Reviews (page 4 of 9)
Interesting
Izzo is a classic but the production is good and varied throughout. Lots of soul influence. Nice strings on Girls. I like Heart of the City and the slower tracks like Song Cry and Blueprint. Eminem steals the show a bit on Renegade.
A landmark album for hip hop that unfortunately has Girls Girls Girls on it… fucking twice as well!
Proper devil music, classic
First time listening to a JAY-Z album. I'm not surprised this was great, but I was stoked at how right off the bat the album comes in hot with bravado and great production. The samples bristle with energy, and this album reminds me of Kanye's Graduation in a great way. Definitely interested in exploring more of JAY-Z's discography
Surprisingly, for me, really du gtgis album. Some very soulful sounds and sampling.
Rap is not my genre, but I can appreciate that this is really good.
Always knew Jay-Z was highly regarded within the hip-hop scene, but I never really dug into why. This must be one of the reasons. Rock solid album all the way through. Even though it doesn't seem to contain any of Jay-Z's most successful hits, it still really good overall.
A really good album where the beats really stand out. Would be a five from me but I find JAY-Z's lines kind of lacking in some songs and one or two duds. Still a very solid album where there seldom is a dull moment. Favourite song is still "Heart Of The City".
It feels energetic and fresh 23 years on
Approx. 63 mins. How fun! Takeover's lyrics are brutal as hell. (8/10)
Some sick beats and music in this track, and I do like Jay Z's flow quite a bit. My favorite was probably Heart of the City or Renegade.
Classic Jay-Z album. Good beat. Lost of swearing and drug references
I really enjoyed it. I loved the "Five to One" samples from the Doors in Takeover. What a great era for Hip-Hop!
Great beats under some incredible rapping. Only criticism is the lyrical themes are somewhat limited. standout tracks: Song Cry, Renegade
A pretty solid album by one of the greats. I prefer other Jay-Z albums but there's no denying The Blueprint is a classic.
8.3
I've always had a lot of respect for Jay, and the best stuff on here is truly so damn good. Excellent production across the board, and his flow is iconic. My level of personal enjoyment is a mid-high 3.5 stars, but undoubtedly a 5-star album in terms of craft and significance. 3.5/5
I have never been a Jay Z fan and never really understood the hype. Listening to this album put into perspective why he was so big in the first place. I not into rap or hip hop but even I can see how valuable this album was. I'm sure his albums before this were even better.
4,5 ik vond dit echt lekker! zeker dat nummer met aminam
Smooth
Lovely soul samples, smooth rapping. Enjoyed it even though it's not my preferred style of music.
Aggressive from start to finish
Man sometimes I forget how much beef there used to be in the rap world. A great album by one of the all time greats, Jay Z comes in with a chip on his shoulder and delivers. This isn't 5 stars just because I feel that he surpasses this work in his later releases. Favorite track I ain't know love.
Exactly what I expected: a solid venture from JAY Z. I think there were strong samples on here with a few banger tracks as well as some of the best lyricism I have heard from a modern Hip-Hop album. Just overall very solid.
not my vibe, has two iconic songs, didn’t dig the rest, but most re listen.
Hits the sweet spot of good rap songs + sampling.
nice raps (I don’t know what to say)
Great lyrics, pretty bland music. The themes / presentation felt pretty tired to me (girls girls girls, so much coke you could run a slalom, etc), granted this album was from 2001. Listening through this I was just thinking about Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers. Who is presenting wealth and sex appeal to cover their trauma? Glad to have a chance to learn more about Jay Z and his prolific career.
I was Team Nas in this era but this album is still GOAT status.
Never listened to this whole album, solid Jay-Z. Some great bass on certain tracks. Cool trivia note that it was released on 9/11/2001 4 - Will definitely listen again
Dette slapper. Jeg må legge feministen i meg til side. Ganske klassisk hiphop, særlig fra den tiden, men det er nice
I love Jay Z. My favorite album is The Black album but I enjoy The Blueprint as well.
bars + flows could i write poetry to this: yes
I was torn between a 3 and a 4 for this one. Jay-Z has always been more of a "greatest hits" guy for me, but this album might as well be a greatest hits album. I also think the production, particularly the Kanye West and Just Blaze tracks, is a big part of this album's success.
Has a bunch of good songs, but drags a bit 3.5/5
Rich – and one isn't referring to the tunes that sound like finance meetings. It's slow to get going but the middle to back stretch -– from "Hola Hovito" to "Heart of the City" through "Song Cry" to "The Blueprint"– is very stong. Jay-Z isn't the best on the mic, stiff and slow seeming at times, nor has he the best voice but it's all quite relatable, perhaps because of the open ambition.
Brilliant album, loved it!
zacudujuce nice
I really enjoyed it. I don't think I had listened to this entire album previously and there are some definite hits on it. Although, I have never really liked H to the Izzo. It is a little long at just over an hour. The rapping is top notch and it is different sound from the west coast rap. I am not sure this Jay-Z's best album though as I think that belongs to The Black Album. I would listen to it again. It is better than a 4 but I will not round up.
man this album sounds so good. the production is top notch. jay-z is at the height of his game. this is one that has aged really well - it sounds of its era but you can tell how influential it was upon subsequent rappers and producers. good stuff!
