Jay-Z's 'Blueprint 3': A Track by Track Review
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Jay-Z
Once again, the enormous and increasingly joyless shadow of Jay-Hova has been cast over the vast, still-Auto-Tuned expanse of hip-hop.
Set for official release on September 11 in conjunction with a benefit concert at Madison Square Garden for the New York Police and Fire Widows' and Children's Benefit Fund (but already leaked online to mixed reaction), The Blueprint 3 is the latest full-length attempt by the kid humbly born Shawn Carter in Brooklyn's Marcy Projects to create a world-historical event horizon around what is essentially another slab of professionally produced rap product.
LISTEN: Jay-Z, "Blueprint 3"
Sure, his contribution to the 9/11 cause is a wonderful, hometown gesture, and only fools question whether Jay-Z is still an ace MC—his meticulously composed lyrics are full of challenging flows, witty punning wordplay, and admirable attempts at social significance amid the usual narcissistic hoo-ha. And to be honest, the much-nitpicked American Gangster remains consistently underrated ("Roc Boys" easily ranks as one of his most exhilarating moments).
But overall, post 2003's The Black Album, Jay-Z has been, as a maker of simply enjoyable music, a bit of a pill (like his bratty semi-protégé Kanye West). He carries on as if his every artistic decision is a manifesto that'll have a crucial, altering impact on our daily lives. And he parses his lyrics as if they're texts that'll be pored over one day like the Dead Sea Scrolls.
Unfortunately, there's a pre-emptive sense that the new album is no big whoop. In fact, Jay's already diverting attention by hyping his next project as more "experimental," which is troubling, given his recent shout-out to the "inspiring" indie-rock "movement" after attending a Grizzly Bear show in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
I'll reserve judgment on the long-term merits of The Blueprint 3; it's got its highs and lows, and personally I'd rather rewatch the video of DMX rapid-fire babbling about getting in Jay's ass at a "pool hall in the Bronx," but that's just my pathology. For now, though, there's only one valid, critical question: Will The Blueprint 3 rock a Labor Day weekend barbecue?
Let's take the track list from the top and decide.
1. "What We Talkin' About" feat. Luke Steele of Empire of the Sun
Will It Rock a Labor Day Barbecue: If you're at the sort of barbecue where people dig extended semantic arguments over a sample of a fruity Australian psych-pop tune that could be a Xanadu outtake. But hopefully, you're actually having fun.
2. "Thank You"
Will It Rock a Labor Day Barbecue: Indeed. The No. I.D./Kanye production has a laidback, free-flowin', '90s-money vibe with a reassuring horn bleat, while Jay precisely spouts a bunch of winningly arrogant bullshit like only he can. Welcome refrain: "We are really high / Really high tonight."
3. "D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)"
Will It Rock a Labor Day Barbecue: Yeah, but do you really want it to?
4. "Run This Town" feat. Kanye West and Rihanna
Will It Rock a Labor Day Barbecue: Sure, who doesn't wanna imagine ruling whatever zip code you may inhabit while simultaneously air-guitaring and fantasizing about sipping Dom Perignon with Rihanna on a yacht in the Caribbean. Of course, you gotta listen to Kanye going on and on about how groupies only want him for his ends, but c'est la vie.
5. "Empire State of Mind" feat. Alicia Keys
Will It Rock a Labor Day Barbecue: Weirdly, no. As nostalgic, name-dropping displays of overblown New York pride go, it's just a little too subdued; the piano-plinking production never goes anywhere, Alicia Keys sounds phoned-in, and the Anna Wintour reference is just plain goofy.
6. "Real As It Gets" feat. Young Jeezy
Will It Rock a Labor Day Barbecue: Yep. The track, by Virginia duo the Inkredibles, is swaying synth drama with a soulful twinkle, and Jeezy and Hov come off like bosses with nothing to prove, which is a refreshing change of pace.
7. "On to Next One" feat. Swizz Beatz
Will It Rock a Labor Day Barbecue: Eh. I'm usually up for Swizzy's kookier beats, but this one's like being trapped in a submarine with a class of chanting 6th graders.
8. "Off That" feat. Drake
Will It Rock a Labor Day Barbecue: Not even close. Drake is a total non-factor and Timbaland's frantic, polyrhythmically incoherent beat will only make it harder to keep your friend of a friend's dodgy potato salad down.
9. "A Star Is Born" feat. J. Cole
Will It Rock a Labor Day Barbecue: No doubt! No. I.D. and Kanye's anthemic, edgy soul-clap backdrop pushes Jay to drop an effortlessly dazzling flow, and upstart affiliate J. Cole acquits himself well on a hungry cameo. Pump this after everybody's fifth beer and watch the hands wave skyward.
10. "Venus vs. Mars"
Will It Rock a Labor Day Barbecue: Maybe, if the whole crew's blitheringly stinking drunk and desperate to hook up (in whatever way possible) with whoever's within slurring distance. Even then, this kinda blows. Remember when Timbaland and Jay-Z were a hip-hop Dream Team? Now, the New York Knicks have better chemistry.
11. "Hate" feat. Kanye West
Will It Rock a Labor Day Barbecue: Not even if the Roc Nation business manager is manning the Weber.
12. "Reminder"
Will It Rock a Labor Day Barbecue: Is Timbaland trying to make everybody nauseous? Another pointlessly off-kilter beat ruins some nifty rhymes: "I crushed Elvis in his blue suede shoes / Made the Rolling Stones seem as sweet as Kool-Aid too" and "Throwbacks, I threw 'em back / Remember those button-ups? / Young Hov, tell them ordinary Joes, Budden up."
