In the high noon of his career, super-producer come-emcee, Kayne West apparently couldn't have things better. From freshman beatsmith of the stars to the Pharell Williams type-stature of present, West has molded a hip-hop sampling-staple (ultra sped up vocal snippets and old Soul loops) into a signature for the ages. His touch of gold has pushed more than a few units for the likes of Jay-Z and Brittany Spears to even Dilated Peoples and Mos Def, arguably penning Kayne West as the full-spectrum producer of our time. His tracks so delicious (and successful) that neo-empire Roc-A-Fella Records threw him a Platinum chain and record contract (not to mention his own label deal)for the self-produced vocal debut - The College Dropout. Given his cross-market appeal in the industry, it's more than pleasant to see West utilize not only his upper-echelon associates in Jay-Z, Twista, and Ludacris but more importantly his seemed contemporaries in Talib Kweli, Mos Def and almost the forgotten Consequence (ATCQ's Beats, Rhymes, Life) in a mish-mash of fantastic production and excellently executed concepts. A college dropout himself, the Chicago born/bred West channels the duality of his contributors into a life of backpack's and Benz's, pink Lacoste shirts and Platinum jewels, strewn together with all the societal ramifications that arise from this unique formula. The College Dropout reads like a manual to succeeding in the oft corporate academic structure of our country's University system, as told from a young Black man's perceptive yet relatable to anyone bound within this structure. Alongside West's vivid illustrations of spirituality ("Jesus Walks"), achievement over adversity ("Through The Wire", "We Don't Care"), and the Black American family composition ("Family Business") he delivers stellar club-hits in "Slow Jamz" (with Jamie Foxx and Twista) and "Breathe In Breathe Out" (featuring Ludacris). Which really makes for no surprise that Kanye West shipped 500,000 albums in his first week of sales and headlines three nights in a row at the House of Blues in both Los Angeles (4/3-4/5) and Chicago (5/3-5/5) - proving while a certified education is indeed commendable; passion, fervor and commitment prove the formula for true progression. - Peter Agoston