Kanye’s UNEXPECTED Sophomore Album Changed My Life

[@diggingthegreats]

Get 15 tracks to sample on Tracklib for free: www.tracklib.com/diggingthegreats Song Sampled: www.tracklib.com/music/artists/william-a-castleman/infinite-worlds

[@grandinquizitor7412]

I subscribed to your channel last night. You are amazing. I wanted to ask if you could deconstruct the soundtrack from the 2002 movie Brown Sugar; specifically the song "Act 2 (Love of My Life remix) by the Roots?

[@OlegTsoyArchive]

Bringing together unexpected artists is one of Kanye's greatest talents... building on the foundation of sampling. Kanye's first 3 albums really changed hip hop and pop music 😎👍🏼

[@diggingthegreats]

Yes! Love the idea of building on the foundation of sampling 🔥

[@jivelane]

didnt expect oleg here lol

[@Michael_0589]

All of the lights was a masterpiece in this regard.

[@saqib7965]

​@@Michael_0589so good still remember listening on radio for the first time lol hearing all the features was mad

[@needtocomment]

First 5 albums to be honest

[@bagobeans17]

Late Registration is my personal favorite Kanye album, it gives you tear jerkers like Roses to anthems like We Major all in one without it seeming abrupt. Not to mention the skits that I wish he continued throughout his other albums, it gave the album so much personality 🐻🙏

[@TYBO-xl1xz]

Facts

[@abrashio]

Late registration is a damn fine album. Kanye's first four albums hold a special place in my heart as he basically released them from my freshman year to my graduation and I was bumping them in heavy rotation while working on my finals project for my major.

[@pierobattelli]

Might be an unpopular opinion but Late Registration feels super underrated to me. It is like an improved The College Dropout that adds so much on top of what made TCD so great in the first place and it's easily my favorite album in the College Trilogy. Drive Slow is THAT song!

[@diggingthegreats]

Agreed it's definitely underrated - it's like a continuation of College Dropout with a bigger budget

[@jbeastro163]

2004-2005 era hip hop was still in the gangsta/bling era, at the time 50 cent was the poster child for gang-related rap. I also remember the source grading the college dropout and giving it a 4.5 out of 5. Maybe because the source had biased in the East Coast but when Late Registration came out, the source gave it a perfect score, making Kanye's brand of rap that wasn't gang-related viable in the hip hop community. So, to me, Late Registration is not underrated at all, it is a landmark album that served as a prelude to the hype around 50's Curtis and Ye's Graduation, when the result of those album sales changed the course of hip-hop

[@ericejoaquin]

I agree with your take. Kanye played with more different sounds on Late Registration. And DRIVE SLOW is that jam!

[@bxcellent_87]

I feel it is, no bs it's my favorite Kanye album💯❤

[@FTWKGaming]

Late registration is easily Kanye’s best album imo The perfect combination of incredible soulful beats, bangers, conscious bars, classic Kanye corny bars, and unmatched features. Also, shoutout to Late Orchestration. One of the greatest live albums of all time

[@ThatDudeCurtis6]

The orchestra usage in Gone is so amazing.

[@wahoo4uva]

🎯🎯🎯

[@leon_pp]

0:14 That blind record grab had no business being that smooth...

[@northstarbrooks]

This is becoming one of my favorite channels on KZbin. Love your perspective and insight. Keep being great

[@diggingthegreats]

🙏🙏🙏

[@caramelvon7244]

Same. Love this channel. ❤

[@camiamproducer]

My personal favorite Ye album, what he & Jon Brion did was show us where hip-hop can go and it really can have elegance

[@dirkdiggler8794]

Huh?... nothing new with sampling

[@samuelzaratenielson]

When I first learned who Jon Brion was I realized he had been a key part in a lot of my favorite projects Late Registraion, When The Pawn, Blonde, and so much more. Love that dude

[@night8Guy]

The strings plus Brandy from bring me down are powerful too.

[@sadetwizelve]

I’ve always defended Late Registration as his best album.

