The College Dropout

When it comes to hip-hop, the rule of thumb used to be: “When producers step to the mike, you’d better run for cover.” First, the Neptunes did a great job of throwing that maxim into doubt; now Kanye West lays waste to it entirely. West, the beat maker behind hits by Jay-Z and Beanie Sigel, is fully immersed in the indie-rap underground, and he flip-flops between ranting about rap’s ills and bathing in them. On the track “Two Words,” gangsta clichés sound both funny and oddly poignant coming out of the mouths of a children’s choir. A smooth-as-melted-butter Lauryn Hill sample anchors West’s tirade against rap’s bling fixation on “When It All Falls Down”; later, though, he’s singing the praises of ice, money, and rims over a nifty horn loop on “Breathe In Breathe Out.” Blatant contradictions? Yeah, but West makes his moves so deftly you won’t even care about calling him on them. The eclectic, soulful beats and impressive guest list (Ludacris, Mos Def) come as no surprise given this guy’s insider status, but West’s distinctive flow is sure to raise a few eyebrows. And just think, this is what West does in his free time.