Previously best known for producing hit singles for Alicia Keys, Jay-Z, and Ludacris, Kanye himself worked on a solo
album for a long period of time, having the release pushed back time and time again. A tragic car crash in October 2002 left his jaw fractured in three places. With his mouth still wired
shut and only weeks after having an encounter with death, Kanye West began recording "Through The Wire," reliving his near-fatal
accident. "Through The Wire" would eventually become his lead single off The College Dropout in 2004, released on Roc-a-Fella Records. The album received almost universal acclaim for
its balance of mainstream commercial appeal and conscious (at times verging on Afrocentric) lyrics.

The College Dropout reached #1 on Billboard
magazine's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Album Chart, and reached #2 on the Billboard 200 - it has also peaked at #12 (so far) on the
UK album chart, where it has spent several months in the Top 20 at the time of writing (18th July 2004). "Through The Wire"
peaked at #15 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart, and its successor "All Falls Down", which features R&B singer Syleena Johnson, peaked at #7. The
third single from the album, the inspirational quasi-epic "Jesus Walks", is currently at #14 on the Hot 100, and still climbing;
all three singles have made the Top 10 on the R&B/hip-hop charts as well as the Hot Rap Tracks survey. In the UK, "Through
The Wire" peaked at #9 on the official singles sales chart, "All Falls Down" peaked at #10, and "Jesus Walks" peaked at #16. He
has also collaborated with Twista on a couple of his songs, including "Slow Jamz" (also
featuring Jamie Foxx) which reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart.
He also appears on Brandy's single, "Talk About Our Love". His other
collaborations with other artists include Dilated Peoples and

Mariah Carey.

In 2004, Kanye West received ten Grammy Award nominations, making him the most nominated artist of 2004. He received two nominations in the
Album of the Year category, one for The College Dropout, and one for his work on Alicia Keys's album The Diary of Alicia
Keys. His work with pop icon Janet Jackson also earned a
nomination for her platinum-certifed single I Want You, produced by West, was nominated for Best
Female R&B Vocal Performance.