The Blueprint
JAY Z
2001
Wikipedia
Reviews
Like a review? Give it a thumb up to help us display relevant reviews!A couple of good tracks but I'm not a massive fan of his style. I get it you have lots of money now but didn't always.
First thought is that this sounds nostalgic, even though i have never heard it before. I like the opening groove on ruler's back, so richly textured, though the trumpets and brass is cheap sounding. The Takeover is one of those great follow-up tracks with a Fame callback. so good. Dude every track is incredibly crafted. I think that the track Renegade is the weakest one on the album
Honestly really enjoyed this album, haven't listened to a lot of Jay-Z before, but I thought it definitely was a classic, great album. Also, interesting that this is basically the last NYC rap album before 9/11, releasing right on the day.
I'm addicted to buying unbelievably expensive custom helicopters (yeeeeeeaaahhhh) In a brief moment of lucidity I went to the helicopter dealership and told them "Do not, under any circumstances, sell me more helicopters" I was back there half an hour later, wearing a fake moustache, and I said "Hello gentlemen, I am Ray Z, a man you have never met before. Give me 10,000 helicopters covered in diamonds"
Just incredibly good, obviously a foundationally important album. Renegade is astonishing. I could have listened to another hour of this, and I need to hear it again to pick up more from it.
This is the sound of a newly-crowned king. Jay-Z is on top of the hip-hop mountain, and he’s executing anyone who challenges for the throne with precision. He’s telling the stories that made him king and cementing his legacy for generations to come.
There aren’t any fancy beats on this album and it works well. The beats set the mood but otherwise stay out of the way of Jay-Z’s lyrical flow. Jay-Z’s style feels almost conversational. I appreciate that he doesn’t necessarily rhyme each verse. I admire the reverence he pays to those that took care of him growing up on Blueprint (Momma Loves Me). The distorted beats on Takeover are well placed to get my head bobbing. While I like Eminem’s appearance on Renegade is good on its own, it doesn’t really fit sonically with the rest of the album. I also recognize the Izzo (H.O.V.A.) line “Can’t leave rap alone, the game needs me” from its inclusion on Eminem’s Business from his album The Eminem Show. This is an album I will be listening to more in the near future.
Jay-Z is a lyrical genius (U Don't Know has some great lines), and his knowledge of pop culture is ridiculously extensive (check out The Ruler's Back). It makes it a lot of fun listening to his lyrics and what reference he'll slip in for a rhyme. His beats and mixes are cool too, easy to get into and move your head (or more) to. It's also surprisingly soulful (Never Change and Song Cry have their tender moments). I was surprised this was his 6th album - then saw he put out 6 albums in 6 years. Damn. One of the greatest rappers of all time and a damn good album (especially considering no massive hits on it).
Not quite my subgenre, but I think this is a nearly-pristine hour of pop rap. The Kanye tracks have a special sparkle, but there is a ton of variety and very few low points. Eminem shows up and fits in well, though Renegade's subject matter rings hollow next to the lyrics and production of Takeover.
Genre: East Coast Hip Hop 5/5 When it comes to rap album classics, The Blueprint is one of the true icons of the genre. From the beautiful and timeless chipmunk soul production, to Jay-Z’s quick wit and lyrical talent, this album is a sure fire hit for any hip hop fan. While I’m not sure it’s my favorite Jay-Z project, The Blueprint is still a force to be reckoned with. It became, for rap music at that time, exactly what its title suggests it is: the blueprint.
Jay-Z was always big but this is before everyone's grandparents knew who he was. H to the Izzo is a classic. Takeover is ruthless. Girls, Girls, Girls is funny as shit. I like the reminder that before Jay-Z hung out with Obama he stabbed a guy in a club a month after this album came out. Definitely gets a little repetitive (drugs, girls, etc) but I like that each song has a structure and arc and sticks to a subject unlike most rap today. The middle of the album is little weaker and I was excited for Renegade but it was kind of whatever. Still, I think its great. 4.
Pop rap. Good music, guy is a great producer and can assemble a good beat/sound. The ego though, dude - just shhhh... If I could give a 1/2 star I'd error a bit higher - as is, enjoy your 2 stars, schmuck.
The album was pretty average, in my opinion. A few songs were good, but most weren't. I struggled to finish the album. I don't think I'd ever revisit it properly again, not even the songs I liked really.
People who spend 45 minutes rhyming about how much money they have and how much tail they pull make me roll my eyes. I find it nearly impossible to look past that to any artistic interest or cultural significance.
Didn't seem genuine. I would describe it as the panhandler who drives home in his Mercedes. Music was very good, it just fell about whenever Jay Z opened his mouth.
I never saw the appeal to Jay-Z. I find this record, and the rest of his catalog, trite and mediocre.
70s-soul and pop infused, via garage rock / grind house filters. Bonus points for Osmond's sample in "Izzo (H.O.V.A.)." Interesting music / samples. But, it's RAP. Not enough melody. Too much swagger, cussin', and misogyny. If only there were more (any?) melody, and lyrics and not spittin'.
20 years have passed, since this was released, and I must say, it still does little me. I spend my time trying to zone out his voice. And the drumbeat. Somehow I got to the end Not for me. Never again
“God MC, me, J HOVA” with beats from Ye, Just Blaze, and that one Eminem. Issa classic
More familiar with The Blueprint 2 prior to this, but still so good. (And H to the Izzo is the worst song on this album tbh.)
How can I give this album anything less than 5 stars?? The Blueprint just shows the magic that is Jay Z.
Vraiment un bon album de jay-z. Renegade a elle seule fait monter la note mais l’album est tellement buen construit et c’est un classique du rap. 4.95
Jay's second best album, but still a 5. Only critique is Girls, Girls, Girls hasn't aged well but otherwise the album is really strong from beginning to end.