[@MrWillcapone]

My favorite Kanye album, by far. I will not debate this. This is just my favorite. It's the last one where you could feel Kanye's vulnerability, humility and straight up insecurities. He even left Common alone on a track. For the old heads, it was also the one dope album where we would have Jay Z and Nas on back to back track, while that beef was still ongoing. And that was something special. The production is more refined. The collaborations are creative (Game on hook only, how ?!?), all over the spectrum, but it's cohesive and it works. Some bars are still weak in some spots (So many aunties we can have an auntie team), but this is still the era of "I use to front when I write songs, talking 'bout having ice on, when I could barely keep my lights on". And that's my favorite Kanye. The struggling one that's about to make it and has to fake part of it. As a young adult at the time, that was relatable to an insane degree. By Graduation he was fully in his boastful kayfabe persona (nonobstant Big Brother and Everything I Am). MBDTF is a better album. But Late Registration will forever be my favorite. Drive Slow, homie...

[@darthknowl9222]

I agree with you. I also said that it’s his Best. I do miss the more humble ‘Ye.

[@HoldThisUp]

He said kayfabe ... 😎

[@darthknowl9222]

@@HoldThisUp word!!! Wrestling heads know that

[@MarvMay]

Late Registration felt like an entire audio journey for a lack of better terms. It's also my favorite of the original trilogy for that reason.

[@BigZencreates]

Well said

[@ThirtyNatural]

My favorite album of ALL-TIME, across all genres. Changed my life too as a little 11 year old kid.

[@pervertedalchemist9944]

This was Kanye's magnum opus. This album was heard virtually everywhere in 2005. And it's 20th anniversary is over a year away.

[@jdp052208]

We need ye and Jon Brion together again

[@ASOwnerYT]

mbdtf is his magnum opus but late registration is defnitly one of his best

[@gjamiejmz]

That Common BE Album is amazing. Kanye's Sophmore album and the Be album are like...Leaving my best friend's house and going over to his cousin's house cause we needed to see if he got a new record cause he had his finger on the pulse.

[@galedribble9535]

Nice analogy

[@Lagchunk]

Out of 280+ albums, Be and Late Registration are both in my top 3 of all time.

[@phil_matic]

One thing I would love to see is the history of Kanye's collabs. He has gone through such a rollercoaster of connections, it's crazy to see how his growth in his career can be connected to who he was working with at that time.

[@GeronFletcher]

Just found your page yesterday and man I know exactly what you mean. I’m 33 this was the first Kanye album I heard completely. I was in high school and I also grew up playing upright bass man. This album changed so much for me. SOOO much

[@Tim073]

The evolution of Kanye on this album is incredible. He really shows of his talent for producing music in general, not just hiphop. Samples replayed with live instruments, sampling like the way he did on College Dropout, alot of breakbeats beeing sampled. Live instruments on top of his beats. Everytime I listen to this album it gives me the feeling of hearing it for the first time. Not alot of albums give me that feeling.

[@apersonontheinternet4071]

By far one one of my favorite videos of yours. Legit such a beautiful story and we get to learn about kanye. Keep it up man🙌

[@charlescdt6509]

Class is in session. Keep dropping that knowledge.

[@nicolesherman8974]

It’s Friday and it’s Digging the Grates day 🔥🔥🔥

[@ArchangelsBeats]

I can't watch your videos without turning on my DAW and getting back to work...brilliant videos every time DTG

[@maxhalle-podell6635]

Eternal Sunshine is my favorite movie and Kanye is my favorite artist. Love to see the intersection! Late Registration is one of my least revisited ye albums but this video made me appreciate it so much more. Thank you!

[@grolth]

crazy to think youre at 283k now! your videos have always been so high quality u deserve it :D

[@diggingthegreats]

I know! I appreciate every single one 🙏 Gonna have to start prepping for the 300k stream 😳

[@jerrystackpaper]

When I first started watching I was shocked he wasn’t at like 5 million🤣🤣quality is through the roof

[@hothi92]

​@@diggingthegreatsHonestly my guy, it think it's crazy you're ONLY at 283k. I first stumbled on one of your videos and just assumed you'd be a million plus easy

[@lewjones3]

If there we a music video for "Gone" , I airways imagined it looking like the Fantasia movie

[@RoddyRodbb]

Dude just went over my favorite Kanye album, top 5 favorite rap albums and my favorite production on a rap album. Didnt go into "We Major" (my favorite song) but cool lol. This album changed my life too

[@noble3025]

We Major is my favorite song of all time. There is an explosion of sound after the end of Nas' verse, and every time I hear it I inexplicably start to feel happier.

