**Kanye West Graduation Vinyl: Official or Bootleg, Why It's Expensive, and What Yours Is Worth** > Every Graduation LP on Discogs is unofficial. How to recognise the bootleg families, from the 'presidential edition' to coloured 2LPs, why they cost so much and what yours is worth. Source: https://vinylai.app/guides/kanye-west-graduation-vinyl/ · updated: 2026-10-12 [Home](https://vinylai.app/) › [Guides](https://vinylai.app/guides/) › Kanye West Graduation Vinyl: Official or Bootleg, Why It's Expensive, and What Yours Is Worth ![Kanye West Graduation Vinyl: Official or Bootleg, Why It's Expensive, and What Yours Is Worth](https://vinylai.app/images/articles/kanye-west-graduation-vinyl/featured.png) Rare & Valuable # Kanye West Graduation Vinyl: Official or Bootleg, Why It's Expensive, and What Yours Is Worth **There is no verified official vinyl of Kanye West's Graduation.** On Discogs, 51 of the 54 vinyl versions of the album are flagged "Unofficial Release". The other three carry bootleg catalogue numbers. A record shop that investigated came to the same conclusion. So the coloured double LPs, the "collector's editions" and the "Graduation Presidential Edition" you see for sale are bootlegs, whatever the price. They are expensive because people want *Graduation* on vinyl and nobody official has made it, not because they are rare. Here is how to recognise each family and what that means for the copy you own or are about to buy. By VinylAI Editorial Updated October 12, 2026 ## Key Takeaways - Graduation (11 September 2007, Def Jam / Roc-A-Fella) has no documented official vinyl: 51 of 54 vinyl versions on Discogs are flagged Unofficial Release, and the other 3 carry bootleg catalogue numbers. - B0009541-02 is the official US CD catalogue number; bootleggers print it on LPs to look legitimate. A catalogue number is not proof. - The common families are KANYEGRADUATION003 ("Getting Out Our Dreams", 2013–16), KANYEGRADUATIONLP (3LP "collector's edition", 2019) and KWGRADPRES01LP ("Graduation Presidential Edition", 2021–23, spine misspelt "KANYESWEST"). - Discogs blocks unofficial releases from sale, so there is no clean price record. A bootleg's value is whatever the next buyer will pay; it is not a collectible first pressing. ## The short answer: no official Graduation vinyl *Graduation* came out on 11 September 2007 on Def Jam and Roc-A-Fella. It was released on CD and digitally. No label-authorised vinyl edition of the full album has been documented, then or since. Two independent checks agree: - **Discogs**, the reference database collectors use, lists 54 vinyl versions under the album's master release (8497). Every one of them is either flagged "Unofficial Release" or carries a bootleg catalogue number. We pulled the full list on 12 October 2026. - **Heathen Records**, an Australian shop that looked into it in September 2025, wrote: "We have not found a verified, label-authorised vinyl edition of the full *Graduation* album." It also noted that Universal's own Kanye catalogue lists official vinyl for other albums, but not this one. That answers the questions people actually type into search: "Did Kanye ever make a Graduation vinyl?" No. "Is my Graduation vinyl official?" Almost certainly not. "Why is it so expensive?" Because a lot of people want this album on vinyl, and only unofficial pressings exist to sell to them. If an official edition is ever announced, for instance around the album's 20th anniversary in September 2027, this page will change. As of 12 October 2026, nothing had been announced. ## What Discogs shows The Discogs listing for *Graduation* is unusual. For most major-label albums of the 2000s, the vinyl list is a handful of official editions plus later represses. Here the list is entirely unofficial pressings, and they come from several different sources over almost twenty years. Three consequences matter to a buyer: 1. **The "2007" dates are not proof.** One entry is a blue swirl 2LP dated 11 September 2007 on "Roc-A-Fella Records" with the catalogue number KANYEGRADUATION003. Discogs treats it as a separate, fake label entry and flags it unofficial. Its credits name Island Def Jam and EDC, the company that pressed the CD. That is what you get when a bootlegger copies the CD's small print onto a record sleeve. 