, and the production is on point, but songs such as “The New Workout Plan” and “Breathe In, Breathe Out” just don’t hold up on further listens. He also left some great tracks off the album. If you get the chance, listen to Freshmen Adjustment, specifically the songs “The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly” and “Keep The Receipt” — absolute bangers that were, for some reason, left on the cutting room floor.
-
808s & Heartbreak
I give this one the nod over The College Dropout because I love the minimalist production. It pairs perfectly with the use of Auto-tune. This album shows Kanye at his most vulnerable, his most insecure. He mixes that vulnerability with the previous two elements and gets an album that shows an almost pure form of emotion. And I don’t even have to get into how many artists this album has influenced.
-
Late Registration
I love the orchestral tones throughout the album — it gives it a consistent backdrop to some great verses from Kanye and others. “Touch the Sky” is in my top three for best Kanye songs, and “Gold Digger” is a classic. However, it’s still a bit mired in hip-hop traditions, exhibited by the inclusions of sketches. Other than that, I’ll echo what Max says — it’s nearly flawless.
-
Graduation
People love to shit on this album for whatever reason, but I rank it this high because it combines the best from The College Dropout and Late Registration — the sped-up soul samples that made him a top producer, and the lush strings make Late Registration a classic. I’ll concede that “Drunk and Hot Girls” isn’t the best track, but we can go on every one of his albums and point out a track that isn’t that great compared to the rest. “The Glory” and “I Wonder” are hidden Kanye gems, and by the end of the album you’re left feeling wonderful and on top of the world.
-
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
Max and I may disagree on a lot when it comes to Kanye, but I think we can both agree that MBDTF is his peak. Combine some of his best lyrics with a production style that is the complete opposite of 808s, and you get an album that is a classic. The songs “Devil In a New Dress” and “Monster” are the highlights of the album for me. It’s so good, in fact, that he may never be able to top it.
