Introduction
Kanye West is one of the most enigmatic, influential, and polarizing figures in modern pop culture. Over his nearly 20-year career, the rapper, producer, and fashion mogul has reached the highest highs of critical acclaim and commercial success, only to jeopardize it all with a series of increasingly controversial and damaging public meltdowns. In recent months, Kanye (now known as "Ye") has seen his empire crumble and his reputation sink to new lows after a string of antisemitic comments, conspiracy theorizing, and baffling media appearances.
As Kanye‘s behavior has grown harder to defend, some diehard fans have clung to the refrain "He made Graduation" – the argument that Kanye‘s iconic 2007 album and musical talent should earn him a pass for his objectionable conduct. But is artistic achievement alone enough to outweigh the real-world harm caused by Kanye‘s words and actions? Let‘s take a closer look at the rise and fall of Kanye West through the lens of his landmark album Graduation.
The College Dropout to Graduation: Kanye‘s Rise
To understand the significance of Graduation, it‘s important to look at Kanye‘s early career arc. Kanye first rose to prominence as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the early 2000s, crafting hits for artists like Jay-Z, Alicia Keys, and Ludacris. However, Kanye harbored larger ambitions to be a solo artist. He fought for a record deal and the chance to rap on his own songs, eventually releasing his debut album The College Dropout in 2004.
The College Dropout was a smash hit, showcasing Kanye‘s signature "chipmunk soul" production style, clever wordplay, and introspective lyrics. The album earned widespread acclaim, won Best Rap Album at the Grammys, and cemented Kanye as a rising star. Kanye followed it up with 2005‘s Late Registration, another critically lauded and commercially successful effort that further proved his bonafides as a producer and MC.
But it was Kanye‘s third album, 2007‘s Graduation, that represented his true ascension to the pop culture A-list. Graduation was an artistic evolution for Kanye, moving beyond his early "backpack rap" and soul sample sound in favor of grander, more experimental production. Inspired by indie rock bands, house music, and the energy of stadium tours, Graduation was a sonic maximalist approach that fused jagged electronic synths, anthemic choruses, and old-school rap bravado.
Lead single "Stronger" set the template, transforming a sample of Daft Punk‘s "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" into a sci-fi hip hop banger. Other standouts like "I Wonder," "Flashing Lights," and "Everything I Am" found Kanye opening up his sound and getting more introspective with his lyrics. But Graduation‘s pop crossover appeal was solidified with tracks like the T-Pain-assisted "Good Life" and the Chris Martin-featuring "Homecoming." Kanye was no longer content to be just a rapper – he wanted to be the biggest star in music.
Graduation By the Numbers
Graduation‘s sonic ambitions were matched by its staggering commercial performance. The album debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 chart, selling over 957,000 copies in its first week – at the time, the biggest sales week of Kanye‘s career. Lead single "Stronger" topped the Billboard Hot 100 for a month and became Kanye‘s first #1 hit as a lead artist. Graduation was a mainstay on the charts throughout 2007 and has since been certified double platinum by the RIAA.
The album‘s accolades were similarly impressive. Graduation scored an 87 on Metacritic, indicating "universal acclaim" from music critics. It won Best Rap Album at the 2008 Grammy Awards and secured Kanye his third consecutive album of the year nomination. Rolling Stone ranked Graduation as the 18th best album of 2007. Pitchfork, the tastemaking indie music publication, gave it an 8.7 and anointed it Best New Music. Graduation topped year-end lists from the likes of USA Today and Spin.
But Graduation‘s impact went beyond just numbers and critical hosannas. The album signaled a paradigm shift in hip hop, with Kanye eschewing crate-digging drum breaks and soul flips for a sleeker, computer-generated aesthetic. Kanye had been gradually moving in a more adventurous, genre-fluid direction since Late Registration, but Graduation represented a more decisive break from his backpack rap roots. Along with Daft Punk‘s Alive 2007 tour, Graduation helped pave the way for hip hop‘s embrace of electronic dance music in the late ‘00s and early ‘10s.
Graduation was also a key release in the long-simmering sales battle between Kanye and 50 Cent. The two rappers released their respective albums Graduation and Curtis on the same day, September 11, 2007, in a highly publicized showdown. Kanye handily outsold 50, moving nearly 1 million units to Curtis‘ 691,000. The episode was framed as a victory of Kanye‘s cerebral, introspective approach over 50‘s gangsta posturing. In the end, it was the clearest signal yet that hip hop‘s center of gravity had decisively shifted away from the streets and toward the suburbs.
The Graduation Effect
Looking back, it‘s hard to overstate the impact Graduation had on popular music, fashion, and the wider cultural landscape. The album‘s colorful, poppy maximalism became the dominant sound in hip hop and pop, ushering in a new generation of genre-bending rappers like Kid Cudi, Drake, and Travis Scott. Kanye‘s "shutter shades" in the "Stronger" video became an iconic fashion accessory. His fascination with Japanese pop art and the Akira anime inspired countless imitators. Graduation was the moment when Kanye truly became a cultural trendsetter.
The success of Graduation also turned Kanye into a global superstar and fashion icon. He launched his Yeezy sneaker and apparel line, which has since become a billion-dollar partnership with Adidas (although that deal was terminated in 2022 following Kanye‘s antisemitic comments). Kanye graced the cover of magazines like Vogue and Time, attended the Met Gala, and began dating celebrities like Amber Rose and Kim Kardashian. His every Twitter rant and award show outburst became front-page news. Like his idol Michael Jackson, Kanye was no longer just a musician – he was a global celebrity.
