Album Cover
I`ll make this brief. Jay-Z needs no introduction and if you by some chance don’t know him google is your friend.Has the streak of Jay-Z hit or miss records come to an end?
The album starts off with a good, yet eerie techno type beat with Jay rapping about what he is and isn’t talking about (obviously). Hov expresses his dissatisfaction with people misunderstanding his songs and his lack of will to reply and speak about those who are unhappy with him. He mildly delves into the infamous falling out with Damon Dash but whether he actually means to address things by saying he isn’t addressing it is another discussion. Good album opening.
Thank You gives us the Jay-Z braggadocio that we have all grown to love/hate over a strong horns instrumental. D.O.A., the street single everyone has likely heard by now mixes a great multi-tasking No I.D. track with Jay-Z giving an farewell to the hopefully forgotten hip-hop trends (Jay trying to reap the credit for killing it) . Run This Town has a mediocre rockish sound which is complemented decently by a Rihanna guest appearance. A blistering Kanye West verse saves this from being a disaster.
Blueprint 3 then takes pulls a yo-yo as the quality of the tracks fluctuates. The amazing New York anthem Empire State of Mind, featuring Alicia Keys is easily one of the best tracks. Ten internets to whoever can guess where he got this concept from. This song is a lot different though as it fuses light-hearted keys with some decent vocals. This will most definitely high up on the most requested remix song, and will hopefully end up with another fellow NY rapper or two. Real as it Gets, and On to the Next One…..not much to say, you’ve probably heard better from all of the people included in these cuts……on to the next one…..the album really starts to dabble in mediocrity here, and Jays “curse” shows his faults as he tries to satisfy every type of fan, including the motor heads. “Off That” really doesn’t need Drake for anything other than album clout….he bares no presence on this cut whatsoever. Another case of name slapping (the worst being an new Jay album called BP3 -_-).
A Star is Born is a tribute from Jay-Z to the superstars that he witnessed come up, who also proclaims that he is “The Blueprint” for those who came after him. The song (as well as the album) is also apparently a tip of the hat towards up and comers as it features a hungry J.Cole (Wale would’ve sufficed as well imo). He didnt get that many bars, but he definitely showed those who didn’t already know what he’s about. Low keys and claps all the way through make the rest of the albums remaining tracks seem hopeful, and right we are, because Already Home is arguably the best song on the album. A wicked hook by newcomer Kid Cudi aided by the Kanye we know = win. If you can get over the half man half mammal line you’ll love it….revision?.
Venus vs. Mars is yet another attempt by Jay to make a song that delves into opposite sex relations. Unfortunately Jay hasn’t revised his Blueprint enough to scrap songs like these. What “Girls Girls Girls” and “Song Cry” achieved will likely not be done by him again. A decent Timbo sound works where a cookie cutter chorus does not. This song could have been a lot more.
Hate. The genius of this song is that it is one that you WILL hate, or love. Your supposed to hate it. The flows are slow and the beat is bland. It’s so unconventional it’s appealing. The vanity of JaYe shows.This song is a statement saying that they set the precedent for what is considered good hip-hop now. The haters have been silenced. Young Old then tries to “remind” us of all his accomplishments over another Timbo beat. This one is a little better than the other. The jewel So Ambitious is one of the best bridges/productions you have heard from The Neptunes. Jays past/present nay-sayers and doubters are thanked for the “fuel” and ambition.
Jay when he was making "So Ambitious", "Empire State of Mind", and "Already Home".
Peep Ricky Gervais in the front.
The final cut “Forever Young” takes a stale sample and makes it…..more stale. It sounds like something that would play at a funeral. Is this what they were going for? Jay-Z flaunts his age complex stating that he will never die and forever lives on through his music. Bad song overall, the message could have used better production.
If you don’t mind shallow subject matter and the original Mr. Carter’s new pop/strictly for the money steelo….AAAND a thousand too many “Ah” ad-libs, you’ll enjoy this. Good wordplay and solid production. Totally worth the listen at least for the good parts.
mysterio 