Reviews (page 8 of 9)
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!
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.
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.
Oops
Autant j'adore le style autant c'est clairement pas le meilleur album de cette époque (et de l'artiste en général)
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.
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
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.
not really no
not really my taste
Not a fan of his really, that being said, there are a couple of decent songs on this album
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.
The Dale Carnegie of hip-hop.
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.
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.
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.
No me aporta nada.
Overrated
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.
Hov isnt for me. I found his brags and flow boring. Wouldn't seek this album out again
2.5/5
There were some good samples. Too bad he rapped all over it. It's like he has one tone of voice and nothing else
Not my favorite. I do appreciate the rhythm though.
Not a big fan, some well known bangers on this album but did we really need TWO versions of Girls girls girls girls?
It was fine - not my speed really
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!
I dunno, couldn't vibe with it.
Maybe this was more of a phenomenon at the time but this just seems to blend into all the other rap albums of today. Low 2.
Meh.
Really enjoyed it! Folk rock. A bit of Psych a great album! Added it to my library.
Meh
I really do not enjoy this type of music — can do a song not an album
Listening to more hip hop still doesn't make me like it
Album less good than I remember. U Don't Know track is good lyric wise. Selling water to a well. Heart of the City melody recognizable
Glemte å følga med, trur da va greit nok
I'll never forget the day this album dropped. I gotta say it wasn't a good day. While I recognize the cultural value of the album, I really doesn't mean much to me musically.
Really I would give this 2.5 stars if I could. I’ve never been able to connect with Jay Z.
Favorite Song: The Ruler's Back Despite me giving it a 2/5, this is not a bad album by any means. I just don't enjoy the genre of rap as much as some people, so it played a factor in why I rate this so low. My personal favorite songs on this album were the opening track "The Ruler's Back" and the ninth track "Never Change".
Luckily I already listened to this with the other group, so I don't have to sit thru the dog water again. 2/5
Lame
2. No me aporta nada.
Erste drei Lieder ganz geil, bei „Girls, Girls, Girls“ muss ich aber skippen. Lied 5 dann wieder okay, aber auch nicht so richtig geil Skip zu Lied 6: Jetzt schon genervt. Lied 7: auch nervig Komm, noch das Lied mit Eminem und dann ist Schluss. Das fängt auch direkt sehr langweilig an. Geht auch langweilig weiter. Denke ich könnte mir aus allen Jay-Z Liedern, die geil sind, ein halbes Album zusammenstellen.
Man I just don’t like how the beat and lyrics don’t match, and I also don’t like jay z’s voice as it is very nasally
dude's just a biiiiit too into himself
All of the rap and hip-hop in this list I've heard so far has been NY based and Jay Z is no different! Is there bias, where is Snoop? This feels like middle album from Jay-Z after he's already been established and has a flow. It is a really well mixed and produced album, and the wiki tells me that Kanye produced a few tracks - I hear it.. It's like the era of dis-tracks and being angry.. I'm not sure what it is that makes this a bit off-putting -- maybe it's Kanye? I never dug him either... Maybe it's the people that I associate with this sort of swagger? It all just comes off so trite. Money, drugs, hoes. Who cares? I'm only two tracks in and this might be a slog I may not finish. This gets a 2 because of production value and the relevancy to rap after it.. not because the content is particularly any good . -- Phew. it lightens up on track three and four..hearing these makes me feel like I'm a teenager again. I Don't mind the production, but the content... Jay-Z gets in the way of his own ego. The Eminem track didn't really do it for me either. Review of Reviews: 2023 people don't like the clout, I agree. Best Track: Izzo
The Ruler's Back - 2/5 Takeover - 2/5 Izzo - 1/5 Girls, Girls, Girls - 1/5 Jigga - 1/5 You Don't Know - 3/5 Holá Hovito - 1/5 Heart of the City - 2/5 Never Change - 2/5 Song Cry - 2/5 All I Need - 2/5 Renegade - 3/5 Blueprint - 2/5 Lyrical Exercise - 2/5 Girls, Girls, Girls 2 - 1/5
Hyviä taustoja ei siinä. Tyyli ei vaan oikeen uppoo.
