The College Dropout
Kanye West's debut studio album, released in February 2004.
The College Dropout is the debut studio album by Kanye West, released on February 10, 2004, by Roc-A-Fella Records and Def Jam Recordings. In the years before it, West had been praised for his production work for rappers such as Jay-Z and Talib Kweli but struggled to be accepted as an artist in his own right; intent on a solo career, he signed a record deal with Roc-A-Fella and recorded the album over a period of four years.
Quick Facts
- Artist
- Kanye West
- Released
- 10 February 2004
- Recorded
- 1999–2003
- Genre
- Hip-hop
- chipmunk soul
- pop rap
- conscious rap
- progressive rap
- Label
- Roc-A-Fella; Def Jam
Lore & Background
West had joined Roc-A-Fella as an in-house producer in 2000 and is often credited with revitalising Jay-Z's career through his work on The Blueprint (2001), recognition that built on his "chipmunk soul" production style.
Reader's Guide
Read this page with Roc-A-Fella Records, Jay-Z and Chipmunk Soul.
Track listing
The College Dropout standard edition
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Intro (Skit) | Kanye West | 0:19 |
| 2 | We Don't Care | West, Miri Ben-Ari, Ross Vannelli | 3:59 |
| 3 | Graduation Day | West, John Stephens, Ben-Ari | 1:22 |
| 4 | All Falls Down (featuring Syleena Johnson) | West, Lauryn Hill | 3:43 |
| 5 | I'll Fly Away | Albert E. Brumley | 1:09 |
| 6 | Spaceship (featuring GLC and Consequence) | West, Leonard Harris, Dexter Mills, Marvin Gaye, Gwen Gordy Fuqua, Sandra Greene | 5:24 |
| 7 | Jesus Walks | West, Che Smith, Ben-Ari, Curtis Lundy | 3:13 |
| 8 | Never Let Me Down (featuring Jay-Z and J. Ivy) | West, Shawn Carter, James Richardson, Michael Bolton, Bruce Kulick | 5:24 |
| 9 | Get Em High (featuring Talib Kweli and Common) | West, Talib Kweli Greene, Lonnie Rashid Lynn Jr. | 4:49 |
| 10 | Workout Plan (Skit) | West | 0:46 |
| 11 | The New Workout Plan | West, Stephens, Bosco Kante, Sumeke Rainey, Ben-Ari | 5:22 |
| 12 | Slow Jamz (Twista featuring Kanye West and Jamie Foxx) | West, Carl Mitchell, Burt Bacharach, Hal David | 5:16 |
| 13 | Breathe In Breathe Out (featuring Ludacris) | West, Brian Miller | 4:06 |
| 14 | School Spirit (Skit 1) | West | 1:18 |
| 15 | School Spirit | West, Aretha Franklin | 3:02 |
| 16 | School Spirit (Skit 2) | West | 0:43 |
| 17 | Lil Jimmy (Skit) | West | 0:53 |
| 18 | Two Words (featuring Mos Def, Freeway, and the Boys Choir of Harlem) | West, Dante Smith, Leslie Pridgen, Lou Wilson, Ric Wilson, Carlos Wilson | 4:26 |
| 19 | Through the Wire | West, David Foster, Tom Keane, Cynthia Weil | 3:41 |
| 20 | Family Business | West | 4:38 |
| 21 | Last Call | West, Michael Perretta, Tony Williams, Ken Lewis | 12:40 |
| Total length | 76:13 | ||
Bonus CD
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | We Don't Care (Reprise) (featuring Keyshia Cole) | 2:57 |
| 2 | Jesus Walks (Remix) (featuring Mase and Common) | 4:58 |
| 3 | It's Alright (featuring Mase and John Legend) | 3:51 |
| 4 | The New Workout Plan (Remix) (featuring Fonzworth Bentley, Luke, and Twista; produced by Lil Jon) | 4:02 |
| 5 | Two Words (Cinematic) (featuring the Harlem Boys Choir) | 4:06 |
| 6 | Never Let Me Down (Cinematic) | 5:16 |
| Total length | 25:07 | |
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