What's the deal with Kanye?

And why does it seem like everyone except me is so excited about Graduation?

For the past 7 years, Kanye has been one of the most distinctive and consistently enjoyable producers in rap today, possibly my favorite in fact. The tracks that he's produced on other rapper's albums have been some of my favorites on those albums (obviously "Izzo H.O.V.A." and "Takeover" are fantastic, though I also love both tracks he did on Cam'ron's Purple Haze ("Get Down" and "Dipset Forever")). And, yeah, both of his albums today have been at least good.

On the other hand, everything he's released recently has been shit. Have you listened to this stuff? His most recent mixtape, Can't Tell Me Nothing (which is supposed to build hype for Graduation) features some of the just plain worst rap songs I've heard this year, particularly considering that this is not some kind of bootleg release. First to receive attention off this mixtape was his remix to "Throw Some D's" which changed the subject material to breast implants. I guess kind of funny in concept but fucking painful to listen to in execution. Ditto for the idea to sample PB&J for "Young Folks." Why would he go for such a daring sample choice only to make such a painful song out of it?

Next we've had the first two singles off Graduation, Can't Tell Me Nothing and Stronger. The first suffers from boring production, but has mediocre (even by Kanye Standards) rapping. The second has a theoretically interesting choice in sample, but some of the worst rapping I have ever heard come out of Kanye's mouth. Here is a link to the lyrics. Find a clever line. Just one? YOU WON'T BECAUSE THERE AREN'T ANY.

O and the rest of that mixtape? Not particularly interesting. A bunch of tracks my second and third string rappers, a couple Kanye freestyles (he's not a great lyricist to begin with...what is he doing freestyling?), a couple decent Kanye beats, one Common song (non-exclusive) that's ok but boring, and one song (one song!) that I actually think is pretty good ("Us Placers" which samples Thom Yorke and has good verses by Lupe and Pharrell (?!), though Kanye's is only ok). Basically it's pretty forgettable, regardless of what Stylus might have you believe.

So, I'm just left scratching my head wondering why people are so excited about this album and why it's in a position to challenge 50 for album sales, a challenge which Kanye says he wants. (Though I was reading a report earlier that Graduation, convenient, "isn't done yet"). Anyone have any answers?

Maybe I'll be wrong and the album tracks on this album will be great, but I really doubt it.