What Your Favorite Kanye West Album Says About You
By Ella Ceron
College Dropout
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylT16QB6Uig&w=584&h=315]
You’re:
A) The kind of person who also likes to remind the world that 50 Cent got shot 9 times. You see superhero movies for the origin story. You hold onto the sweet, sweet memory of a Kanye who had his jaw wired shut and was still miraculously able to articulate his musical vision to the world.
B) A hipster who liked Kanye before he was even known as a rapper, and still had most of his credibility as a producer for other artists’ works. You liked Kanye before Kanye even liked Kanye.
C) A girl who put Workout Plan on her treadmill mix* because LOL art imitating life. You also know all the words to Anna Nicole Smith’s monologue in the middle of the song. You possibly mourn the loss of Anna Nicole Smith. You definitely bought tickets to Anna Nicole, the Musical.
*I have this song on my gym playlist.
Late Registration
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You appreciate art for the raw honesty and clever know-how with which an artist approaches any given genre. You are also a fan of self-deprecating humor and how they allow you to glimpse behind any given persona to the real person. You are probably a huge fan of Banksy’s New York City residency. Late Registration is also where Kanye refined the disparate musical stylings that seemed a bit scattered on Dropout. If this is your favorite album, you appreciate the minimalist things in life. Ikea’s major design aesthetic is right up your alley. You also miss the Kanye that was a producer slash rapper, not the artist slash greatest rockstar alive slash holy deity slash Kardashian baby daddy.
You also got a boner just by reading such introspective analysis, didn’t you?
Graduation
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQ488QrqGE4&w=584&h=315]
Get out of here. You like Stronger*.
Alternatively, you like holding onto the last vestiges of things that existed as you knew them. You’re not very good with change. You’re the kind of person who likes the third installment of trilogy movies. You probably own a BlackBerry. You definitely have a relationship “type.” You like cheesy travel souvenirs. Maybe if you listen hard enough, you can hear Kanye’s ghost begging for you to save him, like the ghost of the ocean in the cold, dry shell of the music industry.
*Stronger is also great workout playlist material.
808s and Heartbreaks
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZwMX6T5Jhk&w=584&h=315]
You’re the kind of person who repins love quotes on Pinterest and takes photos of your significant other while they sleep. (Pro tip: the Amaro filter works best to decrease the appearance of night drool.) Moreover, you’re a forgiving individual, will turn a blind eye to any number of your significant other’s sins. You give props where props are due for at least trying to take on new personas and new mediums. (You also probably love Christina Aguilera’s 40’s throwback era.) You are also probably a huge fan of Nirvana’s In Utero, because as Chuck Klosterman argued, that was the album Nirvana produced without much regard to how the public, the critics, or even their label would receive it. And lo and behold, many Nirvana fans decided they loved that album most of all to prove their fan-ness. So too is the 808s fan a devoted Kanye fan beyond all hope and repair. You also probably still mourn the end his relationship with Alexis Phifer.
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bm5iA4Zupek&w=584&h=315]
You are a very angry, dark, twisted individual. You find beauty in this dark, twisted anger. You like to channel all of your anger while you’re lifting, because yeah, bro, of course you lift. You also subconsciously suspect Kanye had to put out this album to remain culturally relevant, but you don’t let that bother you too much because Monster is a pretty solid track, and POWER is just plain ridiculous.
Watch the Throne
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You aren’t sure if you came here for the Kanye, the Jay-Z, or because you were expected to come to the Kanye-Z party, but now that you’re here, you’re going to PARTY. You like to have fun, and you like to be the best at having fun. Every party needs the two leaders who host and ensure that everyone is having a good time. You might get a little rowdy now and again, Watch the Throne fan, but your heart is in the right place and you’re alright. You can stay.
Yeezus
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You are the kind of kid who likes to eat the cookie dough before baking the cookies. Yes, raw cookie dough is a delicious treat unlike any other, but my goodness, let it sit for a minute before you jump to conclusions. You also like yelling at people about flaky pastries of European origin, and wish there was a way Twitter could alert you whenever Yeezy goes on one of his all-capsed tirades.
Also, you appreciate it when life manages to weave earlier lessons and strengths with new challenges and pursuits in a kicky twist of fate. Congratulations, fan of Kanye. You’ve come full-circle.