[@djflipside33]

Love this album and love this video. Although it’s been quoted by Kanye in an interview , that he loved Fiona Apple’s albums “Tidal” and “When The Pawn…” so much that he had to find out who produced it. And that’s how he discovered Jon Brion. 👍🏽

[@DistantLights]

One of my favorite albums, and the first album I ever owned. My mom bought me the album after I really liked Gold Digger

[@PetarVN]

Man, every time you release a video, I am HOOKED for the duration of the entire thing. While I know Kanye was a sampling genius, the detail and depth you go into with the stories and histories behind every piece you do is something else. Truly some of my favorite music-related content on the entire internet.

[@Jessie_Pinkman_]

I knew at the time that what I was hearing was a masterpiece but I don’t think I ever truly appreciated the GOAT level production of these albums (CD, LR) until the passage of time had erased the hype of the commercial hits. I don’t think there are any albums more nostalgic for me. I get a flood of emotion listening to them.

[@diggingthegreats]

Yes, exactly - that's why I spent so little time talking about Gold Digger in this video haha. Great song, but that's the TIP of the iceberg for this album

[@LungeloShandu]

Hands down the most influential album I've ever heard. Bought the CD as an 11 year old and it changed how I view music.

[@ezekielcaselton5842]

@02:13 JAY ELECTRONICA KILLED THAT

[@EndpathFan]

I delivered pizzas in high school, radio sucked, so I got one of those CD to tape converters, and then this album debut... it was on repeat whenever I delivered... it was my pizza delivery soundtrack

[@lewjones3]

This is my favorite Kanye album, hands down

[@ACSanchezium]

Late Registration is my fav kanye album! this is gonna be great!

[@EnzoGorlomi]

Love that Kanye produced so many great songs, hate it because we might never going to hear it from now…He was the real “generational talent”.

[@hell8213]

Kanye is a big fan of Fiona Apple, who Jon Brion worked with closely on her debut album. He said he wanted to be the rap version of her in an interview they did of each other.

[@Newman10steps]

My favorite Kanye album and the album that was the gateway to my obsession with rap growing up. Thanks for this breakdown And love the breakdown on Gone, gave me chills. It was this song specifically that I remember hearing for the first time thinking I’d never heard anything like it. So many elements in one. Flawless.

[@spinitback8884]

I got goosebumps when I heard Diamonds from Sierra Leone for the first time. Such a classic album.

[@k.chriscaldwell4141]

Whether I'm interested in the artist and/or album you're covering or not, I get a valuable music education. Bonus the delve in to the music of the past. I've learned more about the music of the 70s from you than I did living them as a kid. Kudos.

[@MrDarkstar620]

Bro. I love your story. Late Registration has always been my favorite by Ye. It's all rooted in blues, sorrow, and painstaking determination to get ahead in the world. The Portishead allusion is stellar. I never expected that. I love Dummy. This makes me wanna drive slower...FOREVER! ;)

[@wahoo4uva]

14:14 gives me chills *every* time. gone is my favorite song on the album. 🔥🖤✨

[@MrWillcapone]

One more thing Diggs, as is tradition, I'm humbly requesting a breakdown on "Illadelph Halflife". Thank you 😊

[@TheNicoDavis]

So many great songs. Drive Slow, Roses, Hey Mama, and Diamonds from Sierra Leone are some of my fav Kanye tracks.

[@jacobarmstrong5308]

Jon Brion and Kanye were such a good combo. Kinda sad they haven't collab'd since Late Registration. Grammy Family was also produced by Kanye and Brion

[@LupeJustinian]

Bits of Graduation, too (Drunk and Hot Girls)

[@Sipapate]

The song Touch the Sky changed my life... I will forever miss the Kanye West of this era... He was meant to be the greatest creative of all time, but fame ruined him My favorite on the entire album is the song "Gone"

[@mrhudzen9596]

I had no idea Jon Brion was on this album. Punch Drunk Love soundtrack as well as Eternal Sunshine of the spotless mind are beautiful. PUNCH DRUNK MELODY IS SOOO GOOD!!!! Its cool to see Jon Brion worked with kanye.

[@Bryan_705]

Diamonds is by far my favorite Kanye song, the production with the lyrics on that song are something I aspire to

[@antoinestroman3431]

When Late Registration came out I was in high school. I was impressed, but not blown away by it. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve appreciated the musical direction of this album!

[@alexmart3931]

Great video as usual. Can we get some madlib documentaries?

[@mohammedosman4902]

Great video as always. But that end about your life was INCREDIBLE

[@broceratops1337]

My favorite music channel talking about my favorite Kanye album. Just magical

[@ScorpioIsland]

Jon Brion also worked with Mac Miller a ton, most notably his final posthumous album. I would be down for some Mac content, if that's where you go. In many ways he seems a lot like Kanye to me

[@0xggbrnr]

Late Registration is my favorite album of all time and it’s not even close. I caught so much heat defending it. It dropped when I was 15, and it came at a really significant time in my life. It’s what made me a Kanye fan.

