Blasting into the public eye after a car accident that almost destroyed his jaw, Kanye West’s mouth is still making headlines. Once known for taking old R&B samples and turning them into 21st century gold, these days one would find it hard to differentiate West’s lyrics from the run-of-the-mill obnoxious rapper. In a world still seething about the Taylor Swift debacle, it is easy to forget the lyrical genius that West brought to his first two albums, “The College Dropout” and “Late Registration.” When rap lyrics were saturated with grills, guns and girls, West was writing odes to his mother, criticizing the government and satirizing society’s obsession with wealth. West’s debut and sophomore albums follow an intricate theme that calls into question America’s learning establishments and chronicles West’s own struggle to attain both higher education and higher creativity. Both albums successfully weave theatrical interludes between songs that range from religious, to comical, to poignant.

In “All Falls Down,” West’s social sentiments can be summed up in this line: “I said f— the police that’s how I treat ‘em / You can buy your way outta jail but you cant buy freedom / We can buy a lot a clothes but we don’t really need ‘em / Things we buy to cover up what’s inside.”

Like many artists before him, and undoubtedly many more that will come after him, West has succumbed to fame’s double-edged sword. When a celebrity’s personal life begins to trump their God-given talent, there is usually no turning back. In a few years time West’s playful, likable ego has turned into a public relations nightmare. But, if ever there was a phoenix meant to rise from the ashes it would surely be West, and if not, his first two albums will definitely lighten the blow.