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Late Registration

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Late Registration is the critically acclaimed second studio album by Chicago hip hop artist Kanye West. The album was released on August 30, 2005 and debuted at #1, selling over 860,000 copies in its first week, the once highest first week sales in Def Jam Recordings' history. However, Kanye's next album, Graduation, would outdo Late Registration, selling 957,000 copies. Rolling Stone magazine named it their Album of the Year, and is one of the few hip-hop albums receiving a rare 5-star rating in its initial review, along with N.W.A's Straight Outta Compton and Beastie Boys' To the 5 Boroughs. It has gone on to sell over 3 million copies in the U.S. and received a great deal of critical acclaim.

Singles

The first single released from the album was "Diamonds from Sierra Leone", which contains a sample from the James Bond theme "Diamonds Are Forever" performed by Shirley Bassey. The song was originally a reference to his record label Roc-A-Fella, which is known for its "diamond" hand gesture. The song's title was subsequently changed from its original one ("Diamonds Are Forever") due to confusion with another song featured on Jay-Z's The Blueprint 2: The Gift & the Curse titled "Diamond Is Forever". The title of the single as well as a subsequent remix (with Jay-Z) directly address the issue of conflict diamonds, which are a major factor in Sierra Leone's civil war. The second single released from Late Registration was "Gold Digger", which contains a vocal interpolation of Ray Charles' "I Got A Woman" sung by Jamie Foxx, who starred as Charles in the biopic Ray. It became his second single to top the Billboard Hot 100. The third single released was "Heard 'Em Say" featuring Adam Levine from Maroon 5, and the fourth was the Just Blaze helmed "Touch the Sky" featuring Lupe Fiasco. The track "Hey Mama" was intended to be released as a single, but was never released. A video was later made for the song "Drive Slow", and it featured Houston based rapper Paul Wall. This version of the song was included on the bonus DVD for T.I.'s platinum-selling album King. The original version of "Drive Slow" also appears on Paul Wall's CD, The People's Champ. The song was originally to feature M.I.A who opted out of the appearance due to a busy schedule.[1]

Critical reception

Late Registration was the only album released in 2005 to receive a 5-star review from Rolling Stone, and was ranked #1 on their end-of year list of the year's 50 Best Albums.[2]

This is Kanye's second album to be rated XXL by XXL magazine, XXL has only given this rank to a total of 16 albums. That means that Kanye's first two major studio releases have been given the highest rank in XXL Magazine. West, Jay-Z, Nas, and Dr. Dre are the only artists to receive multiple XXL ratings. [3]

The album was nominated for Album of the Year at the Grammy Awards of 2006 and received the award for Best Rap Album.

