Yeah! I have not heard the full album, but i like to listen to what people have to say, normal, everyday people, not professional writers.
Below are the views of some randomly selected people.
I am a true fan of Jay Z. I fall asleep to Reasonable Doubt everyday on the train. The old jay, the hungry jay, the one who so vividly described exactly what the life of a "hustler" entails from emotions to hard decisions. Now comes the latest from Mr. Shawn Carter, and it represents growth. He experiments. He speaks about relevant issues. He shows growth. He's got enough skills to ride any beat.
I read a lot of people stating OB4CL pt. 2 is a great album. It's not. It doesn't show Rae or Wu's growth. It's a continuation of OB4CL.
BP3 shows Jay Z's growth as an artist. I respect that.
Ok, here it goes. I've been listening to hip hop longer than most of you kids can imagine. I am not a professional reviwer per say, but I know my stuff. With that said, I've been listening to Jay-Z at the start of the Reasonable Doubt (CLASSIC!!). I've grown with all of his albums, and this one stuck a very bad note with me!!
When you are in hip hop, you are describing your life and struggles to the world, with great lyricism and great beats. This album barely get either one. Kanye's beats were great and so was the InKredibles, but that was it. Timbaland is not the king!! His beats are the worst, well, I take that back, that crown goes to Swizz Beats. You stink!! Stop using a sample and making the same beat for everyone!! The Neptunes gave Jay a half-made beat! Now with samples, why would you sample a track that was used in the movie Napoleon Dynamite (Track 15)?? Booo!!! Mr. Carter was too busy being an "artist," not a lyricist or street guy. Now I understand that he has "grown" up and moved from that lifestyle, but when your beats and rhymes reflect an "artist's" world and not the street rhymer, you have sold out.
Beats: C- (only thanks to Kanye) Too artsy, futuristic, not hip-hop!!
Mr. Carter, your rhymes are talking about a lifestyle that NONE of us will ever live!! I don't care if people hate you or what you can buy that we will never see!! Talk about what is real to everyone. People are going to hate those that have accomplished something in this world. But I don't care about your problems. Relate to me, the common person!! I understand as you grow, your rhymes change and become more grown, but these suck!!
Rhymes: D We know you are hated and what you can buy, ENOUGH!!
Conclusion: I want my money back Shawn Carter. You disappointed me. Now I am a true fan and most people will say to grow with you and understand, but this album is ridiculous and it is not to be bought. I don't endorse bootlegging of any sort, but......People, don't waste your money. Listen to the individual tracks and then by those that you like, not this whole album. It was disappointing.
If you're looking for another album like the original Blueprint or Black Album then listen to them. This is different. That's what Hov is stressing.
If you enjoyed Kingdom Come then you can appreciate this album. Not that it's a part 2 to Kingdom Come but it's another step towards the future for Hov. He's not concerned with the same things anymore & this album reflects that.
It's not for everyone. If you enjoy half of what's out these days then it's probably not for you. Just listen to it with an open mind.
Here it is. After a year of rumors, months of push backs and weeks of single leaks it finally happened. Jay-Z has finally given us the third installment of his Blueprint series. A lot of hype surrounded this album (just like every Jay-Z album since the first Blueprint), because Jay is very secretive about his work. A lot has happened since we last heard from J-Hova. He married his longtime girlfriend Beyonce and he resigned as President of Def Jam to form Roc-Nation.
Those expecting "American Gangster" will be highly disappointed. Like Kanye West & Common, Jay-Z is being very experimental and trying new things. The vibe of this album is futuristic. Jay experiments with uptempo beats and a faster than normal rhyme style. Similar to what Common did on his last release. It works on the Kid Cudi assisted "Already Home" but not for "Off That" ft. Drake. "D.O.A. (Death Of Auto-Tune) has a perfect blend of jazz and hip hop. "Run This Town", has Rihanna screaming all over the song. Its almost unbearable if it wasn't for Kanye's verse at the end. J-Hova puts all doubters in check with "On To The Next". I was surprised it was produced by Swiss Beats, who sounds new and refreshed. (Not recycled like a lot of his beats lately) He slows things down on "Venus VS Mars", which is about the difference between men and women. Rarely do the experiments on this album work. But if there is one thing Jay-Z has over most rappers today is delivery. Nobody can touch Jay on a lyrical level. If you can get past some of the beats and listen to what he's saying on songs like "Thank You". You will see that he still got it.
"Blueprint 3" was pushed back from its original release dated back in February because Jay decided he wanted an "Auto Tune" free album. I would have loved to hear the songs that were scrapped like "Swagga Like Us 2" and "History". Jay has a tendency to follow up classic albums with mediocre albums (In My Lifetime Vol 1 & Vol 3, Kingdom Come) And no matter what he puts out, he still has that same swag, that same bravado that nobody else has. You either love him or hate him. (Even though he gave the haters new ammo on this one)
Longevity in hip hop is rare. Rappers either come and go or they stay around too long and see their careers fade away. The problem with longevity is when you stay around long enough, you see the same people who were once fans turn into enemies. People hate on success, the more successful you become the more people try to bring you down. Like Batman in "The Dark Knight", if you stay long enough the people will turn you into the enemy. Jay -Z is in this cycle now. With "Blueprint 3", Jay is not reinventing himself, he's trying something new. This is definitely not a street album, but don't doubt him. If you think Jay doesn't have it anymore, trust me he will come back and prove you wrong.
I hope this reviews have been insightful and helpful in some way.
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