Anthony Kilhoffer talks working with Timbaland on Kanye West’s Graduation album from 2007. After putting the sophomore slump narrative to rest with Late Registration, the Stanley Kubrick-inspired West craved a new mountain to conquer. During an era in which Nas claimed hip-hop was dead, Kanye helped rejuvenate the genre by injecting an electronic sound into hip-hop that was never before seen. Coming off touring the world with U2, Kanye had newfound inspiration he would then pour into his next album.
A war of words with 50 Cent also pushed his limits of creativity as the two rap stars put their careers on the line in a sales battle, which the loser was to retire from making music. This project would feature significantly fewer guest artists than his sophomore effort Late Registration, but that album's co-producer Jon Brion would remain heavily involved in the creative direction as West -- who suffers from synesthesia -- began painting his masterpiece shortly after that LP's summer 2005 release. Kanye exuded his appreciation of design by calling on Japanese pop artist, Taskashi Murakami to create Graduation’s influential cover image.
