"Graduation" day nears for Kanye West

NEW YORK - Urban music lately has dabbled in electronic sounds, but Kanye West takes it a step further with the synth-heavy first single from his upcoming CD.

"Stronger" samples Daft Punk's "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" and slows down the beat. At No. 47, the track is the top debut of the week on the Billboard Hot 100.

"That melody just hit me so hard," West says when asked about the song's inspiration. "I mean, it's the music. It wasn't a gimmick thing."

"That's not atypical of Kanye," Def Jam president and West mentor Jay-Z says. "It's been his pattern since day one. He always has to push the envelope. That's his cross to bear."

The argument could be made that West's artistry, knack for hit-making and penchant for unpredictability make him one of hip-hop's last rock stars. So it's precisely West's singular place in hip-hop that will make or break "Graduation," his third Def Jam album, due September 11.

"Kanye has an edge, and when he steps up and says something meaty (like his anti-George Bush remarks on live television during NBC's concert fundraiser for victims of Hurricane Katrina in September 2005), he's doing it out of passion," Def Jam senior VP of marketing Tracey Waples says. "That's what's made him the people's champ. It's the common man's perspective."

'REFRESHING' RISK

But what is the cost of being a headstrong artist who's usually ahead of the curve? So far, West has not fallen out of favor on Madison Avenue, as evidenced by past branding partnerships with Pepsi and Boost Mobile. Robert Passikoff, founder/president of consulting firm Brand Keys, calls the artist's outspoken personality "refreshing. While there's risk involved (in working with such an artist), it's also the kind of thing advertisers who are desperate for some sort of engagement are willing to risk."