Yeezy Taught Us: 10 Reasons Kanye West’s The College Dropout Is A Game Changer [PHOTOS] - Page 10

Ten years ago today (February 10), Kanye West’s debut album, The College Dropout, was released. While it wasn’t originally received as an instant classic, the album went on to change Rap music. Let us show you how.

As one of Hip-Hop’s most valuable beat makers at the time, his soul sample influence would help shape Jay Z’s landmark effort The Blueprint. Going into recording Dropout, it was clear West was coming from an entirely different lane.

From the production to the overarching school theme, everything jelled musically and the result, which wasn’t with out its flaws, was still a watershed moment in the Rap game. The album garnered generally favorable reviews from critics worldwide–and maybe more importantly, fans–and would go on to receive platinum certification in two months. But in an interesting twist ‘Ye was still relatable to us.

So we carefully looked back at this body of work to present the 10 reasons why Kanye West’s The College Dropout is a game changer.

Feel free to let us know what you feel is the album’s biggest impact on Rap in the comment section below.

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Photo: Def Jam Records

Chicago On The Map

Before Kanye, the city of Chicago wasn’t a national hotbed for Hip-Hop talent. With his help we saw resurgence of Twista, a spotlight put on then newcomer Bump J and some air breathed into Rhymefest.

The Rapper Uniform

Previous to the Dropout, Hip-Hop predominantly held true to the baggy clothing standard. Kanye West made it acceptable for rappers to go preppy with blazers, button up shirts, popped collars, Polo Ralph Lauren and reignited the culture’s infatuation with French luxury labels when he named himself the Louis Vuitton Don. The confederate flags are still a no go, though.

Christianity And Bottle Service Can Coexist

While Christian Rap continues to struggle in making any traction in the secular world, West had “Jesus Walks” playing in nightclubs and nobody batted an eye.

Hybebeast Inspired

His “then I spent 400 bucks on this / just to be like ni–a you ain’t up on this” line from “All Falls Down” would give hypebeasts the courage needed to spend hundreds on messy BAPE clothing.

Vulnerability

Before Kanye showed his more egomaniacal side, he kept a fine balance between vulnerability (“Through The Wire”) and his preoccupation to ball (“All Falls Down”).

Gangster Not Needed

A year prior, 50 Cent’s brand of east coast gangsta Rap ruled Hip-Hop with an iron first. The College Dropout was refreshing in the sense that West didn’t need gangster posturing to be taken seriously. Ten years later his infamous rants have sullied that reputation.

Unexpected Collaborations

With one hand in the underground and the other dapping his Roc-A-Fella label mates, West was able to pair some unlikely collaborators and make it work as stated on “Last Call”: “But all they got left is this guy called West / That’ll take Freeway, throw him on tracks with Mos Def / Call him Kwa-li or Kwe-li, I put him on songs with Jay-Z”.

More Producers On The Microphone

Kanye admitted that the industry didn’t take him seriously as a rapper and rightfully so as he was spitting plenty of struggle bars during those times. Nonetheless with his success on The College Dropout record labels looked to sign up producers who could halfway rhyme and the recipe for the struggle rapper was born. No shots.

He Changed The Face Of Roc-A-Fella

The Roc-A-Fella Records roster was an all star team of savvy hustlers who pledged allegiance to the street code of death before dishonor. West, with his pink polo, changed the face of the Roc, giving the label a broader fan base and credibility for achieving success outside of the gangsta Rap genre.