Clash of the titans

I'm not especially excited to do a music review, but there seems to be a lot of interest on campus regarding Kanye and 50, so I'll take a shot at it.

Last Tuesday the two biggest names in hip-hop dropped new albums, so like every other college student in America, I went to Wal-Mart and bought both of them.

When I say we all went out to Wal-mart and bought them, I hope it is mutually understood that I downloaded them just like you. I won't tell Kanye if you don't.

Kanye doesn't have to worry that much however, because 750,000 people who apparently don't have the internet bought the album. With first week sales figures like that, Kanye officially toppled 50 Cents' meager 600,000 and took the top spot.

Kanye's album Graduation is his third and in my opinion his worst. I was very excited to hear the album when his first few singles dropped earlier this summer, but the final product leaves something to be desired. The bangin' beat of "Stronger" would not be reproduced and the lyricism on "Can't tell me nothing" was replaced with raps about Luis Vuitton and sunglasses on every other track.

For those of you who thought that Kanye would receive some help from his guest appearances, prepare to be disappointed. While he normally has good backup on his tracks, he sold out on this one.

While I would have liked to see Lupe Fiasco, Common, Mos Def, or some other talented artists, Kanye went with the two most annoying voices in hip hop: T-pain and Lil' Wayne.

Now that I'm through with the negatives, I can add to Kanye's already-bursting ego with some praise. My favorite thing about Graduation is that it is something different. In a year full of dirty south rappers making songs with repetitive hooks and simple beats, Graduation has some lyrical content and like always, Kanye produced some great beats. The appearance from Coldplay's Chris Martin on the song "Homecoming" was a move only Kanye could make and it turned out to be a great song.

Also, the lyrical content on songs like "Big Brother," "Good Morning" and "The Glory" delivers something you will never hear from 50.

Speaking of 50, it is his turn to face the music. His newest release, Curtis, is also a disappointment. Like Mr. West, 50 Cent has two crucial singles on the CD and a lot of filler. The street banger "I Get Money" is one of the best songs of the year and certainly the best on the album. While the album itself is not very impressive, 50's ability to recruit hot talent is remarkable. With guest appearances from Dr. Dre., Justin Timberlake, Mary J. Blige, Robin Thicke, Eminem and production from Timbaland, I think it is safe to say 50 cent works with the best.

While his guest appearances on the album are good, the main problem is his lyrics. Foolishly I expected a little more from 50 on the album as far as lyrics, but the rhymes on this one are a step above nursery. Candy shop and lollipop are not working in 2007. The savior of this album is that it will get some radio play. The songs "I Still Kill" and "Follow My Lead" are good and will undoubtedly be popular.

If I had to pick a favorite of the two I guess the Luis Vuitton Don gets my vote. While it was a close second, Curtis just doesn't bring new flavor to the fridge. Save your money on the album, spend it on his vitamin water. You'll be more satisfied.

This writer can be contacted at opinion@theeastcarolinian.com