“The College Dropout”
By John Mandeville, Revelry Writer
Chicago native Kanye West has already produced hits for Jay-Z, Ludacris and Alicia Keys, and now steps to the mic for his debut album, “The College Dropout” on Roc-A-Fella Records.
Much of the production is soul-driven and West raps about past struggles, religion and family.
It is not very clear, though, if West wants in on the thug appeal because he seems to take the higher road of strength through knowledge along with guests Common, Mos Def, and Talib Kweli.
But there are other special appearances from Jay-Z, Freeway and Ludacris that paint pictures of streets and guns.
The first musical track “We Don’t Care” contains a chorus of children singing “Drug dealing just to get by/stack your money ’til it gets sky high” which does display the struggles of urban life, but doesn’t exactly send a message of hope.
The album is damn funny though, and in the same song he jokes that a dyslexic kid’s favorite 50 Cent song is “12 Questions.”
The entire record is a bit awkward, and hits the listener much like stones skipping across a lake.
Too many skits prohibit the flow but West gets on a roll from the time he hits the powerful “Jesus Walks” to the comical “Breathe In Breathe Out.”
In between those are the best songs on the record, with most of the guests appearing with lyrical force.
“The New Workout Plan” is among them in which West instructs the ladies how to get the body that attracts NBA players, rappers and actors.
He instructs the women to “Do your crunches like this/give head, stop, breathe/sit up, check your weave.”
“Through The Wire” details the way West’s life changed after a nearly fatal car accident that left him with a fractured jaw.
The “School Spirit” skits satire successful college graduates who spend their entire lives obtaining degrees but never do anything with them.
A fictional young boy named Lil’ Jimmy claims that he is better than the other homeless people because instead of sleeping on newspapers, he sleeps on the numerous degrees his father left him when he died.
The message here seems to be that people don’t have to go to school to be successful and the hardships West has been through got him to the position he now holds as a rich, young, African-American man.
The dropout has put out a pretty good album, but future projects will show the rap world if he has the meat to contend in the market.
For now, he’s on a bun served with fries as the daily special.
B+
“Miracle”
By Leslie Branton, Revelry Writer
As far as sports movies are concerned, the cheesier the inspirational victory the better. Disney movies such as “The Mighty Ducks” and “Cool Runnings” have proven that the tried and true plot formula of triumph over adversity results in significant ticket sales.
Disney is at it again, this time with the story of the 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey team’s “miraculous” victory over the Soviet Union. Despite an abundance of sports movie clichés and the fact that the viewer knows the end, “Miracle” is a well done movie.
The plot of the movie focuses on the Coach Herb Brooks, played by Kurt Russell. Brooks must assemble a team that could compete with the perennial winner, the Soviet Union.
A more political and global competition exists at the heart of this movie. The tension of the Cold War and the gasoline shortage give the players added motivation and anxiety as they prepare for “battle” in the rink.
Of course, the players clash with Brooks’ coaching methods and act like prima donnas, but eventually they learn to work as a team and represent America. Even more clichés abound with Brooks’ pep talks such as “This is something this country is ready for. This is your time.”
The acting is surprisingly convincing, including New Orleans native Patricia Clarkson’s portrayal of Brooks’ long-suffering wife. However, this movie is not about its actors.
“Miracle” is a reminder of a bygone time, when the world was in turmoil and the United States’ future was unclear. Almost 25 years later, the world is not so different, and maybe right now an inspirational hockey movie is not such a bad thing after all.
A-