1001 Albums Generator
The Blueprint by JAY Z

The Blueprint

JAY Z

2001
3.18
Rating
24496
Votes
1
10%
2
18%
3
31%
4
28%
5
13%
Distribution
Genres: Hip-Hop Styles: Hardcore Hip-Hop

Reviews (page 6 of 10)

Not a huge fan of jay z but I like the vibe and production on this one.

Disclosure: I own a copy of this album, and love it.

Very good, fantastic production, some lyrics haven't aged great, but very enjoyable and mostly great songs

not a fan of Jay Z

Well shit. This album has so much recognizable beats and lyrics it's hard for me to not give it 5/5. It's a production masterpiece, but not overproduced. Jay-Z still shows his lyrical talent through the melodies. Somewhere near this album lays the future (2000s and 2010s) of American hiphop and all the other stuff that balances between pop and hiphop that comes out today.

i very much enjoyed the sound of this album, a mix of hip-hop with soul-like features, which blended nicely. i also appreciated the - if somewhat facetious - lyricism of jay-z, and i am often in awe of rappers for crafting such long, intricate verses. to be honest, i rated this album a three due to its length. after about 40 minutes i was getting bored of the sound, and each song sounded like the last. if this was a half hour album, it would have kept my attention better.

I have very fond memories of this album and it still, for the most part, holds up.

Legendary

B- The Ruler's Back 3 Takeover 4 Izzo (H.O.V.A.) 3 Girls, Girls, Girls 3 Jigga That Nigga 3 U Don't Know 3 Hola' Hovito 3 Heart Of The City (Ain't No Love) 3 Never Change 5 Song Cry 3 All I Need 3 Renegade 3 Blue Print (Momma Loves Me) 3 Breathe Easy (Lyrical Exercise) 3 Girls, Girls, Girls (Part 2) 4 I used to love this album, but it's hard to take Jay Z seriosuly after performing at a Hillary Clinton campaign event.

Jay Zzzzz ..... How appropriate!

Could never get that excited for this guy, his style is a little dull.

Fine, if somewhat cliched

To start with, I was keen to listen to some good hip hop, then I started to find I was bored by the middle of each track, and by the end it was like being stuck on a long coach journey crammed in a seat next to a mildly bigoted old codger who just would, not, shut, up. Going on and on and on about sexual conquests and how he was morally sound, but broke the law all the time, and how he was down with streets and trying to do God's work and how he respect bitches and his much money he's got (yet somehow is still riding this fictional coach). I need earplugs and a facemask, not headphones, yawn.

"It's ya boy, Jay-Z! Woo!" Okay, it doesn't happen on every track, but sure feels like there's a meme soundboard with all the Jigga vocal flows on it. I liked the samplings, you can tell Kayne West's beginnings. Plenty of good beats and flows. Renegade is solid. Glad I listened, doubt I'll revisit.

Overhyped Jigga Very unReasonable. Doubt he's good as Nas. I recall friends seriously wanking to this album. While I dig the soulful tunes, Jay's braggadocio is grating. His first album was definitely his best. After that, he needed to take some advice from Chuck D: Don't Believe the Hype.

Too much no impact stuff going on. All the best moments are barely there - if the production goes from being A Lot to doing something cool, boring flow comes over it right away. Jay Z's obviously very skilled but somehow sounds clumsy & forced most of the time. Has always seemed very unlikeable as a dude. music: hated. (⌐■_■)

Always kind of wondered why this was the hip hop guy who got offered whatever weird Faustian bargain the American State was offering hip hop guys a couple decades ago. Listening to this—an album from when he was ostensibly cool, pre-bargain—illuminates it. Even when the subject matter has some edge, it’s not convincing at all. This guy sounds like he was grown in a lab! They never would have tried to get Nas to a state where he would be willing show up and say “Ya know, I think octogenarian Democrats are Pretty Fly!”

I recognize there is talent in Rap…but it’s not for me. I dug Sugar Hill Gang’s “Rappers Delight” way back when it was a new sound but then what followed for rap just sounded the same, repetitive.

Not a fan of his voice. Not a fan of his face. Not a fan of his lyrics. Not a fan of his lifestyle. Not a fan of his wife. Music isn’t too bad.

Honestly really good with some hip hop classics here, I always forget how good takeover is because ether was just perfect but an amazing top tier diss track right there

Prime time hov. Takeover alone is worth the whole album

Genius on display! Really didn’t expect to enjoy this so much, but the beats and flow were absolutely top tier and back up the titanic reputation Hov carries to this day.

Hard as fuck. Didn’t know he beefed with nas

Not really my thing. I'm glad I didn't pick the edited version that would've been equipment to stripping the vocals.

Jigga will never be my favourite rapper, but it's hard to argue with the pop brilliance of the first half of this album. Early soul Kanye production, a sense of fun, and Jay laying into Nas.

I've tried and tried but I just can't seem to get Jay-Z music. I'll admit hip-hop is not one of my favorite genres but I like certain artists. Just don't get this.

Hip Hop generally doesn’t get me excited or keep me interested. This record doesn’t break that expectation.

Hova and Takeover are still pretty good. Some of the album cuts were better then i expected. The other singles seemed really dated. I guess if you have more nostalgia for this album then I do. Fine but not great.

I was bored listening to this and it seemed, to me, like Jay Z was bored making it. There's a few songs he seems to have fun on, Girls, Girls Girls, and Takeover stand out as songs with some fun at least, but overall, this is not my style of music, and not something I'll ever listen to again.

p880. 2001. 1 star (C)rap. Usual tedious, macho, misogynistic, foul mouthed nonsense. Bonus point for the production values and the obvious theft from Issac Hayes on the opener. Sample "lyrics": "Nigga's kidnap your babies/Spit on your lady/We bring knife to a fistfight/Kill your drama/We kill you motherfucking ants with a sledgehammer".

