10. "Gone"
© Def Jam/UMG

Album: Late Registration

Collaboration is the key here. Cam'ron turns in what's arguably the most impressive guest verse of his career; Consequence shows why Kanye loves collaborating with him; and Kanye brings it all together. From the production to the hook to the 16s, "Gone" clicks on all cylinders.

9. "Spaceship"
© Def Jam/UMG

Album: College Dropout

We've all been there. Rough day at the grind and a boss straight out of Office Space. Here, Kanye manages to take that empty feeling and fill it with new meaning. It's a gumbo of frustration, hope, uncertainty. It won't make you feel better, but it it's a reminder that we're all connected in more ways than we realize.
Purchase/Download
8. "Coming Home"

Album: College Dropout Mixtape

Not to be confused with "Homecoming," the Chris Martin-aided version that eventually wound up on Graduation. "Coming Home," which first showed up on a pre-College Dropout mixtape, sports a different beat and John Legend delivers the hook. What makes the original song slightly superior to the Coldplayfied version is that it has more heart and rawness. It's like jean shorts and a t-shirt vs a tailor-made suit. Which would you choose on a hot, sunny day in Texas?

7. "Late"
© Def Jam/UMG

Album: Late Registration

This one starts off with a symphony and slowly progresses into a mellow, chilled-out song. Lyrically, Kanye is at his comedic finest with memorable lines like "What would you do for a Klondike? Or two dikes that look Christina Milian-like. Hmmm...I'll be on time for that."

6. "Coldest Winter"
© Def Jam/UMG

Album: 808s & Heartbreak

Recorded shortly after Kanye lost his mother, "Coldest Winter" is a standout cut on 808s & Heartbreak. Kanye creates an experience that deeply penetrates the subconscious and leaves the listener with a visceral residue that sticks in one's brain long after the song has ended.

5. "Big Brother"
© Def Jam/UMG

Album: Graduation

Big Brother was a song Kanye had been dying to get off his chest for a while. He kicks back and reflects on his rise to fame, while tossing a few barbs at Jay-Z for biting his style.
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4. "Diamonds From Sierra Leone"
© Def Jam/UMG

Album: College Dropout

Remember when Yeezy could rhyme like this? He makes it look easy here, as metaphors roll off his tongue with ease. Everything from the cinematic beat to Kanye's naked honesty made "Diamonds" such a great movie-on-wax moment. "You gotta love it that somebody still speaks from his soul." I wish he still did.

3. "Flashing Lights"
© Def Jam/UMG

Album: Graduation

Already a respected producer, Kanye West demonstrates his sonic range on "Flashing Lights." He doesn't disappoint on the mic either: "Martin with no Gina,” he quips on “Flashing Lights,” while Dwele rides shotgun.


2. "Through the Wire"
© Def Jam/UMG

Album: College Dropout

The first time I heard "Through the Wire," I knew I was experiencing something special. Kanye sounded like no one I had ever heard. That was due, in part, to the fact that he was rhyming through the wire. Literally.

1. "Jesus Walks"
© Def Jam/UMG

Album: College Dropout

Kanye West has never made a song as important as "Jesus Walks." Sure, "Diamonds From Sierra Leone" comes close enough, but no other song in his catalog can rival the depth and nuances of "Jesus Walks." That it went on to become a huge commercial hit is even more perplexing. Such is the mark of a genius.