Never been much of a Jay Z fan, but I think this album had changed that. It is top tier hip hop in every category. Just a monolith of excellence.
There's no denying the absolute badassness of this one. Izzo alone rockets it up the list.
Great stuff, I don't know his discography that well but he sounds at the top of his game here. I like that this was, in part, a response to being dissed by a bunch of other rappers. I think we know who got the last laugh.
The title is apropos. It is The Blueprint for where Hov went next in his career. Some great singles and highlights mixed with underrated b-sides. A few fillers along the way.
Maybe his best. Great beats, he can definitely spit it (but taking on Nas? Sheesh...) And a nice Em guest spot.
I don't even know what makes this so good, but it's so good. It's pure swagger, and they use real instruments. The music itself is much more complex than most rap music, and Jay-Z is just so . . . smooth, I guess is the word. I kinda hate that a lot of the credit goes to Kanye West, but whatever - he knows how to produce an album.
I wish this was a bad album so I could make a joke about it being the worst thing to happen on September 11 of 2001 but unfortunately it's really good. The production is great on almost every song (some are very early 2000s) and all of the features are excellent too. renegade and u don't know are my favs
It's been a long time since I came back to this album. Historically, I've always preferred Reasonable Doubt to this album. However, listening to this after getting a better understanding of the history of hip-hop, it's really hard to deny how incredible The Blueprint is. It has plenty of hits, but it also features a lot of the production styles that would be featured during the next decade of rap music. The name The Blueprint ended up being prophetic in that sense. I don't hand out 5 stars to many albums, and I wasn't anticipating doing it for this album, but I can't think of a single argument for why this album doesn't deserve it 5/5
New York, 2001. So many so-called kings of the borough but only one looked as if he needed something to prove. And, for that, he laid out the blueprint and wound up making history. Not even the world shifting, beyond tragic events of the album's release date could halt JAY Z's inevitable trajectory as the true successor of Biggie's throne. Some may call this his greatest album (though others before or since have the right to assume that position) and it cannot be denied that The Blueprint set in motion a chain of events that would end up defining its makers and its genre for better or for worse.
Não manjo do contexto do álbum... mas as letras das músicas fazem um álbum que começa com rixas entre músicos e ostentação pra mensagem social forte. Muito bem produzido, gostei de "Girls, Girls, Girls", "Heart Of the City" e "Song Cry" - "Renegade" é rap com lirismo sensacional, letra foda e potente. Dela até o fim é impecável. As letras das últimas músicas só reforçam o valor dele, se eu não tivesse acompanhado com elas, teria dado nota muito menor.
A great rap album, with many noteable hits including izzo, Girls, Girls, Girls. Would listen to again.
Great album, again was unfamiliar with Jay-Z's albums but will definitely get this one
The man emanates class. Lyrics are awesome, production quality supreme and guest names/ collabs add weight to this album.
Very good rap album, lots of references in this album either to or from other rap works I've heard before
Surprisingly enjoyable, didn't think I'd like but big into Izzo and Girls (x3). Nice use of samples.
Can hear Kanye all over the production but my favourite was Timberland on Hola Hovita. Girls is a classic and Eminem's verse on renegade is unsettlingly good.
Iconic album by one of the great hip hop artists of all time. Jay-z is a talented lyricist with top notch beats and gorgeous productions. Eminem kills his verse on Renegade, classic.
this album came out when i was in high school, and never listened to it, since, sadly, i was just not interested in rap/hip hop. listening to this album now, i am sad that it took so long to listen to this one, it was some great beats, and lyrics, making for one insane album.
En interessant crossover fra eastcoast-bling rap a-la P-diddy til Kanyes "Chipmunk soul". Det er ingen diskusjon om Jayzs enorme talent innen lyrikk. tekstene hans er imponerende. Ekstremt mye bra låter, mange av dem produsert og mixed av en up-and-coming Kanye West. Noen av albumets høydepunkter er Disstrack-klassikeren "The Takeover" produsert av Kanye med samples fra "fame" av David bowie, der de kreativt nok endrer utropet "Fame" til "lame" og "Shame". andre av kanyes sanger som "never change" og "heart of the city" er enormt bra. "song cry" "IZZO" er de beste låtene som ikke er produsert kanye på albumet.
A great album for #100! Of course, Jay-Z is an all-time great in hip hop, but I've never really gotten into his albums. I tend to prefer him as a feature, as I just don't think his style is dynamic enough to hold my interest for an album's length. The same principle applies here, but this one is elevated by fantastic production, especially from the young Chicago phenom named Kanye West--that guy's going places. Back-to-back, Kanye samples The Doors and the Jackson 5. Who else has that kind of gall? Jay-Z is an undeniably great rapper, but I just don't find his rapping engaging (much like his protege J. Cole). Still, he does a great job over these amazing beats, and the album is a classic for a reason. Also, I just learned that this album was released on 9/11. New lore just dropped. Favorite tracks: Izzo, Never Change, Heart of the City, Renegade. Album art: Not sure if this is Jay's most iconic, but it's gotta be up there. This blue filter is immediately recognizable. Jay definitely making the case that he's big pimpin'. 4.5/5
I hadn't listened to this album before but knew Izzo from Linkin Park. Still a classic on here and I enjoyed most of the songs but there is always something that holds me back from loving Jay-Z. He loves to brag and I think that's great if you have the skills to back it up. He is no Kendrick. But I find out most of his raps aren't written down so even though I listened to the album twice, now I need to go back again. I really enjoy the album overall but don't have too many favorite songs. CLASSIC album cover.