But even as Graduation catapulted Kanye to new heights of fame and influence, there were already signs of the erratic behavior and controversial opinions that would eventually consume his career. Kanye had always had a healthy ego and a penchant for provocative statements, but his public persona grew more abrasive and unpredictable in the years following Graduation. His mother Donda‘s tragic death in 2007 sent him into an emotional tailspin. His disastrous Glow in the Dark tour left him millions in debt. And his infamous interruption of Taylor Swift at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards turned him into a villain and punchline.
The Unraveling
In the years since Graduation, Kanye‘s musical output has remained innovative, if increasingly sporadic and divisive. 2008‘s 808s & Heartbreak was a stark left turn into singing and icy electropop. 2010‘s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy was heralded as a creative triumph and masterpiece. 2013‘s Yeezus polarized critics and fans with its abrasive industrial sound. 2016‘s The Life of Pablo and 2018‘s ye were marred by messy rollouts and Kanye‘s public struggles with mental health. Each of these albums has its defenders and detractors, but none has matched the universal adulation and cultural impact of Graduation.
Meanwhile, Kanye‘s public persona has grown more toxic and destructive. His ill-fated forays into politics, including his embrace of President Trump and declaration that "slavery was a choice," alienated fans and tarnished his reputation as a consciousness-raising truth teller. His impulsive Twitter tirades, public feuds with other celebrities, and tumultuous personal life (including his high-profile marriage to and divorce from Kim Kardashian) have often overshadowed his music. And his recent descent into antisemitic conspiracy theories and hateful rhetoric has torpedoed his career and turned him into a pariah.
It‘s a tragic arc for an artist who once seemed poised to be the voice of his generation. The hungry, ambitious Kanye who poured his heart and soul into Graduation feels like a distant memory compared to the bitter, bigoted figure he‘s become. And yet, for some fans, "He made Graduation" remains the ultimate trump card, an inarguable defense for an increasingly indefensible icon. But is it a valid excuse?
Separating Art from Artist
The idea of separating art from the artist is a thorny and complex issue, one that has inspired much debate in recent years amid the #MeToo movement and a wider reckoning with the bad behavior of powerful men. On one hand, it‘s true that great art often springs from troubled and flawed individuals, and it‘s possible to appreciate the work without condoning the creator‘s actions. But in an age of instant information and social media-fueled celebrity culture, it‘s becoming harder to compartmentalize art from the artist‘s personal conduct and beliefs.
In Kanye‘s case, it‘s especially difficult to separate his music from his persona, because so much of his art is autobiographical and his celebrity is inextricable from his creative output. Kanye‘s music has always been a direct reflection of his emotional state, his lived experiences, and his worldview. His albums are deeply personal narratives that invite the listener into his psyche. When Kanye raps about his challenges and triumphs on Graduation, we believe him because we feel like we know him.
But that same intimacy and authenticity that made Kanye such a relatable and compelling artist is also what makes his fall from grace so painful and disappointing for fans. When Kanye espouses hateful views or aligns himself with toxic figures, it feels like a personal betrayal. It‘s not just an abstract question of separating art from artist – it‘s a matter of reconciling the Kanye we thought we knew with the Kanye we see now.
There‘s also the matter of Kanye‘s immense platform and influence. As one of the most famous and successful musicians on the planet, Kanye has the power to shape public opinion and discourse. When he voices support for problematic ideologies or controversial figures, he‘s not just expressing a personal view – he‘s lending his considerable credibility and reach to those ideas. He‘s not just an artist making art – he‘s a cultural leader with real-world impact.
The Paradox of Kanye
In the end, there are no easy answers to the question of whether "He made Graduation" is a valid defense of Kanye West. On one hand, it‘s true that Graduation is a landmark album that deserves to be celebrated on its own merits. It‘s a defining work of 21st century pop music, a genre-bending masterpiece that expanded the possibilities of hip hop and solidified Kanye‘s genius as a producer and songwriter. Divorce the music from the man, and Graduation still holds up as a groundbreaking artistic achievement.
But in the context of Kanye‘s larger career and public persona, it‘s hard to fully separate Graduation from the troubling trajectory that followed. The seeds of Kanye‘s grandiosity, his provocative statements, his internal battles were already present on Graduation – we just didn‘t know how fully they would bloom. In hindsight, the album represents the peak of Kanye‘s powers before his decline – the last moment when his talent and ambition seemed to outweigh his flaws and demons.
Perhaps the key is to find a way to hold both realities in our minds at once – to appreciate the artistry of Graduation while also acknowledging the harm Kanye has caused and the responsibility he bears for his actions. We can celebrate the music while also denouncing the hateful rhetoric. We can remember the Kanye we fell in love with while also holding the Kanye of today accountable. We can mourn the loss of a generational talent while also refusing to make excuses for inexcusable behavior.
In the end, Kanye West is a tragic figure – a brilliant artist undone by his own hubris and demons. His story is a cautionary tale about the double-edged sword of fame, the perils of unchecked ego, and the human capacity for self-destruction. "He made Graduation" may be a pithy defense, but it doesn‘t erase the damage done. Kanye‘s legacy will always be complicated – a mix of incredible highs and shocking lows, of genius and folly, of artistry and infamy. Graduation is just one chapter in that larger story – a reminder of what could have been and a bittersweet monument to Kanye‘s squandered potential.
