100 Best Albums of the 2000s: Kanye West, 'Late Registration'

100 Best Albums of the 2000s

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Kanye West, 'Late Registration'

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The College Dropout introduced the world to a polo-shirt-wearing preppy who merged backpack-rap politics and bling-rap materialism. But it was on Late Registration that Kanye really started showing off, calling in L.A. pop geek Jon Brion to co-produce an album that ranged from triumphal autobiography ("Touch the Sky") to witty club pop ("Gold Digger") to heartstring-tuggers ("Hey Mama"), packing in Chinese bells, James Bond themes and Houston hip-hop. The end result was a near-perfect album that remade the pop landscape in Kanye's own oddball image.

Related:
• Rolling Stone's Original 2005 Review

• Video: Kanye West's Surprise Visit to Rolling Stone

• Photos: Rock Stars and the Models Who Love Them