After sitting on it for a few days and giving it some heavy rotation I feel I can now give a proper judgement of Jay-Z’s 11th album, The Blueprint 3.
So where do we start, is this to be another classic in the vein of the 1st Blueprint album or a misguided collection of hit and miss like its sequel?
Let’s get into it. The album kicks off on a good note with What We Talkin About, which sets the tone for the rest of the album lyrically, Hov seems in a determined mood brushing off the naysayers and once again letting you know why he is still at the top of the game.
Thank You comes next with its laid back, celebratory horns and Jiggaman steps up a gear, once again shutting down his opponents with a smooth swagger announcing “I was gonna kill a couple rappers but they did it to themselves I was gon’ do it with the flow But they did it with their sales”.
If you have been near a radio in the last couple of months you will have no doubt heard the first 2 singles DOA and Run This Town. Personally I need to let these rest for a minute because any attraction I had to them in the beginning has quickly worn off. DOA due to so many listens and Run This Town due to the fact I can’t take any more of Rihanna’s painful vocals.
Empire State of Mind featuring Alicia Keys was initially a massive disappointment to me before I had even heard it. I read an early tracklist for the album which listed Nas as a feature and had NY State of Mind 3 running through my mind....imagine that! Well, no Nas and a different vibe to the aforementioned NY classics but I was won over. Opening with Travis Barker-esque drums ala Rihanna’s Umbrella, Jay champions his City ably assisted by Alicia. It’s no surprise this has become a hit in its own right. Check the video in the next post for the live performance on Jonathan Ross with show stealer Bridget Kelly who will make you say Alicia who?! (as well as a few other things...put your tongue away n stop gawpin!)
On with the album...As Real As It Gets is a solid track featuring Young Jeezy, sometimes i can’t stand Jeezy but he’s palatable on this one.
On To The Next One is probably the 1st club track on the album with a bass heavy Swizz Beats production, Jiggaman procedes to let you know what is no longer in fashion and how he stays on top of what’s hot.
A Star Is Born produced by Kanye is a wicked track with Mr Carter giving props where he feels due. Even some of his longtime haters (i.e 50 Cent, Mobb Deep) get positive mentions. My highlight on this track is how he takes what was once a major diss from Nas, “Eminem murdered you on your own sh!t”, and gives the man praise. ““Wayne did a milli, 50 did a milli, ‘Ye too But what Em did was silly. The white boy blossomed After Dre endorsed him His flow on “Renegade” – fuckin’ awesome Applaud ‘em.”.
Off That, Venus Vs Mars and Reminder are Timbaland’s offerings and although none of them leap out as some of Tim’s best work, each are worth a listen. Off That is much in the vein of On To The Next with Drake possibly being underused just on hook duty. Venus Vs Mars is a fun male/female clash over a brooding beat. Reminder is just that, if you maybe forgot or for some reason didn’t know why and how the man is at the top of the game, this will tell you why!
One of my favourite tracks has to be Already Home. The beat took a minute to win me over but lyrically its Fiyah. I’d say this tune sums up the tone Jay comes with for most of the album, brushing off his critics directly again even using their own barbs against them “Oh they call me a camel, but I mastered the drought, what the fuck I’m an animal, half man, half mammal””. Perhaps my only gripe is Kid Cudi only being used for a hook.
This leaves 3 tracks, Hate with Kanye West which i’m still undecided on, its got a quirky switched up flow but not a favourite. So Ambitious i’m trying hard to like but as with alot of recent Neptunes productions I feel a bit let down. Forever Young feat Mr Hudson...I hate it. What more can I say?!
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