V good stuff

So as I’ve said before, I’m a big rock guy – and my exposure to rap and hip-hop has been extremely limited… I typically know the more popular tracks from a couple of artists, but that’s about it – so the 1,001 has forced me to listen to a number of rap and/or hip-hop albums so far, as I’m about 150 or so in right now… So far, I’ve had some NWA, Public Enemy, Run-DMC, Queen Latifah, Outcast – and a few others – but hands down, Jay-Z is the best rapper in my opinion, and this album was absolutely fabulous… - Love his style, and how clever and witty his rhyming is… I almost added “writing” as well, but from what I’ve read – it sounds like much of what he creates is spontaneous – which makes it even more amazing… - His songs are genuine, and far-less focused on “thug life’ as opposed to like “Doggystyle” by Snoop Dogg – and the lyrics are more about his rise and work ethic – which sends a much more inspirational message… - I found the musical tracks backing his raps, to be among the best quality when compared the 15 or so other rap albums that I’ve listened to so far… The vibe I get, is that either Jay-Z is way more detailed oriented than most of the rappers I’ve listened to, or most of the others either don’t really care all that much for the music, and or aren’t that detail-oriented (i.e. making sure that every aspect of the album is top-shelf) – or both… - Best tracks IMO were – “Takeover” – Loved the backdrop of The Doors track on this one, and exceptionally well done… “Izzo (HOVA) – Really enjoyed this, as well as the story behind how the HOVA name came to be – do yourself a favor and Google it… Great track… “Blueprint” – This one is really well done as well, and a great way to close the album… The rest of the tracks are incredibly solid – and there is great diversity throughout the album, although the weakest tracks were the 2 “Girls, Girls, Girls” tracks (i.e. certainly catchy, but not nearly as good as the other material on this album…) – and surprisingly, the Eminem track “Renegade”, was not nearly as good as I thought it would be… Fells like this should be a 5 – and I don’t give many of those (i.e. maybe 10% of the 150 or so albums I’ve listened to so far…), so that’s what I’ll give it…

Not bad. Some great songs.

It's not my taste

Jay is pretty unlikeable character, but dude can rap. And the production is excellent.

this was released on 9/11 lol

Terrible. One of the few albums I couldn't stand to finish. Take generic simple beats, samples from better music, and drone talking about how much of a badass nigga you are and you have JAY Z.

Hip-Hop - not touching this one with a 10-feet pole. 1/5

I'm not a huge fan of this album, though it's marginally better than music from JAY Z's contemporaries (Eminem comes to mind). Most of the tracks had really good, lo-fi-ish backings, often with the electric guitar(!) standing out the most. Unusual for rap/hip-hop from this era – at least, in my experience – and it's a welcome breath of fresh air. We get a bit of disco and soul in places, too, in the form of horns, backing vocalists, and retro-style synths. The main issue I have here is JAY Z's vocals – in terms of intonation, melody, emotion, and lyrics. All of them are heavily flawed in some way, and detract from what could easily be a 4- or 5-star album if it had some convincing singing instead of the relative disappointment we have here. Firstly, JAY Z doesn't do much to stand out from the crowd, vocals-wise. He sounds nearly identical to other, more anonymous rappers from the 00s, with a flat, disinterested tone and lyrics that primarily speak towards rebellion, going against those in power, standing up for yourself. And yet, ironically, this is the kind of music that sold millions in the 90s and 00s, meaning JAY Z was very much conforming to the norm. We also get some truly awful lyrics in the form of Girls, Girls, Girls (and its reprise). Appropriation over... and over... and over. "Now that's Spanish chick, French chick, Indian and black / That's fried chicken, curry chicken, damn I'm gettin' fat." (Oof.) And yes, I'm aware that this theme is common to a vast array of songs, and has been for decades. Yet, California Girls (by the Beach Boys) is still one of my favourite songs, because it makes up for it with fun summery charm, decent singing, and a great melody and chord progression. Girls, Girls, Girls fails to do this, and we see JAY Z's lyrics for what they really are: a mild dumpster fire. Most of the lyrics throughout the album are misogynistic, narcissistic, prejudiced, or some combination of those. And the vocals are delivered so flatly and without any kind of melody or style that it makes the lyrical content impossible to ignore. Not quite a 3. Do better, Z. 2/5 Key tracks: Renegade, Hola' Hovito, Song Cry

3.5/5. Pretty good. Nothing ground breaking, though.

Classic Girls girls girls is not great Beats are cool

3.87 rym ho letto "chipmunk" e già vorrei ammazzarmi cristo che ridere è uscito l'11 settembre 2001 non mi piace

Easy classic

Ok, Rap isn't my cup of tea, but I can recognize good stuff. I never understood the success of JAY Z. His rap is abysmally bad, there is no connection between the rhythm of words and music. It isn't very pleasant. But it fits his self-centered lyrics. He's the best and anybody else is sh*t. Then there's Renegade with Eminem. It's such a contrast between JAY Z's performance and Eminem's.

I'm not a huge fan of Jay-Z's style, but musically this is pretty tight. Enjoyed his use of samples. And bonus points for a song featuring Eminem that I actually enjoyed, even if it seemed a bit out of sorts from the rest of the album. Fave Songs: Heart of the City (Ain't No Love), Takeover, Never Change, Renegade, Izzo (H.O.V.A.)

Fantastic album and one of my favourite hip-hop records of all time. Some of the complaints on here seem to be that it's mostly bravado but let's face it, that's what a lot of rap songs are, and is there anyone better at it than Jay-Z? Pretty much all these tracks are good, fun beats and plenty of hooks. Renegade is probably my highlight particularly for Eminem's verse, but the album is consistently great

The 90s Hip Hop selections have so far been excellent, showcasing the records that influenced the genre at the time and are still generally good to listen to today. Likewise, The Blueprint has held up well and is a reminder that Jay-Z was pretty ubiquitous at the time, collaborated with all the big names in a way that elevated both his work and their involvement. This one does strike me as a little 'safer' than some of the others though, less of an edge to it and perhaps a little overproduced at times. It's nice not to be cringing at the lyrics but it's also a shame they don't ever really hit deeper or challenge the listener too much.

Phenomenal album, one of Jay’s best albums and a well deserved spot on this list.

Pretty great

I love hip-hop, but I don't often fuck with Jay-Z. I know he's Good At Rap, but I just never listen to his stuff. But when I do, I listen to this joint. The Black Album too, I guess. That I.Z.Z.O. (H.O.V.A) track is fire. And late in the record we get an appearance from the force of nature known as young Eminem. It's all Good Rap. That I never really listen to.

