Rapper-Jay-z
Breakdown Date: Late
Summer 2013
“The God Mc”
Rapper Albums
Reasonable Doubt
1996
Top 3-5 Songs: Dead Presidents II, Can’t Knock the Hustle,
Aint No N**ga
Album Score: Beats-4.2, Lyrics-5= 4.6
Rapper Stats: Flow-99, Versatility-87, Relevancy-91,
Rapper Rating: 92.3
Comments- Jay-z’s debut album is incredible lyrically. The
beats aren’t bad either. It’s obvious that from the get go, Jay would be a
force in Rap. The album doesn’t really showcase his versatility but that would
come later.
In My Lifetime, Vol.
1
1997
Top 3-5 Songs: The City is Mine, (Always Be My) Sunshine,
Who You Wit II
Album Score: Beats4.3, Lyrics-4.8=4.55
Rapper Stats: Flow-98, Versatility-88, Relevancy-87
Rapper Rating: 91
Comments- The 2nd album from Jay didn’t really
elevate his status but it was a great album none the less. Beat wise its better
than R.D. And it’s just as deep and
cohesive.
Vol. 2….Hard Knock
Life
1998
Top 3-5 Songs: Hard Knock Life(Ghetto Anthem), Can I Get
A…,Money Ain’t A Thing
Album Score: Beats-4,Lyrics-3.9=3.95
Rapper Stats: Flow-91, Versatility-90, Relevancy-90
Rapper Rating: 90.3
Comments-This is the album that really elevated Jay-z to
superstardom. It has some real gems, but then there are some obvious filler songs
that weigh it down some. I still like how Jay-z never really lets the spotlight
go on this album that has a big guest list.
Vol. 3…Life and Times
of S. Carter
1999
Top 3-5 Songs: Big Pimpin, Dope Man, Do It Again
Album Score: Beats-3.8, Lyrics-4.3/2= 4.05
Rapper Stats: Flow-93, Versatility-90, Relevancy-91,
Rapper Rating:91.3
Comments-Vol. 3 is an improvement over HKL. It’s got quite a
few nice songs on it. The guest list is impressive as well with Mariah Carey,
UGK, and Juvenile just to name a few.
Jay-z’s flow remains sharp on this album.
The Dynasty: Roc La
Familia
2000
Top 3 Songs: Guilty Until Proven Innocent ,Change the Game,
I Just Wanna Love You U
Album Score: Beats 3.8, Lyrics 3.6 = 3.7
Rapper Stats: Flow-88, Versatility-82, Relevancy-86,
Rapper Rating: 85.3
Comments- This album
is and odd one. Jay sounds like a guest here on his own album! Despite the
Familia’s dominant presence Jay comes through here. It’s a decent album, but
its also Jay’ s fist stumble.
The Blueprint
2001
Top 3-5 Songs: Takeover, Girls Girls Girls,, Renegade
Album Score: Beats 5, Lyrics 5 =5
Rapper Stats: Flow-97, Versatility-92, Relevancy-93,
Rapper Rating: 94
Comments-BP One is Jays’s best album overall. It seems to
have everything going for it. Hot beats, and really really good lyrics. This is
one album that really elevated Jay’s career to a place few rappers have been or
could wish to be in.
The Blueprint 2: The
Gift and the Curse
2002
Top Songs: 03’ Bonnie & Clyde, U Don’t Know(Remix), Hovi
Baby, The Watcher 2, The Bounce
Album Score: Beats-4.2, Lyrics-3.5/2= 3.85
Rapper Stats: Flow-89, Versatility-89, Relevancy-90,
Rapper Rating: 89.3
Comments- BP2 is a good album, collectively. There is filler
here, which weighs down both discs. However Jay is still really good here. All
his stats are lower than on BP1, but since that was a classic that’s not hard
to imagine. Jay would release a BP2.1 for some reason. “I Got Now I Don’t Care
who got next.”