Well I did enjoy this. Other than Renegade that was bad and annoying. I can see why Kanye aspired to work with Kay Z. Lots of similarities there. The same punchy samples
This was great
jay-z's the blueprint came out in 2001 but still sounds fresh. the beats, as the kids say, are sick. i found nothing repetitive, just lots of creativity. the samples used were purposeful, like on "song cry." the original song "sounds like a love song" provides a beautiful background for jay-z's version and allows jay-z to show a gentler side musically and explore his emotions. who says music isn't therapy? when i got to "renegade," i did not realize that eminem had such a distinct sound! i didn't know jay-z and eminem had a collaboration, but as soon as that song started, i instantly recognized it as such an eminem-esque song. titling an album the blueprint is quite a declaration, but incredibly well deserved, even by someone who isn't as well versed in hip hop.
Have embarrassingly not really ever listened to Jay-Z, so I was really excited this was the pick! Liked it more than I expected, especially some of the more R&B-ish tracks like Heart of the City and Never Change. Also a sucker for a good diss track so I thought Takeover was really fun and it sent me down a rabbit hole learning about the Jay-Z/Nas beef
Lol the ladies and gentlemen stuff builds so much hype. Girls girls girls didn’t age super duper well. The chicken line is so funny
O Beyonçó AMASSA
Great rap and beats. Kanye beats, Jay’s verses, can’t miss
An interesting listen, if only for how much hip-hop has changed in 25 years. Jay-Z flexing over imperial-era Just Blaze and pre-nazi Kanye - overlong but there's some fantastic stuff here.
The greatest standout here is Kanye West's production. This album and especially songs like Takeover and Izzo are finely crafted to perfection. The music is also great. Some fun instrumentals, beats, melodies, and samples. I'm not a huge fan of Jay-Z's voice despite the obvious talent on display. His casual presentation of some clever wordplay is cool and often funny but not really my style. I went in skeptical but the first several songs were winning me over. The latter half of the album isn't as consistent. Eminem and the song Renegade were solid but surrounded by stuff that never reached the earlier songs' heights. 4/5 for the music and strong opening songs.
Nice beats
I didn't like it in 2001, but it has grown on me. I guess that's the sign of a classic. But it's also showing its age when compared with more recent rap.
Of course we know JAY Z, but this album was such a pleasant surprise. The songs flow together so nicely, and 20 years later there is still a freshness to them. The beats are strong, the lyrics are meaningful, and it’s all together just a wonderful album that was great for driving and reminded me of Summer for some reason. I hadn’t heard “Renegade” in a long while either and I really had some nostalgia hearing that song.
Maybe I would take dinner with Jay-Z.
classic
1 - Don't think there's an artist that thanked me for my purchase before. For an intro track, it was pretty good. 2 - I liked this diss track. Actually laughed at the Bowie-esque Fame interludes. They did a good job with this. 3 - Eh, compared to the first two this is a lot more subdued. Not a fan. 4 - Starts off fine enough. Decent overall. I felt the mixing and background instrumentals worked well here with Jay-Z. 5 - Just ok. Didn't hit with me. 6 - Good beat, good lyrics. Enjoyed it though not of the weird electronic backing voice. 7 - Alright. I liked the funky sound to background. 8 - So far, probably my favorite of the album. Bombastic sound with great lyrics. 9 - This is another one I find that I like. I thought the last track led into this one pretty well. 10 - It's alright; definitely a shift from the tough persona he typically presents. 11 - I didn't really like this one for some reason. To me, it just feels.. off from the recent tracks and album? 12 - Subdued, dark backing mixed with good lyrics. This one grew on me after a time. 13 - Technically, there are hidden tracks with this one, but I'm only focusing on the first part. Good ending track though. Solid beat and lyrics to send us off. After taking some time to think on this, I don't think I can give it a five since there are a few misses to me. It's a solid 4 though and can see why this one is on the list.
My favorite album from Jay Z. It's dated, but still some of his best work.
This album released on Sept 11. Just like Ben Folds Rockin the Suburbs did. 2 of my fave albums. This album manged to make a big splash while the BF album seems to have been lost in the confusion of the time. My only issue with this album, and why i didnt 5 star it, was because it helped Kanye West become the wildly famous asshat he is, and set his ego loose on the world.
Er ég að hlusta á textana? Nei, í raun ekki. En fíla ég þessi soul-sömpl sem bera lögin uppi? Já, alveg í botn. Og finnst mér þetta þá fínt? Jújú, þetta er eiginlega ljómandi fínt.
Still don’t like him.. his music is good though
Take Over is hard Aint no love leuke sample
Great raps. Love the chipmunk soul beats. That Kanye West fella who made some of em seems pretty talented. Wonder what he’s up to these days Best song: Izzo (H.O.V.A)
War ganz okay für nen Hip Hop Album, mag ja Jay Z Stimme das passte schon ganz gut.
