Late Registration
by Kanye West
User Score
8.4

Universal acclaim- based on 1302 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,153 out of 1302
  2. Mixed: 39 out of 1302
  3. Negative: 110 out of 1302

Review this album

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. CNarcissus
    Sep 12, 2005
    5
    Not bad, but definetly not good enough to entertain me, lyricly or musicly, long enough to keep it rotating in my CD player. This one might not even make it into my 60G iPod. Kayne is typical.
  2. TP
    Nov 10, 2005
    4
    What the heck is all the fuss about? Seriously? Yes, Kanye West is one of the greatest producers in hip hop (see: Common's "Be") but really, is that enough of a reason to heap so much praise on a mediocre album??? Just because Kanye knows how to make some nice beats doesn't mean his album is automatically "fantastic!". His verses are, frankly, just garbage, and everyone knows What the heck is all the fuss about? Seriously? Yes, Kanye West is one of the greatest producers in hip hop (see: Common's "Be") but really, is that enough of a reason to heap so much praise on a mediocre album??? Just because Kanye knows how to make some nice beats doesn't mean his album is automatically "fantastic!". His verses are, frankly, just garbage, and everyone knows it. Yet people just pretend like nothing's wrong and call it "album of the year!", because he's a musical genius right?. Come on, be realistic.… Expand
  3. ElliottM
    Aug 27, 2005
    5
    I dunno, but I find it to be pretty bland. And his ego really does get in the way of, well, everything else. And no hip-hop album this year even TOUCHES Edan's Beauty and the Beat. You want a 2005 rap classic? Look there, not here.
  4. kurte
    Aug 28, 2005
    6
    I'm not buying any of this hype and will not buy this lame cd. Come on..have you actually read the lyrics to 'jesus walks.' Nuff said.
  5. PilotJ
    Mar 7, 2006
    4
    Bad poetry and beats that couldn't be any less interesting if they had been produced by a high school kid playing with a copy of fruityloops. Over-rated to the point that I find myself questiong my own sanity every time I read a good review of it. 2 points for the marketing department that continues to fool kids into thinking such boring ryhmes are profound biblical listening and 2 Bad poetry and beats that couldn't be any less interesting if they had been produced by a high school kid playing with a copy of fruityloops. Over-rated to the point that I find myself questiong my own sanity every time I read a good review of it. 2 points for the marketing department that continues to fool kids into thinking such boring ryhmes are profound biblical listening and 2 points because for such an over-hyped, bubble-gum-in-disguise waste of plastic - it sure does get the ladies dancing.… Expand
  6. LadyofLeisure
    Oct 17, 2005
    5
    I expected more. He created a masterpiece for Common with "Be". I don't understand why he couldn't do that same for himself. he should take a cue from Common.......step up his rhymes......ALOT. Maybe he just didn't feel he needed to try as hard for his own album. I was dissapointed. The only track I can stand to listen to entirely is "Gold Digger". Everything else is I expected more. He created a masterpiece for Common with "Be". I don't understand why he couldn't do that same for himself. he should take a cue from Common.......step up his rhymes......ALOT. Maybe he just didn't feel he needed to try as hard for his own album. I was dissapointed. The only track I can stand to listen to entirely is "Gold Digger". Everything else is ultra-high quality beat-wise but severly lagging in the lyrics department. Kanye should stick to producing. I do commend him for his honesty.… Expand
  7. MikeR
    Aug 27, 2005
    5
    How anyone can say this approaches dropout is beyond me. There are a few great tracks, but most of this is glorified filler. The Adam Levine song is a complete misstep, and touch the sky is a retread of Jay Zs Encore. One of the most compelling tracks 'My Way Home' ends isnt even 2 minutes long...its a half song. His lyrical ability is average at best. For all the talking and How anyone can say this approaches dropout is beyond me. There are a few great tracks, but most of this is glorified filler. The Adam Levine song is a complete misstep, and touch the sky is a retread of Jay Zs Encore. One of the most compelling tracks 'My Way Home' ends isnt even 2 minutes long...its a half song. His lyrical ability is average at best. For all the talking and attention he has drawn to this album, and comparing it to his dabut, it is a sophomore dud.… Expand