Late Orchestration

Main article: Late Orchestration

Track listing

CD

  • Tracks 5, 12, 15 and 18 are skits that are not listed in the albums booklet.
No.TitleWriter(s)Sample(s)Length
1."Wake Up Mr. West" (Performed by DeRay Davis)Michael Masser, Gerry Goffin* "Someone That I Used to Love" as performed by Natalie Cole0:41
2."Heard 'Em Say" (feat. Adam Levine from Maroon 5) (Kanye West, Jon Brion)Kanye West, Adam Levine, Michael Masser, Gerry Goffin* "Someone That I Used To Love" as performed by Natalie Cole3:23
3."Touch the Sky" (feat. Lupe Fiasco) (Just Blaze)Kanye West, Wasalu Jaco, Justin Smith, Curtis Mayfield* "Move On Up" as performed by Curtis Mayfield3:57
4."Gold Digger" (feat. Jamie Foxx) (Kanye West, Jon Brion)Kanye West, Ray Charles, Renald Richard* "I Got a Woman" as performed by Ray Charles3:28
5."Skit #1"  0:33
6."Drive Slow" (feat. GLC, Paul Wall & additional vocals by Tony "Penafire" Williams) (Kanye West)Kanye West, Paul Slayton, Leonard Harris* "Shorty Wanna Be a Thug" as performed by 2Pac 4:32
7."My Way Home" (Performed by Common) (Kanye West)Kanye West, Lonnie Lynn, Gil Scott-Heron* "Home Is Where the Hatred Is" as performed by Gil Scott-Heron1:43
8."Crack Music" (feat. The Game) (Kanye West, Jon Brion)Kanye West, Jayceon Taylor, Willard Meeks* "Since You Came in My Life" as performed by New York Community Choir4:31
9."Roses" (Kanye West, Jon Brion)Kanye West, Bill Withers* "Rosie" as performed by Bill Withers4:05
10."Bring Me Down" (feat. Brandy) (Kanye West, Jon Brion)Kanye West, A. Williams* "My Life Is Loving You" as performed by Rose Banks3:18
11."Addiction" (Kanye West, Jon Brion)Kanye West, Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart* "My Funny Valentine" as performed by Etta James4:27
12."Skit #2"  0:31
13."Diamonds from Sierra Leone (Remix)" (feat. Jay-Z) (Kanye West, Jon Brion, Devo Springsteen)Kanye West, Devon Harris, John Barry, Don Black* "Diamonds Are Forever" as performed by Shirley Bassey
  • Interpolates "Ms. Jackson" as performed by OutKast
    		• 3:53
    14."We Major" (feat. Nas, Really Doe) (Kanye West, Jon Brion, Warryn "Baby Dubb" Campbell)Kanye West, Nasir Jones, Warren Trotter, A. Williams, Warryn Campbell, R. Simmons, L. Smith, M. Reid* "Action" as performed by Orange Krush
  • "Superwoman (Where Were You When I Needed You)" as performed by Stevie Wonder
    		• 7:28
    15."Skit #3"  0:24
    16."Hey Mama" (Kanye West, Jon Brion)Kanye West, Donal Leace* "Today Won't Come Again" as performed by Donal Leace5:05
    17."Celebration" (Kanye West, Jon Brion)Kanye West* "Heavenly Dream" as performed by The KayGees3:18
    18."Skit #4"  1:18
    19."Gone" (feat. Cam'ron, Consequence) (Kanye West, Jon Brion)Kanye West, Dexter Mills, Cameron Giles, Chuck Willis* "It's Too Late" as performed by Otis Redding
  • "Upon this Rock" as performed by Joe Farrell
    		• 6:02
    20."Diamonds from Sierra Leone" (* bonus track) (Kanye West, Jon Brion, Devo Springsteen)Kanye West, Devon Harris, John Barry, Don Black* "Diamonds Are Forever" as performed by Shirley Bassey
  • "Ms. Jackson" as performed by OutKast
    		• 3:58
    21."Late" (* hidden track)Kanye West, Sylvia Robinson, George Kerr* "I'll Erase Away Your Pain" by The Whatnauts3:50

    LP

    Side one
    No.TitleLength
    1."Wake Up Mr. West" 
    2."Heard 'Em Say" 
    3."Touch the Sky" 
    4."Gold Digger" 
    5."Skit #1" 
    6."Drive Slow" 
    Side two
    No.TitleLength
    7."My Way Home" 
    8."Crack Music" 
    9."Roses" 
    10."Bring Me Down" 
    Side three
    No.TitleLength
    11."Addiction" 
    12."Skit #2" 
    13."Diamonds from Sierra Leone (Remix)" 
    14."We Major" 
    Side four
    No.TitleLength
    15."Skit #3" 
    16."Hey Mama" 
    17."Celebration" 
    18."Skit #4" 
    19."Gone" 

    Chart positions

    Year Chart Position
    2005 U.S. Billboard 200 1
    2005 UK Albums Chart 1
    2005 Canadian Albums Chart 1
    2005 German Albums Chart 14
    2005 French Albums Chart 36
    2005 Australian Albums Chart 14
    2005 Swedish Albums Chart 11

