Graduation

Today's Music That Is Pretty Cool is Kanye West's Graduation. Let me preface this by saying that I'm not a fan of rap or hip-hop in general. Much of it seems to be about sex and partying and thug life, which doesn't appeal to me all that much. But the well-thought out rap and hip-hop I generally appreciate. So, in other words, just like any other type of music.

Graduation has a lot of things going for it. West is a pretty good rapper, and his rhymes are well thought out. The mix of his tunes is generally interesting without becoming too much of a sideshow, and he doesn't lower himself to petty disses with other rappers (well, not most of the time). I really like the storytelling aspect of some of his songs, particularly "Homecoming" and "Barry Bonds" (which is a damn good name for a song). If this album does have a flaw, it's probably that West is content to let his flow run the show a little too much. Not so much that he needs guest rappers (which he doesn't), but some diversity of elements would add to the album: maybe some horns or the occasional female voice. Hard to say, though; I think nitpicking would be just as likely to take away from the album as it would be to add to it. I hope I can find West's other album(s) at the library; if they're near the quality of Graduation they'll certainly be worth my time.

In other news:
I wish it were Sunday part II instead of Monday. Damn nation.