Technically a great album but me and a middle-aged white guy from Canada I couldn't connect with a lot of the content

Surprisingly good

Jay-Z (and Kanye) are complete dweebs in 2024, so it's fun to time travel to a moment in history where they both made great music and didn't seem like totally unlikeable human beings

Great album to listen traveling the city. Neat music, ok lyrics, great armosphere

I don't think hip hop is for me.

two thumbs up

it really wasn’t as bad as i thought because i do like hiphop. i just really don’t prefer jay z especially as a person. i know he has a legacy but the songs weren’t bad. i may not really return though.

This had some tracks that were very catchy. The female backing vocals totally carried whenever present. Stand-out: Heart Of The City (Ain't No Love)

Great beats but I cant stand Jay-Z's voice and flow. He's not awful, just not for me.

goated album 5/5

No. 193/1001 The Ruler's Back 5/5 Takeover 3/5 Izzo 4/5 Girls, Girls, Girls 4/5 Jigga That N**** 3/5 U Don't Know 5/5 Hola' Hovito 4/5 Heart Of The City 5/5 Never Change 4/5 Song Cry 3/5 All I Need 4/5 Renegade 3/5 Blueprint 3/5 Lyrical Exercise 3/5 Girls, Girls, Girls (Part 2) 4/5 Average: 3,8 Really good album, although my personal favorite from him is Reasonable Doubt.

Nothing on The Blueprint feels genuine. It’s just an hour of Jay Z talking about how gangster he is and how great he is. It’s not a good look. This isn’t someone you’d want to hang around with. Musically I enjoy the end of the album more then Side A. Enimem has the best version on the album (Jay Z isn’t the best rapper, despite his claims). There is a bit more soul in the closing few tracks 5.7/10

y’all manage to find things to say about rap (bad *and* good) which make my eyes bleed

Good mixes, good beats, good god let's eat! The most unfortunate part of this album is the release date. Is it a bit dated? Sure, but I can forgive it. Jay-Z proved (on more than just this album) he had the chops to be at the top. Only thing now is how strange it is to hear him rapping about the shadiness of the music industry and those within it, given all the recent headlines.

One of the game's greatest success stories—and improvisational talents—lays out the schematics to moving on up, but not everyone's built to bust the ceiling.

Wish I could give zero stars.

Jay Z passed me by apart from the obvious but this is a top rank hip hop album. Great use of sounds and rhythm and a really solid piece of work.

Can't say this blew me away. Enjoyed Eminem's cameo

Ok sound. Liked some of the sampling

Great beats, but his lyrics never really appealed to me.

‘The Blueprint’ is OK. Not great, just OK. Apparently in 2018 “it was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the United States National Recording Registry for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant,” being the first entry created in the 21st century.” I must be missing something, cos I’m not hearing it.

Uh Uh Uh... Easy listen... Uh Uh Uh Fave songs 'Izzo (HOVA)', 'Girls, Girls, Girls', 'All I Need' 4/5

Quite grating, featuring very little of what you might call songs and full to the brim of beats that go stale while a man goes on and on about nothing.

Maan i dont know I'm only gonna give it a strong 3. I love the man, but 2000s rap is just cheap sounding for me. The beats and flow are fire but it just has that specific 2000s sound that I really dislike

Sooo brilliant ist das nun nicht. Beinahe 2.

One of the few albums I remember getting released on 9/11, its alongside Ben Folds "Rockin the Suburbs" and They Might Be Giants "Mink Car" with the latter being one of two acts of terror put upon the American public that particular day... This was alright Jay Z, but it would get exponentially better when he would perform the best bits of it on MTV Unplugged...

You know, I wasn't looking forward to listening to this at all. Well, maybe a little, just to see what the famous JAY Z sounded like. I will say, I liked this better than the other bragging, crime glorifying, n-word saying rap albums I've heard on this list. I guess he's just better at putting together backing music for his mf-laden songs. It also prompted me to look up the original version of Ain't No Love in the Heart of the City. After hearing JAY Z's, I was pretty sure there must have been one earlier than the Whitesnake version I was familiar with. Look up Bobby "Blue" Bland's original - it's great. Still, he calls himself JAY-hova and wants everyone to know he's runnin' this rap shit. Sure thing 👌

Another one of the black ones. Es increible que tots parlen de tiros, crimen, estar en la trena, pasar costo i dir soc el puto amo mira que pinga. Ta bien entenc, lo de que eixira el disco el 11-S es de locos. Disho esto, ta bien pa pumpearte. 4/5

Hall of Fame rap album.

New York State of Mind

The samples are nice and well implemented. Overall didn't like it as much as I did first time around. Kind of starts sounding the same after an hour.

4/5 - he used to be great/new and this was the beginning

Spacca, mi piace moltoo. Unica pecca canzoni un po’ troppe lunghe per la mia attenzione uguale a quella di un pesce rosso

avevo aspettative altissime per questo album, essendo Jay-Z, e mi è piaciuto, ma non so perchè, non tanto quanto avrei voluto. è comunque una mina atomica e Renegade spacca.

Un grande classico, ora vado ad ascoltarmi un album di Beyoncé per capire tra marito e moglie chi è meglio

Bravo Jay-Z, hai fatto bene il tuo lavoro.

Ci sta, ci sta

Almost unlistenable. Renegade was a high point but really not that high

Thoughts before listening: I love Jay-Z. At one point he was one of few rappers who I was actually buying albums from along with the Beastie Boys, Eminem, Wu Tang Clan, and a few others. I'm not sure if I owned the Blueprint, but I definitely know it cause it has a lot of great songs. Glad to listen to this today. Review: Some will say this is pop rap (it is), but its also really good. There are so many hits that were absolute staples of the early 00s, even for someone like me that wasn't actively paying attention to popular music at the time. Its hard to deny how good songs like "Takeover", "Izzo", "Girls, Girls, Girls", "Heart of the City", "Song Cry", and really just the whole album. I'm giving this 5-stars.

Okej ja fattar nu

Turns out all the songs Kanye produced on here are bangers. I hate how much of an appreciation I’m developing for him. Takeover is an absolute monster of a track. That being said…I can’t help but find Jay-Z a bit silly and hard to take in large doses. Still a fun record but far from perfect.

Now I get Jay Z

Not a rap fan

Jay-Z is certainly one of the best in the game, but the production outweighs the flow on this one for me. Production is top-notch but bars feel same-samey. There's not a lot of content to be had here, but still some bangers to be had. Not the best Jay-Z album but still pretty solid. Standout Tracks: Izzo (H.O.V.A.), Heart of the City (Ain't No Love), Renegade

I actually prefer the “MTV Unplugged” renditions of these songs with the “Most Incredible Roots Band” backing up HOV. But this is the album that spawned those classics. Just peak Kanye as a producer and Jigga flexing … until Nas fired back with one of the greatest diss tracks ever.