2. **Discogs blocks unofficial items from sale.** You cannot buy or sell these copies through Discogs, so there is no Discogs sales history for any of them. Prices you see elsewhere are asking prices on eBay, Facebook groups and shop sites. 3. **The "want" numbers are high.** Several bootleg entries have far more users wanting them than owning them. That shows demand for the album on vinyl, not scarcity of a collectible record. Compare Frank Ocean's *Blonde*, which has the opposite problem: official pressings do exist, and bootlegs imitate them. Our guide to [telling a real Blonde from a bootleg](https://vinylai.app/guides/frank-ocean-blonde-vinyl-fake-or-real/) shows how different the checks are when there is an official edition to compare against. ## The bootleg families The unofficial copies fall into a few recurring families. The table shows the representative entries from our Discogs pull, with whatever is etched in the runout. A blank runout is itself typical: many bootlegs carry no identifying text. | Year | Country | Label and catalogue no. | Format | Runout (side A) | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2007 | US | [Roc-A-Fella Records KANYEGRADUATION003](https://www.discogs.com/release/22428076) | LP / Album / Deluxe Edition / Unofficial Release / Blue Swirl | `—` | | 2008 | Germany | [Not On Label (Kanye West) FTMFG 004](https://www.discogs.com/release/1513060) | LP / Album / Unofficial Release | `—` | | 2013 | Netherlands | [Getting Out Our Dreams KANYEGRADUATION003](https://www.discogs.com/release/5174308) | LP / Album / Deluxe Edition / Limited Edition / Unofficial Release | `KANYEGRADUATION 003 -A-2` | | 2019 | Europe | [Not On Label (Kanye West) KANYEGRADUATIONLP](https://www.discogs.com/release/13846701) | LP / Album / Deluxe Edition / Limited Edition / Unofficial Release / Purple | `—` | | 2021 | Europe | [Not On Label (Kanye West) KWGRADPRES01LP](https://www.discogs.com/release/21133078) | All Media / Album / Limited Edition / Unofficial Release / Pink and Green | `GRAD A` | | 2021 | — | [Not On Label (Kanye West) none](https://www.discogs.com/release/17994481) | LP / Album / Reissue / Unofficial Release / Purple marble | `783721-A` | | 2022 | US | [Roc-A-Fella Records B0009541-02](https://www.discogs.com/release/25145620) | 12" / Deluxe Edition / Unofficial Release / Purple Marbled and Blue/Yellow/Pink Marbled | `K.W. GRADUATION A` | | 2025 | — | [Rock-A-Fella Records 60251741223](https://www.discogs.com/release/35270992) | LP / Album / Unofficial Release / Pink | `—` | Source: Discogs database, checked 2026-10-12. 8 of 54 vinyl releases of this title are shown, oldest first. What each family is: - **KANYEGRADUATION003, "Getting Out Our Dreams" (Netherlands, 2013–2016).** The most widespread family, issued in black, purple and many other colours. One black edition says "limited to 750 copies", comes in a single (not gatefold) sleeve, and has bonus tracks on sides C and D. The same catalogue number also appears on the fake "2007 Roc-A-Fella" blue swirl entry. - **KANYEGRADUATIONLP (Europe, 2019).** A three-LP "collector's edition", often in purple. Shops still list it, sometimes with no rights holder named. - **KWGRADPRES01LP, "Graduation Presidential Edition" (2021–2023).** Two discs, pink marbled and green, with "LIMITED EDITION MULTI-COLOURED VINYL" on the shrink sticker. The runouts read `GRAD A` to `GRAD D`, the sleeve carries no credits beyond the featured artists, and the spine spells the artist **"KANYESWEST"**. - **B0009541-02 on a coloured 2LP (US, 2022).** This borrows the official *CD* catalogue number to look legitimate. The runouts read `K.W. GRADUATION A` and so on. - **FTMFG 004 (Germany, 2008).** A nine-track white label said to be "limited to 100 copies" and "for promotion only". Discogs still flags it unofficial. - **Newer copies**, such as a 2025 pink LP labelled "Rock-A-Fella Records" (sic) with barcode 60251741223. ## How to spot an unofficial Graduation LP Because no official edition exists, the real question is not "is mine fake". It is "what exactly did I buy, and did I pay a fair price for it". These are the tells collectors report on the Discogs master page and that we saw in the release data: - **The barcode does not belong to the label.