The College Dropout

Hip-Hop · 2004 · 21 tracks

The College Dropout

High-pitched soul samples and gospel choirs meet sharp social satire. A warm, defiant debut that traded gangster tropes for the anxieties of the middle class.

February 9, 2004 · Roc-A-Fella Records

A vibrant, soulful mix of underdog defiance and vulnerable self-reflection.

Tracklist · 21 Tracks

01

Intro

0:19

02

We Don’t Care

4:00

03

Graduation Day

1:22

04

All Falls Down

3:44

05

I’ll Fly Away

1:10

06

Spaceship

5:24

07

Jesus Walks

3:14

08

Never Let Me Down

5:24

09

Get ’Em High

4:49

10

Workout Plan

0:46

11

The New Workout Plan

5:23

12

Slow Jamz

5:16

13

Breathe In, Breathe Out

4:07

14

School Spirit (skit 1)

1:19

15

School Spirit

3:02

16

School Spirit (skit 2)

0:44

17

Lil Jimmy (skit)

0:54

18

Two Words

4:26

19

Through the Wire

3:41

20

Family Business

4:39

21

Last Call

12:41

Moments Worth Listening For

The way the Chaka Khan sample on Through the Wire strains against the beat, mirroring the physical struggle of the vocal delivery.

The sudden, jarring transition from the satirical Workout Plan skit into the high-energy, violin-led bounce of The New Workout Plan.

The twelve-minute spoken word outro of Last Call where the production fades into a conversational history of the album's creation.

Reviews

Sputnik Music

Pitchfork

BBC Music

AllMusic

Rolling Stone

Where This Album Departs

How does The College Dropout sound next to the rest of Ye's catalogue?

Sunday Morning+2.5σ

Sunday Morning saturates this record far more than the artist's norm.

If you loved this album for itsSound & genre

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