I'm SURE you've heard 'Izzo (HOVA)' and 'You Don't Know My Name'! If you have time you should def look at least the top 5 of these up on youtube. Kanye was an in-demand producer long, long before he was an artist in his own right, he basically invented the whole sped-up chipmunk soul sample sound (which he's now moving away from in favour of a more electro feel). I think he's a great frontman but he does have a propensity to fall on his face - when producing for others that risk is removed.

Apropos of nothing I have long repped for that 2004 Brandy album, which got ignored basically everywhere else, but god, if she'd only sat on it for a couple of years! Almost wholly Timba-produced, Kanye guest spots...that's the recipe for a No 1 these days.