Late Registration Closing

         For this particular track I would like to explain the story of Late Registration as I see it. Just bare with me.
I felt The College Dropout and Late Registration could be looked at as the story of one person. After The College Dropout, the story of Late Registration beings.
         This is all running through my mind, and everytime I lie down for a complete listen of the album the story plays through my head in between day dreams. The story can be looked at with any imagery that dances through your head. I just wanted to make a post about how I feel the album's order of tracks make for almost a movie like experience in your head. It'll be complicated to explain fully, so don't try to hard to figure anything out, always think of your own stories as well!
         The opening skit plays and I imagine myself in a school, the same depicted in the album photography. Heard Em' Say is played and I am ambitious striving toward something, it's heartwarming. The lyrics in that track and all others paint the pictures in your mind. Then Touch the Sky is up next and I have realized there is a possibility. A song that amps you up and makes me imagine the dream of success is about to come true. And for awhile it does, I am in a fairytale, a personal utopia. Then my life becomes a train wreck, I was so absorbed in the happiness I had found, that I was blinded from simple dangers. The gold digger is one such danger. I use to have values and I was never so absorbed into material objects. I pay the price, but then I am nowhere. I am forgotten, gone with the wind, I am no longer at my status and have lost my value and fame. However, my life was soon not over, I still had a chance, a chance to change, a chance to learn my lesson. I would find refuge in the fraternity of Broke Phi Broke, this would be my way to turn these things around. This would be my Late Registration.

        From there I would discover people who had greater values and people who had suffered longer than I had. I reflected on past moments of my life. Of my childhood, I would Drive Slow with my friends and we had such great times. I needed to rediscover myself, and live a normal life that would teach me the do's and don't's of this earth. I become angry and learn the evils of this world while at the fraternity, that people suffer through the wrongs of government. I had learned that in the track Roses. I discover I have become an inspiration and that others wanna bring me down. It is between skit's 1 and 2 that the album is very dark and angry. Then I progress as my time goes by through the fraternity then becoming more intelligent, and ready to face situations, here Diamonds is were I would achieve my personal fame, and achieve something. Then We Major is played, here I have become very successful but I don't become forgetful of my past struggles and I have made different friends who have also become quite successful. I am at an all time high, and there are no problems that I face in my life. I am content, satisfied, and motivated to do more. I then return to Broke Phi Broke to gather and honor our customs, "when your mama would walk in the room and pretend she was the tree". I had found true happiness, and beauty in life.

       I now had full understanding of what I appreciated and how everyone faces struggles in there life and gets through them. I would thank the most important person in my life, my mother. I was glad to be alive, and was still tasting success. It was time for a Celebration, time to hold onto my values, but let go of my worries. Get lost in the bliss of success. This wasn't modest and I hadn't been suttle about my success, and I should've been more careful. This didn't end up how it was suppose to and something was about to happen, but I didn't know what. I was now gone from Broke Phi Broke, they didn't like my success. I was gone from the fraternity, that had saved my life.
       Sure I was gone, but I wasn't left alone. I had not just myself, but all I had learned to accompany me. I was ready to be on my own, and be careful. I had learned so much, and while being banned from once my only refuge,  I had learned to accept it. I was content and I was ready to go off into the world, and make my mark on the world I had once looked at. One that I thought was just all mine, something I could exploit. I had learned from my education from Broke Phi Broke, and the world was under control. I would be forever known by only myself, because only I could understand myself. I was gone.

However, there were things left behind. Such is a track as Late. It is an effort unexpected, just a prime example of all that is a surprise whether good or bad. The pause after Gone, leave me content, showing me I was the same for awhile and had fulfilled my dreams, becoming a master of my life. So Late is just after that story. It shows how life can again change and the mood and outlook of things is all blurred. And in retrospect to Gone we don't really know what is ahead. We only assume past what we know, and our knowledge of what is ahead is forever limited.

       Yet, after Late I would be done. I had finished I had left the school knowing what I would need to know. I had Graduated. My Late Registration was a success. It was all worth showing up even though I was behind everyone else in the world. I had gotten to class late, but I had learned.

I hope this had put some thoughts in your head, and that to the best of my ability I have explained Late Registration well. The story I made hopefully clear, and that you have enjoyed the tracks that I reviewed. Maybe now you can see why I love this album so much. Yet there is always more to dive into, just as there will always be more unexpected occurrences in life.

There you have it ladies and gentleman, after nearly a month of blog work, and a year of listening...
Late Registration is done. Goodbye for now. Head towards the light.

