dear kanye,

first, there was College Dropout. everyone was on your nuts, but not me. i bought the album, don't even know when or why, i must've been drunk or something. it took me about three years to listen to the entire thing. see, you started out on this media blitz claiming you were the best and you were a legend and i just didn't agree. after all, you just got here. with every interview it was like you were tryna play my childhood. puff daddy/puffy/p. diddy/diddy/ whatever the fuck he calls himself these days, he's a legend. but you, you just got here. so i didn't give you a chance to prove yourself. just kinda tuned you out. and vowed to stop shopping while under the influence.

then Late Registration dropped and you pointed out George Bush didn't care about black people. I felt you. and I felt "Diamonds," "Heard 'Em Say," and, of course, "We Major". at this point you thought you were the king. i still wasn't willing to listen to an entire album, all them damn skits and shit, but we were making progress.

and then September 11. 07. Graduation dropped. the Murakami cover. the production. no skits. I was hooked. you provided the soundtrack to my senior year. the "Good Life" video. David came for homecoming, handed over the keys and I proceeded to drive in circles around Central Campus blasting "Stronger" because we were all feeling it. and then on a rainy day in May, graduation day, i handed David the keys and we silently listened to "I Wonder" all the way to Wally Wade. at this point, u were convinced that you were the man. and i was ready to listen.

see, a little before Graduation, u started ur blog. there was contemporary art, architecture, old school music, fashion. the content. the layout. everything was on point. juxtaposed with the album, i was starting to get you. you're a student of art and it came across in everything you did. i saw what was influencing your style, your music, you. i got it. then the concert. Thank You and You're Welcome. yep, sold.

and then there's 808s. decent. i didn't like it better than your previous release but u did, and that's fine.

so fast forward, you announce you wanna intern in fashion. i was excited, i knew you'd take it seriously. this ain't ::insert celebrity here:: for ::insert major retailer here::, you said you really wanted to study and learn the trade, and i wanted to see what you could do. and, i'm sure you're gonna do a lot, but...

that hair... i'm just really nervous about where this is going.