Lil Wayne’s freestyled verse in “Barry Bonds” could stand as a testament to the level of fame and success he had acquired and DJ Premier’s hand styles on “Everything I Am” was a touch that further proved West’s grounding in Hip-Hop culture. A beautiful lineup of features considering the time-period (Lil Wayne was nearing the release of Tha Carter 3 and Mos Def & DJ Premier are indisputed legends in Hip Hop). Graduation boasts features from Lil Wayne, T-Pain, Dwele, Mos Def, Chris Martin & DJ Premier. But what made Graduation such a success is the growth portrayed in Kanye West’s artistry from the features he chose, the manner in which it is arranged and his production choices. West had many hands involved in the project & at the time, it was his shortest album. While many would dub My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy as his greatest album (hands down), Graduation captures an atmosphere within it’s near-hour long playlength that Kanye has yet to replicate. The album lacks skits and interludes (prevalent in College Dropout & Late Registration). Although, it is also the 10th Anniversary of Kanye West’s third major label studio album, Graduation. Last week saw 16th anniversary of the 9/11 Terrorist Attack (& the release of Jay Z’s The Blueprint).