Reviews (page 7 of 9)
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More interested in the backing tracks and beats than his lyrics. Not really for me.
zo (H.O.V.A.)" Released: August 21, 2001 "Girls, Girls, Girls" Released: October 2, 2001 "Jigga That Nigga" Released: January 29, 2002 "Song Cry" Released: April 16, 2002
I didn't get a chance to listen again, but I really enjoy Girls, Izzo, and Heart of the City. This is back when Kanye was a producer, and not as crazy. I like that Kanye.
Not my kins style of music, but enjoyed
Couldn’t listen to the full album because ours more on YouTube music
Takeover and All I Need probably my favourites. Your reign on top was shorter than leprechauns. Enjoyed the Tom Jones-esque scream in U Don’t Know
I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. A bit repetitive with some lyrics on some songs, enough for it to get a bit annoying. A few more f-bombs than I prefer to. Overall though, I enjoyed it.
Hip hop. Un poco pesado pero sin estar del todo mal.
Semibängeri Slässic räp
fresher tune - 3
:catjam:
Respect HOV. I guess it was okay not my favorite album kinda outdated hip hop if I’m being honest
ok
Although RAP is not my cup of tea, the album at at least three tracks that got my vibes going.
Didn’t have a chance to listen. Didn’t hate what I heard, but a little too much language for my taste generally.
Black album better
His other stuff is shite, but this is good!
Good, but not my thing
I think the Black Album is better but I didn't give this one a full listen because I wasn't really into listen to hip-hop yesterday.
I don't know which songs are specifically Kanye, but there are some classic Ye beats here. The Nas dis track "Takeover" is probably the best song on the record. That or "Izzo." Crazy that this was released on 9/11. Maybe that's why I never spent a lot of time with it. I've always liked Jay's singles over the albums. I loved how he could drop a track on Hot 97 at any time. I'd jump through this again, but I'm not thrilled to go through the whole thing. 20 years later is this an all-timer? I don't think so, but my opinion appears to diverge with many.
Didn't listen to all of it but was a decent few tunes in there with solid beats and nice samples.
Great flows and beats. I do think the vocal sampling became somewhat gimmicky but not to the point where it sunk the tracks. Great listen
not gonna revisit it
I need big, heavy, interesting beats to really enjoy hip hop. The beats on this album don't do much for me besides Izzo. Jay Z is obviously an incredible lyricist though.
Probably 3.5 stars
Halfway through this album I got to thinking maybe I don't like hip hop at all, maybe I just like the fancy production these guys do. I mean, I really love that fancy production. But then Eminem appeared and changed my mind back again. Musically I love this album, but it says something that my favourite track is the one with someone else primarily on it.
Well produced, musically interesting, a lot of traditional R&B mixed in, sample of The Doors. As expected, don't relate to rap lyrics.
Very much not my normal genre of music, but I did enjoy some songs
Não gosto do Jay-Z. Doideira. Com certeza atrapalhou a audição. Hora de revisar os pré-conceitos para uma próxima oportunidade.
H to the
Honestly this isn't half bad... it's catchy, sounds well produced, is a bit long (pretty much every rap album after like 2000 is tho) and credit where it's due, he does have a good flow. 3/5.
Mostly juvenile. I didn’t really appreciate most of the lyrics - again they’re very juvenile. There’s a few good tracks, but way too much here is strictly related to “the rap game.” Insider industry petty business nonsense. Probably a 2.5.
Some of these beats were great but generally this dragged for me. I'm not sure why this guy's lyrics are so highly rated.
I don’t like Jay Z, I don’t like his voice, I don’t like his mongaloid face, I don’t like his P-Diddy 2.0 sec pest vibe but separating the artist from the art this album has some merits. Ignoring the boastful self mythologising some of the underlying tracks are good, there are some great sample choices and tunefulness that makes it understandable why some hip hop fans revere it. 2.4
Not for me. It may well be considered a masterpiece of the genre but there is very little for me to relate to on this and it lacks the charm and style of the old school rap that I do like.
Interesting but I had a difficult time getting through the album.
Nice production, but boring rap.
OK in small doses
Tämän ajan hiphop on minun heiniä pakko myöntää, nykyään tätä vanhempi. Jayn Nasille vittuilu kirpaisee edelleen. Ei tuon flowssa ole mitään niin erikoista mitä se itse pitää itsessään. Erikoinen mies, jolla luurankoja kaapissaan. Nämä kaikki laskee pisteitä
Is he gonna use the cigar guillotine on the mic? So we have this to thank for Kanye I suppose. :D That said, there’s a monotony to Jay’s “legendary flow” that sometimes feels at odds with the material - the more poppy material like Izzo. At the time of its release, I liked the clarity of Jay’s rhymes/delivery and repurposing of soul music, particularly amid Eminem, nu metal, and gangsta rap, but in retrospect...Jay’s kind of an adolescent dick eh?
You earn respect, fuckwit, you can't demand it. Some good 'beats' let down by a weak arrogant voice.
Greedy guts
On paper, 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘭𝘶𝘦𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘵 has everything going for it. A legendary reputation, a roster of producers that includes Kanye West, Eminem, and Timbaland, and one of the most celebrated rappers of his generation. Unfortunately, the album never really clicks with me. The production is consistently strong, but I rarely find myself genuinely excited by what I’m hearing. Track after track passes by competently enough, yet very little leaves a lasting impression. I kept waiting for the album to reveal why it’s held in such high regard, but that moment never quite arrived. I can appreciate its influence and understand why so many people consider it a classic. As a listening experience, though, I find it surprisingly dull.