I get it you are really good but I didn't need you to tell me that in every single song. A little bit of variety would have been appreciated. It was good but some variety would have made it better.

This is a solid Jay-Z album. All the guest stars are fun, loved Eminem making an appearance. He is pronouncing himself king, and he wasn’t wrong. Crazy that it came out on 9/11.

Oh the nerve, Hova! Dissin' Nas on "Takeover", supposedly because he only released *one* "hot" album during the first ten years of his career, does take some guts, you know. Especially since said "hot" album is none other than *Illmatic*, and that the latter is on average ten times more relevant and mind-blowing (both lyrically and musically) than anything Jay-Z ever released himself (and yes, INCLUDING *The Blueprint*). Hova's commercial success be damned, I might even venture to add... Jay-Z being "attacked" first by Nas (as far as I know) does bring mitigating circumstances that may explain why Mr. Carter had no choice but to retaliate... But still, man... Surely there were less ridiculous, and less "bad-faith" ways to phrase said retaliation. Apart from that, *The Blueprint* still comes off as an excellent rap album more than 20 years later, all neat and glossy and enticing--thanks to its production values filled with marvelous soul samples (including ones crafted by a young up-and-coming wolf named Kanye), and also thanks to how self-assured and obviously talented Jay-Z comes off as a rapper. Amazing how every moment shines in this LP, from the effective lush samples of an old Jackson 5 hit to a few more "hardcore" moments here and there. There are still some cringeworthy lines that didn't age too well in this record (in "Girls, Girls, Girls" for instance). But *The Blueprint* is still an album that can be listened to from front to back without ever needing to skip any track. In the landfill that was commercial hip hop starting from the early naughts up to the mid 2010s (generally speaking), that's gotta count for something. 3.5/5 for the purposes of this list, rounded up to 4 8.5/10 for more general purposes (5+3.5). Number of albums left to review: 218 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 340 (including this one--even if, by my current count, this album almost missed its slot here. Which is certainly not the case with *Illmatic*, ha ha!) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 199 Albums from the list I won't include in mine: 251

You ever see someone who you know didn't just sell out but concentrated so hard on selling out they turned it into their career? He has real talent and isn't using it. Good for him on getting that bag though

Probably holds its place in being influential, but just not really for me. Too long.

Not generally a fan if Jay-Z but this was banging

A joyful, cohesive offering from one of the best rappers to do it. Pretty damn good.

As everyone knows, rap/hip hop is not my favorite genre, but I did like this more than I expected too. I think the song featuring Eminem was my favorite.

The beats on here are really phenomenal, and the larger than life song match up the Jay Z’s status as the biggest rapper in the world at this point in time. There are still a few weaker tracks and while I’d give it a 4.5 if possible I’ll round up. An amazing album cover too. Absolutely wild that it was released on 9/11/2001

Sicher ein Meilenstein, aber am Ende klingt Jay Z immer wie Jay Z.

The hits are good. But the filler really didn’t do much for me.

One of the greatest rap albums of all time. No skips.

Reminds me a lot of Kanye West music weirdly enough, dunno if that is controversial to say. It's very, VERY catchy throughout, "Girls, girls" being my personal favorite, could totally work as an edit song. To be honest might listen to more JAY Z in the future when I would have likely never would other wise, great music.

was prepared to absolutely hate this. and I do hate this, though a little less than I thought I would. still, there's nothing interesting in this album whatsoever – same beats, same lyrics as all the other rappers in this genre. and while it's the only Jay-Z album I've heard so far, I think he's massively overrated. I even enjoyed the 50 Cent album more, and I hated that shit too

Nothing wrong with album, just not my type of music

Okay yeah

It's just a good album. Lyrical. Melodical. Some of the language is a bit iffy, but overall, very listentoable.

I am not the biggest Jay-Z fan, but this is lyrically fascinating, has plenty of catching beats/rhymes, and captures a slice of the braggadocio rap life. Heart of the City and Renegade are stellar (Eminem shines as well). Great listen.

Hip hop elite. Essential listening, as per this list.

I never understood the appeal of Jay-Z and after listening to the whole album, it has even less than zero appeal for me. The sound and production is slick and the music and beats are nothing out of the ordinary or special. I can't relate to his music, lyrics, ego or anything really. So overrated! I don't have to like it, I'm glad I listened, but NEXT!

Absolute drag

The production on here is really good, but I’m not really sure using soul samples is all that innovative. The wiki for this record says it’s one of the best rap albums of all time. The fuck? Jay Z is just a mediocre rapper and the fact that one of the best songs on here disses Nas (a far superior rapper) and one of the other “best songs” features Eminem (a far superior rapper) kinda says it all.

I understand that this is very popular and it was very successful. But the lyrics are just the typical classist misogyny. Look at my money, look at my hos. Fuck off.

The production of this album is excellent and there were lot of things quite enjoyable musically, perhaps because there was a lot of 70s soul vibe. I didn't listen to the lyrics carefully - thankfully, probably - but the music was quite good.

Wat een klassieker is dit zeg. Het enige punt van kritiek dat ik kan hebben op dit album is dat het iets te lang is, sommige nummers komen niet zo lekker uit daardoor. Dat is ook een beetje zonde vooral omdat de rest zo ijzersterk is. De disstrack naar Nas op Takeover, de klassieke productie van Kanye op nummers als IZZO en Heart of the City, DIE Em verse op Renegade... Dit album heeft zo veel klassieke momenten, als iemand zich afvraagt waarom Jay-Z nog altijd tot de GOATs in hiphop hoort, luister dan eenmalig dit album en je hebt je antwoord. Tijdloos. Ik kan dit album toch echt maar 1 rating geven, helemaal als je de extra tracks (Lyrical Exercise en Girls, Girls, Girls pt2) skipt. Dan heb je gewoon een meesterwerk, een blauwdruk zoals een hiphop album zou moeten zijn. FAVO: The Rulers back, Takeover, IZZO, U dont know, Heart of the city, Never Change, Song Cry, Renegade, Blueprint

Perfect hip hop album sonically and lyrically. Imaginatively boastful with great music beds

Some vibes...but I'm more impressed by the samples than the raps.

