Strange, perhaps, for a 28-year-old who is arguably the most important creative force in hip-hop music today, recently named to Time Magazine's list of the 100 most influential people in the world, but West - the perpetual underdog - is still fighting for his life, currently pitched in heated battle with the latest 800-pound gorilla in the corner: Himself. "It's hard when people are depending on you to have an album that's not just good, but inspired," continues West. "I mean, my music isn't just music - it's medicine. I want my songs to touch people, to give them what they need. Every time I make an album, I'm trying to make a cure for cancer, musically. That stresses me out!"

If "Diamonds From Sierra Leone," the stunning first single from Late Registration, Kanye's forthcoming sophomore effort on Roc-A-Fella Records, is any indication, the gorilla should be stressed.

"Diamonds" is signature Kanye West: Over a heavy groove and sped-up soul sample, courtesy of Shirley Bassey's classic "Diamonds Are Forever," Kanye's unusual, conversational flow sounds sharper than ever, weaving his offbeat witticisms into a paean, a love-letter for The R.O.C. Sweeping and cinematic, the track's rich instrumentation - a product of his collaboration with producer-extraordinaire Jon Brion - and dense subject matter is a unexpected first look into West's new project. And he wouldn't have it any other way.