Que se yo, pasable. No es mi género favorito de música.
Not for me.
I am sure this album has some musical significance, but honestly, JayZ was never my rapper of choice, not much else is appealing in his case except his lyrical prowess, and let's be honest - someone else can do that and much more on top of it too... 2 due to Eminem colab, otherwise it would have been 1 😏
Es klingt einfach überbewertet und langweilig. Die Beats sind nett, aber nichts Besonderes, und Jay‑Z wirkt oft, als würde er routiniert runterspulen statt wirklich etwas zu sagen. Kein Funke, kein Druck, kein Moment, der hängen bleibt.
não gosto de nada que o jay z fez, acho chato e mais do mesmo da época dele (que talvez ele mesmo tenha sido o responsável pela criação xD) a produção do (DEUS O TENHA) kanye west em algumas músicas faz um pouco de diferença nesse aqui ainda assim, achei chato pra caralho, pra mim o jay-z tem responsabilidade enorme na enshittificação do hip hop dos anos 2000 e esse álbum representa isso fortemente
I’ve never had a calling to hear JAY Z’s music, after hearing the full album I still don’t have any intention to keep hearing him
Find yourself someone who loves you as much as Jay-Z loves Jay-Z. Way too long, some wack-ass lyrics ("we can get paid longer than Pippen's arms"), but the beats are amazing and there's some bangers sprinkled about.
# Album Name: Blueprint # Artist: Jay-Z # Rating: 2/5 # Comments: I love how everyone hates on clapton etc for being racist yet i dont see many comments on Jay-Z for his antics. Anyway, this album isnt for me. Its long, its boring, the lyrics are terrible. It hasnt aged well at all. Not the worst thing ive ever heard but i didnt enjoy it. # Top Tunes: # Would I listen to it again? No
Not sure how I felt about this one. Some very well made songs, but didn't particularly resonate with me or keep me interested. I think I have to give it sort of a low rating but it's entirely entirely subjective thing.
Jay-Z sounds as bored as I do with his music.
Ruim. O advento do CD permitiu que qualquer um fizesse álbuns de 1h+. Umas são melhorzinhas que outras mas muito repetitivo.
Most rappers are braggadocios but for some reason Jay-Z’s self-aggrandizing on this record is more irritating than usual.
Medio una garcha. Tendría que escuchar el de dr dre y este otra vez para ver con cual me quedo. La comparativa es por ser hip hip, obvio... >:D
Can't believe this is so popular. I was uninspired.
Fuck a billionaire making music about how rich he is.
Like I understand why he’s considered one of the best, I just didn’t connect with this at all
The Ruler’s Back was great but I wasn’t particularly drawn to anything that came afterwards. I guess I only know the biggest Jay-Z songs (arguably also his most sell out ones) and didn’t love the overall style here. Also his name was weirdly styled currently as JAŸ-Z on apple music. what is that umlaut doing there?
Из всех вот этих вот реперов из конца 90-х Jay Z всегда не вызывал у меня увожения, и всё такое. Какой-то холёный воннаби "ghetto boy" который очень хочет казаться "tuff" но для меня это лишь следующая переходная стадия к каким-нибудь Drake из десятых, которые окончательно стали рэперами попсарями с автотюнами и модными биточками. А чё у нас тут? Ну типа, я не понимаю зачем это слушать сейчас, если вы не фанат Жей Зи только. Вторичный рэпчик, про очередного черного который типа "got bitches", cruisin' по району на каком-нибудь бриллиантово-золотом мерседесе. Хоспади, да скока-ж можно то уже. И это якобы "величайший рэп альбом" и всё такое? Побойтесь Бога.
I’ve got nothing. Recognizing his many accomplishments in music, and his ability to stab an enemy in the stomach in a crowded room… and get away with it… I will give the man the respect he has earned. Fuck it, 2 stars. Same old rap crap.
Not my thing
Totally underwhelmed actually - so much good rap music came out of this era and a lot o it credits this as the blueprint (haha) but it falls so flat
From the Vault #12 (February 5, 2026) Yet another pre-written review. As I've also mentioned in my review of "Welcome to the Afterfuture", I'm pretty sick right now, so please excuse the sickobabble or delirium which may or may not be in this review. We're already into 2001, and I'll be into 2002 just one album after this. I've never listened to Jay Z, unsurprisingly, though there's probably one or two songs of his that I've heard through the radio. I'm pretty sure he has a tough, hardcore sound without necessarily belonging to gangsta hip-hop, though I could be mistaken. Anyway, let's get into it. I'm struggling to form an opinion on this. It's just another hip-hop album, which is a genre I'm ostensibly not a fan of. The instrumentals are alright. There's a good level of variety and kick to them, even if the soul stylings aren't exactly my thing. I could also immediately tell this was an album co-produced Kanye. It has that irreverent, operatic feel which is plastered all over his discography. Jay Z is somewhat lacking as a vocalist. He doesn't have much in the way of charismatic or catchy vocals, which makes him sound bog-standard as a result. On a more positive note, I could appreciate how this album encompasses every aspect of New York in its lyrics. I've always thought New York was a bit of a shithole - especially in current year, but I can't knock someone for being patriotic. Overall, the album is fine but failed to hook me. Book time. The original entry for this album mentions Diddenstein and misspells his name as "Sean Coombs", which is pretty funny. I guess the curator of this entry knew that he was chasing the coom all along. The album is all about life in New York. Has a "...rare vulnerability." Wikipedia says this album released on 9/11. That's a rough release window. It also features a ton of prominent hip-hop producers, was well-received by critics, has received enduring acclaim, launched the careers of Kanye and Just Blaze, marked a pivot in hip-hop towards a soul-centric sound and revived sampling in hip-hop. Yup, these are all good qualifiers. I cosign this inclusion.
