Customer Reviews

Late Registration

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

Kanye is a Genius... This CD is amazing; no doubt one of the best, if not the best album of the year. Kanye managed to completely dodge the sophomore jinx and release an amazing album.

The CD starts off with a continuing theme from College Dropout and goes into "Heard `Em Say" with vocals by lead singer of Maroon 5, Adam Levine. Levine brings a whole new dimension to the song and shows Kanye`s diversity. He gives advice to all to live life to the fullest because the next day may never come, and the future is not promised.

Most of the songs are up beat and meaningful and Kanye`s beats create a soulful feeling. It seems like all the hooks have a deeper meaning and Kanye has definitely stepped up his rap game from that of College Dropout. It is hard to top a classic, and he may have done it with this one.

After the collaboration with Levine, Kanye does a collaboration with an artist by the name of Lupe Fiasco on "Touch the Sky". Lupe adds a surprisingly solid verse along side the improved Kanye and together they get people moving. Kanye talks a little about his rags to riches story and in the chorus Kanye devotes himself to being positive ("til the day I die, I'm gone touch the sky") and announces that he is on top of the world.

Kanye teams up with Jamie Foxx yet again on "Gold Digger". On "Gold Digger" Kanye uses a Ray Charles inspired sample from the motion picture "Ray" sang by Foxx. Kanye talks about the girls that come along with the business who hook up with superstars to soak up the fame and wealth. Girls who you can't help but spoil and tells the story of a guy who experiences paying child support for eighteen years, "...and on the eighteenth birthday, he found out it wasen't his..."

There are four skit throughout the whole CD, which are humorous and talk about being "broke, broke-broke, broke-broke" and unlike College Dropout, the skits are short.

When I heard Paul Wall was going to be on a track, I expected the song to be taken over by the Houston sound; as heard on Mike Jones and Slim Thug songs. I was surprised when I heard Kanye slow it down and keep it some what, soulful. West and Wall are joined by Kanye's artist GLC, and they talk about being "the man", and to slow down through life and enjoy the times before you settle. After this track Kanye duplicates that of Memphis Bleeks 534's "Dear Summer" with Jay-Z, and allows Common to take the spotlight on a vicious verse about the struggles in life and "life fighting". I think this element makes this LP even more outstanding.

Kanye brings in the element of gangster rap when he is joined by The Game on "Crack Music". This song talks about the rise and fall of the Black Panthers. The only thing that this song lacks is a verse by Game but just hearing Game's voice increases the level of the song and shows that Kanye is not alone on his political opinions. Next on "Roses", Kanye gets more personal and talks about his life and a near-death experience of his relatives. He talks about a loved one in the hospital and talks about his feelings and emotions during that time.

Kanye has a collaboration with Brandy on "Bring Me Down" and Kanye's opening line strsight kills it; "we going to mass today, we have to pray, besides what the pastor say, I have to say, since Pac passed away, most of you rappers don't even deserve a track from me...". Brandy provides the right chorus to fit the song and you can almost immediately tell that Kanye's rapping skills have evolved. Kanye also talks about his addictions in life, on "Addiction" and how they can bring you down, and in order to stay positive, you have to ignore them. Kanye asks, "what's your addiction, is it money, is it girls is it weed// I've been inflicted by not one, not two, but all three..."

Kanye decides to make "Diamonds from Sierra Leone" a bonus cut and let the diamonds remix featuring the greatest rapper alive, Jay-Z. Hov talks about the fall of the ROC and his ambitions of the future of the label. While Kanye goes into deeper context about the diamond mining in Sierra Leone and children who suffer and experience pain and amputations, "I used to think my Jesus piece was so harmless// until I seen a picture of a shorty armless..."

My favourite song has to be "We Major", with Nas and G.O.O.D music`s Really Doe. The beat is amazing and resembles that of an orchestra; with incorporations of horns and drums. Nasty Nas keeps it "Illmatic/ Stillmatic" when he drops an amazing verse and brings the song to the next level, when you hear his voice the whole flow just elevates. It's one of those hypnotic songs that keep you listening and you "can't control it, can't hold it, it's so nuuuts".

After this, Kanye drops a dedication to his mother, "Hey Mama". He show his appreciation to the person who has always been there and talks about what it is like growing up with a mother-figure as a role model. Next Kanye shows his excitement in his career, and is some what Chappelle Show influenced when he belts "it's a celebration bitches!" on "Celebration".