My first reaction to this listen was "Another Jay-Z album on this list, really?" While I still find Jay-Z to be overrated, mainly due to the excessive amount of time spent on diss tracks, I can't deny his lyrical flow. The man can turn a phrase. On "U Don't Know", the verse "I sell ice in the winter, I sell fire in Hell I am a hustler, baby, I'll sell water to a whale", just is pure brilliance. Excellent imagery. For now, I'll give this listen a 4 because I ended the album with a more appreciative perspective than what I started with. May re-review at a later date.
I remember H to the izz-O, V to the izz-A. Still a catchy song. Jigga is also banging. Heart of the City has some solid sampling. Didn't know who Kanye West was going to be at the time, so it's kind of cool to look back. Song Cry is nice too. Solid album for sure... there's some filler, as typical. But overall at least a 3.5
Great album, just couldn't get to 5. Listen to Big Brother by Kanye to see how much of an ass Jay was to Kanye during this time
Прикольно, в целом. Учитывая, что Cee Lo Green я поставил 4, а этот альбом лучше, чем у Cee Lo Green, то ниже 4 поставить не могу. Но я бы не сказал. что стал бы переслушивать. Рэп -- не моё.
Will always have a soft spot for the Old Kanye production
Surprised me by being much more enjoyable than I expected. Some of the usual boring rap misogyny, of course, but there's some really great tracks as well.
What can I say, I’m just a girl who loves this kind of music. A girl who doesn’t even know what to call this style of music. I Don’t know why, I know it’s not made for me, I am not the target audience. But hey, it takes all sorts. First half had me a-head bopping for sure. Second half was a bit darker but still enjoyable.
Een heel origineel album met heel veel samples. Onder andere the Jackson 5. Manier van muziek maken is altijd net wat anders bij Jay-Z. Redelijk uniek in stijl.
4.5
A surprise for me. Had heard Izzo before, but was pleasantly surprised by the rest of the album.
Solid album. Personally not the biggest fan of Jay Z but coming from 9/11/01, surprisingly good.
I liked this a whole lot better back than I thought I would
Every so often I pick out a line that is so clever and witty that I can't help smile, even if I'm not focusing on the lyrics themselves. I enjoyed the beats on most songs, with a few standing out enough to force me to stop to enjoy. I wish there was an album like this without the mature content (beyond what simply censoring expletives would accomplish), but I still enjoy the style and flow. Only other gripe would be album length, but that's an issue with my own attention span.
Overall I really enjoyed this album. The collaboration songs were my favorite. Didn't always understand what Jay Z was saying but the beats were good.
A great album and huge achievement in hip hop. Some of the best beats from the 2000s and Jay at the top of his game. Layered lyricism and verses that unfold more each listen, with some singalong hits throughout as well. Just a banger. Four and a half. Fave track: Never Change
Good intro to jz
Slow start mid album is when it got good
Didn’t know he roasted nas
7/10. Hell, maybe by the time I finish this list I'll think of myself as someone who likes hip hop
It’s good, I like Jay-Z. I just think it was a little unnecessary to include two full songs about how he likes girls. You compensating for something, bud? 8/10
Jay Z on top form here.
Really good JAY-Z Album. Hard to argue with. Very good hooks, very good early Timbaland productions, early Kanye productions, Just Blaze, you know! 2001 and the gang’s all there. I’m always gonna like JAY-Z, something about him is kind of endearing and I can’t put my finger on why, even with so much swagger and confidence and braggadocio. He seems like a good person to have at your party. I really like this. It’s good, but compared to the heights he’d reach on The Black Album, Blueprint 3, Watch the Throne upcoming… this is the entree. 4/5
Jay-Z reste mon artiste hip-hop préféré. Je pense que c’est parce que la musique reste au cœur du projet, plus que le personnage ou la posture. Beats et échantillons solides.
I liked this. It was my first time hearing this album, so it was interesting to hear early Jay Z. Not my favourite hip hop album, but still good stuff. 4/5
Es un gran disco de rap. No llega al nivel de los que más me gustan pero se me hacía poco darle un 3.
This came from the era of JAY Z I like. Smooth flow, fun beats.
Solid classy hip hop
Yeah I can tell how this is a classic. Maybe surprisingly but this is my first time listening to this in full and only my 2nd Jay z album. After finishing this I get the sense like Jay z didn't do that many rap verses despite being such a rap giant? The beats were cool, takeover and heart of the city especially. Some of the others were just alright. I didn't realise just how much Jay z is lyrically referenced in other rap projects. So many examples but I didn't know Joey badass's I couldn't see it in my eyes so I had to make the song cry came from this album. Overall super solid album but nothing life changing saldy. Kanye took his production credits from this album and blew it out the water on his debut a couple years later. Sorry jay Idk why this is getting such bad reviews on this site. Ik it's not the best rap album oat but it is very solid. Also it's gas that this came out on 9/11 2001
bro this slaps
Ihan jees letkee levy vaikka en jayziitä oo koskaan oikeen kuunnellu.