** One Discogs reviewer looked up a bootleg's barcode in the GS1 registry and found it registered to an unrelated company in Honolulu. - **Low-resolution artwork** and a **spine in the wrong font**, or misspelt, as with "KANYESWEST" on the Presidential Edition. - **Sound cut off at about 16 kHz.** That is a sign the record was mastered from MP3 files rather than a studio master. A Discogs reviewer measured it on one edition. - **Tracks that end early.** One reviewer reported a single-LP bootleg that fades "Big Brother" out early and cuts "Poetry" short. - **A CD catalogue number on an LP** (B0009541-02), or a made-up one (KANYEGRADUATION003, KWGRADPRES01LP). - **No rights holder and no copyright line**, or a CD's small print copied wholesale. - **"Limited edition" stickers.** Colour does not mean a different licence, and it does not make a copy rare, as Heathen Records points out. Before paying for any copy, ask the seller for photos of the labels, the runout and the back cover. Ask which announcement the edition is tied to. Our [guide to spotting fake and bootleg vinyl](https://vinylai.app/guides/how-to-spot-a-fake-or-bootleg-vinyl-record/) explains these checks for any album. ## Why Graduation vinyl is so expensive *Graduation* is one of the most popular albums of its era, and people who collect hip-hop on vinyl want it on the shelf next to the official Kanye records. No label has supplied that demand. Bootleggers have filled the gap, and they price to what people will pay rather than to what a record costs to make. Several things push prices up: - **No official alternative.** With most albums, an in-print reissue caps what a used copy can fetch. Here there is no cap. - **Colour and "limited" stickers** make a bootleg look like a collectible. They don't make it one. - **No transparent sales record.** Because Discogs blocks these items from sale, there is no public price history to anchor a negotiation. Sellers anchor on the highest asking price they can find. - **Confusion.** Listings borrow the official CD number, the Roc-A-Fella name and the 2007 date, so buyers believe they are paying for a scarce original. On 12 October 2026 a UK shop listed a three-LP "Collector's Edition" (KANYEGRADUATIONLP) at £39.99, with no rights holder named. That is an asking price, not a value, but it shows these are mass-produced items being sold as new stock, not rarities surfacing from collections. Our [hip-hop vinyl collection guide](https://vinylai.app/guides/hip-hop-vinyl-collection/) covers which Kanye albums do exist officially on vinyl. ## Is Graduation vinyl rare? No. That is the uncomfortable part of the answer. A record is rare when few copies exist and no more will be made. Bootlegs fail both tests. The Getting Out Our Dreams family alone spans many colours and several years, and new unofficial pressings keep appearing: Discogs has entries from 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2025. When one runs out, another takes its place. Some individual bootleg editions were small runs. One black KANYEGRADUATION003 says "limited to 750 copies", and the German white label claims 100. But a bootleg's run is whatever its maker says it is, and nothing stops a repress under the same or a different number. What would make a *Graduation* record genuinely collectible is an official one: a label-authorised pressing, announced by Def Jam or UMe, with a proper catalogue number and runouts. If that ever happens, every bootleg instantly becomes less attractive, because the official copy will be cheaper and better. Bear that in mind before paying a premium today. The same logic applies to other albums that circulate mostly as unofficial pressings. Our [guide to fake Taylor Swift vinyl](https://vinylai.app/guides/taylor-swift-vinyl-fake-or-real/) shows the same checks for an artist with many official editions to compare against. ## What your Graduation vinyl is worth If you own a *Graduation* LP, it is an unofficial pressing. Its value is what another fan will pay to have the album on vinyl, nothing more. Concretely: - **It is not a first pressing** and not an original, whatever the sleeve or the listing said. There is nothing to be first of. - **You cannot sell it on Discogs.