This album’s production is really well done and put together. I will say the first leg jay z was not it but the second leg he was in a flow state and cooking.
Production was solid, rapping is fine, but I nearly fell asleep, feeling high and dry. It wasn't much to remember, a lot to forget. This did not leave an impression in my head.
Meh
It’s an interesting album. If you took Jay Z’s rapping away and just had the underlying tracks, it’s a pretty great, solid album. With his rapping it’s downright terrible.
Personal enjoyment: 2/5 Relevance to this list: 5/5
Tylsä ja täysin yhdentekevä. Niin kaukana omasta maailmasta kuin voi olla. Ei tosin kauheasti ärsytäkään. Jonninjoutava. 2/5
00’s Hip Hop
I now understand why I DO NOT like this. I don't find his lyrics to be relatable. The flow is fine, the music/beats are fine. I just do NOT care about anything that comes out of his mouth. I don't care that he has money or how many records or drugs he sold. I don't care how great he THINKS he is, he's just alright. I don't care about his beef with Nas. I don't care about his designer material possessions. I DON'T CARE. Just a cocky asshole making music for cocky assholes. 2
Ei kyllä edelleenkään putoa mulle tän lajin musa. Oon kyllä yrittänyt, mutta kun ei resonoi, niin ei resonoi.
Из той эпохи, когда рэп стал мэйнстримом и окончательно испоганился. Музыка (то, что называют "продакшн") убогая, с этими фанфарами да писклявыми автотюнами.
medio pelo
Good production and samples. But damn, Jay Z loves to say "gay" with a capital F. Shut the fuck up dude.
nothing stood out to me, really didn’t fuck with this much. maybe girls girls girls was fun but eh not my fave
This would be higher if Jay-Z wouldn't interfere with me enjoying music.
Crap
rap no es para me :(
This was a chore to get through, being that I don’t care for Jay-Z or his corny ass lyrics. The beats and sampling were fine, though.
bon jay z ça y est quoi
No. 132 Not my thing, especially the lyrics and vocals, but the beat and samples were neat.
Not my favorite
nah man
meh
2 - not for me
Generic rap/hip hop with cliched, corny lyrics. There are 1001 better albums than this in the genre. Forgettable, trying too hard and very pleased with itself. I won’t be listening again.
Not my tempo.
Aika geneeristä nigatalkkia
Junnaavaa settiä taas, ei auta Eminemitkään, 2/5.
It's no my bag, baby
"I'm leading the league in at least six statistical categories right now: Best flow, most consistent, realest stories, most charisma." Yes, mr. Z, a common and efficient way to identify people with true charisma is that they will often boast about being the best at charisma.
2/5 Músicas e produção excelentes. O problema é quando o Jay Z abre a boca, não só pela lírica - que é ruim -, mas também pelo flow quadrado.
Honestly? Not particularly impressed by this. This is the Jay-Z everybody's been talking about my whole life? Sorry but I guess I just don't hear it. There is just a lot of more interesting hip hop out there
The music is OK but the lyrics leave me cold. Pure arrogance
Mediocre
Not my thing, especially the lyrics and vocals (not a rap guy), but the beat and samples were neat (especially the doors track).
By no means bad, just not my kind of thing
Eh
SNORE!
So 2000s, and not a compliment. Awful use of Doors song. So braggadocious. I really don't enjoy his voice either. So dated with the homophobic f** usage.
Low key racist and sexist. Tracks are sometimes boppy sometimes hold up what the fuck is that? And yeah I do agree that music sounds kinda 90s and 80s mainstream pop or whatever, but like the lyrics, singing and rapping, eh not really. Listenable though, so not a bad hour of my life.
Some good production but I really couldn't get myself to finish this one
enjoyable beats
Just not for me. Not my kind of hip hop
Not a fan of the "sexy women dance around while someone brags about how much cash they have" genre. Music was ok I guess?
2.5 - Meh
Я навіть не змогла дослухати
Hip hop’s not my thing but this mostly had my toes tapping whilst not taking in the lyrics too much. But it’s just one of the generic, I’m better than every other artist, I’ve got loads of money and women are second class citizens. It’s sort of divided as in there’s a constant elevator music backing track with Jay Z doing his own thing over the top . Completely separate
its ok i guess but i just dont vibe with this sorta stuff
Never been a fan.
ummm guys? FAVS (top 3): izzo (H.O.V.A.); girls, girls, girls; hola' hovito mençoes hornosas: heart of the city (aint no love) fala pa carai e all i need é uma das piores musicas q ja ouvi nota final: 2/5
I don’t know. I’m just not crazy about this stuff.
