Jay-Z: The Blueprint III
Jay-Z: The Blueprint III
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By Matt Fortune. |  |
Monday, 14, Sep 2009 12:17
Roc Nation, out now.
In a nutshell...
Peerless rapper outgrows hip-hop.
What's it all about?
Jay-Z is the undisputed kingpin of the hip-hop industry. On this his 11th studio album he harks back to his classic The Blueprint with a genre-stretching and progressive effort.
Who's it by?
He's worth over four hundred million dollars and has held the throne of rap music for a decade. So why does superstar Jay-Z find himself at a crossroads?
Ten years ago critics accused Jay-Z of going soft, citing a monomania for materialism and an ear for a pop hook. Hip-hop has often been compared to boxing with its verbal fights for supremacy. And on the 2001 album The Blueprint a reborn Jigga took on critics with dazzling attacks on rap giants Nas and Mobb Deep. A brilliant sonic backdrop with contributions from unknown Kanye West saw him rhyme from the heart. Finally the supremely talented MC had delivered a classic.
Back to the crossroads and the present day. Having retired in 2003 only to return with a brace of sub-standard releases, Jay-Z stood before two choices. To walk away from the game with his success, or to come out again fighting.
Thankfully he chose the latter, as The Blueprint III lives up to the name of its predecessor with some of the most forward-thinking music of the genre.
As an example...
Rap music has never had a Tom Waits or a Bob Dylan, and some hip-hop fans have recently been critical of Jay-Z's age in what is traditionally a young man's game.
As self-aware and wry as ever, Hova also seems obsessed with youth and maturity. On the Swizz Beatz track On To The Next One he barks "No I'm not a Jonas Brother, I'm a grown up" and later instructs "You should grow the f*** up, let me coach you".
And he appears proud of his new everyman status in music. On Empire State of Mind he boasts "I'm the new Sinatra - and since I made it here, I can make it anywhere."
Likelihood of a trip to the Grammys
The Grammys have always surprised rap fans with their choices. Poppy sounding big-sellers dominate while street efforts usually fall by the wayside. Ten years have passed since Jay-Z won a Grammy with Vol2 - Hard Knock Life and the committee may feel the irrepressible MC is due another gong.
What the others say
This album is big news. Hundreds of newspapers, magazines and blog critics have already passed judgement on the album since it was leaked online, as is the modern way with major releases. And the opinions are decidedly mixed.
The Telegraph praises the "hugely passionate and articulate" Jay-Z for having "the skill and gravitas to see off the pretenders". The LA Times is less forthcoming yet congratulates Jay-Z for "sounding hungrier than he has in years".
The Washington Post however scoffs "someone fetch Jay-Z some smelling salts...anything to knock him out of the stupor he has settled into on the Blueprint 3".
So is it any good?
The casual listener of Jay-Z's music may be in for a shock. Gone are the thudding soul-infused beats and wordy threats. In their place are some of the most experimental soundscapes from a mainstream MC. It is the Bitches Brew or Electric Ladyland of hip-hop, and as such contains moments of pure brilliance as well as major flaws.
Eschewing his typical bombastic opener, he teams up with 'little brother' Kanye West and one half of electro oddballs Empire of the Sun as only he can. Gigantic, echoing synthesizers move between two notes in a moment of theatrical tension. Here Jay-Z systematically dismisses every tired subject matter in hip-hop while setting out his musical stall.
"I let the music dictate the direction," he explained after critics and fans hotly debated the production lineup. Second track Thank You is a vocal victory lap set to a thrilling jazz sample. Immediately following is street single D.O.A on which talented producer No ID throws together a nagging guitar riff with wonky drums and a demented saxophone. "This ain't a number one record, it's practically assault with a deadly weapon," spits Jay-Z in a powerful riposte to the modern Auto-Tune sound which he feels is ruining his beloved hip-hop.
Unfortunately for Hova this smacks of hypocrisy later in the album. In his relentless quest for a new sound he sometimes comes off as a tired imitation of younger rappers. Surprisingly it is producer Timbaland who lets the side down with regurgitated versions of his radio hits. Off That might have been rejected by Nelly Furtado and sports some of the most banal lyrics ever said by Jay-Z. Reminder is similarly lukewarm while Venus vs Mars never really gets started. Putting current rap darlings Kid Cudi and Drake on the album seems desperate, while on Hate there is a touch of Lil Wayne in Jay-Z's stretched syllables.
Some of this can be chalked up under the accidents column that often comes with experimentation. When it all clicks the sound is spectacular. Empire State Of Mind is orchestral hip-hop with a widescreen sound and soaring vocals from Alicia Keys, while Run This Town could well be single of the year. A Star Is Born trumps them all however, with an ebullient horn section anchoring the effortless raps of Hova.
On tracks like these Jay-Z reminds us just why he is peerless in hip-hop. While most mainstream acts chase sales and radio play, he is financially free to pursue whatever direction he chooses. In On To The Next One he scoffs "N****s want my old s**t? Buy my old albums" And the reborn Jay seems bored of thudding beats and endless threats to nameless foes after headlining Glastonbury and selling out Madison Square Garden. Not all of this transformation works, but as the self-proclaimed Sinatra of rap he is doing it his way.
7/10
Marcus Dubois