The rap album masterpiece, Graduation, was released by Kanye West on September 11th, 2007. It was produced by Mr. West, himself and several others, including DJ Toomp. 

 Kanye is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer, and he started his music career in 2004, with the album The College Dropout, which went crazy all around the nation. Today, we know him as one of the greatest rappers of our generation. 

And yet it’s important to mention that Kanye can be a messy celebrity, who has strong, usually awful, opinions. But, he sure makes great music, so it’s important to separate the art from the artist.

Graduation is Kanye’s third album, and it is also his most successful collection, debuting at number-one on the US Billboard 200. Today, the album has surpassed four billion streams. 

While you are reading this article, go ahead and start listening to the album! You can find it on various sites, including Spotify and Apple Music. 

This is no doubt one of my favorite albums of all time, and all fourteen songs are a hit. Graduation symbolizes an artist gaining wealth and starting a career in the big-name industry.

A fun touch to Graduation is how the opening song is called “Good Morning”, and the last track on the album is “Good Night”. These two songs define the beginning chapter of Kanye’s career, and they also indicate the goals he would accomplish later in life. Both of these tracks are a nice attachment to the album, and they also complement each other quite well. 

“Flashing Lights” is a highly favorable song that blew up all across social media. The beats on this song are immaculate and connect so well with the rhythm of the lyrics. This song represents Kanye’s relationship with women who have more power than him, with regards to money and fame. Overall, it’s a classic track on the album.  

But my favorite song on Graduation is “I Wonder”. This song gets some recognition, but it deserves way more. The tone is more on the chill side, but with strong lyrics. I find it very motivational when Kanye raps, “And I wonder if you know what it means to find your dreams. And I wonder and I’m back on my grind.” Kanye expresses how in order to achieve his dreams, he feels he must work harder and stronger than everyone else. Similar to “I Wonder”, on the track “Everything I Am”, Kanye tells us what he’s made of and how much he’s been able to accomplish. 

Additionally, “Stronger” and “Champion” are two songs on the album that give off a very similar vibe. They both imply that you must work hard, in order to end up where you want to be. Kanye also uses these songs to respond to his haters, and compares earning a sports championship to winning in life. I enjoy how upbeat both these songs are, and they can definitely get you in that partying mood.

Although this album was released seventeen years ago, it’s still a classic hit. Ultimately, Graduation is one of the greatest albums that I have come across. Take a listen for yourself, and see what wonders come your way. 

And if you enjoy this album, I also recommend listening to JAY-Z or Childish Gambino, for comparable music.