May the best of your todays be the worst of your tomorrow…but we ain’t even thinking ‘bout that…
Of the fifteen tracks on Jay-Z’s new album, The Blueprint 3, eleven feature some of the leading rap/pop/hip-hop artists on the charts today. From the phenomenal talents of Alicia Keys and Pharrell Williams to the uniquely pitched vocals of Rhianna and Luke Steele, this latest expression of rap greatness proves to be highly entertaining and well executed.
Whether it is Jigga man, Young Hove, Hova, Jay-Z or Shawn Carter that you hear, this record is proof yet again of the man’s talents and musical aptitude. Not only has he paired up with amazing artists to give his tracks a larger sound, he has also enlisted the most talented and mainstream pop producers. This may not be a new tactic for Jay, having used chart topping hip hop artists in his previous records, but this time the combination of collective vocal and musical prowess lends itself to sheer brilliance.
The outstanding tracks on the album are collaborative efforts, So Ambitious, Empire State of Mind and the phenomenal Young Forever (featuring little known Mr Hudson on vocals). This might not be the best album in the classical sense – perhaps his rhymes are slightly contrived, perhaps there are too many obnoxious elements in the vein of one Mr. West (who is credited as producer and co-writer on seven of the fifteen tracks and executive producer on the whole); perhaps also it is an attempt by the aging rapper to mirror his contemporary counterparts in the mainstream pop scene. But with age comes experience and Jay-Z pulls it off effortlessly. All tracks are infectious and lyrics are delivered with a great sense of humour and self absorption which borderlines a self depreciation which only the Jigga Man knows how to deliver. The lack of auto-tune on this album is a breath of fresh air in the densely saturated auto-tune world of popular hip-hop. It’s so heartening to hear singers sing and rappers rap. The Blueprint 3 is easy listening, with Jay-Z’s trademark inflections running rampant throughout.
The Blueprint 3 – RocNation
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