JAY-Z - THE BLUEPRINT 3
Rating - 84/100
Ok, so The Blueprint 3 was the first album I went to a record store at midnight to purchase. Thank you Zia Records for operating on college kid hours (late morning to midnight). I got home, hit play and was immediately intrigued by the albums opener "What We Talkin' About" which sounds more like an atmospheric M83 dance track than a Jay-Z songs. But it's no secret that Hova has become quite the fan of indie rock as of late as evidenced by his appearance at a NY Grizzly Bear show, his use of a "D.A.N.C.E." sample, as well as the fact that Luke Steele, lead vocalist for Empire of the Sun appears on "What We Talkin' About". The album is clearly a bit top heavy with the two singles "D.O.A." and "Run This Town" coming back to back and immediately followed by the outrageously incredible duet with Alicia Keys "Empire State of Mind". The ballad is swelling with well deserve pride and egoism, both a tribute to the rapper's home city and his own empire. Keys' vocals matched with Jay-Z at his most epic level of class proves to be more than just a great duet, it's easily one of the finest song either artist has released. Unfortunately, the album peaks early because after "Empire Sate of Mind" things die down a little. I'm not normally a fan of Swizz Beatz production style, but "On To The Next One" is a straight up, capital 'J' Jam. And of course, it samples Justice so of course I'm gonna drool all over it. When I first saw the tracklist for BP3, I got really jazzed up about both Kid Cudi and Drake features. The fact that neither of these up and coming rappers gets to actually rap on the legendary MC's latest outing is surprising but interestingly fitting. They are good enough to be on the album, but not big enough to actually do anything yet. The Drake track "Off That" is a fairly typical Timbaland joint with a futuristic, dancey beat that wouldn't be complete without the attention loving producer yelling 'HEY!' over the beat from start to finish. The Cudi track on the other hand is one of the slickest, most polished songs I've ever heard in hip-hop lately. Jay-Z's verses aren't super memorable, but the beat is baller. The album closes on a nostalgic and surprisingly heartfelt note with "Young Forever" which features K. West protege Mr. Hudson singing the chorus to the cheese 80s classic "Forever Young". I wouldn't go so far to say that the song is humble, but there is a glimpse at humility and an acknowledgement of just how far he has come since the Reasonable Doubt days. However, my favorite track on the album is easily the first single "D.O.A". Its a scorching, natural sounding reminder that he is the best at what he does and contains a bold and refreshing statement; Jay-Z doesn't follow trends, he only sets and kills them. The track also highlights the production skills of No ID, with natural drums, guitars and other elements not commonly found in the realm of hip-hop. Also, that drum breakdown at the end of the chorus before the verse is just nuts. I'm pretty sure I'm going to break my steering wheel in my car because I pound on the thing so damn hard during that part. Overall, The Blueprint 3 is a solid effort from start to finish. It's somewhat a departure from familiar Jay-Z, but it seems like a natural progression for the artists. BP3 is a glossy, epic production that is yet another high-quality entry into the Jay-Z canon.
Heres a special bonus just for you! Jay-Z & Alicia Keys last night at the VMAs performing "Empire State of Mind" and in case you missed it, this was obviously the best performance of the night.
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