Very generic hiphop about “I’m so good at rapping and I get bitches”. Nothing exciting, and I already don’t like hiphop to begin with.
There’s a fair amount of bloat here: A good editor might’ve reduced, oh, 15 minutes? The lyrics are often juvenile and uninteresting. Worst of all, there’s too little musicality on The Blueprint. I’d take the background track of “Girls, Girls, Girls” (i.e., actual contributions from backup voices) over Jay-Z’s contributions just about any day. 2.5?
I was not previously familiar with this album. I typically am not a fan of hip-hop albums, but this album has more to offer than rap vocals alone. I appreciated the vast use of samples, and I recognized quite a few of them. I did not care much about the lyrics or message, but at least the music kept things interesting enough for me to keep listening. I doubt I would listen again, but I appreciated hearing this once.
Just not for me at all, I don't care for these minimalistic repeating beats and Jay's voice doesn't engage me at all. Also a lot of lyrics throughout the project made me raise an eyebrow
Easy listening, I understand why people enjoy this type of music. I enjoyed it at the start and then I realised every song followed the same formula of "find a funky beat and then do nothing with it for 4 minutes" and it became a drag from there. Making an entire album bragging about how much money you have is a gross concept.
Eminem song was good, not a fan of j
Listened to most of it, but it's just not me genre, unfortunately.
Album #20 Jay Z: The Blueprint This album is specifically made for New Yorkers, contains lots of regional references and slang, disses Illmatic, and came out on 9/11. If you are the average bodega-visiting, chopped cheese-eating New Yorker, then this is your Abbey Road. Most of the beats and melodies were pleasant, but Jay-Z’s lyricism was often lost on me. It feels like he really believes that his story is so inspirational and unique that everyone must hear it and acknowledge his brilliance. Yet at the same time, he comes across as insecure, feeling the need to respond to every bad review and detractor, rather than just let his greatness speak for itself. Some of the songs were pretty obnoxious as well; specifically, Girls, Girls, Girls, which, for some reason, received a second part. I also thought phrases like “For shizzle my nizzle” were just something people said to mock rap, but there is a whole song dedicated to speaking like that. It is also pretty long, which I find to be an issue for most rap albums. That being said, it isn’t too hard a listen, and I can see its appeal pretty clearly. There wasn’t really a time when I was actively hating it, so I can’t say that it is bad. Best Tracks: Heart of the City, The Ruler’s Back, Song Cry Worst Track: Girls, Girls, Girls, Part 2 Score out of 10: 5.5
Otro disco que no es para blancos que no dominan el inglés. Sin nada espeialmente atractivo.
Not really my thing. I found the music quite nice actually, I liked the soul influences and samples. I just didn’t enjoy the vocals, both the style of the vocals and the lyrics. Fav song: The Ruler’s Back Least fav: Girls, Girls, Girls
Good beats and the occasional satisfying turn of phrase but mostly the lyrics made me cringe, think at some point he called himself (or the song?) the eighth wonder of the world. Also not a fan of how much Kanye is all over the production. I do enjoy the lyric "so much coke you could run the slalom". Favourite song: U Don't Know Least: Girls, Girls, Girls
This does nothing for me. Vocal delivery is monotone and lifeless, completely lacking any emotion or inflection. Production sounds thin and empty, generic R&B with unnatural clicky beats. I truly do not understand those who claim this to be the greatest hip-hop album ever released.
Meh, wasn't too fussed with this. Didn't really give it much thought while listening.
This was ok. I wouldn’t put it above “Vol. 2 - Hard Knock Life”
A lot of these songs were catchy. Doesn't mean they were good though unfortunately. Enjoyed 1 or 2 but this was way too long A lot of awful lyrics and too much use of the n word. We get it you're a tough guy 🙄 2 ⭐️
I don’t care for Jay-Z, so this did absolutely nothing for me.
Real Gangsta with souly touch
Je n’ai jamais aimé la musique de Jay Z, et cet album ne fait pas exception…
2 stars because there are some good samples on there!
Some bops on this for sure but didn’t really see the hype for the most part
i liked the beats but booooring bars
I have to say I was not 100% focused on listening to this one, but absolutely nothing grabbed me. The beats were alright.
I don't really love self-aggrandizing music, and Jay-Z seems to be a perfect example of this style in the rap genre. There are also no songs that really got to me. The best I can compare him to is Kanye's album I had gotten a few weeks ago, Kanye's beats were better, and the lyrics a bit more self-aware (though that would be lost to him later in life).
This album helped launch JAY Z into the stratosphere in 2001.. 24 years ago. Personally I think he voice is unique but lyrics are not. His expertise is finding and developing talent in others.
I’ve never really enjoyed Jay Z much, but at least he’s a good producer…except it’s mostly produced by Kanye here. I’m no hip hop expert but I find his flat style really boring and the lyrics are a bit Alan ‘needless to say I had the last laugh’ Partridge.
Couldn't get into it. There are some dope beats but the delivery and the lyrics left me wanting. Kind of disappointed with this one.
This was not bad for the genre.