Kanye ends the classic with a sign-off song "Gone" featuring ex-labelmate, Cam'Ron and G.O.O.D Music Records protégé Consequence. This song is definitely one of the top songs on the CD. And at the end Kanye drops a verse alone to say goodbye. There is also a hidden track at the very end of the CD called "Late", which starts off with Kanye seeming amused and laughing emphatically to the beat.

Overall, this CD is amazing and it's a classic, and if it doesn't get high reviews in The Source, XXL or Vibe, you can count on Kanye to spaz out, as he is known to do. Late Registration should definitely be supported by all hip-hop heads out there, Tuesday, August 30th, 2005. "Graduation", in the works...

Anyone who gives this album less than 5 stars is not a fan of hip hop.

Kanye West has proven that he is a genius. The beats, the chorus', the rapping is out of this world, stupid crazy, go-go bananas good. Gold Digger and Diamonds were great start offs, but the album has WAY more depth than these 2 songs. The Skits are funny, but they dont take the focus off the songs.

Heard 'Em Say ft. Adam Levine
Great collabo, really great, fits Levines voice perfectly, it coulda been a great maroon 5 song, the chorus is really beautiful, "nothing lasts forever, but honest babe, it hurts but it may be the only way...". The piano and stutter step drum beat is great. 5/5

Touch The Sky ft. Lupe Fiasco
INSANE! COMPLETLY INSANE! This is the only beat not produced by Kanye West on the album, and its done beautifully by Just Blaze. I was told that it was based on and old Earth Wind and Fire song, which wouldnt surprise me, because Just Blaze has done it before ("As One" off Jay-Z's Blueprint 2). He talks about how hes starstruck and his move to NYC.
5/5

Gold Digger ft. Jamie Foxx
Always Good! Looking forward to Kanyes work with Foxx on Foxx's own album.
4.5/5

Drive Slow ft. Paul Wall & GLC
Another insane beat. Kanye kills it. The Beat feels like it was made to be chopped and screwed. great stuff.
5/5

My Way Home ft. Common
Feels like they left this track off Commons album. Quite good
4/5

Crack Music ft. Game
A lil' dissapointing... but the beat is good, and Kanye spits fire, Game doesnt rap, just does the chorus... still good tho
4/5

Roses
Really powerful song, about a loved one with aids. Very sad, but Kanye spits the truth. Must be listened to to get the full effect.
5/5

Bring Me Down ft. Brandy
Its a song about people trying to throw dirt on you when your in the clouds.
4/5

Addiction
ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT!! amazing beat, amazing rapping. The next Jesus Walks.
5/5

Diamonds Remix ft. Jay-Z
Everyone already knows about this, Good though!
4.5/5

We Major ft. Nas & Really Doe
GENIUS! never thought that Nas would be on a Roc-a-fella record... but it happend, all three artists are amazing.
5/5

Hey Mama
I personally dont like this song, probably because it was on Kanyes Freshman Adjustment Mixtape (which is also very good) and ive heard it many many times. But its a great song about how much he loves his mom and everyone will like it.
5/5

Celebration
Great! really great, CELEBRATE LIFE!
5/5

Gone ft. Cam'Ron & Consequence
Great finish to the album!
5/5

This album just gets better as u listen to it, if u dont like a song, listen to it a few more times, u will probably change your mind.

Happy Buying!

This album is ALMOST a classic. It's more polished than College Dropout and less poppy than Graduation. Lyrically, Kanye has never been strong but this is his best effort, only occasionally descending into the non-sensical non sequitors of his later albums (see My Beautiful Dark Twisted fantasy). Also, the best song of his career is on this one: Gold Digger. It's no Blueprint, but it's worth a listen for sure.

