Did you really believe Jay-Z when he called “retire”? Honestly, rappers retiring is about as meaningful as Favre or Jordan retiring. At any rate, many people were stoked that “today’s Frank Sinatra” came back from retirement with the next installment of his catalog, The Blueprint 3.
To tell you the truth, I’ve never been a big fan of Jay-Z. I don’t hate him but the only song I ever really liked was “Dirt off Your Shoulder.” But just like everyone else, I heard “Empire State of Mind” blasting through any speaker connected to a radio the last couple of months and decided, “Fiiiiiine, I’ll give this one a try.” I have to say that it’s a pretty good album but it did nothing to transform me into a Jay-Z “fanatic.”
Rappers always have something to say about how they’re influencing the game. “D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)” is Jay-Z’s response to today’s music scene and the sudden popularity of using the Auto-Tune feature. I know a rapper’s not a rapper if he’s not hyping himself up but in this track, Jay-Z seems to be overdoing it. I mean, come on; you’re Jay-Z. We all know how bad ass you are! Although being called this generation’s Frank Sinatra is REALLY pushing it. And think about who brought Auto-Tune into popularity (you’ll say T-Pain, but Kanye West actually used it on his debut album College Dropout in the way that it’s used today). Ye and Jay have worked together for years. Is Jay-Z starting a war with West? Who knows? Perhaps it’s just more ammo to use amplify their respective egos. My favorite line of this song is, “Get back to rappin’/You T-Pain’n too much.” He’s talking about how rap used to be all about bad-asses, not singing. I guess in that sense he’s right but I think he’s just trying to hard to deviate from conformity.
One of the album’s most popular singles is “Run This Town” featuring Rihanna and Kanye West. This is my second favorite off the album … and not just because my boy is featured in it! Rihanna’s a hit-maker these days and this song has one of her best melodies. It’s catchy as a mo fo! I love West’s portion of the song: “I’m just trying to change the color on your mood ring/Reebok, baby, you need to try some new things/Have you ever had shoes without shoe strings?” Perhaps plugging the shoes he’s designed for Louise Vuitton? Fact is, that song is one of the catchiest of the fall releases and it’s no surprise that it’s so successful!
“Empire State of Mind” featuring Alicia Keys has been ridiculously popular these days, though. I’m sure people already forgot about “Run This Town.” Now this song is pretty effing awesome! You’ve heard it EVERYwhere the past couple of months; remember, the Yankee game and the VMA’s when Li’l Mama (awkwardly) rushed the stage? This song is ALMOST the best thing since that little Randy Newman ditty that plays at the end of Dodger games (but come on, nothing will ever beat “I Love L.A.”!) about a city. New York is an amazing city full of history and class, and Jay-Z writes the perfect song while Alicia Keys provides the perfect energy and voice. I love the chorus she sings: “New York/Concrete jungle where dreams are made of/There’s nothing you can’t do/Now you’re in New York/These streets will make you feel brand new/The lights will inspire you/Let’s hear it for New York.” The video pumped me up so much, I almost jumped on a damn plane!
I know I’m making it seem that the album is awesome, but the singles were the highlights for me. There are other songs that are pretty damn good too, but nothing to transform me into a Jay-Z lover. Check out these other songs and see if you feel the same!
Other Highlights
“What We Talkin’ About” feat. Luke Steele
“Real As It Gets” feat. Young Jeezy
“On To The Next One” feat. Swizz Beats
“Venus vs. Mars”
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