40 essential Kanye West tracks for his 40th birthday

"We Don't Care" is criminally underrated. The first song off of his debut "The College Dropout" is a catchy and sardonic classic. Listen here.

Sure, Kanye kills on "Gold Digger", but it's made even better by Jamie Foxx's Ray Charles impression. Watch the video here.

This classic from "Watch the Throne" is necessary for nights out on the town with friends. Ain't nobody fresher. Listen here.

Oddly, "Graduation" has become a somewhat underrated and forgotten album for Kanye. That's a shame, because it's full of hits like "Can't Tell Me Nothing" -- one of the best pump-up jams ever. Listen here.

Kanye West has flirted with electronic R&B elements in his music for years, and "Love Lockdown" is a perfect and essential example of this. Listen right here.

"Yeezus" represented a tonal shift for Kanye, one that began his evolution into the rapper we know today. "New Slaves" is a product of this darker, more political, more biting tone. Listen here.

Interestingly enough, Daft Punk actually collaborated with Kanye West on this track -- he didn't just sample their hit "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger". Watch the anime-inspired video here.

For my money, this is one of the best songs Kanye has ever written. Sure, everyone knows that he wrote and performed the song after being in a near-fatal accident with his jaw wired shut, but that doesn't make it any less impressive. Listen here.

"The Life of Pablo" will go down as one of Kanye West's best albums, alongside "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy," and it's on the strength of amazing collaborations like "Ultralight Beam." Listen to it here.

We're gonna stay with "Life of Pablo" for a little bit. "Father Stretch My Hands Pt. 1" is alternately touching and hilarious in the way that only Kanye West can be. Listen to it here. 

"Pt. 2" is a much more personal song than the song before it -- and that's a good thing. Much like the rest of "Life of Pablo" (and Kanye's recent work) it delves into his psyche in an incredibly interesting way. You can listen here.

Now for something completely different. A decade ago, this was Kanye's bread and butter: great lyrics over awesome, horn-filled beats. Listen here.

Not only is "I Am A God" one of the best tracks on "Yeezus," it's also the only song I can think of offhand that lists God himself as a featured artist. Listen for yourself here.

I dare you to listen to this song without feeling like you can punch a hole through a brick wall. It's impossible. See for yourself by listening here.

Not only is "Heartless" an absolute jam, but the cartoony video for the track is amazing as well. Watch it here.

Don't worry, we're going to have more tracks from "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" on here, but "Dark Fantasy" deserves special mention, just because it occasionally gets outshined by songs like "Power", "All of the Lights", and "Runaway", but it's an amazing song in its own right. Watch the video here.

A bitingly political and scathing collaboration between Adam Levine and Kanye West? What's not to like? Listen to the song (and watch the wonderful animated video) here.

"Black Skinhead" might have one of the best, most heartpounding, driving beats that Kanye West has ever written -- appropriate for such an intense song. Listen to it here.

Kanye West had been rapping about his own shortcomings since "College Dropout", and "All Falls Down" is a perfect example of his pathos-heavy work. Listen to it here.

62 million YouTube viewers can't be wrong. Even if you don't like the song that much, the music video for "Bound 2" is an absolute must-watch, especially if you enjoy watching people make out on motorcycles. Check it out here.

Speaking of music videos, Kanye West's video for "Famous" is one of the most controversial ones ever made, featuring body doubles for Donald Trump, Taylor Swift, Bill Cosby, and others nude in a bed with West himself. The video is very, VERY explicit, so maybe don't watch if you're at work or around kids, but it's essential viewing for any Kanye fan. Watch it here.

It's likely that at least two of your favorite artists appear on "Monster": it features Jay-Z, Rick Ross, Nicki Minaj, and Bon Iver for good measure. Listen here.

"And they say Chi-city!" Homecoming is an amazing song, and a heartfelt tribute to Chicago, the city Kanye calls home. It's the Windy City's version of "Empire State of Mind" -- and it's ten times better. Watch the video here.

Kanye West was so far ahead of his time -- "Jesus Walks" was released in 2004, and it's incredibly intense and political, sandwiched between more positive songs on "The College Dropout". Listen here.

It's hard to know exactly where Kanye West was going with this one -- was the blatant misogyny on this track an ironic dig at a patriarchal society, or not? Either way, it's a classic track from "College Dropout", with a bright and vibrant video to boot. Watch it here.

"Saint Pablo" almost plays as Kanye West's own eulogy, describing his struggles, debts, controversies, and mental health. Listen to it here.

Don't let Kanye West get in his zone -- or maybe do, if you want him to cut a banger with Jay-Z. Listen to it here, though be aware that the video has a bunch of flashing lights for those of you that might be sensitive to that.

"Lost in the World" might be one of the most beautiful songs Kanye West has ever written, and when you add Bon Iver to the mix, the song becomes an instant classic. Watch the video here.

"Runaway" might have one of the best hooks in modern rap. That piano line is instantly recognizable, catchy, and wonderful. Plus, the video is great. Watch it here.

Not only is the song itself great, but the video for "Good Morning" is a technicolor dreamscape full of late-'90s 3d flair. Watch it here.

Sure, Estelle steals the show on this song, but it's still a classic Kanye track. Watch the video here.

What a beautiful, heartbreaking track, complete with piano and cello accompaniment, and vocals from John Legend. Listen to it here.

This one doesn't really count, but it is still essential because it displays Kanye West's proficiency as a producer. "The Cool" is a Lupe Fiasco song -- Kanye West isn't even on it -- but his production work is masterful and dark. Listen to the song here.

Yep, Kanye West had a song on Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream." It's weird in a wonderful way -- would you expect anything less? Watch the video here.

"Graduation" was full of hits, but few were as ubiquitous as "Flashing Lights," Kanye's ode to fame. Listen here.

"FML" here stands for "For My Lady," appropriate for this song, a tribute to Kim Kardashian -- featuring a bit of help from The Weeknd on the hook. Listen here.

"Breathe In Breathe Out" is Kanye West's take on dirty south rap, and he brought Ludacris along to help him out with the song. Listen to it here.

Rihanna, Paul McCartney, and Kanye West did a song together. And yes, it's as amazing as you'd think it would be, playing to each of their strengths. Listen to it here.

You may not have heard of the remix of Talib Kweli's classic "Get By," but it features Mos Def, Kanye West, Busta Rhymes, and Jay-Z. It's necessary listening, and Kanye steals the show. Listen to it here.

Now throw your hands up in the sky for Kanye West's 40th anniversary. "Good Life" is one of the few Kanye West songs that are unflinchingly and unapologetically positive, featuring T-Pain on autotuned vocals. Listen here.