Powerful, funny, spiritual, and makes you want to dance.
That's pretty much all any CD needs to do for me.
(no wonder Eminem "retired")

Heard 'Em Say: 4/5 - great, bodering on brilliant song.
Touch The Sky: 4/5 - Not my favourite on the CD but a good song nonetheless.
Gold Digger: 4/5 - Tends to get annoying after a while
Drive Slow: 4.5/5 - Great song, great vocals.
My Way Home: 2.5/5 - Common isn't that great at all. He's overrated obviously. Not a good song lyrically or musically.
Crack Music: 3/5 - It's disappointing that Game is only on the chorus. Not a great song anyway.
Roses: 3.5/5 - Powerful song, but some of the rhymes are weak.
Bring Me Down: 4/5 - Kanye's verse is TIGHT! It loses points because of Brandy, and the fact that Kanye only has one verse. I don't think the music compliments Kanye's verse that well. But the lyrics in the verse are genius ("Your girl don't like me, how long has she been gay?").
Addiction: 3.5/5 - Decent song...
Diamonds From Sierra Leone (Remix): 4.5/5 - Don't get me wrong, I LOVE Jay-Z, but that verse didn't belong in that song. Jay-Z's verse was fantastic, but didn't belong in this song. Kanye's verse was good too.
We Major: 3/5 - Disappointing. As a big Nas fan, I expected more out of him. Definitely not Nas' best work, or even close to it.
Hey Mama: 4.5/5 - A touching song.
Celebration: 4/5 - Good song.. what can I say.
Gone: 4/5 - would be better without the guests. You can have more tracks by yourself, Kanye!
Diamonds From Sierra Leone: 5/5 - A genius song. It doesn't match the video at all, but by itself it's a great song.

Overall: I didn't like the CD at first, but I love it now. I do like College Dropout more, but this CD is still fantastic.

Whoever wrote that remark about Kanye is an ignorant person...
That peson must be talking about himself.
Kanye West is a good role model for our a generation today...
He doesn't speak about gangs and violence, like most of rap artists discuss...
For you to understand the Black culture, you would have to see how it is be black, to always be racial profiled by society when black people accomplish something positive.
Since you wasted your time on insulting the black culture, why don't you go there and help yourself...
Whoever you are...
You ignorant!!!
To all my black sistas and brothas, don't let this fool get to you!

To the guy earlier who said Kayne is horrible...i think you got about 3 million people who disagree with you.Kayne is what the new hip-hop is all about.He is intelligent and knows and respects the hip-hop community.Best Song "Hey Mama".

This album is horrible, kanye can't rhyme, and his lyrics are bad so.. im not quite sure how this can be a good rap ablum... since thats all good rap is supposed to be...
its funny how horrible artists like this continue to appear in the media spotlight when they're obviously inferior to countless others. Whats sad is that kids n teens actually think hes good bcause hes on tv and what not. Oh well, sad world.

people who hate this album are mistaken. this album is a complete album when i say complete i mean u can listen to the whole album and feel inspired and have a sense of a beginning and an ending. Kanye's beats matches his rhymes so perfectly that it makes his stories come to life. Although some subjects that he talks about are foreign to me like having 50 tv's in his car I feel that his rhymes are honest and he hides nothing. So far best FULL album of the year.

This album was good but not as amazing as The College Dropout.
My Fav Tracks Have to be Addiction , Touch The Sky Feat. Lupe Fiasco , Hey Mama ,Crack Music, & Gone Feat. Conseqeunce & Cam'ron of The Diplomats.Those Tracks were amazing for me.
1.Wake Up Mr.West - Bernie Mac 3/5..
2.Heard Em Say - Adam Levine 4/5 Nice Hook
3.Touch The Sky - Lupe Fiasco 5/5 Everything is good
4.Gold Digger - Jamie Foxx 5/5 Everything is good
5.Drive Slow - Paul Wall & GLC 4/5 To slow for me
6.My Way Home - Common 5/5 Everything is good
7.Crack Music - The Game 4/5 Catchy Hook
8.Roses 4/5 Its Alrite
9.Bring Me Down - Brandy 3/5 The softest song on the album
10.Addiction 5/5 Everything is good
11.Diamonds From Sierra Leone (Remix) - Jay-z 5/5 Everything is good
12.We Major - Nas & Really Doe 4/5 Not to catchy but it can pass
13.Hey Mama 4/5 Catchy
14.Celebration 3/5 Dont Like it
15.Gone - Consequence & Cam'Ron 5/5 Everything is good
[Bonus]
Diamonds 5/5 Everything is good
[Japan Bonus']
We Can Make It Better - Qtip , Talib Kweli , Common & Rhymefest 5/5 Everything is good
Back To Basics - Common 5/5 Everything is good