Decent but not my thing. 2/5
some good songs but overall seems to be lacking creativity in lyrics. lot of solid beats but most songs just aren't particularly fun or interesting
i don't rly love his style or instrumentals, i prefer ppl like tribe called quest/digable planets/MF DOOM
Don't really listen to Rap but Ig this was alright? Liked the beats and that one with eminem and the last song was good Wished could have rated it high but not now. Will not listen again ( except the eminem song? )
S Tier————————— A Tier————————— Heart Of The City (Ain’t No Love) Renegade B Tier————————— Never Change The Ruler’s Back Takeover Song Cry Izzo U Don’t Know Girls, Girls, Girls (Part 2) Jigga That Nigga C Tier————————— All I Need Blueprint (Momma Loves Me) Girls, Girls, Girls Hola’ Hovito D Tier————————— Lyrical Exercise
Friday 10/27/2023, 10:20, home S Tier————————— A Tier————————— Renegade Izzo (H.O.V.A) Takeover B Tier———————— Heart of The City (Ain’t No Love) The Ruler’s Back U Don’t Know Lyrical Exercise C Tier————————— Hola’ Hovito Jigga That Nigga All I Need Song Cry Blueprint (Momma Loves Me) D Tier————————— Girls, Girls, Girls Never Change Girls, Girls, Girls pt. 2
Haha I don’t like rap I’m so quirky and contrarian
Not a huge fan of this album butttt I didn’t give it a careful listen. It’s a bit too egotistical for me.
Not my fav, but some good early 2000 vibe
I wish there was a karaoke version I could listen to.
Passabler Rap.
Not for me. The most interesting part was learning it was released on 9/11????
decent for rap
Not my fave genre of rap, but appreciate the watershed that it was…after reading about it on Wikipedia.
Not a jayz fan
Not a fan of Rap, but I quite liked the controversial "Takeover" mainly due to it's sampling of "Five to One" by The Doors and the use of David Bowie's "Fame".
nope
I’m not a huge fan to be honest
Not a big rap fan but this was a let down considering how popular Jay-Z is.
Трудно е да оцениш Jay Z след Wish you were here на Пинк Флойд 😅
Wow, did not know the did a The Doors sample. Couple of bangers, not much else there doing it for me
Mid-Z. Some of these beats really are iconic tho. Izzo & U don’t know & heart of the city come to mind. but kinda resident sleeper listening to Jay rap for this long ab his $. Idk i never really got into Jay and this didn’t really help.
pass
Some catchy music, but not really my thing. Got burned out pretty just a few songs in.
Great if you're in the mood for rap!
not for me
Niet veel van geluisterd maar het was ook niet heel interessant
Listening to Girls Girls Girls (and trying but failing to push through Girls Girls Girls pt. 2) I am now even more certain that I'm on the asexual spectrum. I like Jay-Z's sound, and enjoyed a few of the tracks on the album, but I don't think I'd go back and re-listen to the whole thing again intentionally.
I definitely appreciate that this is a very good rap album. At the same time, it's pretty unlikely that I'm going to listen to this album again.
Meh
Only really like Jay Z when he collabs with Linken Park or Beyonce
A bit samey
bit of a slog for me, but I liked Heart of the City
Braggadocios but lacks the wit, charm and fun to pull it off. The whole project felt insincere. The few moments he shines most on this are when he strips back the ego and offer's genuine introspection. Much prefer 'The Black Album', where the braggadocio is paired with bigger, better production and loads more fun. Fav Track: Song cry 2/5
Tampoco soy yo el más fan de este rollito de rap (2.5)
Incredible production for absolute cornball lyrics
It was cool I don’t know could really hold my attention 2.5
Het ergste wat New York op 11 september 2001 is overkomen (ik weet niks van geschiedenis)
Objectively: 3 Subjectively: 1 Overall: 2 This ain't it. Annoying breath noises, annoying voice right off the bat. The beats are average at best. Sometimes the bass distracts me enough to forget what I'm listening to. Otherwise, it's full of stereotypes, mediocre trash, loves to recite the alphabet, weak rhymes. N to the izz-O. T to the izz-hanks.
Very hard listen for. Felt repetitive. Some songs even felt like they were threw together in just a few minutes. They lack the depth that music is an outlet for.
Not fan of his style or his songs. I think Jay Z is overrated. There's better NY rappers and I never understood why he's so popular. 99 problems, Hard knock life and Dirt off your shoulder are bangers but he's got so many duds and this album really showcases it.
Dated. Bling era hip hop has aged poorly. Girls is a stupid song. Nas is king.
not my bag. It just inst interesting to me and i would rather listen to the original tunes used as the backing tracks rather than these versions.
Never really listened to JAY Z, won't after this. Feels watered down compared to NWA, Wu-Tang, Nas, etc.
A couple of ok tracks when he decides not to rap about getting bitches and “running the game”
Well more melodic than some of the other rap albums we’ve been subjected to. I still resent having M......F......... and worse shouted at me during the course of a song. I wouldn’t choose to listen again so 2*
It was alright.
