My education has been soundtracked by a wide array of songs and artists. And while pop music tends to ebb and flow out of collective consciousness, one artist’s entire back catalog has resonated with me well beyond the point of just pleasurable listening.

Kanye West.

He’s the college dropout, the late registrant and, finally, the graduate. That conceptual triumvirate of consecutive albums early in West’s career — despite all three coming out when I was in high school — have supplied me with comfort and creativity throughout my career as a student.

I’m feeling a little more “808s & Heartbreaks” now that graduation day is around the corner, but even though West left school, he did so to pursue his dreams. The University has helped me pursue mine, and I think West would understand and validate that. And, yes Kanye, those skits on “College Dropout” about dying with nothing but your degrees at your side did some psychological damage, especially when the economy (and the media industry) bottomed out. But I’m stronger for having lived through it, certain that college will bring the good life. And if that life doesn’t come today, it wouldn’t be enough to bring me down. If I work half as hard as West, and with my school spirit in tow, amazing things will happen.

Why West? Not just because he’s my hometown hero, not because we are both products of single mothers who teach in the inner city and also not because we share similar political views. West’s work has a grassroots honesty to it. His music is solely his, and the emotions are pure. I haven’t heard ’em say that about any other pop artist making music right now.

He’s a champion of pursuing your dreams, of turning his dark fantasy into reality. In this confusing generation, I know we still have the power to achieve our goals and that it is never too late in life to still keep dreaming.

So when I’m 25 and jobless, broke and lost in the world, I’ll be listening to West to be reminded that success only comes on your terms. And when I’m 31 and not broke, you can guess who’ll be soundtracking the celebration.

Soon it’ll be last call for my time at the University, and I’ll be fully entrenched in the monster they call “adulthood.” But I’m not so appalled; I’ve been stuck in a rut before. So tell mama I’m on my way home, poised for a gorgeous homecoming.

West had the nerve to ask who will survive in America. Thanks to the confidence and bravery in his music, I have the nerve to tell him: me.

Joe is a senior in Media.