[@SamFocused]

This Album was to Show the world... how He evolved from the "Producer Kanye" to "Rapper Kanye" on College drop Out. To The true Artist and director Kanye. Another Amazing Video Well Researched and presented 💯💯💯

[@needtocomment]

To this day, the beat switch and cadence change in Gone gets me every time. So good! Great breakdown by you as always

[@MrsVanB]

New subscriber here! I ‘ve been binge watching your videos for the last week and I love how you do the breakdowns! Learned so much! Thank you!🙌🏾 Much love from The Netherlands 🇳🇱

[@erionmathew]

so the reason I clicked on this video is because I hold Late Registration as one of my favorite albums of all time because of the production the features and it’s Kanye West‘s second time around and that’s when that budget kicked in. i’ll never forget the feeling I had when I heard touch the sky 13 years old.

[@ryansmithc]

So many Kanye projects changed my style and were a moment I remembered in my life. Iconic albums. Amazing video!

[@PaulSeal]

Awesome 😋one of my favourite records, i have been spoiled these last few weeks on your channel. thanks again dude

[@diggingthegreats]

🙏

[@ingmarvanderhoek6314]

Incredible connections you have to this album, wow! It is a great album as every song on it is in the right place. Thanks again for educating us.

[@WiffOfPiff]

Dawg. You’re an artist and a craftsman. Keep keeping hip hop alive. Much love

[@johntaua]

What an amasing video. Thank you! Huuuge thanks for this. The album is truly amazing. One of my favorite Kanye albums.

[@cagedbutterfly93]

Absolutely love your content brotha. You're a real one. Keep up the good content.

[@diggingthegreats]

🙏🙏

[@ezmforeal]

Good afternoon man, I just wanna let you know that I’m a big fan of your channel. I’m a 26 year old blind DJ who grew up listening to people like Red Alert, and Mr. Magic. I represent the New York City area, but I currently live down south in North Carolina. I always look forward to seeing what you’re going to post every Friday. Keep up the great work. And by the way, I turned my girlfriend onto your content too. So we both appreciate you giving us something to look forward to every week. One love from DJ Mixmash and Storm

[@mrnd01]

Dropping gems on em. Congrats on your marriage, that was an interesting twist to the story

[@shou_191]

My most nostalgic album of all time, the mastercraft behind is just insane

[@alanhill6018]

Literally, some of my favorite producers and groups got me into strings and orchestral sounds on my music. The Neptunes, Ye, OutKast, Just Blaze

[@mizteria6475]

Wow I had no idea ye was inspired by Portis head.. a personal favorite group of mine ❤ Can you do a video on portishead?!

[@artisans8521]

Or on the Bristol scene in general. Triphop being England's (and Europe's) frivolous niece to Hiphop.

[@ddeafner]

Kanye's first two albums were my most favorite from him. Both of them I listened when I was in the Army: College Dropout when I was in AIT training/my mom passed away, and Late Registration during my leave during my time in Iraq. Coincidentally, Graduation came out right when I was getting out of the Army 😅 but those first two albums hit a certain something for me. Late Registration imo was his best work hands down, its one of the albums that got me into music production because of how detailed and cohesive it was.

[@shawnpinkston8045]

Your love of music inspires me and I don't know anything about music. Great stuff!

[@HandscharGeorgeCostanza]

Thank you for, despite everything, still giving Ye the respect he deserves.

[@bp2000k]

LR isn’t too much talked about in terms of Innovation. The Orchestra’s,Intros,Interludes,Transitions etc. Diamonds from Sierra Leone 🇸🇱 is a Top 10 maybe 5 Ye song ever imo. Most ppl talking about Graduation,TCD,MBDTF etc but LR shows that Ye is more than just HipHop. Shotout to Jon Brion bcs he made things tho🐐 My Fav Ye album ever🐐

[@lawrencetaylorsr]

Late Registration was the last album that I bought in 2005, and it was the only cd l had in my car when I left the day before Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans. I literally listened to only that. I was all over. Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Baton Rouge to Houston where I settled until we were allowed back in New Orleans. Late Registration was the Soundtrack to Hurricane Katrina for me and it kept me sane

[@ChristianFoleyRaps]

First album I ever bought. From HMV in the Channel Islands near France. Changed my life too.