A juggernaut of airtight beats and lyrics with frequently clever wordplay but also frequently tiresome bragging and misogyny. A double-edged sword that has its time and place.

Don't hate it, but really don't love it

Great good

Classic, great album

Not my thing at all, funny lyrics tho

don't like rap, and this album, all the lyrics sounded forced

one of the greatest hip hop albums of all time, this one released on 9/11/2001 and features production done mostly by a young kanye west and just blaze. jay-z is one of the most underrated rappers ever and this is arguably his best work. i know schmidty and riot don't like rap so they won't like this one but it really doesn't get much better than this

A couple of good tracks but I'm not a massive fan of his style

The generator has drip-fed the odd Jay-Z feature, like My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010), good kid, m.A.A.d city (2012), & Beyonce (2013), but today is the first time I tried listening to a full-length release of his. I wrote this a year ago about Raekwon's solo album: ' "Mafioso rap", as Wikipedia described it, has generally been the hardest rap subgenre to get into for me. ' Yet, I don't find it hard to get into this at all- in fact, I was surprised how much I enjoyed it. A part of it, however, might be acclimation to hip-hop at large. Even though I may not relate to the life-of-crime narrative, or the brazen machismo (eg. the ballerina crack in “Takeover”), The Blueprint’s steamroller verses and immaculate production create an almost euphoric atmosphere. Neither Illmatic nor 36 Chambers got much appreciation from me on 1st listen, but as that appreciation deepened over time, it opened a gateway into enjoying other rappers that I’d previously ignored. Like Jay-Z! Definitely thought the Timbaland feature was "Jigga That N*gga", but turns out it's the new-jack-swinging "Hola' Hovito". I also have a new appreciation for Yeezy's early production work, along with Common's Be and The College Dropout HL: "Takeover", "Izzo (H.O.V.A.)", "Hola' Hovito", "Never Change", “Renegade”, "Girls, Girls, Girls (Part 2)"

pre listening notes: i haven’t listened to much jay-a but i’ve heard him as a feature and i love his flow and have a lot of respect for him, ik he’s been in the game for a long time. plus beyoncé chose him so. apparently this album came out on 9/11. the ruler’s back - love that he just did an intro song being like “i’m back!! i’m going to say whatever i want!” this is how i found out that The Take Over, The Break’s Over by FOB was a Jay-Z reference?? the beat is nice! LAAAAME. idk who he’s going after in this song but get their ass! Izzo (H.O.V.A) - so far his flow sounds similar to what we’ve heard already but the beat is once again super well produced. i like this the most so far, i like the piano. by the end of the song i was singing along to the chorus Girls, Girls, Girls - i also love girls. dropping this after getting w beyoncé is interesting. Jigga That Nigga - also so catchy! i like this one a lot U Don’t Know - i love the sample and the banter he has with it. sure i do! that’s where you’re wrong! idk i do like a song where people just talk about making bank and proving others wrong. a classic. i sell fire in Hell. i sell water to a whale. oh yeah this one is good Hola’ Hovito - literally just keeps getting better! this one is great. he talks such big game (saying if he isn’t better than B.I.G., he’s the closest) but i buy it! plus the beat is AWESOME yet again. Heart Of The City (Ain’t No Love) - ooo he said faggot in this one! hey, don’t get offended, he put a whole disclaimer song at the beginning😅 i do know he has said and done problematic shit but like. man. he is one of those people where i just want to forgive. cough cough cheating on bey. anyhow, this song is another banger Never Change - okay i have to look up whoever produced this album because this beat goes so crazy. this song is so good. yay. okay i looked it up and not to say i could tell… but young kanye west worked on this. and timbaland. which i can’t say i could tell timbaland was on here but i’m not surprised bc he was on everything for a bit. but i could hear the kanye tbh. apparently he produced this song! Song Cry - i liked this song so much i could go right back and listen to it again. this might the the first album i immediately go back for a relisten of. this track is so emotional and you can hear it in jay-z’s voice All I Need - i love the 2pac reference and also bonnie and clyde is such a good fucking song. and the beat here is insane again, i love the bass guitar. Renegade - the violin!!! mwah. hey uh. is anyone else on this track? no bc eminem is literally the only feature on this fucking album. that is crazy. this song is goofy as Hell but eminem is on it so. Blueprint (Momma Loves Me) - really good. i’m not disappointed in this title track, it is more chill than a lot of the rest of the album but it feel celebratory, talking about the people in his life who helped him get to this point. and he didn’t even know how much better it would get. Lyrical Exercise - and we’re right back into it! i don’t even want to take notes i just want to listen. okay one thing i would’ve put eminem on this one tbh. Girls, Girls, Girls (Part 2) - good. he was just having fun with this one. thoroughly enjoyed tho. 5/5. isn’t it obvious?

This feels very appropriate with Beyoncé’s album dropping tomorrow, I haven’t listened to a lot of jay z so I’m excited to go through a full body of work. The rulers back - catchy opener Takeover - good beat! I’ve heard people complain about jay z’s earlier music being disrespectful of women and unfortunately I hear it here and don’t love it Izzy - I dig it, very Sesame Street esk. Oop very much that last note of lyrics tho. Higgs the nigga - not the early 2000s low rise pants call out lmao Heart of the city - makes me feel like I’m sitting on an nyc portch step in a blue sepia world, trains buzzing in the background, kids running around town while parents laugh and drink. Renegade - immediately the production on this is different and awesome. Good album, I like it. Very of its time.

Some classics on here with a song that samples David Bowie's fame. That was the first time I've heard the song. The others were ok.

el baboso violín de Jay Z

Essentially for me this was arrogant unlistenable garbage. But I do realize it is a classic in the genre. 2 stars for me 4 for fans of the genre Equals 3

Didn’t finish. Ick. Good beats, good samples, crap lyrics glorifying thug life. Not for me.

Eh. Really not my thing.

Eh, no thanks. I find his rapping boring. Some of the beats were okay, but I’m also not really a modern rap girl and I don’t really like him… pass!

Yeah, no.

Some of the beats sound nice, but Jay-Z talking himself up gets old pretty fast. You can't call yourself the Sinatra of your day when your rapping is just okay.