13. "So Ambitious" feat. Pharrell
Will It Rock a Labor Day Barbecue: Sorta. Flits from languidly combative to awkwardly obtuse and Jay-Z gets lost in the shuffle. The Neptunes' synth-quirk production never quite clicks, and then it does, and then it doesn't again.
14. "Young Forever" feat. Mr. Hudson
Will It Rock a Labor Day Barbecue: Perhaps, if you're a 39-year-old divorcee with not a goddamned thing to lose! Kanye samples Alphaville's 1984 synth-pop standard "Forever Young," Mr. Hudson croons the chorus like a super trooper, and Jay gets all aphoristically motivational on that ass. Designated drivers, you have my sympathies.
7 Comments
Click here to comment- Posted By Anonymous
09.15.09 1:58 AM
I really don't understand these track reviews. This whole album has great playability. Its nearly an album of all singles. Whether you find that to be a good thing is up to you.
I think it's best compared to Kanye's Graduation. Kanye's first records were closely similar in style and flow, but he came with Graduation and tried out different styles and it was feature heavy. Jay-Z is doing the same thing but it's more shocking because he's had his sort of style for 10 albums rather than 2. Many people can't get with it just yet, give it time. This was an amazing album and Jay-Z should retire on it.
- Posted By sweetmoses
09.17.09 9:40 AM
I'm surprised so many people like this album. I think it's more because it's by Jay-Z than because it contains good music. Here's my review:
"What We Talkin' About"
The hook is awkward and turns a decent song lyrically into a completely unlistenable train wreck."Thank You"
Eh, decent song for this album I guess. I doubt it would have made the cut on "Reasonable Doubt" though. He doesn't say anything poignant or even cool in 3 verses."D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)"
This song grew on me. And though it's entertaining, Kanye just released an entirely auto-tuned album, so it's a little disingenuous."Run This Town"
Best song on the album by far...but not because of Jay-Z. Rihanna's hook is amazing and Kanye's last verse outpaces Jay's previous two by a mile. Jay's flow is again awkward, and he's just not talking about anything. I like Kanye's flow in general, but he should never beat Jay on a verse. It's a little sad."Empire State of Mind"
Again, I'm just here for the hook. I hear Jay-Z rapping, but I'm waiting impatiently to hear Alicia Keys release the pipes. I just feel like he's not trying."Real As It Gets"
I'm a big Jeezy fan, and this is a Jeezy song. Jay finally steps his lyrical game up on this one, but it feels like he's the featured artist. Either way I like this one."On to Next One"
Horrible. Nothing positive to say about this cacophony. Swizz overdoes the production as usual. Jay isn't talking about anything. On to the next track!"Off That"
At this point in the album, it's starting to feel disjointed and I'm struggling to decipher a theme and beginning to think there isn't one. I can see this one getting radio spins, but nobody will remember it next year."A Star Is Born"
Another awkward showing by Jay. Though it's good to hear the guy actually showing love to non-Rocafella artists, the song as a whole is just flat. He's forcing basic a/b rhymes, which the Jay of old just wouldn't do."Venus vs. Mars"
Shitty beat, decent lyrics, good story. I listened to it a couple times. I don't need to hear it again. Is he just bored? I am."Hate"
Is that auto-tune I hear in the background setting the tone for the entire song? And again Kanye's verses are just more entertaining. Jay obviously just isn't trying."Reminder"
Unlike the author of this article, I kinda like this song. But taking up half a verse naming years (as if we didn't know how to count) is just weak."So Ambitious"
The Neptunes just don't have "it" anymore. I agree with the author that the beat and the flow just don't match. It's overall just awkward and I'd rather just skip it than try to figure it out."Young Forever"
As bad as "On to Next One" was, this song is worse. I keep saying the word "awkward" but I have to say it again. Awkward just isn't something Jay-Z is supposed to be. Again, he's forcing rhymes, stretching out and speeding up words to make them fit the bar. That's just not supposed to happen. When I hear this, it reminds me of that time Michael Jordan was on the Wizards and on a fast break raised up to dunk like he did 1,000 times before and the ball bounced off of the back of the rim. That's just not supposed to happen. Banks aren't supposed to fail. Real estate isn't supposed to go down in value. What's going on with this world? I miss the 90s.
- Posted By Anonymous
10.05.09 11:58 AM
Thank You Jay Z for On to the next one, and Off that the whole album is a NY state of mind where real Hip Hop is from and Rap at it's best. No need to talk about what you don't have talk about what we feel that's what this album is. That contry rap is what most people want because they can't figure out the metaphors in the lyrics and the quick word play that NY Style or rap. Like Russell Simmons called it best country rap is humpty dumpty rap it' all the same. We call country rap C-RAP put it together CRAP! Thanks Jay z for this one and if you think it's over Dr. Dre is next with his to save us from the BS we've been hearing. Just some truth.
09.13.09 6:24 PM
I love the Blueprint 3!!! I have my favorites, but all tracks have incredible lyrical content. His word play is so ill. NO ONE can touch Jay's lyrical content!!! This album was a classic. Especially at a time when we're pop, lock and droppin it, or kissing u through the phone, Jay is such a breath of fresh air! He gives the tracks for ladies to dance to, and the tracks to the real hip hop heads to vibe to. I am always amazed by his talent. I love Jay.