It’s hard for the production on a rap album to sound fresh after 5 years let alone 20, but Kanye and Just Blaze hit on something here that was inherently timeless. Match that with Jay-Z at the top of his game and still looking to prove something and it was a recipe for a classic rap album. I got the most joy and nostalgia from this one when I threw it on my car speakers; a flashback to the days of subwoofer bravado. Some of the lyrics haven’t aged that well, but overall this is still up there in the echelons of rap history.
Even tho i'm not a fan if rap music, i have a soft spot for jay z. Izzo is a contemporary classic. The other songs aren't bad either, maybe except the one featuring Eminem.
I’ve gotten this album before… what is going on
4.0
masterpiece
Fantastic album love the beats and JAY-Zs lyrics
bumpin
Better than I thought it would be.
I feel like Jay Z is from a generation that was still heavily influenced by the older guard but also slowly paved the way for more modern versions of rap which you can hear a lot here. Pretty cool album
Maybe a touch samey, maybe a touch too long, and maybe SC isn't the world's best on the mic (in terms of rhymes or flows [and maybe even he sounds outright awkward at times], but the confident bluster mostly works and a few of the songs – "Hola Holavita" and "Heart of the City" in particular – are wondrously addictive.
Actually a banger
Musically still top notch, but some of the lyrics haven’t held up so well
That was a blast!
Would have been a 5 for me in college
The production is impeccable and the hits really stick with you, but there’s only so much braggadocio one can take, and it’s certainly not an hour plus of streetwear brand promotion and spelling bee answers. Maybe my loyalties truly lie on the left coast.
Brilliant
H to the izz-o, v to the izz-a! Amazing. Super fun.
Pretty good.
Yeah it’s pretty good.I liked the general feel of the album.The songs all get different which I liked.I liked the beats.I didn’t like the Eminem feature the chorus was just really annoying.
Always quite enjoyed jay-z, think his beats and flow were more interesting than other popular rap of the time (and the collision course linkin park crossover definitely helped make him accessible to me as a teenager). The album was as expected, think he still holds up. Wish he would mix up the themes a bit mind, got the message that he thinks he's class after the first couple of tracks.
I have a lot of time for Jay-Z. The Blueprint 3 was really good, and I saw him perform it live at a festival in Scotland in 2010. His brand of commercial rap/hip-hop was huge when I was in Uni, him and Kanye West really were at the top of their game. Can't say I kept up with the genre to now though. I remember listening to some of his other albums, American Gangster and The Black Album but didn't manage to make my way back here. Quite liked the original Blueprint, it is rather bombastic. The lyrics manage to ring true despite him being incredibly rich when recording this, and even more so now. Love the sampling on Takeover and Heart of the City. Just an all round solid album.
really moves my hip brooooo
De dag dat de wereld voorgoed veranderde: dinsdag 11 september 2001. Dat komt natuurlijk niet door dit album. Tot vandaag heb ik deze nooit integraal geluisterd. Dit album is als een risotto. De eerste happen zijn goed en lekker maar daarna mis ik afwisseling. Kwalitatief is er niks mis mee (Jay-Z kan prima rappen, de beats, sample-keuze en productie zijn ook prima), maar ik verveel me een beetje bij dit album. Zeker aangezien het een album van een uur is. Ik had voor deze lijst 'The Black Album' uit 2003 gekozen, want daar heb je wat meer variatie, het is allemaal wat energieker en Jay-Z klinkt er een stuk gretiger wat ik vaak wel fijn vind bij rap. 3.6 afgerond naar een 4.
One of the best of jay's works, but not my favourite for hip hop. Still excellent though
"Whoo! I am back. I want to thank everybody out there for their purchase." // "just my thoughts, right or wrong." // "vibe with me ... just vibe with me." I wish I had Jay-Z level of confidence and bravado. On some level, don't we all? Isn't this one of the reasons to listen to him? Best Tracks: The Ruler's Back, Takeover — ouch that takedown of Nas, Izzo (H.O.V.A.), Jigga, U Don't Know, Hola Hovito, Heart of the City, Never Change, Renegade. Tracks that are still good, but a step down: All I Need, Blueprint (Momma Loves Me), Lyrical Exercise. Boring tracks: Song Cry. Tracks that have me shaking my head: Girls, Girls, Girls (both) — it seems like songs along these lines never age well. In conclusion, Jay-Z is a study in contrasts. Four Stars.
Took me back to 2000's Barnes. :-)
I've heard a lot about this album and it's been slightly hyped up for me. It's definitely pretty solid and the album is produced great and performed well too. It's very 2001 hip-hop which isn't at all a bad thing. It's one of my personal favourite eras of the genre. I don't really have any favourites here. The songs were all good but not amazing to me. Personal Enjoyment - 7.5 Songwriting - 7.5 Lyrics - 8 Originality - 7.5 Production Value - 10 Artwork - 10 Overall - 8.0
song cry really is that b word
The return of the sample... Soultastic sounds that will always be classics. However, the disses were boring then, and 22 years on lose one star.
