Opening
Opinion: 10/10
As you may or may not know, this is, what I consider to be the
best rap album of all time. I’ve had this opinion actually for a while now. Let’s
get into the review. Jay-z aka Shawn Corey Carter dropped this album back on
9/11/01 a day that lives in infamy. He even brags on the Blueprint 2 that the
terrorist attack couldn’t stop this album from being successful. So what really
makes this superior to Reasonable Doubt? Let’s go!
First there’s the lead single, Izzo (H.O.V.A.), a great party track that just feels really damn
good on the ears you know. The beat is infectious here. It’s one of the things
that makes this album so damn good. Jay raps about his come up. Another single,
Girls Girls Girls, is a classic. Jay
raps about a variety of girls; Young, Project, African,Chinese ,Indian, Model,
you name it. The thing is the sample is just beautifully integrated with a laid
back beat.
Back to the beginning of the album. Jigga runs through The Rulers Back with relative ease. It’s
not the most exciting song here but it’s good and the first line was used for
Kanye West’s Good Morning Song form
Graduation. Then there’s a viscious diss rap supremacy song Takeover. He goes at Mobb Deep and Nas
most notably. Nas really gets dissed hard. I won’t spoil it. You can see why
Nas felt so inclined to respond with Ether.
JIgga That Nigga is easily the weakest song here. It’s
pretty standard, but on most albums it would be a highlight. It’s like Jay is
bored with his own flow. The next song, U
Don’t Know hits really hard. The beat is epic, and Jay raps, “I sell ice in
the winter, I sell fire in hell, I am a hustler baby, I can sell water to a
well.” The Timbaland produced Hola Hovito
is a win. The beat will really get you movin. Jay is really boastin here with a
razor sharp flow.
The Kanye West produced Heart
of the City is terrific. The chorus is great, and Jay spits hard. Never Change is also really good. Kanye
West lends vocals to a decent chorus. Song
Cry is really dope. It’s a song of lost love but apparently Jay messed up, “I was just f***in those girls, I was gon’ get
right back”. It’s a nice continuation of the change of pace that the previous
track set. All I Need is another dope
song. On most albums it would be a highlight, but here it just fits right in.
Eminem joins the show on Renegade.
It’s a dark and broody song but exciting also. Nas was right, for the first
time on this album Jay gets outshined. Eminem is just supercharged here. Both
rappers make their case for G.O.A.T. Blueprint
is the last track. He gives you a trip down memory lane in Marcy Projects.
Its pretty good track, but wait there’s 2 bonus tracks. Breath Easy is like a come on now I’m the best type of song. The
remix to Girls Girl Girls follows and its got a hotter beat than the original,
but weaker verses.
BP2 is good, BP3 is great, but BP one is a masterpiece.
Closing Opinion 10/10