Kanye West will forever be one of my favorites and here’s why
Kanye West has been one of the most influential figures in the history of entertainment the past two decades. From his notable public appearances, fashion statements, and most importantly, classic music that relates to all people; Ye is one of the most polarizing figures in human history overall.
With the recent ‘Free Larry Hoover’ appreciation concert alongside fellow superstar Drake, fans get to recapture what makes West so legendary, his music catalog. Add n his producer credits and you got one of the greatest figures in music history. What I’m saying is that his music nearly doesn’t get enough credits for how great it has been over the past two decades. Honestly, I feel like people get so caught up his “unique” personality, they forget how iconic his music library really is.
So in efforts to procure a feature about Ye, I took a few days to revisit some of my favorite singles of his. Check out a few of my picks below! FYI – I’m not doing albums but my favorite project is Graduation, it’s perfect, that’s all. Remember when Andre 3000 had west dancing!? Good times!
Disclaimer these are picks from My Twisted Dark Fantasy and older, nothing after that since I really wanted to portray Kanye’s sound from a timeless standpoint.
“Flashing Lights” Ft. Dwele (Graduation)
Man, memories of middle school literally popped off in my head with this timeless song. From the cinematic video wear a beautiful women had Kanye in the back of a car to the eerie beat, “Flashing Lights” is a perfect example of what makes Ye so special. It doesn’t just feel like a great song but it makes you feel majestic. Yes the song theme is darker but it’s replayability and versatility allow it to get played anywhere at anytime.
“No Church In The Wild” with Jay Z, The Dream and Frank Ocean (Watch The Throne)
Honestly any track off HOV and West’s iconic collaboration album ‘Watch The Throne’ could’ve been in this slot but it’s something about having Frank Ocean deliver a captivating hook adds icing to the cake. I mean the whole track and amazing music video just has a music hall of fame feel to it. Song writing at it’s finest.
So Appalled Ft. Jay Z, Pusha T, RZA, Swizz Beatz, Pusha T, CyHi The Prince (My Twisted Dark Fantasy)
It’s just something about make an iconic rap cypher featuring the likes of some of the greatest emcees in history on a track and embellishing it with Swizz Beatz that made this so specials. While MTDF was a bit of a turn, a very enjoyable one, fro Kanye this particular song still showcased West can rap with the best of them.
See You In My Nightmares Ft. Lil Wayne (808s & Heartbreak)
One of Ye’s most controversial projects, yes for something not even as out there as his recent stunts, that incorporates the modern use of autotune in a era where it was frowned upon on. Not only did Kanye use it but he did a really good job of it. A great example is a gem of Ye “See You In My Nightmares” Ft. fellow legend Lil Wayne is a dark, gritty track filled with memorable punchlines.
Diamonds From Sierra Leone (Late Registration)
Yes the remix with Jay Z is fabulous but the orignal is one of the greatest hip hop songs of all time. Heartfelt and lyrical captivating, West soothes fans ears and hearts all over the world with this particular track. ‘Last Registration’ itself is timeless but this single standouts for me!
Through The Wire (The College Dropout)
Who can forget this classic? Coming off his debut mainstream album, “Through The Wire” was a thrilling piece of artistry which stands the test of time. Surviving a life threatening car crash, West curated an anthem in which anybody who has went through struggle can bop to anywhere.