Not really a fan of hip hop and I'll admit I've never sat down and listened to any Jay-Z stuff. Not bad actually. There's enough interesting musical arrangements in the background to keep me from skipping the songs. I don't normally pay loads of attention to lyrics, but I find it hard to not do so when they're essentially being spoken. Nothing groundbreaking here I'm afraid! Saved tracks: 'Girls, Girls, Girls', 'U Don't Know', 'Hola' Hovito', 'Lyrical Exercise'
Yes very catchy rap album. Jay Z sounds great.
Released on 9/11 and recorded in NYC, unfortunate but also funny. Great album enjoyed it even though i felt like I was missing some context of the happenings in Jay-Z's life around the creation of the album. 8/10
Damn fine rap album. Of course the lyrics are center stage with the arrangements taking a background position but the music and arrangements are not overbearing or overrly lacking in melodic elements. I liked it. 4 stars
4.5
Vette producties, lekker orkestraal en pompeus. Terechte klassieker, maar wel een beetje standaard rap-onderwerpen.
H to the Izzo! Got to love all the strings. Did you know this and "Is This It" by the Strokes both released on 9/11? Both NYC releases and I learned a lot of people listen to this on the anniversary as a light spot in the dark. Girls has weird racial stuff but other than that it's solid
Jay-Z is lyrically incredible no question. But austerity both in flow and emotional expression hold him back from reaching me in a meaningful way. Some choice lines are the later Cardi B-Insta paraphrased “what you eat don’t make me shit” and Nas diss “you made it a hot line, I made it a hot song” (even if the Nas song is beyond hot). Great beats to sink your ears into throughout.
(Album number 400!) Certainly in the better half of things to happen on September 11th 2001. A tad too bloated for a 5/5, though.
JAY-Z's got a great sound. It's super clean and professional and seemingly without any questionable choices; everything fits into his sound and it all makes sense. With that being said I actually very rarely listen to his music outside of the singles that pop up from time to time, so this was nice to sit down and go through one of his albums from start to finish. Overall I thought it was pretty good and the bigger songs "Izzo" "Renegade" "Heart of the City" all warrant a 4/5!
The rulers back- Album starts off with plenty of bravado and great production👍 Takeover- I don’t know enough about this beef to care Izzo- god the production on this track is so good👍 Girls, girls, girls- Funny misogny?? Jigga that N***a- Just another look how rich I am track U Don’t Know- This slaps, I love the play in the chorus👍 Hola Hovtio- Great lyrics in the verses here👍 Heart of the city- Another great chorus, few questionable lyrics for our modern standards but still solid overall👍 Never change- Feel we’re reiterating some previous tracks here Song cry- I wonder why someone would want to break up with him after some songs.. All I Need- this is fine, not that compelling to me Renegade- funny in a rap collab people have to debate who beat who.. they both delivered solid verses but I wish the chorus was a bit stronger👍 Momma loves me- This feels a bit emotionless and going through the motions for me, just monotone throughout Breathe Easy (Lyrical Exercise)- I like an extended metaphor, especially the statistical categories line, but other than that this song is just fine for me Girls girls girls pt 2- I like chorus, meh about other elements This album really grabs your attention throughout with such good production. Maybe a bit overlong but still a v solid album. 4/5
I was into it.
Probably the best record by JAY Z and also in my top 20 hip hop albums of all time.
thought it was much better than expected
I somehow like this stuff.
While rap isn't really my favourite genre in most cases, this wasn't too bad. I found myself paying more attention to the backing track more than JAY-Z himself though, but there were some good tracks here. Favourite: Izzo (H.O.V.A)
Some of the best beats of all time. Classic.
Compared to me Jay-Z is Lazy
I’d go a 3.8 here. Obviously this is a great album but i’ve just never gotten super into Jay Z. I don’t know what it is
Top 3 Songs: 1 - Izzo (3) 2 - Hola Hovito (7) 3 - Renegade (12)
A good and definitely important album, though not a fave of mine
No real articulation as to why this album is rated the way it is, but an attempt at it will be made. Jay-Z's association with being gangsta has a much different perception than Tupac or Biggie. The appeal of the latter artists was much more raw, telling stories that were relatable to people with shared experiences in their upbringings. Jay-Z, in a way does some of that, but there is a very different quality to this album that feels different. Perhaps years later, the gift of hindsight shows Jay-Z as more of a hustler making his way through the streets and into the penthouse. Where many in the rap industry tell stories based on the past, Jay-Z somehow manages a more progressive, forward-thinking feel to the production and lyrics. The feel is that Jay-Z is going somewhere, whereas the feel from his predecessors and even some contemporaries felt anchored in place by their respective experiences. Jay-Z has that sort of "Look at me now" vibe and his career validates that. So what is it about the album? Firstly, Jay-Z has some of the most clear and easy to listen to lyrics of anybody. Even with Eminem guesting on "Renegade", to hear both of them on the same album is going to draw comparisons and they both were just really amazing. Secondly, the musical composition of Jay-Z's songs are diverse and the music and/or samples that he and his production team (Kanye West) put together for this were very well executed. "Heart of the City" is a great example of this. Where a lot of rap artists tend to skimp is with melodies, and Jay-Z does well to incorporate more of that to go with the beats. Maybe that's where it feels forward and progressive?