The album might be Jay-Z at his finest, and that leaves a lot to be desired. His lyrics achieve basic at best and Jay will never be accused of being smooth or flexible in his delivery. The Blueprint reveals how he revels in cheesiness with his wordplay. Some of these rhymes are downright embarrassing: Gnarly dude I puff Bob Marley dude All day, like Rastafaris do Or I’m packing heat like an oven door - um, no. And, If Beyoncé ever heard Girls, Girls, Girls he’d definitely be sleeping on the couch. The second half picks up musically, driven by more intricate beats, although Renegade shows just how out of his league he is when put up against someone that can craft intricate lyrics and use variety and energy in their delivery. His rhymes feel juvenile at times and underwhelming on the regular. Lyrical Exercise is the one track where he shows promise as a writer, but the rest of the ‘ I sold drugs. I bribed the DA, I’m better than Nas, Girls love me’ rap wears thin at best.
I like Jay Z well enough but not a huge fan. To be fair not a big fan of hip hop in general, so no shade on Jay Z specifically. This album fell flat for me. Nothing special, nothing interesting.
Better than most rap albums, but still not for me.
Nope
two themes you'll hear in this album are "my records are selling really well" and "i beat the charges." okay then jay-z. okay. the highlight is when eminem shows up.
d beats mached uuuuhuere viel. ich find de jay z het afoch e geili stimm und ha nonie gfunde woow was en lyricist. die erste zwei songs sind sehr repetitiv und etz nöd mega speziell. er isch mega am sich selber am ufehype. izzo findi etz au ehner underwhelming da isch so am kanye sin durchbruch gsi als producer, hä? aso guete beat aber s isch mega laid back. jö das isch de biz markie uf girls girls girls. find de song gad chli sehr schliimig horny. lustig dass de will smith au son song usegeh het das johr. beat vo jigga goht huuere hard. hola hovito findi mad langwilig. bin allgemei. chli enttüscht. s isch nüt mega mega cool. bin bi song cry, ich check waser macht ich bin afoch null mitgnoh.
East coast rap extravaganza, with all the bravado. Samples that warm the heart with self-indulgent tirades that are cringe worthy
Weak. Empty. Nothing special. Nothing interesting. Has nothing to say.
Not for me.
I've just never been into jay zs voice.
2.5/5, but I'm gonna round down to 2 based on how I've rated other albums. Still, at least it's not Kanye.
Misogyny and homophobia, those are Jay Z traits.
It's ok... 2 1/2
Didn’t do much for me
I need someone to explain the appeal of some guy bragging for a whole hour over OK music. And really, the music isn't even that good. You could randomly select an album and chances are it's better musically. 1.5/5.0: Bad
Idk. Did I like the Doors one? Nah
2 out of 5. For me this album all kind of blended together and aside from some stray beats here and there nothing really stood out.
The music is decent but not good enough to get out of the way of the lyrics
Nokkur feit beat en hrikalegt þegar Joe Camel opnar á sér kjaftinn. Hvernig svona ljótur maður getur haft þetta egó er mér óskiljanlegt.
not good,
я настільки не слухаю хіп-хоп, що мені навіть соромно, тому я намагаюсь це виправити. але я зовсім не розумію орієнтирів в цьому жанрі, що є поганим, а що ні. мені подобається, як звучить цей альбом, в мене є дещо ностальгії за нульовими, і мені здається тут дійсно хороший продакшен, але тексти звісно настільки повз мене, наскільки це можливо.
Not the Jay Z album I’d have selected
I really tried with this. It felt to me like music by committee - a whole bunch of different Producers chipping in to leave one big puddle of soulless compromise
Nice try Diddy
Nah
One of Kanye's big producing breaks. I struggled to get through this album. Hov never appealed to me outside the hits. Some would put this album in the best rap album of all time conversation, but for me, this doesn't come close. I didnt absolutely hate it, and there was some interesting soul samples (Kanye), so it's saved from a 1 star.
Blech.
This isn’t really my taste at all, but the one thing that really caught my attention was the basslines—they’re genuinely awesome. I wish I could extract just the bass.
Ego, misogyny, and conflict. “I’ve got a lot of money and girls. Some people hate me, but it doesn’t matter cause I’m better than them.” The lyrical content is mostly un-relatable, unrepeatable, and unremarkable. The production is very cool. There is a bounce and depth that coerces head nodding. That is definitely the highlight of this record. The album was very cohesive; however, it felt to me like each track was not accomplishing anything new. The flows, the beats, the production from track to track rarely evolved or did something musically different from another. Therefore, songs began to feel too long, too repetitive, and monotonous. At over an hour, the runtime was bloated and filled with songs that were indistinct. 4.5-5/10 Standout: Heart of the City (Ain’t No Love) Renegade
I guess this was peak Jay-Z? Not a massive fan, but other than the collision course album, I've never really rated what he has done. Top 3 are takeover, song cry and izzo.
Has its moments but somewhat tiresome.
Rappy, and I don't really go for rappy. Not memorable at all.
Not bad for a rap album. Crazy this album came out on 9/11
Much of the backing music is good, but this is a Jay-Z album and he is the worst thing about it. What a boring rapper!
Mid
He seems to be so popular but I just don't get it. Very repetitive. Didn't make me happy.
Renegade was the best track by far. A lot of the lyrics fall flat here, and the production is boring.
Not my thing
Having listening to Kendrick Lamar, this album isn't really doing much. The lyricism isn't there for me. The flow isn't working. I'm learning a lot about hip-hop through this project and a few other things (incl. that I like hip-hop!). I am now confident enough to say that it's an album of its time and leave it at that.