Late - Kanye West

     
        Not only my favorite track off Late Registration, but my favorite track from Kanye West. Which is something to say when I like all of his material, and love most of it. However there are many reasons as to why I love this track inparticular. While before I had mentioned the many emotions covered by Late Registration, there were also alot of themes. Late contains a variety of those emotions/themes. Examples of those are:

• Annoyance- The lyrics give the feel that Kanye is being irritated by all that goes on in a typical day, the messaged is easily relatable because of his word choice.
• Laziness- A perfect match with annoyance, this goes right along with the daily problems. What annoys him, he deals with it. How, by just ignoring it and partying. Which also matches the order of the verses.(1st: Getting bothered by the problems), (2nd Verse: Ignoring them, and just saying, "fuck it!")
• School/Work: When I said this song could be relatable. damn did I mean it. Being a student myself I could definitely connect with what he mentions in the first verse. After all don't we all just hear our mothers(boss, teachers, actual mothers) nagging on us, when we already know we don't wanna be broke when we our 31.
• Late- Being late has many different feels to it. It could make you stressed, panicky. However, this song chills you out, with all the above mentioned, this track blends it all together. It all comes together, personally giving me the feel that I'm tired of all these deadlines and I don't care if I'm late, it's time to ignore the world and pay attention to the music.

Hopefully this helps you understand what I get from Late, and how all these feelings blend; regardless of an otherwise negative attribute; to make you actually feel good.

        The beat is the first thing I will always feel. The strings play and then the harps introduce themselves slowly. The bass drops and the drums kick in. The strings then relax and the drums, harps and that beautiful sample; which I shall discuss in a second;  carry you through the verses. While everything is crafted magnificently and orchestrated beautifully a real jem in this track is the keyboarder, of whom the name is not given. While having no rhythm with the actual beat it is just beautiful to hear in the background. Making the song more entertaining, making it greater to listen to multiple times. The keyboard also adds a lot of soul and jazz to the whole production. As do those gorgeous vocals, thank to Penafire. Another track on Late Registration where his vocals stand out. Also the vocals from the sample "I'll Erase Away Your Pain" by the Whatnauts. While the line, "little girl please stop your crying" is true. Kanye not only used those lines, but when you here" 'cause i'll be late for that", that is actually "i'll erase away". Truly incredible the way he used those lyrics with his beat to make you hear what he wants to hear! The sample is tuned and sound like a female, beautiful. While this happens Penafire sings, "that!!!!!". This adds a whole beautiful and jazzy sound to it. And the lyrics will sound just as nice.
        There are so many images and ideas that run through my mind when listening to these lyrics. I feel everyone can connect with this track and its lyrics. Anyone that goes understress and faces alot of deadlines. The rhymes tell you to just enjoy yourself, and forgot about what you have to get done. While I absolutely love to sing along to this song,  these are my favorite lines:

Stop all your blood cleat cryin', I was flyin'
Made it to school with barely 'nuff time to sign in
Yeah, I hear the alarm, yeah, I hear you mom
Yeah, yeah, I don't wan' be broke when I'm thirty-one

They said the best classes go to the fastest
Sorry Mr. West there's no good classes and that's what yo' ass get
Not even electives? Not even prerequits?
You mean I missed my major by a couple of seconds?

The whole section of that verse suits me well. While I did mention I was a student, I don't have problems with grades, but damn I always hear somebody reminding me I have to get something done.

The rest of these lines are just ones I particularly enjoy:

With the freshest hoes, the professors know
We about to get real unprofessional

Yo, I'll be there in five minutes, five hours later
I'll be there in five minutes, go 'head ride with it

That last bit just has procrastination written all over it. Perhaps the story of my life. Regardless, enjoyable material.
        Another quality of Late is the showcasing of Kanye's emotion in the lyrics. With themes of annoyance, and laziness he puts a certain tone in his words, stretching out the last syllable. And that "auhahaha" is just terrific. A friend and I always just say that line when it comes up, it just entertains the hell out of us. Things like that are just unexplainable moments of joy I find in a lot of his music. Whether it is the humor, the emotion, the beauty, or whatever meaning I get out of this song, it makes me appreciate this work. Something special and unique to add to the library of Classics.
     

So now you can see how this gets me to relax.

Gone - Kanye West

 

        Gone is a track that I feel showed true progression in the story of Late Registration. I will be exploring that story in the future. Therefore I don't want to get into too much detail. The skit that ties in with this piece helps to explain a lot.

