Hip-hop was moving forward fast, and Kanye West would remain a driving force for change in the years to come. Perhaps more importantly, Kanye’s success cemented hip-hop’s shift away from the gangsta rap that had dominated during the 90s, ushering in an eclectic brand of hip-hop that would embrace styles as diverse as house and rock music. In the end, Kanye won by a landslide as Graduation sold nearly one million albums to Curtis’ 691,000. A competition between the pair ensued, spurred on by 50 Cent’s assertion that he would easily outsell his rival. Its release coincided with 50 Cent’s third album, Curtis steeped in the traditions of gangsta rap, the latter stood in stark contrast to Kanye’s futuristic hybrid. Released on September 11, 2007, Graduation proved to be one of the year’s most memorable albums. Elsewhere, “Champion’”s looped segment of Steely Dan’s “Kid Charlemagne” lends the track hints of jazz-rock, while on “Drunk And Hot Girls” Kanye sings alongside Mos Def, the pair delivering an idiosyncratic cover-of-sorts of “Sing Swan Song” by krautrock legends Can. Further bridging the gap between hip-hop and mainstream rock, Coldplay singer Chris Martin was brought in to add anthemic weight to the arena-sized synths of “Homecoming,” while “Big Brother” – a tribute to Kanye’s long-time mentor, Jay Z – was built upon heavy guitar riffs.
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