[@rufouscarton]

Brandon is my favorite bassist

[@a.castillo2190]

I never realized how much this one soecific album was the main part of Ye's discography that I kept coming back to. It really is a great album

[@AuroraBlack29]

No word of a lie, the first ever hip hop song I heard was Diamonds from Sierra Leone, I was five when that came out and I instantly loved it, then when I heard the full album the first time it became and still is my favourite Kanye album

[@brianmcfadden1573]

Damn I was literally listening to this album yesterday saying I hope digging in the greats do a break down with his superb commentary. Thanks for delivering in the only way I’ve been accustomed to from this channel.

[@FleccaRobinson]

Your channel is slowly becoming my favourite and that's coming from a guy that watches way too much KZbin. I love going through my favourite songs with a fine toothed comb piece by piece, and kanye happens to be my favourite artist. Wish i knew you irl man, you seem chill as fuck.

[@TNyce-tk6ed]

First off I love this channel man! I still play late registration til this day it’s 1 of my favorite kayne west albums the older I got the more i appreciated the album! Great video here, a lil disappointed you didn’t mention the addiction song though. Peace!

[@ernier4592]

Christmas Day 2005, I was barely learning how to navigate iTunes, and Late Registration was the first album I downloaded on my iPod, or any mp3 device for that matter. Probably listened to LE hundreds of times in 2006. Good times.

[@blvkbeatstv5894]

Another great video as well. I love orchestral hip hop and have tried to incorporate that sound in my own music. This record came out at a very pivotal time in my life. I evacuated New Orleans in August 2005 and Kanye famously called out the then president lackluster response to the hurricane in New Orleans. Then this record dropped which was a perfect blend of these various production styles and I remember then knowing I wanted to make music like this. Been producing hip hop with live musicians and strings every since. Didn’t realize Jon Brion was involved but makes so much sense. Thanks again for the time and dedication you put into these videos. It’s like taking a college course on all the music I love. Also peep my comment about the We Major Stevie wonders connection

[@CarbonSolutions]

Another killer video - thanks again, sir! If you’re looking for more Jon Brion brilliance, the soundtrack for Punchdrunk Love is my favorite film soundtrack of all time. It uses hip hop techniques and essentially samples the live audio from its scenes and builds those up as loops as scenes develop. Mad props to Kanye for integrating that genius into his production in unexpected ways.

[@pedro4464]

This is my favorite Kanye album, 2nd favorite hip hop album ("Take Care" by Drake), and "Roses" is by far my favorite song in it.

[@robertjimenez7285]

My favorite album plus him releasing the Live Orchestration was insane!

[@oldmanmikey]

What a dope channel man!! So inspired 🙏🏽🎧

[@invaderzeke]

that touch the sky re-do was a nice flip.

[@1andonlydasilent1]

Late Registration is one of my favorite Ye albums! I'm glad I held onto my older brother's copy of it! 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@yinalberlopezibanez566]

Really good video, i was chocked by the portishead's reference.

[@natelewis79]

This channel should be averaging 500k views, at least. KZbin shameful for not pumping these in the algo.

[@prod.thomisch]

I love your enthusiasm for these records

[@_1r0n0]

Another great vid 🗣️🔥🔥. You should do a breakdown of Little Brother's The Minstrel Show

[@isaiahayers1550]

So grateful for the old Kanye. I wish 808s never came out but the other 4 of his first 5 albums are masterpieces. The innovation and vulnerability in the first two are just incredible. Such a tragedy that he turned into what he did. Clearly a man who never got the mental health help he needed and dived headfirst into some dark, insane rabbit holes.

[@TheJulesBrown]

The cold grits sample is also the drums from collect calls by Kendrick 🔥🔥

[@naturebigfan6387]

As someone who also grew up playing double bass in orchestra and also loves hip hop this album is extremely special and something I wish was executed more in hip hop. Little simz is the only other artist that does it like Kanye did if not better

[@ineverswag]

kendrick, gambino?

[@Alkheezy]

I’ve always loved late registration but dude your insight and research really amps it up. Awesome video 🫡

[@HonorFlowProductions]

One interesting story I've heard about the making about "Touch The Sky" is there an extended piano outro that was played by Robert Glasper that did not make the album. Just Blaze played a clip of it on Twitter yeaaars ago. Although Kanye would later use this as the same outro for years in his live show; especially on the Glow The Dark Tour.