Compton, California rapper AD says that one of his favorite albums is Kanye West’s Graduation. Yes, AD is a gangster rapper, but he explains his stance during an interview with Soren Baker on Unique Access Entertainment‘s Best Albums.
“People, they’re like, ‘Man, you make gangster rap music. How is this your favorite album?’” AD says. “But he inspired me.”
The “Juice” rapper says that he appreciates the G.O.O.D. Music honcho’s third studio LP because of its production and cohesiveness. AD adds that West’s ability to work the boards and the mic blows him away.
“To me, Kanye is a genius, period,” AD says. “Lyrically, he’s always going to hold his own and stuff like that. Just as putting everything together and I know as far as him being a producer, too, producing mostly all your music, rapping, you’re creating every single thing. As far as artists, I don’t make no damn beats. I don’t know if artists ever try to make beats and stuff like that, that’s no easy thing.”
Even the iconic cover art for Graduation stood out to AD, whose By the Way mixtape was released in June. He has a tattoo on his left arm of Dropout Bear.
“I was really big into art, too,” AD explains. “I used to really draw and stuff like that, so when I seen the artwork, too for it as well, it just like blew my mind.”
AD’s fandom for West began when he saw the video for “Through the Wire.” He was drawn in by Ye’s vulnerability.
“I was like, ‘Wow, this guy really struggled to get to this point,'” AD reveals. “You know at the end when they give him the Roc-A-Fella chain and stuff, it’s like you wanna root for that type of person.”