Good beats, a little too much sex and money hip hop for me though
I apologize in advance to the Jay-z fans. But I’ll rip off the bandaid first. I don’t like jay-z’s vocal delivery. I think his voice is grating and his flow slightly off. I don’t think he’s lacking talent. He has very clever bars, but I think he is just oil and water to the BEAUTIFUL beats. But that’s the big positive i want to highlight. His actual music/beats are immaculate. That should be his legacy is how great his actual music is. The best example for me is Renegade. This exemplifies my whole point, which is that Eminem steals the show on this track. I think I’d probably enjoy the whole album more if there were more features. But seriously Jay-z does nothing for me, I think I’d be one of his biggest fans if he was more of mc/dj where he could rap here and there but focused fully on the music and got other people to drop his bars. But that’s my hot take on Jay-z. Like if someone else did the vocals for this album I bet I’d love it.
Good beats. Perhaps the blueprint for writing arrogant and braggadocios lyrics though. I wonder what Beyoncé thinks about all his girls, girls, girls?
Very bad lyrical content, but the instrumentals are pretty good.
pfff
De beats en samples waren best amusant, maar als uw teksten niet meer zijn dan gezever over hoeveel geld je hebt of wat je allemaal wenst te doen met vrouwen, dan sla je de bal toch mis. Voor een genre dat vooral steunt op woorden en ritme, heeft dit weinig inhoud en komt het nogal kinderachtig over. 1.5
Cover 7 I suppose this would take additional listens. First time listening, I didn't care much for it. Too many rap songs are about themselves. I I tend to find these boring and overplayed.
It was good to hear that he was talking about his problems but didnt exactly enjoy it.
Poorly mixed music and background vocals on the first 4 tracks that get better into the middle of the album; maybe the sound they were going for with pop candy hip-hop. Was told this album defined a generation and I grew up with Grandmaster Flash, NWA, and into gangsta rap, Dre, Snoop, Pac, Biggie, then Em, so this one just didn't take.
Don't get the hype for JayZ... Nothing ever really jumps out at me to be special. Just lots of "huh" and "yeah yeahs".
As usual, I’m disappointed with this list’s picks in the hip-hop category. I’m pretty sure by now the author has a non-existent rap culture, and just checked which albums were trending each year... I love hip-hop, but Jay-Z is hardly a groundbreaking artist, and The Blueprint isn’t really his best work. Nothing beats his first album (with the Black Album a close second). The Blueprint is... kind of all right, I guess ? It’s not bad – it’s reasonnably good mainstream hip-hop, and Jay-Z earns extra points with me for not assaulting us with 37 useless skits and 23 featurings with the latest trendy MCs. It’s a well-trimmed album with 12 tracks that go straight to the point. That being said, the production is a mixed bag. I was filled with hope after Takover, which had fantastic sampling ; but most of the following songs fell back into the kind of heavy "club hip-hop" nonsense I hate. The last track, Renegade, was the only other song I really cared for – probably the high point of this album in terms of production (thanks to Eminem). Jay-Z’s flow sounds a bit flat, it’s like he’s just going through the motions. To be fair, Jay-Z never had a particularly great flow to begin with, but he at least showed passion in his first album. Nothing really memorable happens here – it’s all rehashed tropes and tired brags we’ve already heard a thousand times. It’s never as obvious as in Renegade, where Eminem’s perfect flow suddenly eclipses everyone else. Fortunately it’s a short album that doesn’t overstay its welcome. It’s all right for a casual listen... but surely there were better picks available ? 4/10
Jay-Z the Jigga man is way HOVA rated. Other than a few releases over his career, I've never been a fan despite everyone else swooning. It's not as bad as some current BS but bragging about your money and talent without bringing anything new is boring. Best track is "Renegade" where his potential lyrical skill finally shines...too bad a white boy from Detroit shines brighter. I get why Blueprint makes the list cause it was a huge album (maybe 9\11 helped) but I'm still not that in...1.93 stars.
shit
The bombast and ego get tiring quickly, especially against the super slick production. Not my favourite era of hip hop.
I've never been a big fan of Jay-Z and always thought his music is just plain boring. This album just kind of proves my point. It really ranges from bland to mediocre to me. I feel that most of Jay-Z's discography other than a couple tracks (ie Hard Knock Life, Big Pimpin') are saved by features with people like Rihanna, Kanye (before his recent situations), or Eminem that have had better songs or better albums as a whole. There are a few tracks that have good beats and good flow but other than that, I don't really see the appeal. I've always heard that Jay-Z is considered to be one of the greatest rappers of all time. Something like that is pretty debatable especially when there is better from the East Coast like Wu-Tang, Biggie Smalls, or the Fugees. But also consider rap as a whole when there was NWA, Tupac, Public Enemy, 50 Cent, OutKast, you get what I'm saying. I always think of Jay-Z more as a business man rather than a rapper today because he really can get mediocre at times. Other than some criticism, I think the production and mixing of this album is really nice and sounds incredibly clean. With the combination of pre-rapper Kanye, Eminem, Timbaland, etc. I think it's what makes the record listenable and palatable because without it, I think it would have been panned all over the industry. But other than that, I didn't really care about this album and I'm not really sure why it is considered to be one of the hallmarks of 90s or 2000s rap when there is defiantly better out there. I just found it really boring and not different from most of the rap game from that time period. Favorite Tracks: Girls Girls Girls, Heart of the City, Song Cry, Renegade Rating: 2.5/5
I expected to be more impressed. Didn't do anything for me.
