Watch the complete scoop on "Late Registration," the sophomore release that made a superstar out of an upstart rapper-producer from Chicago, HERE.
Kanye West is one of the most discussed figures in pop culture--whether marrying into the Kardashian family, storming off stage on tour, and even running for president, it’s hard not to see Kanye as the celebrity rapper to end all rappers. But rewind back to 2005, before the constant media attention, when Kanye was simply a rapper.
The backpacker with a Benz had just blown the lid off the rap game a year prior with his breakout album, two-thousand-four’s The College Dropout, and the notorious single “Jesus Walks” showed Ye’s unique ability to keep the braggadocio high while staying down to Earth. Celebrated widely upon its release and cited as an instant classic by everyone from Pop Matters to The New York Times, all eyes were on West as he entered the studio, eager to blow the sophomore slump out of the water.
Most of the recording for West’s next album took place on both U.S. coasts, with most work taking place at Sony Music Studios in New York and the Record Plant Studios in Hollywood. Hoping to capture a more lush and elegant sound, West enlisted the help of famed composer Jon Brion to add orchestral flourishes to Kanye’s verses, samples, and programmed drums. Add a wide array of guest artists, including rappers Jay Z and Nas, R&B singers Brandy and Jamie Foxx, and singers Adam Levine and Patti Labelle, and it’s easy to see why Late Registration cost nearly two-million dollars to produce over a year-long period.
Kanye linked with mentor Jay Z to record the album’s lead single, “Diamonds From Sierra Leone”, sampling a classic James Bond riff and showing the two rappers reflect on success, fame, and world conflict. However, it was the second single that propelled Late Registration and Kanye into the upper echelon of celebrity: that single, of course, is the Jamie Foxx assisted “Gold Digger”. The song topped the Billboard Hot One Hundred charts upon its release, and earned West a Grammy for best rap performance in 2006. It has since been sited as one of the best rap singles of all time.
Other singles accompanying the album’s release included “Drive Slow” with Paul Wall and GLC, “Heard Em Say” with Adam Levine, and “Touch the Sky” with Lupe Fiasco in his career debut.
After a year long wait, Late Registration was delivered on August 13th, 2005, and immediately hit number one on the Billboard Top Two-Hundred. It topped many year end lists, finishing by a wide margin as the best album of the year in USA Today, Spin, and d even Time Magazine.
At the 2006 Grammy Awards, Kanye won rap album of the year and record of the year for “Gold Digger”. With eight nominations, West competed with Mariah Carey and John Legend for the most at that year's Grammys. Late Registration was nominated for Album of the Year across the board, and won at the 2005 Kiss Awards.
To this day, Late Registration still remains a shining moment in Kanye’s career. More lavish, more sophisticated, and more self-aware, it is not only considered one of rap’s best albums, but one of the best albums of the twenty-first century. For its tongue-in cheek yet conscious lyricism, maximalist production, and long standing legacy, Late Registration by Kanye West is our Greatest Album Ever...This Week.