** Unofficial releases are blocked there. eBay and similar marketplaces have their own rules on unofficial recordings, so check them before listing. - **Describe it honestly if you sell.** Call it "unofficial" or "bootleg" and give the catalogue number and colour. Selling it as an official pressing is a misdescription, and buyers who know open disputes. - **Condition and sound still matter.** A copy mastered from MP3s with a clipped track is worth less to anyone who plays it. If you are about to buy one, decide what you are paying for: a playable copy of an album you love, on a format the label never released. At a sensible price, that is a reasonable purchase. As an investment, it is not one. Not sure which edition you have? Photograph the label and catalogue number with the VinylAI app. It identifies the pressing, tells you whether it is official, and keeps it in your collection. ## Official Kanye vinyl you can buy instead Kanye's other albums are a different story: Universal's catalogue lists official vinyl for them, which is exactly why *Graduation*'s absence stands out. The same Heathen Records check made that comparison. If you want official Kanye on your shelf, buy those albums from a label or a reputable shop, and check the catalogue number and runout against Discogs before you pay a collector's price for an older copy. For *Graduation*, the practical options are: 1. **Wait.** The album turns 20 on 11 September 2027, and anniversaries are when labels reissue catalogue. Nothing is announced, but it is the most likely moment. 2. **Buy a bootleg knowingly**, at a price that reflects what it is, after checking the photos and the runout. 3. **Avoid premiums for colour, "limited" or "presidential".** They are features of the bootleg market, not signs of value. And if you collect across artists, the same three-step check works everywhere: catalogue number, runout, rights holder. When those don't match an official release on Discogs, you are holding a bootleg, however good it looks. ## Related guides - [What Makes a Vinyl Record Valuable — and Which Ones Are Worth Most](https://vinylai.app/guides/most-valuable-vinyl-records/) - [Steely Dan Aja on Vinyl at 50: Every Pressing Compared, Best Sounding and What It's Worth](https://vinylai.app/guides/steely-dan-aja-vinyl-value-guide/) - [Michael Jackson Bad Vinyl at 40: 1987 Original, Value and Which Pressing to Buy](https://vinylai.app/guides/michael-jackson-bad-vinyl-value-guide/) - [OK Computer Vinyl at 30: 1997 First Pressing vs Reissues, Value and OKNOTOK](https://vinylai.app/guides/ok-computer-vinyl-value-guide/) - [Pink Floyd Animals Vinyl at 50: 1977 First Pressing, Value and Best Edition](https://vinylai.app/guides/pink-floyd-animals-vinyl-value-guide/) - [Hotel California Vinyl at 50: First Pressing, Value and Which Edition to Buy](https://vinylai.app/guides/hotel-california-vinyl-value-guide/) Find vinyl for sale on VinylAI Market - [Browse Rock vinyl for sale →](https://vinylai.app/market/genre/rock/) - [Browse Pop vinyl for sale →](https://vinylai.app/market/genre/pop/) - [Browse Blues vinyl for sale →](https://vinylai.app/market/genre/blues/) Table of Contents - The short answer: no official Graduation vinyl - What Discogs shows - The bootleg families - How to spot an unofficial Graduation LP - Why Graduation vinyl is so expensive - Is Graduation vinyl rare? - What your Graduation vinyl is worth - Official Kanye vinyl you can buy instead Related Articles - [What Makes a Vinyl Record Valuable — and Which Ones Are Worth Most](https://vinylai.app/guides/most-valuable-vinyl-records/) - [Steely Dan Aja on Vinyl at 50: Every Pressing Compared, Best Sounding and What It's Worth](https://vinylai.app/guides/steely-dan-aja-vinyl-value-guide/) - [Michael Jackson Bad Vinyl at 40: 1987 Original, Value and Which Pressing to Buy](https://vinylai.app/guides/michael-jackson-bad-vinyl-value-guide/) - [OK Computer Vinyl at 30: 1997 First Pressing vs Reissues, Value and OKNOTOK](https://vinylai.app/guides/ok-computer-vinyl-value-guide/) - [Pink Floyd Animals Vinyl at 50: 1977 First Pressing, Value and Best Edition](https://vinylai.app/guides/pink-floyd-animals-vinyl-value-guide/) - [Hotel California Vinyl at 50: First