LOS ANGELES - Producer-turned-rapper Kanye West collected a leading 10 Grammy nominations Tuesday, including album of the year, for his innovative debut, "The College Dropout."
West's disc stood out in the rap landscape because of its atypical prose. It avoided the usual plotlines about sex, money and violence and touched on everything from religion to his own insecurities.
The performer, who isn't afraid to sing his own praises after claiming he was "definitely robbed" when he picked up no trophies at the American Music Awards, also had a nomination for best new artist and shared a songwriting bid for song of the year with his hit "Jesus Walks."
"Ten nominations, that's amazing," said West, a nominations presenter at the Music Box Theatre in Hollywood. "That's like a perfect score. I'm at a loss for words."
West's disc stood out in the rap landscape because of its atypical prose. It avoided the usual plotlines about sex, money and violence and touched on everything from religion to his own insecurities.
The performer, who isn't afraid to sing his own praises after claiming he was "definitely robbed" when he picked up no trophies at the American Music Awards, also had a nomination for best new artist and shared a songwriting bid for song of the year with his hit "Jesus Walks."
"Ten nominations, that's amazing," said West, a nominations presenter at the Music Box Theatre in Hollywood. "That's like a perfect score. I'm at a loss for words."