While not destined to be the biggest news coming out of New York on September 11, 2001, The Blueprint is certainly the most enjoyable. It doesn't quite hold the same mythical status as his debut album, but The Blueprint is still a solid entry in Hov's oeuvre. Some party hits, some tough rhymes, and a truly exceptional feature from Eminem in his prime more than make up for a couple of weak tracks in the lineup.
Najbolji jay z
Jay Z verbally slaughters Nas and then gives you a rap album. A rap album that heavily foreshadows his role in inspiring Lemonade.
the five to one sample?? iconic
Great album!
Jay Z est un sacré artiste de rap music. Je voulais vous partager une frustration. Vous savez sans doute que je déménage assez régulièrement ces temps-ci et qu'un objet m'handicape beaucoup lorsque je dois transporter mes affaires : il s'agit du grimoire de Robert. Celui-ci pèse environ vingt-cinq kilogrammes et m'oblige à un effort surhumain pour faire avancer ma valise sous le regard plein de pitié des passants. J'ai donc réclamé à Robert qu'il sorte son grimoire en format poche et vous tiendrai au courant de sa réponse. Celle-ci s'annonce cinglante.
J'eu très peur en lançant cet album de rap des années 2000, au vu de la situation actuelle du générateur. Mais cet album de JayZ était des plus agréables, tel est pris qui croyait prendre.
Great album.
JAY Z no es mi tipo, pero con este álbum puedo ver definitivamente porqué gusta tanto, y porque es considerado un tipo referente.
Pretty good
Iconic album, but with a few good songs
Fantastic album.
Jay-Z has never been my favourite rapper and I don't think this album has aged particularly well but it's a perfect example of the exactly what hip-hop wanted to be at the start of the decade. Lyrically HOV is on the top of his game and he has a presence. This album is him declaring he's on top and I find it hard to argue against that. The beats are not particularly but they do suit the grand ambitions and the NYC identity of the album. Overall just a great listen. He's still not personally one of my favourite rappers as I don't find his music particularly exciting or suprising but he is incredibly dependable and I have to give him credit for that.
It’s very good, but I can’t heal feeling that the ideas at the foundation of so many of the lyrics (basically “I Am the Greatest”, with a healthy side portion of “and you all suck”) has an awfully shallow bottom. The excellence of the lyrical flow, as well as the beats and sampling, carry it through though.
flawless production, awesome flow and the doors sample in “the takeover” blew my mind. a great album and definitely a reflection of the time of its release, awesome suggestion of an album i probably wouldnt listen to on my own as i was never a huge jay z fan!
Jay-Z solid performance is carried by the outstanding production on this album. Boy are there some catchy hooks.
4/5
Enjoyed that. Cracking use of samples and lyrically excellent.
4.0
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.
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.
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
Loved it. First Jay-Z album I've listened to in full. Poor Nas
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"
I'm back in the saddle after so long. No surprise that a record I don't have a natural affinity for (white cynical dudes with delay) is waiting for me when I return. I'm such a dick. Anyway, here's 100% of my non-MTV/radio exposure to Jay Z: His collabs with Beyonce. But you know what's cool, the undeniable grooves in those collabs are here too. This is what I notice about Jay Z - his samples, arrangements, and instrumentation is all looser and less robotic than other hip hop. I like that. The bass on this record feels real. His raps are also chill, even when aggressive. 4/5, because 3.5 isn't possible. Jay Z benefits from my guilt for abandoning him [and this project] a few months ago.
Jay-Z's has always just been too cool. Strong 4.
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
It's still not my favorite genre, but this has its charms and merits.
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.
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.
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.
It feels as if this album was made recently, but it has stood the test of time. It represents a great era in HipHop.
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.
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.
Muy bueno
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 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
Good hip hop album
Another triumph by Kanye lol… great album, very start of the century, Jay Z really was the best rapper alive back then
Dutty riddims - Eminem popping up was tasty
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
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
Same feelings as The Marshall Mathers LP but better
Went in with low expectations but this is a corker. Uplifting, confident, great sound.
Not bad, a little dated at this point
I’m no hip hop aficionado but it’s a good album.
Fab
Really interesting.
Seminal hip hop. HOV delivers word play and diss tracks in his signature drop rhythm speech .
love the classic sound, good production and some classic songs on this one
I like it, feel like a lot of newer stuff references it. Lots of samples too
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.
solid. bit dated, but a 4 all day.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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👌
// Favs: Girls, Girls, Girls / U Don't Know / Heart Of The City / Song Cry / All I Need / Renegade Score: Strong 4
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’
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.