Pressing, Value and Which Edition to Buy](https://vinylai.app/guides/hotel-california-vinyl-value-guide/) Vinyl Marketplace - [Rock vinyl for sale](https://vinylai.app/market/genre/rock/) - [Pop vinyl for sale](https://vinylai.app/market/genre/pop/) - [Blues vinyl for sale](https://vinylai.app/market/genre/blues/) Download VinylAI Scan barcodes, find stores, track your collection. [Get the App](https://vinylai.app/download/) Free on iOS and Android ## FAQ: kanye west graduation vinyl Did Kanye ever make a Graduation vinyl? No verified official vinyl of the full *Graduation* album exists. Discogs lists 54 vinyl versions, and every one is flagged "Unofficial Release" or carries a bootleg catalogue number. A record shop that investigated in September 2025 reached the same conclusion. The album came out on 11 September 2007 on CD and digitally through Def Jam and Roc-A-Fella. As of 12 October 2026, no official vinyl had been announced. Why didn't Graduation get a vinyl? No source we could find gives an official reason. Neither the label nor the artist has explained it publicly in anything we found. What is documented is the result: Universal lists official vinyl for other Kanye albums but not for *Graduation*, and the gap has been filled by unofficial pressings since at least 2008. An official reissue around the 20th anniversary in September 2027 is possible, but none had been announced as of 12 October 2026. Is Graduation vinyl rare? No. Every *Graduation* LP in circulation is a bootleg, and bootlegs keep being re-pressed. Discogs has entries from 2008 through 2025 in many colours and several catalogue numbers. Some editions claim small runs, such as 750 or 100 copies, but a bootleg's run is whatever its maker says. The demand is real. The scarcity is not, and an official pressing would undercut every bootleg overnight. What is Kanye's most expensive album? There is no reliable public record that settles this. Unofficial *Graduation* LPs often carry the highest asking prices, because no official copy exists. But Discogs blocks unofficial releases from sale, so those prices are never recorded as sales, and asking prices are not values. For official Kanye vinyl, value depends on the specific pressing and condition. Check the catalogue number and runout before paying a premium. Is the Graduation Presidential Edition vinyl real? It is a real object but not an official release. Discogs lists the "Graduation Presidential Edition" under catalogue KWGRADPRES01LP, flagged "Unofficial Release". It is two discs, pink marbled and green, with runouts reading GRAD A to GRAD D. There are no credits beyond the featured artists, and the spine spells the artist "KANYESWEST". The name and the colours are marketing, not a sign of rarity. Is a Graduation vinyl with catalogue number B0009541-02 official? No. B0009541-02 is the official US catalogue number of the *CD*. Bootleggers print it on coloured double LPs to make them look legitimate. Discogs lists a 2022 coloured 2LP with that number, flagged "Unofficial Release", with runouts reading K.W. GRADUATION A to D. A matching catalogue number proves nothing on its own. Check the rights holder, the barcode and the runout. ## Get the VinylAI App Scan barcodes, find stores, track your collection, and connect with vinyl lovers worldwide. [App Store](https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-store/id6755653864?pt=127157325&ct=vinylaiseo_cta&mt=8&utm_source=vinylai_website&utm_medium=cta_section&utm_campaign=organic) [Google Play](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.vastflow.vinylai&utm_source=vinylai_website&utm_medium=cta_section&utm_campaign=organic) Free on iOS & Android. No account required. Table of Contents - The short answer: no official Graduation vinyl - What Discogs shows - The bootleg families - How to spot an unofficial Graduation LP - Why Graduation vinyl is so expensive - Is Graduation vinyl rare? - What your Graduation vinyl is worth - Official Kanye vinyl you can buy instead --- HTML version: https://vinylai.app/guides/kanye-west-graduation-vinyl/ Structured data for this site: https://vinylai.app/api/v1/openapi.json · https://vinylai.app/llms.txt Free to quote and reuse with a link back to the source URL above (CC BY 4.0).