Amazing how many of these songs I remember lyrics to. I just spit this shit one take - these are my thoughts.
I’d never listened to a jay-z album all the way through before. Clever and masterful lyrics. I feel like I need to know more to put it in context with the genre.
This is the first album where I recognize numbers from my own childhood. It is good to listen every album twice. Then every song is better.
Not gonna lie. Every time jay says “jewels” I think he’s saying jews. It’s the blueprint. Not much more to say. It’s a great album. I think it falls short of 5 stars for me because you have albums like mm food. And some of the lines sound dated but it’s easily 4 stars.
- intro super cool - pleasantly surprised since I don't listen to Jay Z - overall, I enjoyed listening while working
This was a very nice album. I like the older hip-hop songs, but this kind of more "modern" hip-hop is so recognizable for me that it's almost impossible do not listen to some songs with a "home" feeling. The first songs are the best and the last ones are a kind of repetitive, but in a whole analysis, this is a great album.
The album was released on September 11th and it sounds like the last album of the late 90's/early 00's optimism. The samples and the beats are huge and lush with Kanye's tracks being standouts for his use of samples. Its an album that both the final chapter of 90's rap but also starting the transition as to how rap was going to go for the next decade. Essential listening for those wanting to get a better understanding of hip-hop.
Love that drumroll intro and the beat kicks in and then... "uh huh, uh huh, wooo!" The uhs and woos are my least favorite Jay-Z thing. But "The Ruler's Back" was quickly redeemed with smart lyrics, good flow, and the horns! This week, the high school girls soccer team I coach sent a playlist to me that they wanted played on the PA before their game. It took them three attempts to send me a list that wasn't completely inappropriate. The themes of too many of the songs were either drugs, being misogynistic, or both. The lyrics were uninspired, uncreative, and overfilled with curse words and the n-word seemingly just because they could. And that's before we even start talking about the generic beats. Sure, they were inappropriate for a soccer game crowd that included their younger siblings. But they were also just trashy songs. Jay-Z's might be the last great crossover megastar of good mainstream rap music. He carried the legacy of 90s rap into the 21st century, and those attempting to reach those heights in the last decade (Kanye, Kendrick, Chance, all making great music) are more polarizing in both style and personality. There is still good rap and hip hop today, but it doesn't get the attention that far inferior tracks and styles get. (I'm lookin' at you, trap music. This is mostly your fault.) As for "The Blueprint" - just as I was getting tired of it, finding it a bit repetitive, in comes the funk, then some soul, then the "ain't no love in the heart of the city" sample. The Eminem verse in "Renegade" was the biggest departure for the album - I like Eminem (though certainly not as much as I used to) but it was kind of a jarring shift from the style of the rest of the album. It's not in my top 10 or probably even 20 rap albums (Jay's just not my favorite - see the opening comment about the "uhs," though I didn't notice them as much as I thought I would at first), but it is very listenable and consistently high-quality. I started with what I like least about Jay-Z, so I'll end with what I like best. Well, it's really more Jay-Z adjacent. Danger Mouse made a mash-up album of Jay-Z's "Black Album" and the Beatles' "White Album," called "The Grey Album." It's fascinating. If you've never heard it - https://soundcloud.com/blainepwilson/sets/danger-mouse-the-grey-album
I just don't like Jay-Z's flow very much, but I do think this is a critical piece of rap history. And Em's infamous verses on Renegade also standout for me, as well as production by Kanye, Timbaland, and Just Blaze.
Great production. It’s obvious that Kanye West has had a large hand in the production of this album. Jay-Z is really at his best here. The flow is good, the lyrics are punchy and memorable, and he’s still trying to establish his place at the top. Essentially, he still has to work for it. The only drawback of this album might be its length. The standout track for me was the Kanye West produced ‘Takeover’
// Favs: Girls, Girls, Girls / U Don't Know / Heart Of The City / Song Cry / All I Need / Renegade Score: Strong 4
An album that doesn't sound 20 years old. Jay Z's lyrics are on point as always and the sample heavy backdrop is as smooth as silk. Nice wee cameo from Eminem too👌
I could sum this album up as "Smoove 70s grooves with cool rapping." That theme goes across most of the album, right from the first track. Izzo is real catchy but I don't think I've ever needed Genius lyrics more. All the diss stuff in The Ruler's Back and Takeover was a little lame to me (but I liked the Bowie "Fame" callout in Takeover). Girls Girls Girls was amusing, and gotta like a song that name-drops Deuce Bigalow. It was at this point that the phrase "smoooove grooves" kept popping into my head and stayed there for pretty much the rest of the album. Basically from U Don't Know On I enjoyed every track. Calling it a 4 rather than a 5 because I think the bragging and dissing brings it down.
I have to admit that I've never given Jay-Z a proper listen until now. This is a great album. Amazing grooves throughout and the lyrics are awesome. I'm going to have to check out the sequels to this when I have more time to listen.
Hard to believe that this album is 20 years old. I have "The Blueprint 3" because of "Empire State Of Mind," and a fe other tracks. It's funny because I mentioned Jay-Z and my kid was like "I don't know who he is." Kind of surprising, but he's a rock guy. Anyway, the flow here is a BEAST. And then putting Eminem in the one song, godDAMN. This is a great album, 20 years on. There's a reason he made 2 sequels to it. Hard for me to blast this in the house, though. The language does make it difficult.
Very much enjoyed this album. JayZ is a bit of a blind spot for me I know I quite like a lot of his stuff but have rarely listened to it.
Really enjoyed it. Hadn't listened end-to-end. The sounds still hold up, the lyrics are edgy classic Jay-Z. Maybe a bit overproduced in sections but overall a fun listen.