        It helps to show the maturation and progression of Kanye West as an artist. That really explains a lot when looking at his work. He is leaving his roots, but he still wants to be with them and use those talents, but ultimately has larger ideas he wants to get out. Very much the case with further albums, while he can still make similar music he is trying new things, and to me it is all beautiful work. He stays true to his work, making good music, and keeping his style real and interesting, always changing. I feel no artist can remain the same once they become famous, and now that he had the resource to make what he wanted, he most certainly did. Thus the change is ultimately witnessed in this album. Very different from The College Dropout, more elaborate production, progressing his music in new ways. To bring it all together, I looked at the Gone skit as a metaphor to his career. leaving Broke Phi Broke[style of his early material] because he has changed, and while he still wanted to be a part of the fraternity life, he ultimately left taking what he knew with him and moving on.
       Then the song jumps in. Kanye's verse fits right in from the skit. It as if he has just made greater success after leaving Broke Phi Broke. His rhymes are a lot of fun, and he throws some clever lines in there. Rhymes that boast his success, and some that show he's still who he is and those roots are still attached:

Says she want diamonds, I took her to Ruby Tuesdays

What you rappers could get is a job from me
Maybe you could be my intern, and in turn
I'll show you how I cook up summer, in the win-turr

This fits right along with the beat, and very light playflu lyrics. All the references are just positive. Something that makes you happy. When you picture these things in your head you may think of the movies, being a kid and the baby-sitters, and perhaps Ruby Tuesday's. Great feel to it. 

      Then Cam'ron goes in for his verse. Basically giving his own twist on his success. How he plans to defend it and also how he knows, "you wanna see my demise". Also making a reference that he, "gave Weezy a piece of pie". Having no knowledge of him, that line may mean that Cam'ron helped a lot in Weezy's early career.

     Now Consequence's verse is certainly very interesting. He uses the first third of verse only rhyming words with gone. Which certainly puts alot of "Wooaahhh!" when hearing his verse. Also putting the word gone into every line of his verse definitely taking some serious skill. He then proceeds to give us what we need. A nice story, and it is only proper that it also traces the whole theme of this song, and leaving behind your personal Broke Phi Broke, whatever it is that may be. Consequence tells of a good friend of his, and how they've passed away, and he resorted to drinking.Then a little dispute occurs when he discovers his friend stole his cash. Leading to a fight where he apparently, "went too far". This story reflects the theme of "Gone" and the "Gone Skit" very well. As the tone of the verse goes from a positive story to something negative. Which may go the opposite for other people.
     The production is very strong. While normally Kanye West and Jon Brion produce together. Kanye West produced this by himself. Which is a great achievement considering he got the beat to change with each verse. Of course, John Brion does conduct the orchestra! The beat is drums, and the strings steal the show. However, before we get into those you can't forget Otis Redding's "It's Too Late". Where we get our beautiful vocals from and the quick tempo of the piano. Now the beat changes once Cam'ron goes and the strings play slower instead of quick notes in Kanye's verse. Then once again transitioning into Consequence's verse changing pitch. However, while the emotion stays the same, all changes once Kanye transitions the beat into his 2nd verse(4th verse in "Gone").
     The drums maintain there pace and the strings play slower. Then Ye starts his verse. The beat them turns into something sinister. The triangle plays in the background, and the strings hit darker notes. As for the complete verse, it is fire. I could give you a list of my favorite lines but they are all so cohesive in the rap and blended so beautifully I couldn't decide. This incredible transition shows once again the versatility and the change in beat can help project Kanye's emotion. Although this one line is very important:

They claim you never know what you got till its gone

I know I got it I don't know what y'all on

A beautiful lyric, while there is some powerful feeling and intensity in his voice, it says a lot about how Ye feels of his status as an artist at this point. Afterwards, the song stops and their is silence for about 20 seconds, great point made taking the song lyrically. Letting you soak in the song before the final track on the album (Not Diamonds as that is a remix).

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     The skit and "Gone" itself create something beautiful. Showing progression, and how we find happiness once we move on, and how things change. Adding another beautiful track to this masterpiece, contributing the emotion of joy(1st 2 verse), despondency(Consequence's story), and annoyance(the last verse).

It's A Celebration

       As the song name(Celebration) suggests this a song of celebration, just a nice toast to what Kanye has done. A song with a beautiful sound, and some humorous lyrics. Lots of the rhymes are just silly, and it is actually said that during this recording it was hard to keep the orchestra under control due to some laughter, which I think is just great. Nice for people to loosen up when making music, as that is why everyone listen's to music in the first place!
      The song is quite funny anyways, this includes: the chorus, and most of Kanye's lines. A lot of the emphasis he puts on words just makes things all the better. A few of my personal favorites:

Right now I need you to mute all the monologue

All that talking is gonna give me a tylenol 

Yep, We was practicin' till one day you bust through the packagin'

You know what though? You my favorite accident

Ah some truly fantastic flow to match the luxurious beat, and of course some clever lines. 

