I really don't want to like Kanye West,

but somehow I feel drawn to his music.

He's a pompous loud mouth who loves to rant about how he's under appreciated in the music world and how George W. Bush sucks. He publicly attacked the Grammy Awards in 2004 for not awarding him the Best New Artist trophy, after he already won for Best Rap Album, Best Rap Song and Best R&B Song. And he threatened a boycott of his own performance during the 2006 Grammys if he didn't win.

He raps about how George W. Bush gave Saddam anthrax and how Bush Jr. infected Africa with AIDS. He even started yelling during a live NBC broadcast of a benefit concert for the victims of Hurricane Katrina about how "George Bush doesn't care about black people."

Kanye seems to be an arrogant, self-proclaimed preacher who spouts his absurd views of the world every chance he gets. But in this blog, we talk about music, not politics. And sadly for us all, Kanye makes good music.

What started as a successful career as a music producer for Jay-Z, Alicia Keys, Brandy, Janet Jackson and John Legend grew into one of the most profound music careers of the early part of the 21st century. As a producer, Kanye made a name for himself by developing a unique style of Hip Hop beats by speeding up or slowing down his samples. His early success on songs like Jay-Z's 'Izzo (H.O.V.A)', Alicia Keyes' 'You Don't Know My Name', and Twista's 'Slow Jamz' propelled Kanye to the forefront of musical producing, but Kanye wanted to get his face out there. He wasn't looking to just make music; he wanted to make a name for himself. He wanted to be famous.

After a car accident required his jaw to be wired shut, Kanye felt inspired to lead his life to the fullest. He recorded his first single 'Through the Wire' just two weeks after his accident, while his mouth was still wired shut. His debut album, The College Dropout, was released in 2004 and peaked at number 2 on the US charts. It's been certified double platinum selling over 5 million albums and has spawned four singles. What makes The College Dropout stand out from most Hip Hop albums is its clarity. Clarity in both the lyrical and the musical sense. The beats are crisp and the lyrics are clear. You can hear every sound and every word. The College Dropout also features quintessential Kanye tracks, simple beats, overdubbed samples, guest vocals and a mix of funk, rock and soul.

On his sophomore effort, last years much anticipated and much celebrated Late Registration, Kanye took his love of mixing around with samplings and simplified his sound. In his hit single 'Gold Digger' instead of sampling the required Ray Charles track he wanted, Kanye got Jamie Foxx to sing it. In 'Touch the Sky' Kanye mixed a Funk horns section with Afro-Cuban beats to create a sound that is as soulful as it is unique.

Celebrities have always loved using their celebrity status to push boundaries and create perception in places where those ideas are taboo. For all of Kanye's ego and ambitions, his perception of his race might end up being the most important thing that he's ever created. In a world dominated by Hip Hop clothing, Kanye had a hard time getting started in the music industry because he didn't look the part. Kanye gave his albums names associated with higher education, hoping that they would promote an understanding that college should be the goal for high school kids, not a life on the streets (his third album, due out at the end of the year is titled Graduation). Kanye attacks President Bush on race related issues, maybe not because he believes so strongly in these issues, but to raise the awareness of the community to issues that aren't being addressed. For a culture that is as deeply indebted to its musicians and athletes as role models, Kanye might come out on top. So despite the fact that I want to hate him, much like I want to hate Meredith Grey, I just can't.

Recommended Songs: Izzo (H.O.V.A) by Jay-Z, Touch The Sky, Through The Wire and Gold Digger by Kanye West, and Slow Jamz by Twista