The Black Album
2003
Top 3-5 Songs: Dirt Off Your Shoulder, Change Clothes,
Public Service Announcement, 99 Problems
Album Score: Beats-5, Lyrics-4.8=4.9
Rapper Stats: Flow-96, Versatility-94, Relevancy-95,
Rapper Rating: 95
Comments- So Jay was going to retire after the release of
this monster album in 2003. As far as relevancy goes, Jay was probably on top
of his popularity. The album has no really big flaws and it goes down as not
just one Jay’s best but one of rap’s too.
2004-2005
Non Album Year(s)
Rapper Rating-5
90
Jay continued to rap even after his “retirement” which makes
me wonder….did he ever have any intention of leaving the game?
Kingdom Come
2006
Top 3-5 Songs: Lost One, Trouble, Show Me What You Got,
Kingdome Come
Album Score: Beats-4, Lyrics-3.7= 3.85
Rapper Stats: Flow-83, Versatility-85, Relevancy-81,
Rapper Rating: 83
Comments- After having lots of exceptional albums(minus
Dynasty), Jay came back from retirement a little rusty in my opinion. The album
has nice beats, despite Jay spitting rather averagely. The album is still
pretty versatile as Jay got help from Beyonce, Usher, John Legend , and Ne-Yo…who
are all singers.
American Gangster
2007
Top 3-5 Songs: Success, Hello Brooklyn 2.0, Blue Magic, No
Hook, Ignoarant S***
Album Score: Beats-3.8, Lyrics-4.7= 4.25
Rapper Stats: Flow-95, Versatility-88, Relevancy-86,
Rapper Rating: 89.7
Comments- AG is viewed by many as a bounce back album for
Jay. His lyrics are much better than on KC but he sacrificed the beats a
little. This is easily one of the best rap albums to come out in 2007. The
album feels like a new version on RD, and isn’t very commercial in its appeal.
2008
-2
RR: 87.7
The Blueprint 3
2009
Top 3-5 Songs: Empire State of Mind, Death of Auto tune, On
to the Next One, Run This Town
Album Score: Beats-4.6, Lyrics-4.3=4.45
Rapper Stats: Flow-90, Versatility-92, Relevancy-90,
Rapper Rating: 90.7
Comments-BP3 isn’t as good as the first one, but it’s better
than BP2 easily. The album has a lot of dope sounds on it. Its pretty deep
also. Critics may claim Jay spits with no real concept to his songs here, but this
album is one of Jay’s best regardless.
2010
RR—1.7
89
C-Jay didn’t fall off that much in 2010. He had excellent
guest spots like on Kanye’s MBDTF album for example
Watch the Throne
2011
Top Songs- N*ggas in Paris, Otis, No Chruch in the Wild,
Murder to Excellence
Album Score: Lyrics-4.2, Beats-4.3 = 4.25
Rapper Rating: -1= 88
C: Jay-z and Kanye’s WTT album is good. The album features
some really cool beats and some interesting song concepts. I don’t feel either
rapper outshined one another on this album.
2012
RR- No Change= 88
Jay had a lot of guest feautures here and there like on
Rihanna and Rick Ross’s albums.
Magna Carta Holy
Grail
2013
Top 3-5 Songs: Part II(On the Run), SomewhereinAmerica, Tom
Ford, Nickels & Dimes,BBC
Album Score: Beats4.4, Lyrics4.6=4.5
Rapper Stats: Flow-93, Versatility-88, Relevancy-91,
Rapper Rating: 90.7
Comments- This is a really interesting and hard to review
album. Its solid all the way through, but some songs just don’t stand out. Jay
is different than he was on BP3, and that’s honestly a good and bad thing.
Either way the Samsung thing was genius.
Overall Album Score: Albums 1 to # (sum/# of albums)=55.9/13=4.3
Non Album Year(s) Overall Score: N.A.Y.R/number of years= 354.7/5= 70.94
Rapper’s Overall Rating: (NAYOS +Combined Rapper
Rating)/Number of Rapper Ratings- (70.94+1,170.6)/13= 90.1
Final Rapper Comments: Jay-z is perhaps the greatest rapper
ever…..I didn’t say best, I said greatest.