This album doesn't hit. It (to me anyway) seems like Jay doesn't have much left to say but felt like he should say something regardless.
jay z solo stuff aint my cup of tea. he got some hits but this album falls a bit flat imo
For sure not my type of music. Worst Song: Takeover Best Song: Renegade, Girls, Girls, Girls, Heart of the City, Never Change Added to Liked Songs: Renegade
Tragically it has been brought to my attention that someone has already made a 9/11 joke about this album, the displeasure I had at learning this news was roughly about the same feeling I had while listening to The Blueprint.
Good use of samples throughout the album, but it hasn’t aged well overall. This doesn’t seem to be my speed. I am, however, quite fond of the bass line on Renegade. The album did have a couple of bangers. A few of these songs sucked quite bad, like All I Need, Renegade and Girls Girls Girls. This album was a bit of a slog to get through at points, the runtime really didn’t help it. Highlights: Izzo, Heart of the City, Blueprint
Jay-Z bores me but some of the beats are better than expected.
Basically 60 minutes of Jay Z telling us what a badass he is. Kinda boring.
Would have been a 1, but it had some moments of musical redemption. Otherwise, the usual sophmoric cRAP
I hadn’t listened to this before and have managed to avoid listening to any Jay-Z albums. Having listened to this my decision has been shown to be a good one. The music is good, which isn’t surprising given who produced it. The rapping isn’t. H to the Izzo. Who the fuck cares?
Just not my jam.
Really like a bunch of Jay Z songs. WTT & 4:44 are both pretty great. This whole album is just him jacking himself off. Great production but super overrated & full of lyrics about how amazing he is.
Track 2 with the “Doors-Five to One” sample backbeat was decent. I recognized “Izzy”, and the one with Eminem was ok. Outside of those, again this era of rap just all blends together and sounds the same with limited style and ideas.
nah. Disrespectful to women and lame 2 stars
Very much 2000s album. I don't recognize any song, and mostly for the right reasons. Not much to see (or hear).
I liked "Izzo (H.O.V.A.)" and "Heart Of The City (Ain't No Love)". But the rest of the songs just didn't work for me. I can't put my finger on it, but there is something inauthentic about the lyrics.
I thought Jay Z did pop.... I guess he just does middle of the road rap. It's not offensive or particularly crappy, it's just whatever. No special interest factor to his songs sadly. 2/5 stars.
Eh, didn't really vibe with this one too much
Overrated asf in my opinion
This is heavy stuff, the peak of commercial and pop rap. But it still has real qualities. The production is excellent (Kanye West is involved, so that makes sense). Some tracks have surprising and original mixes, like D.O.A., which is eclectic but works. The lyrics are good, like with Nas, there’s some irony behind all the talk about money. But Jay-Z’s voice is flat and emotionless, which is a total letdown to me. Still, it’s a much better album than I expected, with nice surprises in terms of the features. Too bad it’s Jay-Z doing the rapping…
Aggressively fine. Jay-Z gets away with corny lyrics with attitude and Timbaland beats. The beats shine through way more than anything Jay raps over them. There’s nothing outstanding here other than the background.
eminem brings this down even further
This is my first (and last) listen because this is really not music that was made for me. Some really nice samples, and it is a very slick production, but my god he goes on! Not a fan of his style, his constant grunting would have been better turned into some kind of melody. Also not a fan of his or amazing ability to praise himself. The album is at least 20 minutes too long and I almost gave up listening 4 or 5 times. Maybe it’s a grower, but my ears could stand giving him the chance. Definitely won’t listen again. Will not listen
He has a unique voice where he sounds like he is on the verge of laughing constantly. If you think that’s cool then you might like this. Otherwise it’s gets annoying about 30 seconds in. It also doesn’t help that 90% of his lyrics are grunts, uhs, and just repeated filler words. The backing tracks are very generic and spotlight that he is supposed to be the main attraction not the instrumentals. Once again, if you like his sound/flow then thats good otherwise it comes across pompous and annoying. 4/10
I've never been able to get into J besides a handful of albums and then the Grey Album.
Got bored
Look at my money, look at my hos.
I could imagine it might have been very good in 2001, but some hooks and beats do sound a bit old for me. I was not really paying much attention tho. Could have missed some good arrangement or details.
Too long, too many mid songs. Overrated.
I am still no closer to understanding how Jay Z is so popular. This is average at best.
This record didn't do much for me. I was a little surprised at my reaction to the record as he's got a fairly mass market following, in many respects, but it was a little heavy on the gangsta and a little light on the talent.
Might be an unpopular opinion, but I just don’t get the appeal of Jay Z. Stuck in my old head hip hop ways, I guess.
he sure loves girls imo jay z is very overrated, best song is the one with eminem lol
Quite listenable for a hip-hop/rap-album.
Izzo is a pretty good track. Rest of it does nothing for me 2/5
Mid Hip Hop
Good production some ok beats but it ain't my jam, no real hype for me on this.
I did not really enjoy this, it just felt long and boring.