  8. MichaelS
    Aug 31, 2005
    4
    I have no words for the star-cuddling that is going on with this album. After his first album, which was an absolute classic, and one of the most important and maybe best hip hop albums ever made, he has made one of the biggest collections of garbage from an exceptional artist that I have ever heard. By my count there are 8 songs that are absolutely terrible and 7 songs that are range I have no words for the star-cuddling that is going on with this album. After his first album, which was an absolute classic, and one of the most important and maybe best hip hop albums ever made, he has made one of the biggest collections of garbage from an exceptional artist that I have ever heard. By my count there are 8 songs that are absolutely terrible and 7 songs that are range from good to passable. But I have no idea how so many of these songs actually made it to an album and why critics are pretending to like them so much. I don't understand how critics can rate this so high when they just heard what he is capable of with his production on Common's new album "Be". Which of course for some idiotic reason is rated lower then this heap of refuse.… Expand
  9. DonH
    Aug 31, 2005
    4
    Man this dude THINKS he's better than he really is. This is a OK pop joint, and a subpar hiphop cd. Why people listen to this overrated kiddy rapper is beyond me. STOP IT WITH THE SAMPLES.
  10. zggee
    Sep 16, 2005
    5
    Suprised more mainstream press didn't smell the cheese in this.There are a couple good tracks, but really only because of the samples used. Bought it cuzza the hype, gave it away cuz it's so slight. Whereas tracks like "Hey Ya" by Oukast or "Shanghai Masai" by Shinjuku Zulu work in a rap-for-the-masses way, but still push hip hop forward, this CD doesn't at all.
  11. Mack
    Sep 17, 2005
    4
    Really a dissapointment. Like some others here, I purchased the album off of critical hype (bad idea). You really get about 3 to 4 decent tracks, with the other 17 tracks sitting there like useless filler. I will never understand the need for 6 skits on an album. Is this stand-up comedy or rap? Does anyone really purposefully listen to the skits thinking "wow, that's funny - and Really a dissapointment. Like some others here, I purchased the album off of critical hype (bad idea). You really get about 3 to 4 decent tracks, with the other 17 tracks sitting there like useless filler. I will never understand the need for 6 skits on an album. Is this stand-up comedy or rap? Does anyone really purposefully listen to the skits thinking "wow, that's funny - and important to the album!"? And is Bernie Mac stuttering about really that hilarious? Please, anyone, feel free to create a rap album completely void of the all-too-cliche skits! Nowhere near the genre-bending and forward thinking virtuosity displayed by OutKast. Kanye is obviously far to impressed with every word he emits, and nearly all of the lyrics are trite and superficial. A 100 rating from Rolling Stone? Please, could there be a more obvious attempt to be "cool"? And Adam Levine's inclusion - maybe Backstreet Boys could appear on the next album. If this album even receives further listening, I'll be sure to use the skip button liberally. Much of this music represents the mediocrity that prevents me from listening to much rap, and it might be one of the most overhyped for overhyping's-sake albums this year. How about attempting to break out of the genre-crippling shell (of rap itself) and making a real statement. Or just give Jon Brion the reins a little more to bring in a creative sound once and a while. Trimmed down to 5-6 songs, it could have been a wonderful stop-gap EP. Terribly dissapointing as it is.… Expand
  12. DaneC
    Sep 3, 2005
    5
    Kanye can produce beats better than any other commercial artist right now, but his flow is pathetic and while his lyrics may have topics which are widespread, they are poorly written and big headed.
  13. MaanB
    Sep 1, 2005
    6
    I excepted more of this album, better beats and lyrics. I think 'The College Dropout' was better.
  14. PepaS
    Jan 10, 2006
    6
    Not nearly as good as the college dropout
  15. mizzod
    Aug 26, 2005
    6
    ok, a little dissapointed considering college dropout was so good and common's BE was so sonically sublime, an overated rapper kanye is! enough with the sampling already!
  16. RODNEYS
    Sep 1, 2005
