Here's a scary thought: Kanye West [ tickets ] might even be better than he thinks he is.

We've all heard his brash, bold and egotistical comments, notably the one after Gretchen Wilson "robbed" West of the title of Best New Artist at the 2004 American Music Awards. But, after watching the rapper perform Wednesday (12/7) at HP Pavilion in San Jose, it appears as if West might actually be underselling his greatness.

It's really not fair. The 28-year-old Renaissance rapper already has so much going for him--from producing platinum platters for other stars to making his own multi-million-selling discs--that he really shouldn't be allowed to be as good as he is on stage, especially not this early in his career.

Yet, West came across every bit like the current King of Hip-Hop during this thoroughly enjoyable show. He accomplished that feat by keeping the focus squarely on the music, which is, unfortunately, a very novel concept in the rap world.

He didn't split the crowd down the middle and have the two halves compete to see which was louder. He didn't leave the stage and allow his posse to inflict a dose of inferior rapping upon the crowd. He didn't ask a zillion times, "Where's my dawgs at?" He didn't tear off his shirt and toss it into the crowd (although, clearly, there were plenty of female fans who wished he would have).

By avoiding all those hip-hop cliches, which can really cause a show to sputter, he was able to create and sustain a sense of momentum and urgency throughout his entire performance.

The concert got off to a quick start, as the curtains parted and West appeared on stage amid a cloud of smoke. He immediately jumped into the empowering "Touch the Sky," from 2005's "Late Registration," and then leapt back to 2004's landmark "The College Dropout" CD for a knock-out version of "We Don't Care."

The sound, even pumped out in a hockey arena, was sensational. West sounded strong and confident as he coolly rapped his way through "The New Workout Plan" and "Addiction," and his band, which included a full classical-style string section and a DJ, really brought depth and color to the music.

Over the course of the 90-minute concert, West proved his merit as a showman in many ways. He made smart moves about when to highlight his backup singers. He used just enough props and stage theatrics to keep the proceedings visually interesting, but never so much as to take the focus away from the tunes. In other words, everything he did helped to further the show. And he made it look so easy that one has to wonder why someone like Jay-Z didn't think of doing it first.

He even introduced a few storylines, which only helped glue the crowd's attention to the stage. For instance, he used the songs "Drive Slow" and "Spaceship" to tell the tale of a man who is late for work and ends up getting fired for his tardiness.

West was really in command toward the end of the show as he delivered stellar versions of the hits "Slow Jamz" and "Gold Digger," which might just be the best single of 2005. By the time he hit his signature track, "Jesus Walks," the crowd was in near hysterics.

The concert came to a close with a passionate rendition of "Diamonds From Sierra Leone," which was the first single from "Late Registration." At that point, nearly everyone in the house had their arms over their heads and were making diamond symbols with their hands.

They, of course, were doing so in reference to the "Diamonds" track. But they were also doing so in honor of Kanye West, who is truly a diamond in the rap world.