We Major - Kanye West

          We Major is a highlight of Late Registration. In fact around the internet it is without a doubt over looked and underrated when looking at Late Registration. The track deserves all the praise I will be giving it. What Jon Brion and Kanye West have done is create what I feel one of the best beats of all time. Now of course it is to our opinion that we truly decide what beats are great. However, We Major is so complex and gives such incredible feeling when listening to it has to be my favorite beat of all time.
         Often considered a victory-lap track; which it most certainly is; the idea of this track is well, "We [are] Major". There are tracks on Late Registration that do cover ambition, and this one is the track to celebrate . Giving the listener the idea that not only Kanye West is major and has reached achievement(reaching his dreams through music with The College Dropout), but that the listener has also done something incredible, unique, and it gives them a sense of accomplishment. This feeling comes from the outstanding production and incredible hook that Penafire sings, as well as the verses. And so a victory-lap it shall be for the verses.
         The first to speak is Really Doe. He raps the chorus with a lot of emphasis on words, dragging out a lot of the syllables. It works beautifully with the beat. The chorus; repeated 3 times; stands alone strong as its own verse. The rap itself is very strong. The lyrics are great, and go perfect with the theme. The first few lines really describe the feel of the song for me:

You motherfuckers better do your job and roll up

And watch how we roll up

I can't control it, can't hold it, it's so nuts

I take a sip of that n'gak, I wanna fuck

As the verse says the feel is indescribable but it feels great and you just gottta let yourself go, and give up all control. The rest of the verse contains lines that symbol perfection,"don't fuck up the rotation" and "High off the ground, our status skyscraper". This incredible verse gives way to Mr. Kanye West.

         Kanye West goes from present to past to present. First stating, "Feeling better than some head on a Sunday afternoon." From there he goes to tell of struggles whether real or not that. A good example of such is the lyric; "Get they first car and then IRS show up" ; that runs parallel with Heard Em' Say: "but they can't cop cars without seeing cop cars". At the end of the verse Ye jumps back to the present saying that:

I ain't in the Klan, but I brought my hood with me

I looked at this metaphorically. What I understood was that he hasn't reached such success before(joined the Klan), but god dammit he is ready to reach it and join the others, bringing his hood with him. 

        Next after the Really Doe goes in again, is perhaps the greatest rapper alive, Nas. Nas takes Kanye's idea to the next level. Having a longer career as a rapper he discusses his humble beginnings. Telling us that he is major and has reached legend status:

I survived the livest niggas around

Lasting longer than more than half of you clowns

Look, I used to cook before I had the game took

Either way my change came like Sam Cooke

Sam Cooke was a famous singer, since passed, one of his greatest songs is called, "A Change is Gonna Come". Nas really puts a lot of life into this track, not only because he feels that "companies being stealing the life", but because he loves to give, "my[his] blood sweat and tears to the mic. Simply a fantastic job, everyone on the track had killed it, and stuck to the same scenario, putting their own twist on it. However, I believe I forgot to mention a Mr. Tony Williams?

         The track that Tony Williams stands out, and is brought to attention. singing the beautiful chorus after Nas finishes. All attention he is given is simply great, when Kanye West asks in the end if you think if he sings beautifully. All I can think to say is yes. And that is true, his voice is so beautiful. His chorus is just amazing, having an incredible piece to add to the track. Just nailing the theme that everyone else stays with. Which is so great to be "Feeling better than I ever felt before today" when the beat rides with him to the end. 

         The production is something that just blows me away everytime. There is just so much going on and it all blends so beautifully to create the ultimate vibe. Thus I claim it to be my favorite beat of all time. 10 seconds in the first time I just knew the beat was going to be classic itself. We Major consists of glorious horns, trumpets, and a great arrangement of drums. And every once in a while a drum snare just hits you. The harps also add a sort of heavenly sound to it. Everything comes together to make something that even I can't explain. It is just some natural high you achieve. Again, making the listener feel accomplished and victorious. The song just keeps at it for a good 4 minutes. While I was unaware of the length of the track, the beat just stops at what you would feel to be the appropriate time. Then for a split second it just stops, and synthesizers step in as Mr. West says, "Can I talk my shit again?". On a track like this, yes you can Kanye, yes you can. He goes on to mention everyone on the track, as he puts an echo to his voice, mentioning Tony Williams, Jon Brion, and Warren Campbell. The synthesizers have replaced the trumpets, and have made the track pure magic, and have really made the track that much better. Knowing that Kanye could keep the beat the specific structure just changing the instruments. At this point in my headphones, I feel there is some kind of aura surrounding the beat, like a halo.
        With all this said. I can say that everyone can together to make this track pure gold, a classic right on its release. Crowning Kanye West as an incredible producer, alongside John Brion. In fact, the beat is entirely original. The sample, "Action" by Orange Krush has no major connection with We Major, I believe a drum was sampled. That is what truly surprised me. A legendary beat, without a base sample? Which is why We Major is something that will always live. A pure victory-lap in all forms. Pure celebration, and the reminiscing of rougher times, teaching us that we are major for getting through. Listening to all struggles in the album at this point, and coming to success, coming to a break, and what I feel the highlight of the track.

So do you now know why they call it Late Registration?
Cause we taking these mothafuckers back to school!