These 3 albums are all turning 10 this year! ahh the soundtrack to my 8th grade years.

I thought i would make one thread for all 3 of these.

The College Dropout was released in february of 2004! back when Yeezy was still fresh on the scene.

Kanye West's 'The College Dropout': An Oral History

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By Erika Ramirez, N.Y. | February 05, 2014 8:55 AM EST

Kanye West poses for a portrait during the 2004 Billboard Music Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on December 8, 2004 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Frank Micelotta/Fox via Getty Images

In celebration of its upcoming 10-year anniversary, 26 collaborators share their stories behind the making of Kanye West's debut album.

"The College Dropout" is the story of and for the underdog, the underachiever. It still is, 10 years after its release (February 10, 2004).

Kanye West fought for recognition when he was 12 years old, and still thirsts for respect today. He survived a car accident that nearly killed him, but instead propelled him, and strengthened the necessity to jump on tables to prove his talents and fight stigmas that come with being a rapper/producer and a brutally honest, emotional backpacker.

Kanye's first studio album, "The College Dropout," continues to resonate in pop culture 10 years after its release, not only because of Kanye West but all of those who were a part of the creation. Everyone who contributed was an underdog as well, trying to prove themselves to their hometown, label executives, peers, and most importantly, themselves.

Kanye West: How the Rappe...o 'Yeezus'

Everyone involved – Kanye West, those he grew up with him in Chicago (GLC, Coodie, Chike, Really Doe, Olskool Ice-Gre, JB Marshall), those who he met at the latter end of the album's development to those who in the thick of it all – were so hungry to achieve something that they became one unit. One family, one machine, with the goal to kick down doors and brighten Kanye West's future. Even as everyone moved on to fulfill their own ambitions and dreams, "The College Dropout" was in the pit of each of them.

In celebration of Kanye West's "The College Dropout," here are the stories of 26 contributors – "The Good, The Bad, The Ugly" – who were involved in the making of the album, and more importantly, became instrumental to Kanye West's career.

The Players

88-Keys – Founder of Locksmith Music | Producer | Rapper

Common – Rapper

Consequence –Rapper

Coodie & Chike – Directors | Founders of Creative Control

Damon Dash – Executive Producer | Co-Founder of Roc-A-Fella Records

Devo Springsteen – Cousin to Kanye West | Former roomate to John Legend | Producer | Songwriter

Ferris Bueller – Marketing

Freeway – Rapper

Gee Roberson – Co-Executive Producer | Manager | Co-CEO of Hip Hop Since 1978 | Co-CEO of Blueprint Group

GLC –Rapper

JB Marshall – Manager | A&R Executive

J. Ivy – Poet

Joe "3H" Weinberger –Management | Former A&R, Capitol Records

John Legend – Singer | Songwriter

John Monopoly – Manager | Co-Founder of Hustle Period

Kyambo "Hip Hop" Joshua - Co-Executive Producer | Manager | Co-Co-CEO of Hip Hop Since 1978

Miri Ben-Ari – Violinist

No I.D. – Producer

Olskool Ice-Gre – Former G.O.O.D. Music A&R | Founder of Honest Management

Plain Pat - Producer | Songwriter | Fromer A&R, Island Def Jam

Really Doe – Rapper

Shalik Berry – VP of A&R, Epic Records | Former A&R Coordinator, Island Def Jam

Syleena Johnson – Singer | Songwriter

Talib Kweli – Rapper

Tony Williams – Cousin to Kanye West | Singer | Songwriter

[Edited 2/7/14 13:52pm]

MTV EMAs: The Killers' Drummer on the Band's 10th Anniversary, Future

Williams + Hirakawa

The Killers

Ronnie Vannucci, Jr. talks about why the band's EMAs performance on Sunday might be the last one for a while and the importance of upcoming release "Direct Hits."

The Killers are celebrating their 10th anniversary this year with the Nov. 11 release of "Direct Hits," a best-of collection with two new songs.

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Ahead of the release, the band will on Friday headline the MTV World Stage concert in Amsterdam, followed by a Sunday performance at the MTV European Music Awards in the Dutch city.

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Amid talk of band members about exhaustion and touring fatigue, some observers have said the EMA gig may be the last Killers performance for a while.

" I think everybody is looking forward to putting their feet up for a little while and having some normalcy," drummer Ronnie Vannucci, Jr. told THR.

Asked for a prediction if and when the band may get together next, he said: "I think it will be a little while. I don't think it will take an unnaturally long time for us to get guys together. [But] it's time to take a breather and ground out a little bit."

On the importance of the band's 10th anniversary and how it plays into future considerations, Vannucci said: "The whole 10-year thing is crazy to think about. And we have only recently started thinking about it, because everybody brings it up."

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Talking about "Direct Hits," he said: "We're not in the habit of resting on our own laurels and looking back and giving ourselves a pat on the back for shit we have done. I am trying to keep looking ahead. [But] all of a sudden you had to think about it and how life has changed. We're really lucky to have this crazy life we have."

What would he like to do next? "In 2011, I made a record, and I think I want to make another record," the drummer said. "I'm already starting it. I like to keep moving. I love that notion of momentum. I think some of the guys are just going to chill out, keep writing probably, make sure to get some rest."

Asked about the style of his planned release and when it may come out, Vannucci said: "So far, it is sounding like somewhere between ZZ Top and Tron. I think it will be ready when it's ready -- probably next year."

Asked about the EMAs gigs, he said about MTV's biggest international event of the year: "It's one part promotion, one part party, one part art exhibit and another part vaudeville freak show. It's cool to be part of that dynamic."

Vannucci said he is particularly looking forward to performing. "I look forward to rocking on live TV," he told THR. "It's a party, so I'm looking forward to being swept into the craziness of it all."

E-mail: Georg.Szalai@THR.com
Twitter: @georgszalai

And the album and songs... that dominated 2004. Whether you liked it or not

10 years of mediocrity and lame follow-ups.

jeidee said:

10 years of mediocrity and lame follow-ups.

Thanks for the input. Tell me more.

Guns, you're good people, but where does the hate for Usher come from?

.

'Confessions' is one of those albums where I'll admit that it's objectively 'better' than '8701', but I LIKE '8701' more. My brain goes 'Confessions WHHOOOAAA yes yes yes! This album is solid start-to-finish' but my HEART goes 'meh. Burn was nice' and proceeds to mentally play 'TTP'.

ginusher said:

Guns, you're good people, but where does the hate for Usher come from?

.

'Confessions' is one of those albums where I'll admit that it's objectively 'better' than '8701', but I LIKE '8701' more. My brain goes 'Confessions WHHOOOAAA yes yes yes! This album is solid start-to-finish' but my HEART goes 'meh. Burn was nice' and proceeds to mentally play 'TTP'.

lol what hate? i love 8701 and Confessions. I even like a good chunk of My Way. I just hate everything he has done since 2007 (Minus Climax) I said for better or worse, cause many people here dislike usher and those songs were pretty overplayed... some still are

Man I listen to "My Way" a LOT more than Confessions. I didn't realize the Killers album was still so important to the 00s kid.