Glorious and victorious. Every track on side A plays like the intro to a title fight. Insightful and rightful. Every track on side B plays like a kid walking to school by himself.
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
First time that I have listened to this album, and I quite liked the sound of it.
Cool album. Some tracks lack in production/mixing, in my opinion.
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.
So. Good.
Fan riktigt bra asså
Really enjoyed the fun beats and the swagger
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.
- intro super cool - pleasantly surprised since I don't listen to Jay Z - overall, I enjoyed listening while working
Bangers! Bästa låtar: Izzo Girls, Girls, Girls Song Cry All I Need
Good. Never listened to the album before. H to the issa
It was good many classic songs
Clearly really influential for a lot of artists, like Kanye.
I enjoyed some of the songs, but not really my thing.
Steht für sich
Just amazing. I get kind of tired of rap bravado and self aggrandizing tho.
Girls girls girls
Nice album, arrogant dude 😁 7/10
Classic Jay Z
Bababooey
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.
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.
it has a reakky good vibe
Love a bit of Jay-Z
Juicy production! Some classics in here, but not my favourite J album.
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.
Amazing how many of these songs I remember lyrics to. I just spit this shit one take - these are my thoughts.
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.
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
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.
Beats
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.
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.
all I hear is 70s samples. catchee. good - better - good.
Deece
Pleasantly surprised quite enjoyed. Nice beats and tunes
oldy but goldy
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.
he's a legend and this album is legendary.
Surprisingly enjoyable, didn't think I'd like but big into Izzo and Girls (x3). Nice use of samples.
Very good rap album, lots of references in this album either to or from other rap works I've heard before
Good shit
The man emanates class. Lyrics are awesome, production quality supreme and guest names/ collabs add weight to this album.
Great album, again was unfamiliar with Jay-Z's albums but will definitely get this one
A great rap album, with many noteable hits including izzo, Girls, Girls, Girls. Would listen to again.
Varför har jag inte lyssnat förrens nu ?
Fedt album med gode flows og tekster.
I prefer The Black album, but still an outstanding piece of work
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.
fantastic with a few duds
Interesting samples and great flow. Very good album.
Better than I expected
Kanye’s beat is the strongest factor.
Solid album. I prefer The Black Album from him more... I did forget how good The Blueprint was though. It just has a great flow to it. Great album to drive around and listen to.
Jay Z is not a particularly interesting or skilled rapper, but he sure knows how to make a hit song (and a lot of money).
The Blueprint is far from the best hip hop album around but i still think it holds it's own better than i thought i would have. Jay-Z is definitely a really talented rapper and this album shows it off pretty decently but still has a lot of little things that hold it back. The lyrics are definitely not the greatest in a fair bit of the songs with constant uses of the typical hip-hop buzzwords like the n-word and all the sex terms. The production was a bit lacking in the first half but when Hola' Hovito came on, it got a pretty decent step up. I was initially gonna give this album a 2 but as i kept hearing more and more good tracks, i felt that i could bump it up a star. Best Song: Heart Of The City (Ain't No Love) Worst Song: Girls, Girls, Girls
Great record, but I'm a little Jay-z-ed out
Bien para no ser un estilo que me guste
I know that the deep seated patriarchy of rap means that the majority of rap is talking about how great you are, how successful you are, how much money you have and/or how much better you are than other men doing the same thing as you. But Jay-Z takes this to a whole new level of chest puffing and strutting. Almost every track mentioned one of the following: How Jay-Z has made it his own way, how Jay-Z has a higher creative output than other rappers or how Jay-Z has made more money than other rappers. He is absolutely his own hype man. Which I realise is part of the culture, but does it have to be everything? It all just feels a bit hollow. (2.750)
i liked the instrumentation and production, but i'm just not very impressed by jay z as a person or a rapper.
još jedno dosta ugodno iznenađenje što se repa tiče... premda mi tekstovi i samo repanje nije baš neš, svaka pjesma, kao što sam nekako i za kanyea rekao, jako dobro zvuči, stoga će dobiti trojku
3.5, нормально, слушать приятно, хоть и не фанат подобного
a good album. Never was a huge east coast rap guy and only know Hov from his older stuff when he went commercial and from being more of a mogul than musician. Only really knew Izzo and Heart of the City going into this but the rest of it was pretty solid. Liked Takeover and Song Cry the most.
It was good. Just not for me.
It was fine. No real hits on there. Bit of a pointless inclusion
unexpected banger - someone who usually doesn't like hiphop / rap music
I’ve never been super into the East Coast stuff, but there are some good tracks here. The best ones were produced by Kanye
the last two hidden tracks imo suck so I'm ignoring them as a preface. this album is frustrating. At times it is so so amazing and awesome and then there is like a song or two that feels out of place or just not in flow with rest of album. The secret guest star near the end was very welcomed. I think a 3 is fair 9/11 happened after this album dropped btw
Not bad. 3/5
I think you had to be around when this came out to really appreciate it. It was so fresh and clean cut compared to the type of rap being put out at the time. If you try to compare it to what's happen to since, yeah it won't stack up, but it influenced a ton since it was release. But, I'll cop to it not aging super well; doubly so because Jay-Z has been on the periphery of some pretty shady shit.