Seminal hip hop. HOV delivers word play and diss tracks in his signature drop rhythm speech .
Went in with low expectations but this is a corker. Uplifting, confident, great sound.
Probably Jay’s best album from his era of dominance. Lyrically and with beats this album has many songs that are solid and stand the test of time. He also has songs that go right after other rappers. This album covers all the basics and excels in them too. 8.4/10
Awesome album. Great lyrics that touch on a bunch of topics throughout Jay’s life make every song stay interesting. Some standouts for sure, and some songs that don’t hit quite as hard , but it’s all quite good. 8/10
Another triumph by Kanye lol… great album, very start of the century, Jay Z really was the best rapper alive back then
I don't consider myself a Jay-Z fan, particularly, but I thought this was decent. Could definitely hear the Kanye influence on production after I read about that. Lyrically it's the usual braggadocio etc which doesn't do much for me, but as far as that brand of rap goes, he's pretty good at it. Takeover is a great diss track. 3.5
Would it be extremely white of me to suggest that the best track is the one that features Eminem? So be it. Not sure I understand why this is on the list but The Black Album isn't. Best track: Renegade
I find it fitting this album is called The Blueprint, as much of early to mid 2000s pop music will copy these techniques. I swear I've heard the sound effects in "Song Cry" in like a million pop songs of the era and it's really annoying, but here it's done right. Furthermore, we begin to see a shift toward more soulful styles. Production is polished and clean. Jay Z's vocals are smooth and clean and mixes well with the studio additions. Amazing early work by Kanye. Apparently, this album marked a shift back toward samples as opposed to the keyboard-dominant Timbaland style. No bad tracks, I was pretty satisfied listening to them all which is pretty rare for me, especially in this poppier subgenre of hip hop. Nice surprise track with Eminem, although I think his performance and volume overshadows Jay Z.
It's among Jay-Z's best and an album I've liked for a long time, but I just can't give it a 5. There's just a couple songs that aren't quite up to par and it doesn't have enough 5 star songs to my ears. It's still very good though and I wouldn't argue with anyone for giving it a perfect score. Side note: I do love that Takeover inspired Nas to bite back with Ether, one of favorite diss tracks of all time. The album gets no extra points for that but I "appreciate" it.
It feels as if this album was made recently, but it has stood the test of time. It represents a great era in HipHop.
This is an album in which Hov both talks the talk (he REALLY loves to brag), and walks the walk. The production and sampling are immaculate and diverse, and Jay and Co. rap at the top of their game. Still not sold on Jay’s constant “uh uh uh huh” ad-libbing though.
I don't enjoy much of the lyrical content myself but there are some nice samples, catchy beats, and interesting rhymes. I can see why it's got its fans.
Although I am generally a fan of hip-hop, I have never had any inspiration to check out a JAY-Z album. So, this was a first, and there wasn't anything surprising for me here. Production value was high, beats and samples were catchy, rhymes were easy to understand, and the themes consistent with the genre. It was a good album and I enjoyed it today, but I didn't feel like I had been missing anything and don't think that this will go into regular rotation.
Niełatwo było ocenić. Z jednej strony nigdy jakoś mnie Jay-Z nie kręcił. Tak samo braggi szeroko pojęte również nie - na wstępie zatem byłem mocno sceptyczny. Ale po odsłuchaniu muszę przyznać, że pod względem ciekawych bitów i latania po nich chłop sobie radzi. Biorąc pod uwagę to (oraz rok wydania) jest to dobra płyta tego wykonawcy i jest to uzasadniony klasyczek na scenie. Jest tu pare słabszych kawałków, ale też sporo naprawdę solidnych. Czy wrócę? Nadal nie jestem fanem, ale myślę, że słaba czwóreczka tu się nada
An incredibly strong offering. Hate him or love him, Kanye West's fingerprints are all over this thing, and it only makes Jay Z stronger. His flows complimented with Kanye's "chipmunk soul" style beats is a deadly combination. The only time Jay shares the spotlight, I think it's stolen from him, especially since the beat on Renegades compliments Eminem's style a bit more than it does Jay Z (both put in fantastic verses, though). "Takeover" is an absolutely vicious diss. Favorite tracks: "Takeover", "Izzo", "Heart of the City"
Entertaining album with a couple of standout songs. Second half of the album was weaker and could have been 10-15 minutes shorter but definitely more up my alley in terms of the faster, darker beats of the early 2000s
Jay Z sticks it to the industry and the culture that worked against him, with slick Kanye production. One of the classic hip hop albums.
