Intent on pursuing a solo career, he signed a record deal with Roc-A-Fella and recorded the album over a period of four years, beginning in 1999. In the years leading up to release, West had received praise for his production work for rappers such as Jay-Z and Talib Kweli, but faced difficulty being accepted as an artist in his own right by figures in the music industry. It was released on February 10, 2004, by Def Jam Recordings and Jay-Z's Roc-A-Fella Records.
The College Dropout is the debut studio album by American rapper and producer Kanye West.