Historically not into rap music but my girlfriend will kill me if I give this anything less than 3 (best I can do)
JAY Z can write a tune. Loses points for homophobia and megalomania.
I never listened to much Jay-Z but man the Kanye sound in this makes me wonder how much of Kanye's sound he made and how much he learned. Not a masterpiece but has its moments.
A lot of catchy songs. Jay-Z is good at what he does. Lyrically it doesn't stand the test of time, but what he does with his flow is well done. Jay-Z has his bars that can stick in your head, but it's the beats that really shine. There are a couple weak tracks. This was a very influential album at a time and place.
Smooth and cool and fun in a vacuum, but probably hits a lot better for people with knowledge of the genre and its history. The soul sample-based beats are great, and it took a bit for Jay Z's rapping to connect for me, but like with a few of these it just needed to marinate overnight and for me to give the tracks another listen out of order. Lyrical highlight was probably song cry. Standouts: takeover, girls girls girls, song cry and renegade
Immaculate production, but this kind of braggadocio is really off putting to me.
I wrote a really long review of this that was all thoughtful and balanced and shit, but then accidentally lost it. So: I can tell it is technically very good, and I like a lot of the sampling, but it's not really for me. 3/5
[05.26.2026] 06.07.2026
для любителей рэпа.
Fine, but nothing groundbreaking
This was ok, not really my kind of rap album
It was a nice album; I can see why it became such a hit.
One thing I've learned from doing this challenge is that rap albums struggle to avoid sounding dated more so than other genres. I predict when I read the reviews for this one that it will get knocked down pegs for a few reasons: 1) Jay-Z is perceived differently in the 2020s than he was in the 90s. He's no longer a kid from Brooklyn who made it. He's one of the biggest, richest celebrities in the world. Hearing him rap about how he made it from the streets to the penthouse is just kind of dumb in retrospect. Not his or the album's fault necessarily, just how it goes sometimes. 2) As a result of #1, not only are people tired of hearing richie's rap about being rich, we don't need any more Jay-Z. Not that his style was unique in the 90s but it's definitely overdone now. What was somewhat interesting about Jay-Z was his retro samples into beat loops. Again, now just a byproduct of it's time. 3) Rappers focus a lot on pop culture. Deuce Bigalow would have been a mainstream reference in the 90s but now, even though it might come across as obscure, it's just cringey. Speaking of cringe, slang like "fo shizzle" is so locked in time it's not even funny. 4) Modern day rappers aren't immune to this either but some of the lyrics are downright offensive. Back when misogenism was cool, rappers like Jay Z reigned supreme. Nowadays it's like "Dude I bet Beyonce owns you, stop acting like you're a pimp." All that said, it's impossible to ignore the impact this album has had. Tons of hits, propelled Jay-Z to the mainstream (arguably "Hard Knock Life" had more of an impact but that's one song versus an entire album), and along with Kayne, made Motown samples the go-to hooks for rap for a long time. Like many of the rap albums on this site, if you consider it solely as a product of its time, it's not bad, but we are here for the best albums of ALL time and this one is not likely to make the final cut.
It’s fun I’m sorry but it’s fun ok what do you want from me
The blueprint to a decent album, without the nostalgia of listening to it in my youth I cant rate it too highly.
Bordering on 4 but looping back to the annoying Girls Girls Girls killed it for me
Better than I was expecting. The production is so good but I’m not the biggest fan of Jay Z as a rapper. Some parts feel dated, especially Renegade. High 3.
A bit of a hard listen, just too long and didn’t really enjoy his flow. also tough that this album came out on 9/11. 3/5
sounds good and jazz comes at hola hovito
It's crazy that Jay Z sounds old school now, but I guess that's the world we live in. There's so many goofy, corny instrumentals and backup vocals. Izzo in particular just oozes cheesy 90s pop rap. Still, it's very well done for what it is. Unironically the Eminem song might be my favorite song, especially for the change-up in the lyrics.
"Production handled primarily by Kanye West, Just Blaze, and Bink, as well as Timbaland, Trackmasters, and Eminem," Yeah, I can tell. I thought actively that this sounded like everyone worked to give this guy a great album and Jay-Z isn't good enough for it. Phenomenal production, but Jay Z adds very little to it. Also peep that release date..."Yeah Jay this album is gonna blow up"
Oh man Jigga. haha
Yeah, it’s good. It’s confident. I don’t know how to define rap or even say why an artist is good or not. Here’s a Pitchfork review that seems to get it. https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/4216-the-blueprint/
Fine. I’ve enjoyed some of his big singles but for some reason this album did not grab me.