This does nothing for me

Ugh . My ears are bleeding

In the upper mid-tier of Jay's discography for me. Some classics but not enough elevated consistency throughout to be his peak. Favorite tracks: IZZO, Heart of the City, U Don't Know

do not listen to rap

The Kanye influences here are absolutely carrying the album but it's still really good. Catchy and amusing in places and gives a strong sense of time and place, New York in the super early 2000s. It honestly could be a 5 but some of the lyrics and themes have aged incredibly poorly. 20/03/24

The Rulers Back-7/10 Takeover-9/10 Izzo (H.O.V.A)-10/10 Girls, Girls, Girls-7/10 Jigga that fella- 9/10 U Don’t Know- 7/10 Hola’ Hovita- 7/10 Heart Of The City (Ain’t No Love)- 8/10 Never Change- 8/10 Song Cry- 8/10 All I Need- 7/10 Renegade- 8/10 Blueprint (Momma Loves Me)- 8/10 Lyrical Exercise- 8/10 Girls, Girls, Girls (Part 2)- 8/10 Overall- 8/10

OMG! Rap sucks! Cheap sounding drum beats repeated endlessly with the same sound to the voice in every “song”. Listening to this junk is like banging your head on a brick wall for an hour. Garbage!

9.5/10 Wonderful. Banger after banger, almost half of this could be on a greatest hits Jay-Z in his pomp, all the producers in their pomp Kanye stuff just amazing Flow and lyrics brilliant, so much wordplay, double meaning, and dense references Basically no features, one perfect one. No skits. So much confidence there Best: Never Change

Great album, set the stage for hip hop in the 2000's. Great bars, clever lines, catchy hooks, robust production. I wish it were a song or two shorter but everything here is baseline very good.

"The Blueprint" by Jay-Z is a seminal album in hip-hop history, released in 2001. It's praised for its production, featuring beats from Kanye West, Just Blaze, and Timbaland, among others. Jay-Z's lyricism is sharp and introspective, with tracks like "Takeover" and "Song Cry" showcasing his storytelling prowess. However, the album does have its drawbacks. Some tracks feel repetitive or lack the innovation seen in other parts of Jay-Z's discography. Additionally, the album's focus on materialism and boasts can be off-putting to some listeners. Overall, "The Blueprint" is a solid album that helped solidify Jay-Z's status as one of hip-hop's greatest artists. While it may not be his most groundbreaking work, it's still an important piece of hip-hop history.

If his voice was not so annoying, and his words so uninteresting, the music is amazing. I can't turn off his lyric like I wish I could.

Ratings: 5: I will happily play this album anytime 4: I may occasionally play this album of my own free will 3: I will happily listen to this if someone plays it in the background 2: I will tolerate this if it is playing in the background 1: I will leave the room if someone plays this in the background Similar to "Ready to Die"...though I liked what was done with the sampling in Takeover. Overall happy to have listened to it for a bit, but the genre is just not my thing.

Autant j'adore le style autant c'est clairement pas le meilleur album de cette époque (et de l'artiste en général)

Not bad. Nice layers and overall production.

Great album, I prefer some of his earlier work, but I can get down with this.

Se capissi qualche altra parola oltre a Nigga e Motherfucker (mia ignoranza), gli darei 4*. Basi notevoli, flow impeccabile.

not even gonna listen

Ich fand die Beastie Boys interessanter, deswegen kann ich hier nur zwei Punkte geben. Leider ist mein Englisch zu schlecht, um die Texte zu beurteilen.

Always feel like I'm missing something. I consider myself a rap fan but now saw how Jay-Z was at the top. Just not for me I guess.

Like the beats and rhythm, some of the harmonies are great. Just don't connect to the lyrics.

Jay Z has such bravado and machismo and its on full display here. It's also clear that he more than believes every word and he delivers on it in song after song.

This is bop.

it's easily a classic, excellent style and production, but too self-absorbed for me to consider it a personal favorite

Nas the Goat

One or two duds but can see why it’s rated

Most notable thing to drop on 9/11

Not my type of music, but I can definitely see why someone would really enjoy this. Overall I think the sample work is really good and the rapping is good. Tracks 1-3 and Renegade are a lot of fun, tracks 4-7 are the worst one and the samples are kind of annoying. Then the rest of the tracks are fine. 2.5

Liked this a lot! Quality rapping, great production and sample work, really dug the soul-heavy vibe. Kanye’s production credits were great. Never been a big Jay-Z guy but I get the appeal here. A very consistent album with few-to-no low points and lots of highs. I’ve been giving out a lot of 5s lately but… what can I say?

I have not heard this album but I have heard of JAY Z. Not the biggest fan of rap but I think it’s growing on me after listening to many rap/hip hop albums from this website. I liked Izzo (H.O.V.A.), Hola Hovito, Heart of the city, and Renegade because it had Eminem on it. I probably won’t listen to the album in its entirety again.

Dull beats. Lacklustre delivery. Bonus star for Eminem's contribution.

He runs this rapping shit. Indeed he does.

got 99 problems, and beats are just one so are the samples so is the flow i guess that makes 96 still to go

Not my genre but an enjoyable listen, you can hear what he us saying

2 - I've never been crazy about the snippets of Jay-Z I've heard, and that assessment stands upon listening to this. I don't know, there just wasn't much to grab my interest. I seem to gravitate more towards abstract hip hop than other types of hip hop, so.

I tried to enjoy. I didn’t. I’m not the target market which means my review carries less weight. The look at how rich I am mixed with I’m still tough bothers me.

Jay Z - The Blueprint Turn the motherfuckin' music up! Mr. Beyonce (Shawn Carter, Jay Z) gave us an amazing album here. The only thing that dings him here is that this album brought us Kanye West. If you can get past that, it's a masterpiece in the hip hop genre. 5/5

One of the few hip-hop albums that could have done with more guest spots, in my opinion, although the variety of producers means that at least the beats and backings are changing. I loved the diss track - how cocky do you have to be to take shots at Nas by saying basically "yeah, Illmatic was good, what else you got?"!!

ganz ok für hiphop

Musically this is interesting and if I could tune out the lyrics I think I would like it. Unfortunately, I can't, so I don't. Not my thing. Sexist and vulgar.