     The production on this track is absolutely fantastic. A vast variety of instruments. A big list of people performing in the orchestra. All arranged by Jon Brion.

• Violins: Eric Gorfain, Daphne Chen, Victoria Lanier, Julie Rogers, Alyssa Park, Audrey Solomon, Terry Glenny, Susan Chatman, Marisa Kuney & Amy Wickman.
• Viola: Marda Todd, Piotr Jandule, Tom Tally & David Sage.
• Cello: Richard Dodd, Matt Cooker, Armen Ksajikian & Victor Lawrence
• Contrabass: jason Torreano, Frances, Senger & Denise Briese
• Trumept/Flugelhorn: Gary Grant & Dan Fornero 
• Trombone: Andrew Martin & Steve Holtman
• Bass Trombone: Bruce Otto
• French Horn: Rick Todd & Brad Warnaar
• Keyboards: Ervin "EP" Pope
• Bass: Keenan "Keynote" Holloway

All this just translates to something beautiful. It all goes in place with Kanye's voice, you can tell just by listening to the first 15 seconds. Hearing all the instruments increase in intensity. Then as the verses play you will hear the synths which create an electrical tingly on the track, trombone, drums, viola and violins! OOOH!

To be honest for me it is very hard to tell a bunch of the instrument apart from eachother as this all goes in, oh well practice makes perfect!

    As for the vocals, you can barely tell that John Legend is on this track, really blending in with Kanye West on parts of his chorus. As well as the "Ba da da da!" and the "OOOOoooOOhh!" this all from "Heavenly Dream" by the KayGees. Kanye really does a lot of singing on this track, and once again it is that beautiful situation that leaves me clueless. Everytime it just works. 

So indeed a great example of the orchestration on this album, adding to the great range of emotion of Late Registration, and showcasing Kanye's singing, humor, and emotion he puts into his work.

      

Hey Mama

     
        Not only the most positive and heart-warming track on Late Registration, but 7 years later it probably still holds that record to all the rest of Kanye's library. As the title suggests, Kanye is really saying "Hey Mama!", a nice song dedicated to his mother, the late Donda West. He puts so much love into this track, singing softly when he knows he may not be the best singer, it just goes to show you he will do anything that makes him happy in music.  The song touches a lot on the story of Kanye West before he was signed. The struggles he went through and how his mother was always with them, and how their relationship only became stronger as they dealt with day-to-day conflicts.

Seven years old, caught you with tears in your eyes
Cuz a nigga cheatin, telling you lies, then I started to cry
As we knelt on the kitchen floor
I said mommy Imma love you till you don't hurt no more

That line has great emotion, and really puts warmth in your heart. With all sorts of problems he is so glad that she has, "brought me into this world, let me take you out". And now he just wants to thank her for all that she has done,"and get you that mansion you couldn't afford". A very sweet song, and a point of utter joy and happiness on the album.
        For a song like this, it only makes sense that the beat is very light and playful. The beat is actually quite simple. The only instruments are really the drums and the rest is carried by the vocals. Also West used some auto-tune as you will hear to create a staticy singing affect. While it might've clashed with the natural sound of the other singing it surprisingly doesn't. The vocals consist of John Legend, the "Hey Mama!" part. The rest is all thanks to the sample; recorded by Donal Leace; "Today Won't Come Again".Synthesizers and light keys play at the end to change it up again, much like We Major's sudden transition.Really a great track for the album, covering almost every album imaginable. And while all of them make me content, and happy. You can't help but put a smile on when hearing this track.

      One more thing I would like to cover is Ye's singing on the track. It is so light and he knows he isn't the best singer. That is what makes the track so good, knowing how much heart he put in. As mentioned before, he doesn't care if he doesn't sound amazing as a singer, he just does what feels right and doesn't restrict himself with his music. Which explains why he used an orchestra to structure Late Registration. This off key singing adds a lot of heart into the track. And when the songs breaks down, he just goes off saying, "mama" for about a minute or so. This just feels wonderful. His singing, and how it reaches my heart is something I just can't explain, it works beautifully and adds a lot of soul into his tracks as we will see on future tracks!

Very soulful. Jon Brion and Kanye West once again show what they can do as incredible producers, to use so little and create so much for the ears, brain, and heart.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLjQ-aJ7jLQ&feature=player_embedded (Link for Sample)