Half a life ago - December 12, 2021
Buggy - November 27, 2021
When We Two Parted - November 25, 2021
Catfish - November 22, 2021
December 25, 2001 // 10:08 p.m. // 07: Jay-Z The Blueprint
07 Jay-Z The Blueprint Release date: September 11, 2001 Like 427,000 other people, I went out and purchased The Blueprint the first week (first day) it came out. Coming off of what I believe was Jay-Z's best album, I expected nothing less than the best beats in the business. Boy was I disappointed initially. It took a good three or four listens to this album. Jay's sixth in five years and third in the last fourteen months - for me to realize it had its own greatness to it. One thing, this isn't the same Jay-Z as we're used to on his last few albums. His beats are great in their own right, but nothing strikes me the way his last album did. Perhaps it's the new direction of the music Jay-Z raps over. On "Izzo (H.O.V.A.)", Jay-Z uses a Jackson 5 sample. On other tracks such as "Takeover", "Never Change", "All I Need", "Song Cry" and "Heart Of The City (Ain't No Love)", the sound is a little more 70's R&B than rap. While it works, the vintage sound is not the same as his usual. Perhaps it's a little ahead of its time. Jay-Z brought back the battle rap from the early days of rap on the song "Takeover". On the track, he discusses how his relationship with rapper Nas and the rappers of Mobb Deep has suddenly gone sour. "Trust me on this one - I'll detach you/Mind from spirit, body from soul/They'll have to hold a mass, put your body in a hole/No, you're not on my level get your brakes tweaked/I sold what your whole album sold in my first week/You guys don't want it with Hov'/Ask Nas, he don't want it with Hov', nooooo!" If ever there was a hip hop power ballad, "Song Cry" would be it. Over a weepy R&B voice, Jay sings in the chorus, "I can't see 'em comin' down my eyes/So I gotta let the song cry." Composed of music sounding more like it belongs with the closing credits of a Meg Ryan movie, Jay raps about how much he loves women and creatively works women of all races and backgrounds into the song "Girls, Girls, Girls" even though the rest of the song lacks lyrically. I can describe this album best as a departure from his usual style, perhaps more toward his debut. If that is in fact true, one of the great artists in rap music will only become greater and will gain a fan base even larger than he already has. What real reviewers said: This is how the rap game works: when someone is pushed, they push back harder. That's why the more someone like Eminem is criticized, the more unapologetic and extreme his lyrics become. There's something about being persecuted, or at least believing oneself to be persecuted, that makes people embrace and reaffirm their own identity - witness Jay-Z's sixth album, The Blueprint. On "IZZO" -- the first single, Jay states "I can't leave rap alone / The game needs me." He couldn't be more right. After a summer of beefs, battles, and mixtape-rebuttals, Jay-Z is officially back and ready to reclaim his crown as New York's hip-hop kingpin. Still, despite Jay's stellar mike skills, the best feature of The Blueprint may be the music. Instead of the usual glossy, flossy, synthed-out Rock-A-Fella sound, Jay's producers dug deep into the crates and reconfigured some sweet soul and R&B classics (Jackson 5's "I Want You Back," Bobby "Blue" Bland's "Heart of the City," Al Green's "Free at Last," etc.); giving Jay a warmer, more organic sound than usual to vibe over. Though he's a sharp, detailed writer, a meticulous craftsman and an influential stylist - as well as lifestylist - Jay-Z is not extremely expressive or innovative, and The Blueprint threatens at times to slide into monotony. This is not just because of his unvarying flow, but because he never turns it off. He may not be breaking any new lyrical ground, but, after a few seasons of tacky, Southern-fried imitators, it's kind of nice to feel Jay's polished hustle again. It might be an old game, but few do it better. The Blueprint isn't quite Jay-Z's definitive masterpiece, but it is a strong return to form from one of hip-hop's finest. Tom Pryor, CDNow.com Neil Strauss, Rolling Stone 2001 honors: (and there are a lot) Debuted on Billboard charts at number one, stayed there for three weeks Best rapper (Spin) Top 10 album of the year, The Blueprint (Spin) Top 20 single of the year, "Izzo (H.O.V.A.)" (Spin) Top 10 single of the year, "Izzo (H.O.V.A.)" (Maxim Blender) Second best album of the year, The Blueprint (Maxim Blender) Top 10 artist of the year (The Source) Lyrics of the year, "Izzo (H.O.V.A.)"(The Source) Top album of the year, The Blueprint (The Source) Top 10 album of the year, The Dynasty: Roc La Familia (The Source) Top five album of 2001, The Blueprint (Rolling Stone) Best album of 2001, The Blueprint (Vibe) Singles: "Izzo (H.O.V.A.)", "Girls, Girls, Girls" Also check out: "Takeover", "Renegade", "Heart Of The City (Ain't No Love)", "Song Cry".