    Personnel

    • "Gold Digger"
    • "Drive Slow"
      • Additional vocals: Tony "Penafire" Williams
    • "Crack Music"
    • "Roses"
      • Additional vocals: Tony "Penafire" Williams and Joi Starr
      • Bass: Keena "Keynote" Holloway
      • Keyboards: Ervin "EP" Pope
    • "Bring Me Down"
      • Bass trombone: Bruce Otto
      • Cello: Richard Dodd, Matt Cooker, Armen Ksajikian and Victor Lawrence
      • Contrabass: Jason Torreano, Frances Senger and Denise Briese
      • Flugelhorn: Gary Grant and Dan Fornero
      • French horn: Rick Todd and Brad Warnaar
      • String orchestrations: Eric Gorfain
      • Trombone: Andrew Martin and Steve Holtman
      • Trumpet: Gary Grant and Dan Fornero
      • Viola: Marda Todd, Piotr Jandule, Tom Tally and David Sage
      • Violins: Eric Gorfain, Daphne Chen, Victoria Lanier, Julie Rogers, Alyssa Park, Audrey Salomon, Terry Glenny, Susan Chatman, Marisa Kuney and Amy Wickman
    • "Diamonds from Sierra Leone (Remix)"
    • "We Major"
      • Horns: Donte Winslow
      • Additional vocals: Tony "Penafire" Williams
    • "Hey Mama"
    • "Celebration"
      • Additional vocals: John Legend
      • Bass: Keena "Keynote" Holloway
      • Bass trombone: Bruce Otto
      • Brass arrangements: Jon Brion
      • Cello: Richard Dodd, Matt Cooker, Armen Ksajikian and Victor Lawrence
      • Contrabass: Jason Torreano, Frances Senger and Denise Briese
      • Flugelhorn: Gary Grant and Dan Fornero
      • French horn: Rick Todd and Brad Warnaar
      • Keyboards: Ervin "EP" Pope
      • String arrangements: Jon Brion
      • String orchestrations: Eric Gorfain
      • Trombone: Andrew Martin and Steve Holtman
      • Trumpet: Gary Grant and Dan Fornero
      • Viola: Marda Todd, Piotr Jandule, Tom Tally and David Sage
      • Violins: Eric Gorfain, Daphne Chen, Victoria Lanier, Julie Rogers, Alyssa Park, Audrey Solomon, Terry Glenny, Susan Chatman, Marisa Kuney and Amy Wickman
    • "Gone"
      • Cello: Richard Dodd, Matt Cooker, Armen Ksajikian and Victor Lawrence
      • String arrangements: Jon Brion
      • String orchestrations: Eric Gorfain
      • Viola: Marda Todd, Piotr Jandule, Tom Tally and David Sage
      • Violins: Eric Gorfain, Daphne Chen, Victoria Lanier, Julie Rogers, Alyssa Park, Audrey Solomon, Terry Glenny, Susan Chatman, Marisa Kuney and Amy Wickman

    Unused tracks

    • "Bittersweet Poetry" (featuring John Mayer) (Used as a bonus track on Graduation)
    • "Crack Music" (original version containing a verse by The Game) [Appears on The Game's Ghost Unit Mixtape]
    • "Back to Basics" (featuring Common)
    • "We Can Make It Better" (featuring Talib Kweli, Q-Tip, Common and Rhymefest). For the U.K. album this was included as (Track 21) and the track after it, titled "Late" (Track 22).
    • "About An Angel"
    • "Gone" (original version containing a verse by Rhymefest and no verses by Cam'Ron and Consequence and no second Kanye verse)

    References

    1. ^ "Kanye West Gives Media early peak at Late Registration in London". Baller Status. 2005-06-24. Retrieved 2008-05-16.
    2. ^ The Top 50 Records of 2005 : Rolling Stone
    3. ^ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XXL_Magazine
    Preceded by Billboard 200 number-one album
    September 11, 2005 - September 24, 2005     		Succeeded by
    Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Late_Registration&oldid=256727991"