Review: Jay-Z – “The Blueprint 3″

We’ve been hearing rumors about this project for over a year and now it has finally arrived. Below is a review of my first impressions, which are subject to change with time. I’ve decide to rate each track on a scale of 1 to 5, 1 being whack and five being Ahh Sweet Dude. Classic? We shall see…

1. What We Talkin’ About (feat. Luke Steele of Empire of the Sun)-Synth brass and an uptempo 4/4 beat make this a very familiar Jay-Z intro. In fact, it’s so familiar that it verges on redundant until the Luke Steele chorus breaks in. Lyrically this is a bit of the same old signature business talk from Jay, that “why yo name in my mouth” type shit! All in all, solid.                                                                                                                                                                                                                 4 out of 5
2. Thank You- Smooth transition from the intro into a laid back, top down, soulful groove. Sonically reminiscent  of the Reasonable Doubt era, Jay is certainly on point here. Definite replay value.                                                                                     4 out of 5
3. D.O.A. (Death of Auto-tune)- The ultimate buzz song of 2009, Jay is in complete control over straight crack production. Given the social context of this record and it’s epic introduction to the music scene, I feel obligated to consider it a classic.                                                                                                                                                                                            5 out of 5
4. Run This Town (feat. Kanye West & Rihanna)- Perfectly transitioning from D.O.A., this is a certified Jay-Z single. Rihanna is perfect on the chorus, Kanye is a beast and the production is near perfect. However, I can’t quite see myself looking back and calling this a classic.                                                                                                                                           4 out of 5
5. Empire State of Mind (feat. Alicia Keys)- I always love it when Jay-Z recalls his road to success and this particular record captures the experience to a T. I can literally see his experience and I can smell the city. Production wise, this is as good as I’ve heard in 2009. Oh, by the way, Alicia is absolutely perfect on the chorus. Quite honestly, this song reminds me why I love music so much. I get chills from this ya’ll. Classic.                                                                                         5 out of 5
6. Real As It Gets (feat. Young Jeezy)- Sonically parallel to Rick Ross’s Maybach Music 2, this is bona fide hustla music! As always, Jeezy is a monster feature and the production is epic. I can rock with this. Nah actually, I can see myself getting rich to this.. Chhhhhyyyeeaaahhh! Not quite classic though, solid                                                                          4 out of 5
7. On To The Next One (feat. Swizz Beats)- In this day and age for an album to be a true classic it must have a unique club track. Jay-Z and Swizz hit the nail on the head with this one. In fact, I can see nasty hoes getting dirty to this already. It is what it is and as far as club tracks go this is solid, but not classic.                                                                              4 out of 5
8. Off That (feat. Drake)- Since the first Blueprint installment I have become less and less a fan of Jay-Z/Timbaland collaborations and this track shows exactly why. I just can’t get excited about this. Sorry,                                                          3 out of 5
9. A Star is Born (feat. J. Cole)- It’s great to hear Jay reflect on all the albums and artists that have inspired him throughout his career. Production is solid and J. Cole is perfect. Classic though? Nah..                                                               4 out of 5
10. Venus vs. Mars- Perfect Timbaland BPM for Jay’s swag. Synth arrangements are masterfully spaced around tribal infused drums. In short, I’m a fan. However, we were promised a classic and this doesn’t quite fit the bill.                            4 out of 5
11. Already Home (feat. Kid Cudi)- High energy from the beginning, this record is reminiscent of an early Kanye production. Jay is certainly in his zone, however the beat and Kid Cudi’s chorus outshine his effort. Great Record              4 out of 5
12. Hater (feat. Kanye West)- Unique and obviously electro inspired, Hater is just another example of how much more comfortable Kanye is on a track at this point in time. Not trying to hate Jay… Seriously LOL.                                                     3 out of 5
13. Reminder- One of the three Timbaland leaks, this track is certainly one of the weak points on The Blueprint 3. In all honesty, it’s not Jay or the beat, it’s the fucking chorus. Redundant, lazy and completely annoying. This is Hola Hovito all over again.                                                                                                                                                                                                         3 out of 5
14. So Ambitious (feat. Pharrell)- Wow! This beat is fucking classic Pharrell and so is the chorus. In fact, it’s so good that it makes me forget about Reminder (thanks Pharrell). Lyrically, Jay is on top. I could hear this record being a highlight on any Jay-Z album since the first Blueprint. Definite replay value.                                                                                  4 out of 5
15. Young Forever (feat. Mr. Hudson)- Straight from the 808′ and Heartbreak cloth, Kanye’s arrangement is absolutely inspiring. Chours Money, verses money. This is classic ya’ll, in fact I’m done typing.. gotta let this play out.      5 out of 5

Total: 4 out of 5

The Blueprint 3 is without question one of the more memorable Hip Hop albums in the last 5 years, however it doesn’t exactly register as a classic. On the verge of his 40th birthday, Jay-Z has crafted what seems to be the worthy exit of a legend. Flashes of brilliance on D.O.A. and Empire State of Mind show enough edge to prove his greatness and cement his status as this generations most influential musician. Unfortunately, not every champion can exit with a game winning shot. In fact, most great men retire scratching for every last bit of glory that they can find.

“Fear not die I be alive for a million years/bye-bye’s are not for legends/I’m forever Young my name shall survive” -Jay-Z “Forever Young”-