User Score
8.4

Universal acclaim- based on 1443 Ratings

User score distribution:

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  1. Cope
    Jul 4, 2005
    5
    Has some good beats, and listenable subject matter. However, the sped up soul jacks (beats) get tiresome and receive way more credit than they deserve. Kanye's lyrical ability is non-existant, though you can pretend like you're not listening.
  2. DanK
    Apr 25, 2005
    5
    Kanye is ruining hip-hop. He has some fly lyrics, but he shadows them my trying to appeal to people who just listen to the beats. If he's gonna make a rap album, he should make a rap album, not push his producing career.
  3. Apr 25, 2012
    5
    There are good moments here, but the album is rarely great. Kanye demonstrates his incredible creativity as a producer, but he lacks the vocal tone to be a great rapper. His voice always feels a little stilted. On the two best tracks - "Spaceship" and "Two Words" - West must rely on others to supply many of the best rhymes.
  4. DankyM
    Nov 21, 2005
    6
    lame lame lame............................it is good to see some kind of diversity in mainstream hip hop but come on when you put it against the other rap album released that year Madvillainy. Boy in da corner Grey Album it aint nothing
  5. Oct 25, 2019
    5
    Great first album, nothing else to say lalallalalalalalalalalaalalalallalalala
  6. Jun 28, 2020
    6
    Kanye's great debut album. This album defines who Kanye should be and the personality Kanye should have.
Metascore
87

Universal acclaim - based on 25 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 25 out of 25
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 25
  3. Negative: 0 out of 25
  1. Feb 17, 2011
    70
    Like every hip-hop album (even the great ones), Kanye West's The College Dropout is marred by too many guest artists, too many interludes, and just too many songs period. (I challenge every hip-hop artist working today to record just one album with 12 tracks or less-no skits, no guests, no filler.)
  2. Feb 17, 2011
    70
    Most producers who approach the mic do so at their peril, but on Dropout, West turns out to be a full-service hip-hop artiste.
  3. 80
    Delivers both ass-shakers and contemplative cuts.