Ein zwei ganz nette Lieder, insgesamt uninteressant
The first half was just tracks trying to be big and grandiose, but they instead came off annoying, and his style doesn't excite me. The back half toned it down a little and had a couple good songs, but not enough to save the whole thing
2025-02-12
Renegade was the best one on this. Otherwise, I don't think this aged very well. 2/5
I know I'm in the minority when I say this but I don't get the attraction to Jay-Z's music. It may be his grating voice, it's just not something I can listen to (James Taylor is another one I can't stomach, same with Drake or that dude from Linkin Park). I'm also not into message rap, I want funky beats not words I need to absorb and make sense of. It's just average as hell with zero appeal. 2001 is when this came out, I was listening to "2001" by Dr. Dre, the complete opposite with banging beats, visual lyrics, great guests and memorable songs that aren't as repetitive and wordy. 149M listens to "Renegade", "Izzo" with 83M, and 70M for "Heart Of The City", impressive for sure. I can't imagine spending an hour and listening to this entire album by choice. Just not my sound I guess, and I know people worship him. Best thing he ever did was score Beyonce, and that's a real headscratcher! 2 Stars, thanks for trying.
A few good things here but a lot of it wasn’t
I've listened to it enough to know it's not for me. I definitely like this better than the album from The Streets in this album challenge but I'll give this a 2.
Some interesting beats/loops, but this album doesn't do much for me. 2 stars.
Good beats but not a fan of his style GORLS GORLS GORLS
Alright, I don't like Jay-Z. I think he's massively overrated and I like very few of his songs. I think his beats are average and his flow is boring. I'm sure that there's stuff to like about this album, certainly the nas diss track is cool and culturally interesting but I really just don't like his sound. His punch lines fall flat for me and he seems too cool to do anything more experimental with his flow. It feels like he's trying to be B.I.G. but without the charisma or range. All is to say that I don't hate it, but I can't believe this guy got as big as he is. Every verse I hear from him sounds like he's reading it off a sheet for the first time.
It's hard to give a rating to this one. I didn't hate it. But I didn't really like any of it either. I did like some of the lyrics, e.g.: I sell ice in the winter, I sell fire in hell I am a hustler baby, I'll sell water to a well But I have to say when Eminem made his appearance in Renegade I realised that there are better rappers out there. Best tracks: U Don't Know Renegade
Never understood the appeal of Jay-Z, and I am still baffled by it.
Tour guide through Jay’s brain Rhymes and bass without much care Lacking in substance
Okay
Pop Rap for suburban white boys. I like Jay Z as a hype man on some songs - but a whole album of him talking about how great he is gets a bit long in the tooth.
musically fine, but asthetically not me
Funky Rap, not too shabby. If you can look past the lyrics, that is. 3/10
Dont understand the fascination with Jay-Z yeah he is a great rapper and great flow but nothing that says goat to me.
2 - I dunno, just don't think I will ever choose to listen to this
No me aporta nada..
It may be the Blueprint of Rap but it does nothing for me. 2 stars or D-.
Day306 - overrated album by an overrated artist
i wish i liked this more :/ also, released on 9/11/01. yikes
I'm just not a JAY Z fan. I know he's well regarded. Just not my thing. This was an album I could've been just fine not hearing.
This is just a lot of monotonous fast-talking. Not a fan.
Not a big fan of Jay as a person but this isn't a bad record. Fairly melodic for a rap record
Renegade is by far the best track.
musically this was interesting-had some nice samples, good variety of sounds & tempos. but lyrically-ugh. demeaning to women, overuse of so, so, so many words, and constantly talking about himself.
there seems to be an epidemic among rap artists… the nonstop talking about themselves. jay-z does this ad nauseam. this album is about 85% jay-z loving him some him, about 5% about women, about 8% about “fuck them haters”, and 2% (one song) about family, which was nice. this trend on the album of the non stop self aggrandizing of jay-z is frankly tiresome. the whole album was literally about jay-z and anyone jay-z adjacent. tis not for me, and honestly tis one of the main reasons i don’t usually listen to rap…
Viele Gastauftritte (Janet Jackson, Beyonce,...) Für Rap ok, aber nicht mein Genre. 2/5
I see this is one of the more influential hip-hop albums, and I can hear something in its production that indicates high quality, but as with almost every other hip-hop album I've been graced with along this project, it doesn't excite my eardrums in the slightest.
Dig the music.
More like Jay Zzzzzzz. You're sending me to sleep man!
Rap crap
What is so great about this.
2.5
Immature mysogonist moaning about being rich. Not badly, some tracks really good but whole listing too long.
Thought it was good but got tired of it about halfway through. Eminem was too late to save it
I felt the exact same way tbh.
Not my cup of tea, but did not entirely hate it
Count how many times he goes "ho".
not a fan of Jay Z
Jay Zzzzz ..... How appropriate!
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.
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.
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.
It's not my taste
this was released on 9/11 lol
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
3.87 rym ho letto "chipmunk" e già vorrei ammazzarmi cristo che ridere è uscito l'11 settembre 2001 non mi piace
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 don't think hip hop is for me.
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
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
Sicher ein Meilenstein, aber am Ende klingt Jay Z immer wie Jay Z.
Nothing wrong with album, just not my type of music
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!
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.
Some vibes...but I'm more impressed by the samples than the raps.
Don't hate it, but really don't love it
Didn’t finish. Ick. Good beats, good samples, crap lyrics glorifying thug life. Not for me.
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!