5/30/2022 - ALBUM #123 Today's Album: "The Blueprint" by Jay-Z - Now I am going to preface before saying anything, that I think this is a pretty good rap record. Many of the beats are very fun and memorable. A lot of the guest performances are great and liven up the album and overall the songwriting is pretty dang good. However, I think that everything I like about this album has absolutely nothing to do with Jay-Z. In terms of technical ability, I don't negate his ability to rap with a fairly solid flow and his lyricism is often pretty funny, but I get really tired of hearing the same delivery on every song. He speaks in this very 90's rap sort of gangster-yell, where every syllable is emphasized and I wouldn't have a problem with it if he ever changed it up, but it gets pretty grating over the whole track list. Even on one of the best songs here, Izzo, the really fun and charismatic beats are just being sort of botched with this really ridged and uncharismatic rap performance from Jay. Speaking of the beats, not only does he produce none of the tracks here, but all of the tracks that are worth listening to are produced by Kanye or Eminem. All of the tracks produced by Kanye sound like lesser versions of the tight and soulful beats all over his debut album, College Dropout, which came out only 3 years after this album and feels lightyears ahead of it. Now, this was a very transitionary time for rap music as the gangster rap of the 90s started to lose over more publicly appealing pop outfits, so this album falling right in that cusp made it hard for it to stand out against all of the fantastic work that's come before and all of the innovation that would come after. I also have to note that Kanye wouldn't be where he is today without Jay-Z and a lot of what rap would become would not be possible without Jay-Z. All I am saying is I don't believe that he is the biggest talent showcased on this record and for as innovative as it may have been at the time, the fact that the best verses on this album come from the song that's pretty much just an Eminem song with a Jay-Z feature is pretty telling for the quality of this project. Overall, there are a great handful of tracks on this album and it really is a great project overall, but Jay-Z being the weakest part of a Jay-Z album is sort of a problem. Listen to this one if you like Kanye's early work and want to get a good idea of what the rap scene looked like when he came up, but the highlights really will be the only songs worth checking out if you're not a huge rap fan. Highlights: The Ruler's Back, Takeover, Izzo, Hola' Hovito, Heart Of The City, Never Change, Renegade Score: 7.5/10 Important and grand, but held up by other artists' talent.
Honestly this isn't half bad... it's catchy, sounds well produced, is a bit long (pretty much every rap album after like 2000 is tho) and credit where it's due, he does have a good flow. 3/5.
Não gosto do Jay-Z. Doideira. Com certeza atrapalhou a audição. Hora de revisar os pré-conceitos para uma próxima oportunidade.
Well produced, musically interesting, a lot of traditional R&B mixed in, sample of The Doors. As expected, don't relate to rap lyrics.
Halfway through this album I got to thinking maybe I don't like hip hop at all, maybe I just like the fancy production these guys do. I mean, I really love that fancy production. But then Eminem appeared and changed my mind back again. Musically I love this album, but it says something that my favourite track is the one with someone else primarily on it.
I need big, heavy, interesting beats to really enjoy hip hop. The beats on this album don't do much for me besides Izzo. Jay Z is obviously an incredible lyricist though.
The only thing larger than the production values is that mans ego. Braggadocio is not my favorite means of expression.
Great flows and beats. I do think the vocal sampling became somewhat gimmicky but not to the point where it sunk the tracks. Great listen
Didn't listen to all of it but was a decent few tunes in there with solid beats and nice samples.
I don't know which songs are specifically Kanye, but there are some classic Ye beats here. The Nas dis track "Takeover" is probably the best song on the record. That or "Izzo." Crazy that this was released on 9/11. Maybe that's why I never spent a lot of time with it. I've always liked Jay's singles over the albums. I loved how he could drop a track on Hot 97 at any time. I'd jump through this again, but I'm not thrilled to go through the whole thing. 20 years later is this an all-timer? I don't think so, but my opinion appears to diverge with many.
I think the Black Album is better but I didn't give this one a full listen because I wasn't really into listen to hip-hop yesterday.
I can really see why people like this album. Every song is a head bobber Jay-Z has a great flow and some pretty entertaining bars (Pack heat like the oven door). But for me it just doesn't captivate. Jay-Z says up top that these are his thoughts but he must only think about money, hustling, women and hip-hop because there isn't much else he raps about on the album. I hate to say it but the Eminem feature was actually a welcome change of pace from Jay-Z's rapping. Not that what he does isn't impressive but for me this album is more about the beats. Kanye and Blaze's production really steals the show for me and I actually think I would enjoy an instrumental of this album more. I could easily recommend this to any hip-hop fan but for me it won't stay in my rotation. Favorite songs: Girls, Girls, Girls, Heart of the City, Song Cry, Renegade,
Didn’t have a chance to listen. Didn’t hate what I heard, but a little too much language for my taste generally.
Although RAP is not my cup of tea, the album at at least three tracks that got my vibes going.
Respect HOV. I guess it was okay not my favorite album kinda outdated hip hop if I’m being honest
I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. A bit repetitive with some lyrics on some songs, enough for it to get a bit annoying. A few more f-bombs than I prefer to. Overall though, I enjoyed it.
Takeover and All I Need probably my favourites. Your reign on top was shorter than leprechauns. Enjoyed the Tom Jones-esque scream in U Don’t Know
I didn't get a chance to listen again, but I really enjoy Girls, Izzo, and Heart of the City. This is back when Kanye was a producer, and not as crazy. I like that Kanye.
zo (H.O.V.A.)" Released: August 21, 2001 "Girls, Girls, Girls" Released: October 2, 2001 "Jigga That Nigga" Released: January 29, 2002 "Song Cry" Released: April 16, 2002
production is fantastic, and i'm sure it's an important entry in his oeuvre and music of that era. not really my jam, though. highlights for me were kanye's production on takeover and heart of the city.
The first half was really uninspired I think with som really mediocre beats, but then it began to pick up and was actually ok. Song cry and heart of the city were great
Very nice, but not my favorite Jay Z album by a long shot. I know it's beloved, but, I don't know, I just don't love these tracks. The flows are peak on here, though.
Had a few good tracks. Didn’t care for the mixing. Wouldn’t listen to again besides maybe 1 or 2 tracks
This album sounds incredible but the lyrical content really holds it back. Bragging and misogyny have never really been my thing.
The first Jay-Z album I've listened to. He's clearly talented and has some clever lyrics, but I think it's telling that my favorite track on the album is the one where Eminem takes the lead.
