Flashback Friday: College Dropout - @kanyewest by (@AQueens_crown)

Image a 12 year old watching the video to Kanye’s Workout Plan for the first time. That was how I was introduced to Mr.West, and I was hooked. I needed to know everything about this man. I sat entranced in this video (and no I’m not talking about the ladies). Though workout plan was a simple song with a simple beat, I grooved to it. So when I found out his album was set to come out near my birthday you already know what I wanted. The weekend of my birthday my family made that trip to target. I held on to the bag with my Kanye West CD for the whole car ride home. That bag and me were one!

When we got home I immediately ripped through the packaging, and put it in my portable CD player sat back and jumped in. As if walking into a dark room, with each new song lights came on. I listened to the CD so much even my siblings knew the songs.

Going back and listening to this album, I was drawn to the same things that I loved back then. We Don’t Care, Jesus Walks, The New Workout Plan, Two Words, and Family Business. I  even loved the school spirit skits narrated by Deray Davis. I can't tell you that I listened to College Dropout and recognized all the complex deep messages in the lyrics when I was younger. The reason I was so drawn to Kanye West was because I felt I understood him. I heard his struggles with college, his faith, and wanting to be himself. For Me, that was my introduction to hip-hop growing up. What was yours? What was the first song that made you want to listen? Take a trip back with me and listen to College Dropout below after the break.