Tough to judge, Jay-Z was always pretty funny and without much gimmicky stuff or unimaginative swearing. He picks good tracks to mix, but it does get a little same-ey after a while

Gear: DCA ÆON 2 Noire Mix: durchweg premium Produktion mit ebenso breiter Brust wie die Lyrics Musik: phänomenale Delivery von aufsehenerregend dämlichen Lyrics ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Wertung: 3-4/5 (inkl. +1 für "Renegade")

not really no

not really my taste

Ich finde das Album großartig. Ich kann es gar nicht fassen, wie toll das produziert ist. Voller Zitate, Überraschungen in den Arrangements, es ist nie langweilig. Und das unfassbarste ist: es ist ein Rap-Album. Da stehe ich nur bedingt bis gar nicht drauf. Ich setze jetzt eins drauf: ich habe das Album in einem Zug gehört, weil ich fasziniert war. Unglaublich. Inzwischen habe ich es dreimal gehört.

This has some huge songs of his on this album, however as a whole I’m very hit or miss on some of these other songs on here.

i liked it brought back memories!

Not a fan of his really, that being said, there are a couple of decent songs on this album

This is All I Need. Some might say it’s The Blueprint.

Jay Z’s best album imo

Absolute classic. Some of Jay Z’s best work on here

inebetween 3 and 4 on this one. the beats are so hard im just iffy on how much i like the bars. jay z one of the goats tho

Song cry slaps

It got better but it's pretty bad. Sounded like he wanted to copy Eminem's Slim Shady LP. I get he's a great business man but mediocre at rap at best. The Kanye beats were legit.

super good throughout. jay-z and kanye really helped rap after the 90s which i haven’t enjoyed during this listening project

ну чё-то не, недостаточно задора (тщщйе)

It’s Ok

I was sirprised to find myself enjoying this album. Even let some of it repeat. Not my jam, but good within the genre.

Definitely not my style

Everybody of a certain age remembers where they were on 9/11. I woke up to my roommate telling me about the towers, I took a bong toke, and then I went about my day. I rolled into tower records and bought Blueprint. It’s tough to point out how big Jay-Z was at this point. He was everywhere all of the time. Year after year of singles dominating radios and blasting out of cars was his standard. This was no exception, and was honestly his best album at this point (but not his best ever, imo, that’s The Black Album). Song after song was big, but The Takeover will forever stick out in my mind because I’m both a Nas and Mobb Deep superfan. I couldn’t believe he was taking a swing that big. It was shocking just four years after Big and Pac for a big star of this caliber to drop something this nasty on that climate. Anyway, all other things aside, the beats on this were nuts. Kanye got his big breakthrough. Just Blaze killed it. It was wild and holy shit Nas was right about Renegade “Eminem murdered you on your own shit” - phenomenal feature. It’s a really good album and this comes from a person who was a hater and a half after hearing the diss.

he obvs writes some good bars but his flow is a lil boring imo. enjoyed the keys ! it's a 3.5 but can't do that here so

Great production with the soul samples. It’s cool hearing early Kanye production. Some of the lyrical content probably hasn’t aged that well but it’s hard to deny the energy and flows from Jay. Really enjoyed it

The Dale Carnegie of hip-hop.

Again, not my meat and potatoes, but a very solid album.

Basic Jay Z album. Best song Heart of the City (Ain't No Love). Rest of the album, tracks are good BUT would have been better served if he didn't bother with lyrics. "Never Change"... Really? I'm rich but I still do crime, but I still have street cred. Ok Jay Z if that's what you need to tell yourself.

a lot better than i thought tbh

I actually really like this album!

Good stuff

why did this fuck 4/5

Blech! Rap is so not for Boomers. It sounds like crap to me.

Well he can’t sing but he can rap. Loved the mix of different instruments but overall not a fan of some of the more graphic songs.

pretty enjoyable, surprisingly musical, especially tracks that sampled orchestral pieces pretty heavily. i find his style to be fairly repetitive though, which negates a lot of what i like about it. 3.5 rounded down to 3.

the late 90s/early 00s is an era of hip hop that doesn't really interest me, but hov interests me more than the rest. You can only hear Jay-Z talking about beating the charges so many times before you get tired of it, but I will readily admit he is the best at it.

I vibed out a lot to this album, but I wasn’t really listening to the lyrics. I really liked the production, and it didn’t overstay its welcome, despite being over an hour long.

I'd feel bad giving this a 2 so I guess 2.5 is rounded up today. I remember a lot of this from the first time and like, I can acknowledge this was very influential but I don't really care for it. Actually, no, I'm giving I a 2 because this isn't about being an arbiter of taste. Also this man cheated on Beyoncé.

A landmark album in the hip-hop genre, The Blueprint still holds up against more modern entries from both coasts. Jay-Z's lyrics are brash, boastful, and effortless as he spits over some of the best production of the decade. The real highlight of this album for me are the beats. Each track stands out musically from the next, with deep cut samples, enhancing backing instrumentation, and iconic drums loops. The lyrics are hot, but change little in focus and theme; Jay-Z's constant bragging and dissing grow stale by the end of record. The Blueprint is more a collection of heavy-hitting singles rather than a cohesive album. Stand out tracks include "Takeover", "Izzo (H.O.V.A)", "Heart of the City (Ain't No Love)", "Never Change", and "Blueprint (Momma Loves Me)".

Dripping with braggadocious swagger, a classic NYC rap album that I'll always appreciate -- THAT SAID -- of the two 2001 albums I'd bring to my desert island it would be the 1999 "2001" from Dre (and company) instead, sorry, Jay-Z. I had a hard time finding the original "The Blueprint" release on my streaming service of choice and was presented with "The Blueprint Collector's Edition" which is a disservice to Jay-Z IMO, again, sorry to Jay Z that I'm not on Tidal. Standouts: - All of the beats! - "Heart Of The City (Ain't No Love)" - "Hola Hovito"

I don't have a critical ear for hip-hop, but I know I liked what I heard! Some tracks I could've skipped, but enough strong material to go back to. Will keep in my library. Favourite track "U Don't Know" 1st listen. 3.5/5

This album holds up incredibly strong from start to end and demonstrates when Jay-Z rose to the top. I love the soulful throwback beats and the quick-witted and often emotional lyrics. I think this album set Jay-Z apart as one of the greats. 4.5

Some unusual samples on this which I really liked. Renegade is probably my favourite rap song ever, my favourite verse from both Eminem and Jay. Really like Jay-Z's flow. He loves rapping about money, it's like listening to an accountant at times 😅

Didn't finish but it was great

I liked it better than most rap, maybe because there are a lot of samples in here from songs that I like. Probably won't listen to it again, but I am glad to have listened once. 3 stars.