Disc de hip hop molt musical, amb apropaments al soul, pop i tot de tonades i samples que el fan d'escolta molt lleugera. Amb el flow característic de Jay-Z i alguns dels millors temes de la seva discografia
Hip-hop is not my favorite genre, but this was pretty good. But what does that say when my favorite song on the album is the one featuring Eminem? Anyway, better than most. 3.2/5
Si inizia molto male, i primi pezzi non mi arrivano in alcun modo e anche musicalmente non capisco bene l'idea di Jay Z e mi ha fatto pensare "me lo ricordavo meglio", poi dopo aver superato un dei peggiori pezzi (girls girls) il disco è andato a migliorare e ho trovato pezzi un pò più solidi e che mi arrivavano di più con alcuni bei campiono soul. Comunque è un 3 molto scarso.
Smooth flows, enjoyable lyrics, and nostalgic sounds. I’ve not listened to a lot of JayZ before but the music was still enjoyable.
So it all gets a little repetitive for me. I love Jay Zs vocal style and there are some brilliant moments but bar a couple of tracks not much elevates this to justify more than a really good 3
I had always considered this to be one of my favourite rap albums but had not listened to this in a long time. It still sounds great today but listening now from start to finish it also feels to long and too many tracks I’d skip past. Some cracking individual tracks on here though
I've of course heard *of* Jay-Z but have never heard a song by him, so this is perfect - let's go.... My initial impressions over the first two songs were - ehhh I like the music, I don't love the rapper/rap-style. Just didn't click - there's an aggressive monotony that I don't "get" but the third track "Izzo" is great. Jay-Z does a great job rhyming and it's really the rhythm of his rap here which is catchy as hell. More of this please. I don't know...this is a tough one to rank after only listening once - I feel like there's such a density here that I missed a ton, BUT - most of the time the music is the real attraction here. Great sampling and the production is top-notch. Overall though there's a lot of hit and miss for me - the aforementioned "Izzo" "Hola Hovito" and "Heart of the City" (last one really/mostly for the sampled original song) and "Blueprint" are my standouts but as an album it didn't have enough to make me mark it as a keeper. i.e. wouldn't reject it if it were on but probably wouldn't voluntarily listen again. 5/10 3 stars
19th October 2021 Listened on my phone in the office on a nightmare of a day where the sofa bed got delivered and the Internet went down. Interesting that it was released on 9/11, felt like a prelude to the black album but still liked it. No real stand out but a good collective.
First time listening. Enjoyed, might be Jay Z at his best. Liked the Eminem feature. Probably not one I’ll listen to again.
This album isn't really my style, but I think I can tell it's well-done. The tracks I liked most were The Ruler's Back and Izzo (H.O.V.A.). I also thought it was sweet how in the title track he gave shoutouts to important people in his life.
I'm a big hiphop fan but I was only 2 years old when this album came out so I haven't actually listened to it fully. I know that this is truly a classic album, and I really enjoyed it. I'm a bit torn between a three and four star rating but I will give it a strong 3.
This exercise has given me a new appreciation for hip hop, however this album though not bad seems a little clichéd to me. Two or three really good songs, especially the one with Eminem. I'm rating it at 3.5 🌟 for overall enjoyment.
Aside from some of his mega hits, I don't really love Jay Z all that much. Maybe it's because I have hard time separating the art from the artist, and Jay Z is kinda gross. Izzo is still great, and is the best track on the album, but it's not his best.
Never got into Jay-Z, always felt he was very typical in terms of rap, which I guess you can say he is a classic. Honestly a bit bored of the album and it's fine... just not my thing,
A very even keeled album. Solid and dependable to the point where it verges on being boring for me. Just kind of starts blurring together after the first few tracks. I like Jay Z's voice but the mixing on the album sometimes sounds a bit wonky to my ear. Some details stick out more than they should and maybe I just want more reverb or something to smooth it out and give it more atmosphere. As is it's a bit too clean to the point of coming across kinda flat.
Never change is fire. I appreciate The more reflective moments more than the flex tracks, which get redundant. Good flow from Jayz and instrumentals overall, but shows it’s age a bit with an over abundance of choruses and songs that could’ve used some trimming
I can't believe that I've never listened to a JAY Z album before! It was very cool. I loved the grooves and the samples made me want to explore the originals. A great example of using music to honor a legacy. My big critique is how he talks about women (using the b work) and money. But.......there's probably some depth to that history as well.
Would definitely not mind listening to the album while working or something. Wouldnt download most of them, maybe a few
Really well produced. Excellent flow and delivery. Consistently high quality the whole way through - not marred by stupid 'skits' that were so prevalent in a lot of hip-hop at that time. Questionable lyrics - not particularly into the whole 'guns and bitches' thing - but as it's all bullshit bravado anyway I'm okay with it. (3.3)
I thought I’d be indifferent with this album going in, but I actually enjoyed it way more than I thought I would. Not a rap fan at all, but the samples kept it interesting and it was really catchy in parts. 3/5 - The second half of the album dragged a little bit, I think it might have benefitted from being a bit shorter.
-Sweet bass groove in "Takeover." Also it took a second listen but I noticed the sampling of the Doors on the second listen -I like the very triumphant beat and lyrics to "U Don't Know" -Mu favorite track was "Renegade," because I like Eminem and he is on that track. I also like how JAY-Z totally changed his flow to be more rhyme-scheme based to keep up with Eminem -Why we're some of my favorite rhymes and flows on the hidden track "Girls, Girls, Girls (Part 2)?" -Overall the beats were solid, although the flow wasn't my personal favorite
Mon premier Jay Z. Intéressant d'entendre les productions de Kanye West sur cet album. Un peu redondant par contre, mais la production est solide.
Weird choice. It's okay, but this being the sole Jay-Z album over Reasonable Doubt, Vol. 2, Vol. 3, Black Album, or 4:44? I don't get it.
I was surprised to have known as many of these songs as I did. That said there are better Jay Z albums.