Something about his voice puts me off, not my type of rap that's for sure, I would rather listen to the music of the samples he used.
Don't really care for the production on this album.
For a moment, I was pretty hopeful. This album starts off with strong production values, a great sound all around, and okay, yeah, he's a bit of a braggart, and there's perhaps a couple of swears too many, but hey, surely, there's more to this album than just JAY-Z reminding you of how amazing he is (all while the producers remain understated). And that's definitely the case. But I feel like this certainly dragged on for too long, too. As far as number of tracks go, this has been one of the longer albums I've listened to so far. There isn't anything particularly profound being said throughout most of Blueprint. JAY-Z is heterosexual. He is wealthy. He is incredibly confident in himself. These aren't particularly horrible subjects to make music about, certainly no, but this album is so long. It isn't all dreary slog of an album, some tracks are decent, particular being one produced by Kanye West. Unfortunate, as I don't think either of these men need a bigger ego. But like, what do I know? This isn't really made for me. I'm too gay, too white, too poor. It's fine. I don't have to GET every album thrown at me. But, I'm not entirely sure how to rate this one. It kind of seemed "just okay", yet the inclusion on this list feels reasonably obvious to me. Yeah, I didn't like this, but I guess I am glad to just experience it in a way. … And all this was released on 9/11? 2001? Christ, talk about surreal.
If skills sold, truth be told, you'd probably be in a dustbin somewhere. solid production, weak ass rhymes.
I believe that this gentleman lives a financially stable life.
This shit ain't no shit for me, yo. Some good, aggressive songs, but e.g. "Song Cry" made me cry: stop this smooth slimy music.
Just kind of nothing. Like, it was pretty repetitive and he is certainly full of himself. I just don't have much thoughts. It wasn't terrible, and not really bad. So, congrats.
Great production, loved the sound but (and I know I'm not the target audience) jeez man, just sshhhh, we get it girls and money. 2.5/5
i just don’t care about guys going on like this anymore
I don't think this has aged well.
Not a huge fan of gangster rap, but I can appreciate some of the singles on this album.
I have heard of Jay-Z but I don't know if I have heard a complete track from Jay-Z before listening to Blueprint. I was not excited to see this album come up as the suggestion of the day. The backing music is okay, but the content of the lyrics quickly sinks this album below "okay". I'm never a fan of the constant bragging, and the frequency of a couple of words alone will keep me from listening to anything from this album again.
Was very excited to find this was up next. Quite like a bit of rap but found this a struggle. Thought I was more likely to come out wanting to buy a Yankee hat. Lyrics were average at best, found the beat overly complicated and abit rubbish and lacking any flow. Had to really battle to get through it all. Genuinely hope someone rates it 5 so they can explain to me what I am missing. Seriously disappointing. Favourite song was never change.
I like how polite this record starts. But a polite young man, he is not. I think the lyrics in ‘girls girls girls’ might be the worst I’ve ever heard. It’s like a 14 year old from suburbia has decided to be a rapper, and come up with this. Actually quite a few songs on this has awful lyrics, but he raps them well so I guess that counts. That said, its alright on a whole. It did grow on me as it went on. U Dont Know was probably my favourite. He certainly has high opinions of himseld. Nout special, decent riffs here and there and some relatively catchy songs. I guess it’s just not my cuppa tea.
Never really listened to Jay z properly and I'm not a big fan of the hits so I didn't think I'd like this. Better than I expected but it's more on the poppy side of hip hop than I like and there are a lot of the gangsta rap tropes I don't like. Seemed like all he rapped about was money. Boring. Izzo and girls, girls, girls aren't my thing, but he has good flow. Thought never change and U don't know were the best tracks. I started thinking this was better than I expected but was pretty disappointed by the end
Not an ideal album for work><
Overrated
Meh
Listahittiräppiä! Ei oo koskaan kyseinen heebo onnistunut purasee meikällä, mutta onhan tää tälläsessä megaluokassaan varmaan ihan jees. 2/5
i do not really care for him
Found this repetitive, cold, and a little dated.
You have got to admire his confidence, if I looked and sounded like this guy I wouldn’t leave the house. “I'm the all time heavy weight champion of flowers I'm leading the league in at least six statistical categories right now Best flow, Most consistent, Realest stories Most charisma, I set the most trends And my interviews are hotter Holla” I tend to judge my hip hop on different criteria though: Flow - normally boring but when he does try to do something interesting it often sounds awkward or forced. Tone - ugh, I hate his attempts flat singing. Content - standard wannabe gangster shit. Production - all the ingredients are the there but it just sounds sterile to me. I remember friends liking this when it came out but I just don’t see the appeal at all.