Background
Graduation is the third installment of Kanye West's planned tetralogy of education-themed studio albums, which West subsequently deviated from due to the events surrounding the conception of his fourth album, 808s & Heartbreak. The album demonstrates yet another distinctive evolution in West's musical style and approach to production. After spending the previous year touring the world with U2 on their Vertigo Tour, West felt inspired to compose anthemic rap songs that could operate more efficiently in large arenas. To accomplish this "stadium-status" endeavor, West incorporated synthesizer into his hip hop production, which also finds him utilizing slower tempos, experimenting with electronic music and influenced by music of the 1980s. In addition to U2, West drew musical inspiration from arena rock bands such as The Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin in terms of melody and chord progression.
West further expanded his musical palette by not limiting himself to his customary R&B and soul samples, and instead sampled from a more eclectic variety of musical genres, including pop rock, Euro-disco, electronica, progressive rock, house, and dub. For much of the album, West adopted a dilatory, exuberant rap delivery in emulation of Bono's operatic vocal stylings. In terms of his lyricism, West wanted to simplify some of his rhymes after touring with U2 and finding that he could not electrify the audience as well with his more complex lyrics.
Read more about this topic: Graduation (album)
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