Bon album de hip-hop, mais j’ai du mal à comprendre pourquoi il est considéré comme une œuvre majeure.
Solo he escuchado el Black Album de él, pero parece que este es su trabajo más importante en vista que ha seguido haciendo "blueprints". Me ha gustado Takeover con los samples de The Doors, interesante musicalmente Udon't know y Hola'Hovito.
Na pierwszy przesłuch, bit był nie najgorszy, ale jak zacząłem dogłębniej słuchać tekstów, to znowu ciężko się utożsamić jak śpiewa tylko o hajsie, dragach i dziewczynach. W dodatku muzyka często nie przeszkadza w jego flow i wychodzi taka średniawka. Ponad godzinę tego słuchać to jednak trochę za dużo. Najlepsze Izzo (H.O.V.A).
While at first refreshing, it quickly becomes stale. While some of the tracks have pretty great beats, and some of the lyrics and flows are fun, those rarely conincide. The overall length also plays it no favours. Some of the lyrics also did not age well.
It was better than expected, but some parts I was wondering what was going on (in a bad way)
Considering that I've never been a fan on his singles that I would catch on the radio sometimes, that was way better than expected. You can see that this had a lot of influence on Kanye and that he indeed surpassed the master pretty quickly, but the beats are still great for the most part.
There's a reason why Jay-Z is one of the top rappers of the late 90s/early 00s, and this album is one of them. Overall it was a decent hip-hop album, but I think it's just the style of late 90s/early 00s hip-hop that I have never really enjoyed, but there's no doubt that this album had a huge influence at the time. Best: Izzo (H.O.V.A.); Renegade Worst: Jigga That Nigga
Really good use of music/samples for a very accessible and pop feel. Pretty good listen for a non hip-hopper! A high 3.
Hip-hop week continues, and this is the weakest of the bunch. I've heard plenty of Jay-Z, I think he's fine but his rap is exactly the kind I'm not into. All he's talking about is himself, how much money he has, how tough he is, how many women he gets and treats like garbage. Pure bravado, no art. Points because it's competently made but not something I would ever seek out.
I guess if you're going to listen to hip hop, this might be the way to go. Personally I like my hip hop more Australian. (#hilltophoods 😊) The samples and collabs make this varied and listenable.
The Blueprint, czyli ten dziwny okres w karierze Pana Cartera, bo po wypuszczanej z roku na rok trylogii volumikowej nie ucichlo i nastala epoka wolowiny na lewo i prawo bylo rzucane mieso, wiec pan Jay zabral co sie dalo zatrudnil do produkcji timberlanda eminema, nawet pan west znalazl sie na liscie producetow albumiku i tak powstal the blueprint, ktory wyznaczyl jak ma wygladac komercyjny albumik rapowy lat 2k, motywy wyzyskiwanych murzynow, tego kto jest krulem rapowej gry, bogactwa ktore jest jest a kiedys nie bylo, niga to niga tamto, no i tytulowy kawalek blueprint o matce, bo matka to swietosc murzynska, najbardziej klasycznymi kawalkai z albumiku ktore na plejke wrzuce to Izzo oraz renegade z eminemem, ale nie jest to albumik ktory bym sobie wlaczyl i przesluchal od poczatku do konca, bo koncept from rags to riches to najgorsze co spotkalo rap lat 2k0, a Jay byl lub jest jego mistrzem, jako najbogatszy murzyn w szol biznesie
I've listened to the album before. There are a few tracks I really enjoy, but I'm not overly enjoying Jay-Z as a rapper here. I've heard that this album is perhaps a little more commercial than his other releases. And also that his rapping on other albums such as the Black Album are more impressive. Overall I enjoyed the album, but it set me on a quest for something a little more interesting.
Brings up some memories, makes me want to dive into all of the music he borrowed. Didn't know he used "Ain't No Love in the Heart of the City"
Music is pretty good. Then a mix of really good, bad and flatout painful to listen to lyrics. What's with this 'I'm the King/ Jesus" thing rappers seem to have?? And why are rap albums always too long? Couldn't listen to it all.
It was A LOT better than I expected, that's why it's getting two stars from me. That said, my expectations were exceptionally low.
Buen disco de rap buenos flows buenas bases aura muy rapper muy disfrutable para ser rapero
all I need podoba mi się instrumentalnie ogólnie jaz-z mnie wkurza mam wrażenie, że wszystko jest o tym samym, for real ale taka muzyka totalnie nie dla mnie, pod koniec się wyłączyłam i już nawet tekstu nie słuchałam, podejrzewam, że nie warto raczej wracać nie będę, na raczej na bank, są tysiące lepszych albumów a i uważam jay-z za frajera mizoginistę i trochę homofoba, kiss my ass "Hova" XDDDDDDDD
The production on the album is pretty clean, but didn’t have a lot of standout tracks in my opinion.
I never really caught the Jay z thing. Like maybe I was too young to appreciate him or his music. But this shit is underwhelming and honestly, dated and boring. And I've felt like that about this album since my first time listening to it in like 2011. Always hated the whole back rapper bullshit of "if you don't think jay is the Goat you're opinion doesn't matter." Hate that gatekeeper bullshit.
Ich hör dem Jigga gern zu bei seinen Geschichten, Takeover und so: muss ich halt selbst kein Gangster sein. Leider aber find ich seinen Flo meistens nicht so relatable, Stimme auch nicht. In Lyrical Exercise, fast ganz am Ende hör ich noch am liebsten hin, aber da hab ich die Stimme schon langsam über. Typ hat natürlich brillant den Underground mit dem ganz großen Bling versöhnt und außerdem diese Platte am 11.9.2001 veröffentlicht, alles ganz geil, aber … heute bei mir nur bisschen meh.
