KanYe West ‘College Dropout’
Back in ’04 ‘College Dropout’ had the airwaves locked down and the whole game trying to follow the sound. Kanye West could do no wrong, especially in the ears of a fan (me) that was hooked ever since they watched and re-watched ‘Through the Wire’ on SOHH.com’s shaky dial-up player. In honour of ‘Graduation’, Kanye’s soon-to-drop 3rd album I am going back into the archives for a report on a wonderful night in the middle of a great year…
Date: 11th May 2004
I decided to snub Jigga at the urban music festival and go to Nas instead, unfortunately the lazy Nastard cancelled his whole freckin’ tour ‘cos he has spent to much time making shit songs with Kelis an rappin’ about fuckin’ her to actually finish his “highly anticipated” album due for summer release. Well fuck you very much…
Date: 20th May 2004
Venue: Kentish Town Forum
In Attendance: Vikki and Myself
Occasion: Kanye West’s first ever UK gig.
“This the real one baby…”
May 20th, putting the Nas disappointment behind me, and full of School Spirit having handed in my last uni work this week, Vikki and I headed to the Forum, Kentish Town to see the world’s most famous Dropout and man of the moment, Kanye West…
Having survived my directions we arrive at the venue to discover that someone forgot to top up the meter, no electricity at the venue, luckily this is sorted pretty quick and we’re in.
The show was supposed to start at 8 but we were told there were no supporting acts, instead a DJ spins all the usual suspects (plus Chingy and Ja, twat!). And still he spins.
And still.
Two hours later the crowd is restless and expecting the drop-out to drop-in any time, the hype man does his best but before long he’s ducking water bottles, I get the feeling its about to All Fall Down until eventually anticipation once again peaks, he’s coming on! err, no, actually there will be some supporting acts, to little to late, nobody wants to hear the useless fool who takes the stage and starts crooning but fair play for trying. Next up a very talented young lady comes on to play piano and sing (through the boozy boos, of course) thankfully she endeavours and does receive some applause. Surely now its time for the Louis Vuitton…hold on, someone else? It’s S.A.S!!! THE ROC IS IN THE BUILDING!!! Now, from what I’ve heard of S.A.S, the Roc’s first UK signing, I like ‘em, but, coming out shouting “Dip Set!” and doing a shit tune is no way to further endear yourself to me, quite the opposite in fact.
First and foremost, fuck you Kanye for keeping us waiting…
Next up on stage is a man at a piano (this is John Legend, KW collaborator but, not many people know this) at this stage I think if Jesus Walked on he would have been booed, luckily it was not Him but him, Kanye-to-the…bouncing out to The Blueprint ‘Intro’ instrumental before ripping into ‘Breathe…’ and being joined by that other “asshole”, Mr. Dame Dash.
I knew he’d Never Let me Down. The “best dressed rapper” is wearing a black hoody with the Bear logo (which gets tossed to the crowd), the requisite Roc Chain and one of his watches, he rolls thru most of the album tracks with guest spots, a few of his beats (’Encore’, ‘Stand Up’) and after 20 mins or so the track that introduced him as a rapper, ‘Through the Wire’.
He finishes this song and runs off stage (leaving a few bemused fans to boo once again) before Legend coaxes him back out with ‘Encore’, the second half of the show begins with Miri Ben Ari wowing the crowd on the fiddle and Kanye performs much of the songs accompanied by her and the piano alone.
The guest verses littering the airwaves are gone thru (I have now seen a full live version of ‘This Way’ with Dilated, albeit months apart), when it comes to ‘Slow Jams’ the crowd sings his verse verbatim leaving him grinning on stage with the mic at his side. He would eventually perform every song on the album to much aplomb, including an angry rendition of ‘Spaceship’ with GLC (or it could have been Consequence, I don’t know).
The sing-along hand-clapping nature of his songs gives the concert the air of a gospel gathering at times, with everyone delighting in singing along.
A break in performing gives Dame the chance to present Kanye with a Plaque celebrating the first Roc artist to go Platinum (2x) in the UK. The stage is full of people in the wings (including a shady looking Tim West(awk)wood, “even uglier in real life”-thanks Dave) and the Roc Familia joins Kanye for ‘Family Business’.
Look out for ‘Late Registration’ next spring ‘cos he gave us all a taster with his “Dear Mama”-esque track (”And Mama, I know I act the fool/ but I promise you I’m going back to school…some say life is like a box a chocolates/ but my Mama told me to go get my Doctorate/ an she still supported me when I went an’ did the opposite…”) which had the crowd wrapt. As expected he brings the curtain down with a heartfelt ‘Last Call’.
All in all a great show despite the dodgy start…
Here’s to the Roc…
Next up…2 years on could ‘Late Registration’ walk in the shoes of ‘College Dropout’? Coming soon…
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