Jay Z
Jay-Z knows he has come to represent much more than just hip-hop music since he dropped his first album 13 years ago.
“I don’t rap no more, I run the map,” the artist-entrepreneur bluntly declares on “What We Talkin’ About,” the opening track of The Blueprint 3, his latest solo studio album.
There is much truth to his claim: The Brooklyn, N.Y., emcee born Shawn Carter has dipped his hands and money in plenty of entreprenurial ventures. He’s also one of the top influential ambassadors for hip-hop culture and its generation — even President Barack Obama brushed his shoulders off in accordance with the lyric from 2003’s “Dirt Off Your Shoulder.”
But despite Hova’s massive business and cultural success, his new album is not a musical masterpiece.
It is, however, a good album that shows why Jay-Z should be still considered one of the greats: His punch lines and metaphors are hard-hitting, his flow is a melodic and rhythmic thrill, and his charisma is undeniable.
The Blueprint 3 features two banging singles: The bluesy, anti-Auto-Tune anthem “D.O.A.” and the militant Roc Nation anthem “Run This Town.” But Jay-Z is also misguided as he tries to lead hip-hop into the new era.
Jigga’s production choices, which on past albums have been stellar, often force records off track. He has been known to break the hottest new producers, but many of the beats on his new disc are trend-followers that are nearly played out.
The instrumental of “On to the Next One” contradicts Jay-Z’s line “it’s all about progression..” It is a drum-heavy, bouncy Swizz Beatz record that has a cacophonous, distorted and off-key vocal sample.
“Empire State of Mind” is another bump in the road. Jay-Z’s nostalgic lyrics are entertaining, but the chorus, sung by Alicia Keys, is overly glitzy and Broadway-esque.
Other mishaps include the choppy, minimalist Kanye-produced “Hate,” on which Jay’s flow sounds awkward, and the incredibly cheesy “Young Forever.”
But Jay-Z does blaze trails on some tracks. For example, he discusses his mature outlook on hip-hop culture by calling out wannabe gangsters and making it cool to dress up again on “What We Talkin’ About.”
He also busts witty, figurative lines on “Venus Vs. Mars” to discuss a cheating girlfriend.
Jay-Z has proven to be a level above most rappers. But his “been there, done that” attitude becomes repetitive. And his latest content isn’t innovative.
The first Blueprint was eagerly received because Jay-Z was on the brink of being the most successful rapper in the game. But his success may now be like the title of the second Blueprint: a gift and a curse.
RATING: 3 out of 5 stars