Non penso di aver mai sentito JAY Z prima di questo album se non per sbaglio. Ero abbastanza prevenuto e in un certo senso non mi ha smentito completamente (testi misogini, solita roba sul crimine che paga, etc), però musicalmente mi ha sicuramente intrattenuto e a tratti sorpreso. Il fatto di dargli un taglio molto soul l'ho apprezzato sicuramente. Una cosa che ho notato è che JAY Z certe volte non ce sta proprio sopra, più di una volta ho avuto l'istinto di dire "vorrei spegnere la voce" perché stava disturbando la base e si incastrava male. Un'altra cosa da notare è che quando parte Eminem il livello è un altro, ma sarà perché so un maschio bianco della middle class. In ogni caso m'ha annoiato a tratti ma non l'ho odiato. Direi 2.
Jay-z non è stato male dai. Non so in quale ramo del rap/hip hop/pop ci troviamo, ma non mi h fatto totalmente schifo. Ero tentato di dare 3 perché questa volta i beats mi sono piaciuti particolarmente. Ma poi sono tornato coi piedi per terra. Comunque Renegade è figa dai! Pure Girls girls girls p.2 mi è rimasta un po' in testa (forse perché era l'ultima).
I mean I get its importance, it just doesn't speak to me. I'm not a fan of his flow, even if the lyrics tell good stories. The samples are clumsy and unsophisticated, even if it's Kanye.
Not my vibes at all. Sure, there might be some merit here, but I don't want to spend time trying to find it.
nothing stood out and the way he sang bothered me because it seemed off beat. they were fun to beat to but eh
I think I need to listen to this again. On first listen, I thought it was a bit dull. For aficionados, that must be a shocking statement! I enjoyed listening to Dangermouse, a mashup of Jay z and the Beatles.
I want to like rap more than I do, I can't get into the misogyny and frequent use of the N-word, but this has great production and I know more of these songs than I thought I did.
In my admittedly narrow mind this is the epitome of mindless big star prattle passing for cool. The same big star attitude that created punk rock in the 70’s when rock became stale.
Great production, but that's the best I can offer. I'm sure there's a decent album in there, just not a genre I'm overly familiar with. The Fame sample was nice.
Another album that seems to rely heavily on samples of well-known songs by other people. It has its moments (Izzo, for example), but I find Jay-Z’s voice monotonous by half way through. Missed this at the time and wouldn’t really miss it if I never heard it again.
Hiphop obviously isn't for me. I try, but idk how I’m supposed to like this without completely shutting my brain off. Hiphop comes off as so pretentious and egotistical; the majority of lyrics are like "yeah wassup, im da coolest guy my n*ggas, i fuck bitches and make da big bucks". So lame. And the lyrics are the only thing going for it since the music is basic too. I’ve already gone over it in my other album reviews so no need to re-hash it ig I didn’t hate every second of it, but still, blegh
I absolutely fucking despise everything I've ever heard by Jay-Z. I told myself when starting this list that if he came up I'd skip it without even thinking twice. Welp, I just couldn't and had to give it a listen and have to admit, it wasn't as bad as I expected. However, if there's one thing I learned from Jay-Z in this album, he wants to let us all know how much money he has. So, congrats Jay-Z. I still hate your fucking face and your annoying voice so consider 2 stars a compliment.
Wikipedia tells me this is considered one of the greatest hip-hop albums ever. God/dess help hip-hop if it is. Also, it more or less gave us Kanye West, which is another strike against it.
"Lyrics" 0/5. Music and style 4/5. Too bad he finds it so necessary to include such deplorable words in his rap. Overall 2/5.
I just can’t get very excited about this. I lost interest quickly both times I listened to this. This isn’t a genre I am predisposed to, and I didn’t hear anything that really stood out to me.
Went in one ear, quickly left the other. The only time it caught my attention was when I heard Eminem on a featuring... and the track didn't turn out to be that enjoyable after all. I don't understand the fuss about this record. Monotonous voice, debatable flow, overwhelming bragging rights, not much standing out in the bit department either. The result feels cheesy.
I found the Heart of the City and Blueprint trails to be excellent, the rest was like a long cruise a bit monotonous and waveless.
Don’t get it, mostly would rather have been listening to the songs he sampled. Less than the sum of the parts and does feel hasitly put together
I try to give music the benefit of the doubt, and remember it’s a product of its time. But I was alive in 2001 when this album came out, and some of this stuff was pretty objectionable even back then. In fact, that might have been the point… to challenge societal mores. That’s great and all, but “Girls Girls Girls” is pretty fucking racist and misogynist. Maybe this is my privilege speaking, but there’s a lot here that I find repellent, but probably was pretty common back then. (Maybe it even still is, I don’t listen to a lot of rap.) I guess I was right, though. I still have preconceptions, and I never liked this style of rap, and I’m not likely to start now. Anything I say after that is likely to come off as racist/classist, and I don’t want to give people the wrong idea, so I’ll stop there. That ship might have already sailed. Alas.
Solide wie ein Stapel Dachlatten - mal ist hier ein „biatch“-Astloch mal dort ein „Whoo!“-Harztropfen. Ansonsten sehr gleichförmig. Handwerkliche 1.1
The point where I tuned out of commercial hip-hop Don't like this production at all. Rapping is good. No thanks
The first discernable word on the album is "niggers" - it lost me at that point (about 20 seconds in). After that it's just spewing doggerel, not music, it seems to be political so why don't you just start a political party and run for office? 'Cos you definitely aren't a musician. I loathe rap. No stars.
Not my type of music.