I'm not going to listen to this while thing, let's be honest. It didn't catch me

This is a bit too bombastic for my liking. Jay Z is kinda boring. Eminem turns up on Renegade and instantly makes it more interesting.

This album was generally a fun listen. I really liked the music and the flow. A few songs did offend my feminine gen-z sensibilities (Girls, Girls, Girls) I also found Song Cry a bit grating (and the “yeah, yeah, yeahs” reminded me of that one James Charles meme 😩). Also, I know it’s because he’s from New York, but I hate how he doesn’t pronounce the “r” on words like “adore” and “tour.”

It’s the blueprint- one of the greatest

First impression is that this is great. I need to sit and listen to it again with the lyrics in front of me to get the most out of it (I shall print them out in large font and read them through big reading specs on a chain while sitting in a comfortable chair). But even just going by the music it's such a rich, varied listen.

Some great cuts on here no doubt, but Jay always was more of a singles artist

Swag jättebra beats o Jay Z låter bra on beat

Muy buen rap

Usually, I am quite open to listening to music in a different language, but I do not understand or appreciate or ever want to learn the language of Arrogant Tosspot. The language of misogyny, sexism and narcissism is something I never want to engage in. I appreciated the beats and samples, but the lyrics were horrendous. And the man’s attitude is distasteful, nigh on deplorable. I just wonder if he’s alienating the people he’s supposed to represent - if he really does remember his roots then stop bragging about the money and share it out properly.

I don’t know anything about Sean Carter personally. I do not like the Jay Z persona. I find a lot of his lyrics problematic, but some songs are just pretty fun anyway.

There was a lot about this album I liked. And yes, that surprised me a little. When things clicked, the combination Jay-Z's swagger and the thick bed of backing tracks was impressive. On the flip side, when things go south, they go all the way. The "singing" on "Girls" was difficult to endure, the repetitiveness of "Izzo" was tiring, the stupidity of "Takeover" exemplifies some of the least interesting things about rap for me. So, this had some real highs and real lows, which means this tread middle ground on the balance.

I don't know what it is, but I can't get into Jay-Z. I like when he guests on Kanye records, but solo Hova doesn't do it for me.

Too many swear words.

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!

I'm sorry. I cannot listen to this. 3 songs in and I got a headache and felt nauseous.

No me aporta nada.

Hot take: Jay Z is overrated. The music is ok, but his voice is annoying.

Overrated

Proper devil music, classic

Après deux écoutes, je commence à voir le délire, mais c’est pas le mien. Les beats sont carrés sans être vraiment mémorables, avec une ouverture toute cheezy à base de “Ce que vous allez entendre c’est ce que j’ai au fond du coeur”, avant d’enchainer sur une heure de “Yeah”, “Whoo” en ne parlant que de son label, de pognon, drogue, grosse voitures et gonzesses. “Renegade” avec Eminem est pas mal et se détache du reste.

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

Hov isnt for me. I found his brags and flow boring. Wouldn't seek this album out again

Surprisingly, for me, really du gtgis album. Some very soulful sounds and sampling.

alla med! Vi ska ge makt till Jayz om eftersom han AGERAR tufft... Varför? Det är inte so logisk det här.. JAg förstår jag förstår.. det är inte så logisk.. det är möjlighetet att lyssna på spännande musik! Du måste görä ge makt to honom ANNARS fungerar det inte Allcaps sanat ovat: Agera Verbit 1. toimia 2. esittää 3. näytellä ANNARS Adverbit 1. muuten 2. muutoin Muut/tuntemattomat 3. tai muuten

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".

Favorite Jay Z Record by far. Gets me pumped every time I listen, great to hear early Kanye Production as well.

It feels energetic and fresh 23 years on

There were some good samples. Too bad he rapped all over it. It's like he has one tone of voice and nothing else

Imagine making a rap album so good that even though it drops on 9/11, it sells over 400,000 copies in its debut week.

Approx. 63 mins. How fun! Takeover's lyrics are brutal as hell. (8/10)

Didn’t enjoy the album. Fave song was the collab with Eminem.

Not my favorite. I do appreciate the rhythm though.

- Takeover

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

Not a big fan, some well known bangers on this album but did we really need TWO versions of Girls girls girls girls?

Fine but I much prefer other albums by Jay-Z

I really enjoyed it. I loved the "Five to One" samples from the Doors in Takeover. What a great era for Hip-Hop!

Mi ne ŝatis. Ne por mi. 👎

It was fine - not my speed really

I dislike rap

JAY Z is not a good rapper. BUT! He is extremely confident and writes some true bangerz. I was personally offended by the Nas diss track and fall fully on the Nas side of their beef, so that might have something to do with it...VAMOOSE MOTHAFUCKA!

Great beats under some incredible rapping. Only criticism is the lyrical themes are somewhat limited. standout tracks: Song Cry, Renegade

Tight production, good to listen to but nothing incredible.

Love The Doors sample

Bit hit & miss for me.

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.

Liking it more than expected. Not normally my sound and no massive stand outs but a very solid album I was able to get through multiple times without a problem.

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

Never really got Jay Z - he works with the best producers out there, however his vocals are always the most basic sort, no interesting flows and are all based on boasting how much money he has. Even the stand out tune "Izza" he breaks up the flow by literally claiming over and over "that's the anthem" like an excited child who's just heard the beat, making it possibly the worst chorus of all time. "Heart of the city" which I know is a Kanye beat as he talks about it on one of his albums is such a wasted tune. Some wonderful samples and the vocals just ignoring them. The one time I loved this album was Eminem's vocals on Renegade. I suppose this is important as it marks a move away from the posing "gangsta rap of the 90s" to the posing "billionaire rap" of the 00's. I know which I prefer. Anyway the album was almost exactly what I expected; some amazing beats and his vocals all blurring together. However towards the end of the album, particularly "Blueprint" & "Lyrical exercise" which is the best tune on the album shows he is immensely talented and enough to push this to a 3.

The best songs on this record are written/produced by Kanye. 🤷‍♂️

One vial of ether out of five 🧪

Worst songs: renegade for sure Best: everything else tbh

jay z is annoying.