    6
    Ok, so we have the following hot songs: #1 Golddigger #2 Diamonds Remix w/Jay Z #3 Um... #4 Hmmm...? #5 I guess track #2 is ok... you know, what's it called? Well, the point is that other than the tracks featuring help from Jamie Foxx and Jay Z, this album IS overrated and forgettable.
  17. richardk
    Sep 9, 2005
    6
    the beats were hot but the album lacked integrity and the personal drive the other album had. it feels more hollywood than hood
  18. CalR
    Feb 20, 2012
    6
    Meh...I never quite connected with this album, sure the singles from this were great stompers but overall it all feels like an extension of the first album and without the impact due to the massive influx of stars invading his work.
  19. Bringman
    Jan 5, 2016
    6
    The album isn't bad, it has the power of a real rap album, but not all the songs are good. The best songs are surely "Heard 'Em Say", a perfect example of melodic rap, and "Gold Digger", maybe one of the best rap songs ever, the flow and the vocal performance of Jamie Foxx are unique. but songs like "Diamonds from Sierra Leone" and "Crack Music" are not too much good, and a little boring.The album isn't bad, it has the power of a real rap album, but not all the songs are good. The best songs are surely "Heard 'Em Say", a perfect example of melodic rap, and "Gold Digger", maybe one of the best rap songs ever, the flow and the vocal performance of Jamie Foxx are unique. but songs like "Diamonds from Sierra Leone" and "Crack Music" are not too much good, and a little boring. The album has a few of masterpieces and a lot of boring rap songs, but generally it's a medium/good album… Expand
  20. Nickogo
    Jul 13, 2019
    6
    Gdyby tylko wyciągnąć z tego albumu 10-12 najlepszych piosenek spokojnie mógłby to być jeden z najlepszych albumów dekady. Niestety, Kanye postanowił wypchać album po brzegi nie bacząc na ogólne flow całości. Heard 'em Say, Touch the Sky i gold digger to piosenki, które już od początku nadają "Late Registration" dynamiki i rumieńców, niestety zaraz po nich pojawia się utwór Drive Slow,Gdyby tylko wyciągnąć z tego albumu 10-12 najlepszych piosenek spokojnie mógłby to być jeden z najlepszych albumów dekady. Niestety, Kanye postanowił wypchać album po brzegi nie bacząc na ogólne flow całości. Heard 'em Say, Touch the Sky i gold digger to piosenki, które już od początku nadają "Late Registration" dynamiki i rumieńców, niestety zaraz po nich pojawia się utwór Drive Slow, który w teorii być może brzmiał dobrze, ale na dłuższą metę jest męczący. Takich utworów, które postawione w newralgicznych punktach psuja odbiór albumu jest niestety więcej, "Celebration", "Bring me Down" nudzą, a "We Major" przez 7 minut zmierza donikąd i daje do zrozumienia, że tacy raperzy jak Nas do mikroświata Kanye Westa po prostu nie pasują. W brzmieniu albumu można wyczuć delikatnie poważniejsze, bardziej melancholijne podejście tak do spraw prywatnych (Roses) jak i społecznych (Diamonds from Sierra Leone) chociaż nie braknie też typowe humoru z poprzedniej płyty w postaci skitów czy utworu Gold Digger. Ogólnie "Late Registration" to album udany na którym można znaleźć sporo dobrych utworów, jednak z powodu nadmiaru i nierównej jakości materiału jest trochę ciężki do przełknięcia jako całość.… Expand
  21. Xellophone
    Oct 25, 2019
    6
    Feels like it's a continuation of the previous album, and it's honestly better, with more memorable tracks

Awards & Rankings

18
#18 Best Album of 2005
4
#4 Most Discussed Album of 2005
6
#6 Most Shared Album of 2005

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
85

Universal acclaim - based on 31 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 27 out of 31
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 31
  3. Negative: 0 out of 31
  1. Slant Magazine
    Feb 17, 2011
    70
    Late Registration's salvation (and, undoubtedly, Kanye's own) are when it basks in the sunshine after the rain.
    Read full review
  2. Village Voice
    Jan 3, 2011
    90
    Each of these songs offers more exquisite details than I could earmark in twice this space, many of them literary, which the English prof's dropout son rightly claims as his calling. But secret brilliance is more likely to emerge from the sops to his hip-hop base.
    Read full review
  3. Amazon.com
    90
    Late Registration can't replicate the novelty of last year's College Dropout, but otherwise, this is an impressively more mature and labored-over album.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »